ACCC plans to approve soft plastics recycling scheme backed by Woolies, Coles
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The news: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is proposing to authorise a voluntary, industry-led scheme to collect and recycle soft plastic packaging from consumers.
The context: The scheme will be run by Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA), a not-for-profit representing a group of major retailers and brands.
It aims to increase the collection and recycling of soft plastic packaging from consumers, such as shopping bags and food wrappers.
Initial members of the SPSA scheme are Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Nestlé, Mars and McCormick Foods. The scheme would be funded through a levy on scheme participants based on the amount of business-to-consumer soft plastic packaging they place on the market.
The competition regulator is proposing to grant authorisation for eight years, and to include a reporting condition to ensure transparency of the performance of the scheme.
According to data published by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, between 2022 and 2023, more than 540,000 tonnes of soft plastic packaging was used by manufacturers in packaging their products, however only 6% of this was recovered.
The ACCC has previously authorised Aldi, Coles and Woolworths to work together to remediate the stockpile of soft plastics following the collapse of the REDcycle soft plastics recycling program.
Submissions on the ACCC’s draft determination are due by 25 August.
What they said: “It is clear that many Australians are concerned about the environmental impacts of soft plastic packaging and want to recycle it,” said ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh.
“We believe the proposed scheme will result in an environmental benefit as it aims to take over and expand the current in-store collection and kerbside pilots for recycling soft plastic packaging, meaning some soft plastics are likely to be diverted from landfill.”
The source: ACCC
