The new trans-Tasman partnership will support businesses distributing soft plastic packaging to provide recycling information to customers
APCO and Packaging Forum partner to improve soft plastic recycling in New Zealand. (Credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.)
The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) has collaborated with the Packaging Forum to improve soft plastic recycling in New Zealand.
The new trans-Tasman partnership will ensure more soft plastics are collected, recycled and will keep out of the landfill.
The partnership will support businesses distributing soft plastic packaging in New Zealand to provide accurate and clear recycling information to the customers and help them to recycle their soft plastic packaging.
APCO CEO Brooke Donnelly said: “Research consistently shows that soft plastics are one of the most problematic contaminants in the waste stream and are an issue we have to get right in order to improve recovery rates for the region.
“We are delighted to officially partner with The Packaging Forum’s Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme to provide our ARL Program Members with an approved, reliable end of life solution for their soft plastics.
“We encourage all businesses selling consumer soft plastic packaging in New Zealand to join the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme and provide an evidence-based recovery option on the packaging you place on market.”
The collaboration will also enable the Packaging Forum’s Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme to be recognised as an approved Alternative Destination under APCO’s Australasian Recycling Label Programme.
The Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme is a membership-based programme, which provides retail collection points for New Zealanders across Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Northland, Taranaki, Waikato and Wellington.
The collection points are to collect and recycle a range of soft plastic products, including bread bags, produce and frozen food bags, chip bags, pasta and rice bags, confectionery and biscuit wrap, squeeze pouches, shopping bags, courier backs, bubble wrap and cereal bags.
The North Island plants, Future Post and Second Life Plastics will process the collected materials into durable plastic products, including posts, parking stops, cable covers and garden edging.
Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme manager Lyn Mayes said: “We have close to 100 scheme members, many of which operate trans-Tasman and this partnership with APCO will allow them to adopt consistent labelling for their soft plastic packaging in both countries. The Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme is 100% funded by members.”