| December 2022 |

Welcome to the December 2022 issue of the AFGC's National Plastics Recycling Scheme (NPRS) project newsletter, the soft plastic packaging recycling scheme developed and led by Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing industry.

This issue contains updates on the trials of kerbside soft plastic collection, new Foundation Supporters and the expanding support for the project happening throughout the supply chain. We have also included some significant comments made recently by federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek, about the outlook for soft plastics recycling.

As you can see below, Minister Plibersek noted the AFGC’s NPRS project and expressed support for the industry’s work to develop a sustainable solution. It’s a reminder of the importance of industry working together with all stakeholders and providing the fullest possible support to develop a sustainable solution for recycling soft plastic packaging in Australia. 

We also welcome our newest Foundation Supporters, Chobani and Sanitarium, who join the companies – all listed below – that are providing the vital financial support needed to make the trials possible.

Barry Cosier,
Director, Sustainability – AFGC 

Coordinated action

The NPRS trials and the supply chain for soft plastics recycling are made possible by committed industry stakeholders. The AFGC coordinated a series of meetings with key parties, representing the packaging industry, local governments, recyclers, processors and manufacturers, at the Melbourne Waste Expo in November. The face-to-face meetings were a demonstration of the wide support for creating large-scale soft plastic packaging recycling in Australia.

Back - left to right: Nerida Kelton (Australian Institute of Packaging); Bill Pemberton (Macedon Ranges Shire Council); Rohan Smith and Andrea Baldwin (Albury City Council); Ashlee Bowen (RAMJO); Michelle Wilkinson (Halve Waste); Darren Thorpe (APR); Paul Wilton and Arj Wilmalasuriya (Plastoil); Tim Kaliyanda and Andrea Polson (Licella); Jeroen Wassenaar (Qenos); Andrew Bassford (Plastic Energy); Rob Moran (Viva Polymers). Front - left to right: Barry Cosier and Helen Millicer (AFGC); Logan Thorpe (APR). Not present: Miles Saunders (MRSC); Fiona Chambers and John Niarchos (CAWRA); Danial Gallagher (IQ Renew); Andrej Rakov (Cleanaway).

Latest developments

Trials underway 

All trials of kerbside collection are now in progress, with City of Adelaide, City of Port Adelaide Enfield and City of Charles Sturt councils in South Australia announcing their trials on December 6.  

The three South Australian councils are each using a different trial method as part of the NPRS project goal of gathering data on the best model for kerbside soft plastics collection. 

The City of Adelaide and City of Port Adelaide Enfield have partnered with the Curby Soft Plastics Program for their trial and are both using yellow ‘Curby’ bags for bag-in-bin collection while the City of Charles Sturt is testing an orange, translucent bag. 

Green Industries SA has committed funding to the South Australian trials along with the AFGC. 

The South Australian trials add to kerbside collection trials taking place in Macedon Ranges Shire Council in Victoria, and Albury and Wodonga councils on the NSW-Victoria border.  

Material from all trials is being transported to APR Plastics in Dandenong, Victoria, for processing.

Links to all the council trials can be found on the AFGC’s NPRS information page.

Media coverage 

The NPRS trials of kerbside collection are attracting media and public attention. The Macedon Ranges trial in Romsey was covered by ABC Radio, while the Romsey trial and the Albury-Wodonga trial were mentioned by the Sydney Morning Herald. The South Australian trials generated coverage in local and state media, including stories on the ABC and Nine News. 

We expect media and general interest in the trials and the broader NPRS project will continue to increase, particularly when the trial results can be discussed after they come through in March 2023. 

The AFGC Government and Media Relations team has worked with councils, members and government stakeholders to ensure clear messaging on these important trials. A December 6 joint media release with the Central Adelaide Waste and Recycling Authority (CAWRA) announcing the start of the South Australian trials was widely picked up in industry media publications, including Waste Management Review and Inside FMCG. 

Foundation Supporter ranks grow
Industry support for the NPRS project is essential, not just for the financial contributions that allow the trials to happen, but also for the commitment it shows our members have in creating a circular economy for soft plastic packaging here in Australia. AFGC member companies have shown enormous commitment with 19 companies now signed up to support the scheme as Foundation Supporters, providing critical funds for the trials and pilot programs.
Foundation supporters include...

Supply chain partnerships 

Trial and technology partners are crucial to the success of this new closed loop soft plastics supply chain for recovery of material to make new post-consumer soft plastic packaging. 

As mentioned above, soft plastics collected in the six council trials now taking place are being processed by APR Plastics, which operates an advanced recycling plant using pyrolysis to convert plastics into oil. APR Plastics has an off-take agreement with Viva Energy Polymers.  

Plastics recycler iQ Renew, located on the NSW Central Coast, is processing soft plastics collected in two programs run by the Curby Soft Plastics program in Newcastle and on the Central Coast. 

The AFGC NPRS team is currently in talks with other parties in the collection, recycling, processing and refining space and will announce new agreements soon.  

REDcycle update 

There have been a number of media reports about the REDcycle return-to-store soft plastics recycling program since its pause was announced on November 9. While the reports of stockpiled soft plastics have been concerning, it is important to note that these NPRS trials are independent of REDcycle and material collected is being processed at the APR pyrolysis facility. The trials of kerbside recycling and the data gathering to inform the best model for collecting soft plastic at a national scale for advanced recycling will continue to be unaffected by REDcycle’s status.

AFGC Members will have seen an update on the REDcycle situation in a Member Brief circulated on November 25 sharing the ACCC’s recommendation that members place a notification on your brand websites to advise consumers that the REDcycle scheme has temporarily paused. Non-AFGC members can email the NPRS team for more information.

Speaking on ABC Radio on November 11, Minister Plibersek said industry had to have the opportunity to get soft plastic packaging recycling right:

Webinars and updates 
The AFGC is busy completing its commitment with the Australian Government funded component for the NPRS trials assessment by the end of March 2023, and is planning next phases. Our regular newsletters will share the latest developments, while the AFGC Government and Media Relations team, working with participating councils, will keep key stakeholders up to date.  

The NPRS webinar series with AFGC sustainability staff and industry experts from Australia and overseas started in October and, following a pause in the international schedule, will resume in January. An update on the dates for webinars led by AFGC Sustainability Director Barry Cosier with European and UK experts will be sent early in January 2023. 

Get involved...
For more information about the NPRS project, webinars or to get involved in the scheme development visit the AFGC NPRS project page or email us via nprs@afgc.org.au.
 

This newletter is for AFGC members only. Please do not distribute outside your organisation.