Supermarkets join forces on soft plastics

A taskforce will be set up to find solutions to the soft plastics recycling crisis, with approval from the competition regulator. 

The three major supermarket chains will form part of a Soft Plastics Taskforce, as the fallout  from REDcycle’s collapse continues.

The ACCC announced a conditional interim authorisation for Coles, Woolworths and ALDI to establish  the taskforce, which will consider, and seek to develop and implement, a short-term solution for the storage, transportation, processing, recycling and/or management of soft plastics.  

“We have moved quickly to approve the interim application as the suspension of the REDcycle program stopped in-store collections of soft plastic, raising community concerns and an urgent need to address the environmental risk of the existing stockpile and future waste,” ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said.

“The application envisages that a longer-term solution to the issue of recycling soft plastics is needed and that the proposed conduct will not detract from or adversely affect the development of longer-term solutions.”

Keogh said it was expected that the supermarkets would “resolve this situation urgently”, with reporting conditions placed on them to keep the ACCC informed of their progress.

He said the ACCC is working with other industry stakeholders “to ensure clarity and transparency in communications so as to minimise the risk of consumers being misled by representations about the recycling of soft plastics”. 

The collapse of REDcycle has resulted in questions over what to do with soft plastics.

The best solution remains to reduce the use of plastic, however some smaller operators told Pro Bono News they are still recycling some soft plastic products.

The interim authorisation will continue until it is revoked, the application for authorisation is withdrawn, or the date the ACCC’s final determination comes into effect. A public consultation process will begin shortly.

For more information, visit the ACCC’s website.