Fiona Watson is one of 350 Box Divvy members who run a produce hub out of her home. Photo: Box Divvy.
Soft plastics are among the hardest products to recycle in the world, and since 2022, Australia’s supermarkets have been unable to provide a means for people to recycle them.
Now, community-based food network Box Divvy, which describes itself as ‘The Unsupermarket’, has built its own soft plastic collection pipeline which will operate at 90 per cent of its 350 sites across the ACT, NSW and Victoria.
Box Divvy primarily offers hubs for growers to connect with buyers, often held in members’ homes or garages.
Customers can organise to pick up produce or have it delivered from these hubs via Box Divvy’s app. The goal is to reduce ‘food miles’ and the cost of shopping at a supermarket.
Its new scheme works by allowing members to drop off ‘scrunchable’ plastics such as bread bags, produce bags, chip packets and bubble wrap that can’t go in kerbside recycling bins to their local hub.
Box Divvy’s sustainability partner, ReSmart, then collects the plastic and transports it to a Sydney warehouse. It is then taken to a Victorian processor to be converted into resin and recycled into food-grade bags.
Box Divvy then uses the bags to package dry foods like beans and nuts.
Co-founder of Box Divvy Anton van den Berg said the recycling of food packaging is part of Box Divvy’s commitment to growers and distributors.
“If we are serious about reshaping food systems, we cannot ignore the packaging that comes with them,” Mr van den Berg said.
“We talk about transparency and fairness in supply chains. Taking responsibility for soft plastics is part of that same commitment.”
Mr van den Berg said the program shows how community-based supply chains can take responsibility for their own waste streams.
“The circular economy only works if someone closes the loop,” he said.
“We are in a position to do that within our own network. If communities control parts of the supply chain, they can also take responsibility for the waste that flows through it.”
Head of sales at ReSmart Mike Duke said many consumers have lost confidence in recycling soft plastics, but he is hopeful ReSmart and Box Divvy’s new initiative can help convince more people to recycle.
“Rebuilding confidence in soft plastics recycling starts with reliable infrastructure,” Mr Duke said.
“ReSmart’s role in this partnership, providing consistent weekly collection and a clear pathway from neighbourhood Hub to processor, is what makes verified outcomes possible.
“When the logistics are right, soft plastics can then be successfully remanufactured into new products, and that’s exactly what this program delivers.”
Your closest soft plastic collection site can be found at Box Divvy.
Original Article published by Jarryd Rowley on Region Canberra.
