Eurobodalla residents can start collecting their soft plastics again for a new recycling trial starting next week.
During a three-month trial period, residents will be able to take their soft plastics to designated bins at Eurobodalla Shire Council’s waste facilities at Surf Beach, Moruya and Brou.
Council’s waste services manager Nathan Ladmore said Recycle Smart would collect soft plastics from council’s waste facilities and take them to APR Plastics for recycling in Dandenong in Victoria.
“The waste process involves breaking down the soft plastics in a recycling machine called a pyrolysis plant which converts plastics into oil for use in plastic manufacturing,” Mr Ladmore said.
“Another bonus is that the generated gas is distributed back into a hybrid generator and used to power the pyrolysis plant.
“The plant has been running since 2019 to fill the void between the collapse of REDcycle and we have confidence in them doing the job right.”
The trial is set to start on 24 June (Monday).
Mr Ladmore said the community could have confidence knowing their plastics would be recycled.
“After everyone’s recycling efforts, it was a huge letdown when the news broke of REDcycle secretly stockpiling hundreds of millions of plastics in warehouses instead of recycling them,” he said.
“After months of negotiations, it’s great to know that our soft plastics will now be kept out of landfill, thanks to Recycle Smart and APR Plastics.”
The trial makes Council’s waste facilities the only free soft plastic drop-off points in Eurobodalla Shire.
“We’re fortunate to set up this service for residents while supermarkets aren’t taking soft plastics at present,” Mr Ladmore said.
Things like zip lock bags, silver lined chip bags, sturdy pet food bags with return to store labels, bubble wrap, bread bags, cereal box liners and biscuit packaging (not trays) can be recycled through the bins, according to ESC.
Further information on soft plastic recycling and what is accepted can be found via council’s website.