Plastics, Glass and Aluminium Recycling

Victorian Container Deposit Scheme

Container deposit schemes should reduce household generated recycling volumes as returning eligible containers at collection points such as reverse vending machines will reward people engaging in this redemption process.

CDS Vic will target beverage containers that most commonly contribute to litter and are often consumed away from home. This includes plastic soft drink bottles, glass beer bottles, soft drinks and alcohol sold in cans, and small fruit juice cartons.

A complete list of eligible containers can be found in the Container Deposit Scheme Regulations[1]. A summary list is included below.

  • Eligible containers include:
    Non-concentrated fruit or vegetable juice
    Flavoured milk
    Beer
    Soft drink
    Mixed spirits
  • Exempt containers include:
    Glass wine bottles
    Glass spirit bottles
    Juice bottles over 1 litre
    Cordial bottles
    Milk (other than flavoured milk)
    Concentrated fruit or vegetable juice

[1] https://www.vic.gov.au/container-deposit-scheme

NSW Return & Earn Container Deposit Scheme

Bottles, cans and cartons make up a large proportion of the litter on our streets, beaches and green spaces. Tackling the problem costs NSW millions of dollars every year. Return and Earn is a way for us all to help solve the litter problem and be rewarded for our efforts.

With a food based tenancy proposed within the building, a recycling bin can be swapped for a Return & Earn bin. There are many options for these containers to be deposited or collections. View the website for more information: https://returnandearn.org.au

Soft Plastic Recycling

Eliminating or reducing the use of single-use plastics can greatly reduce waste volumes both in residential and commercial settings. This includes straws, plastic bags and plastic wraps. Many private waste contractors can commercially collect soft plastic.

  1. Reground (Vic only) https://www.reground.com.au/ collect soft plastics and coffee grounds. They provide bags or bins, into which soft plastics or coffee grounds are separately emptied. Reground replace bins and/ or bags on a consistent regular basis, depending on how fast they fill up. They then collect the resource and take them to community gardens and home gardeners or local plastics recyclers who put the waste to positive use.
  2. Coles and Woolworths both have offered plastic bag and soft plastic recycling, and hopefully will do again. Residents can place all plastics in one plastic bag and add it to the recycling bin at the supermarket for collection. Any location identified on the Redcycle website.
  3. Other commercial waste contractors may also be able to collect streamed soft plastics depending on your location.
  4. There are a number of companies that already collect streamed soft plastics in NSW including:

 

The NSW Single Use Plastics ban

As of 1st June 2022 there was also a ban on lightweight plastic shopping bags. All retailers including restaurants are not permitted to provide, stock or use these plastic bags.

  • The ban applies to all lightweight plastic shopping bags that have a thickness of 35 microns or less at any part of the bag, including degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags.

Further, as of 1 November 2022, other singles use plastics were also be banned. These products include:

  • Single-use plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, bowls and cotton buds (including compostable, biodegradable and bioplastic alternatives)
  • Expanded polystyrene food and drink containers
  • Rinse-off personal care products containing plastic microbeads.

EPA NSW is managing compliance monitoring and reports of suspected banned bags. Further information can be found at: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/news/news/2022/education-on-lightweight-plastic-bag-ban

The WA Single Use Plastics ban

Western Australia have already phased out single-use plastics, enforceable from 1 July 2022. For WA businesses, they can no longer supply plastic shopping bags, paper shopping bags with plastic laminate, plastic straws and stirrers, cutlery, plates, bowls, food containers and expanded polystyrene food containers and trays.

From 1 October 2022, WA businesses can no longer supply deposable cups for cold drinks.

For more information go to https://plasticsbanwa.com.au