THEWRAPUP - SOFT PLASTIC RECYCLING
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09
TheWrapUp
2020
PROMOTING THE SOFT PLASTICS CIRCULAR ECONOMY
RECYCLING.KIWI.NZ
Soft plastic scheme
springs forward
Well, 2020 is certainly fast able to safely continue collections All of this expansion is only
becoming the year of learning at Countdown stores in Auckland possible because of the success of
to ‘pivot’ with all the wide, during the latest Level 3 lockdown, our processing partners: Future
ongoing disruptions being and that Future Post was able Post and Second Life Plastics.
caused by Covid-19 – it really to continue processing. We are
In July, Future Post processed a
does seem such a long time getting better at this!
massive 43 tonnes of soft plastic.
since we first started hearing We have positive news to share To put this into perspective, that is
about this virus overseas. – while we added new collection equivalent to 7.3 million individual
Our thoughts continue to points in Matamata, Rotorua, soft plastic bags or wrappers in
be with all our members, in Taupo, Tauranga and Whakatane one month – enough to half fill an
fact all businesses, that have in July, we will also be adding 14 Olympic-sized swimming pool. We
been impacted by Covid-19 new Countdown stores in Auckland are now ramping up our collections
– we know many have had to and Northland from 14 September. to meet this demand.
change the way they operate We are also making plans to
Thanks to the growth of our
significantly. add Countdown stores in New
processing partners, and with the
Here at the Soft Plastic Recycling Plymouth to the service.
support from all of our members,
Scheme HQ, we are also mastering Altogether this will mean that we have seen processing capacity
the art of being nimble – after 60% of New Zealanders will have here in Aotearoa quadruple in
having restructured following access to a drop off point to recycle 12 months – this is an incredible
the global impacts on plastic their soft plastics within 20km of achievement.
recycling in 2018, we again home or work. This is an incredible
We would also like to take the
stopped collections during Level 4 achievement over the past year,
opportunity to say thank you to
lockdown this autumn, to phasing particularly given the challenging
our members and processing
them back during Levels 3 – 1, times we live in.
partners for all your continued
only to end up back to Level 3 in
And the news gets even better. In support and understanding during
Auckland in August.
October we will be welcoming five this challenging time of Covid-19 -
Following all of these changes, we New World and PAK’nSAVE stores Ngā mihi nui.
were very pleased that we were in Auckland back into the scheme
Where can
All about you recycle?
labelling You can check out
which stores are
currently providing the service
on our website bit.ly/SP-store-
locator otherwise Google 'soft
More than 40 members, and However, currently the ARL does
plastic stores'.
prospective members, joined not recognise the New Zealand
our second webinar in July and soft plastic scheme, and users are
heard from Lyn Mayes, scheme asked to put not recyclable on pack Legislative framework
manager, about the use our for New Zealand. For members We are seeing a raft of
"Recycle at Store" logo by which have consumables available legislation, consultation and
members. Steering committee in both New Zealand and Australia, recommendations relating to
members Michael Anderson, it does create a challenge when it packaging, in particular plastic
group sustainability manager comes to packaging. packaging. The landscape is
Goodman Fielder, and Charlotte changing rapidly and we need to
As a result of demand from
Haycock, senior advisory be ready.
members we have applied to the
Sustainability & Government To find out more join our next
Australian Packaging Covenant
Countdown, talked about adopting webinar on Monday 28 September
Organisation (APCO) for our
the Australasian Recycling Label at 11am: Recycling, Recyclability &
scheme to be accepted as an
(ARL). Regulations.
alternative destination within the
We are seeing a big increase in our ARL to provide consistency for
members using our “Recycle at members that operate in both
Store” logo on packaging, which is countries.
driving awareness of the scheme,
We welcome all our members to
and encouraging more consumers
utilise our logo, and promote the
to recycle their soft plastic
scheme wherever appropriate.
packaging.
ENVIRONMENTAL
CLAIMS GUIDELINES
The Commerce Commission has
released guidelines to help traders
understand their obligations when
making environmental claims,
including how to avoid breaching
the Fair Trading Act. Examples
of environmental claims include
statements made about recycling,
biodegradability, and the use
of recycled content or natural
products.
bit.ly/enviro-claims-guidelines
GUIDELINE
PLASTIC BANS
CONSULTATION
JULY 2020
Environmental Claims
Guidelines
a guide for traders
The government has announced
proposals to phase out:
• some hard-to-recycle PVC and
Proposed priority Consultation
THE GREEN COMPANY
Café Organic Prime Meats Butcher
polystyrene packaging and oxo-
Document
products and priority 2019
product stewardship
scheme guidelines
EARTH
SAFE degradable plastic products
Disclaimer
• seven single-use plastic
items, including plastic straws,
Priority products
drink stirrers, produce bags,
tableware (e.g. plastic plates,
bowls, cutlery) and non-
The government has announced checks, baling, transport to end
compostable fruit stickers.
its decision to regulate product markets and contribute to the
stewardships for single use plastic processing costs as well. This is The consultation is open until 4
packaging. From a soft plastic different from the traditional November. From a soft plastic
perspective our voluntary product model where the processor pays perspective our focus will be on the
stewardship scheme is already the collector/recycler for the inclusion of produce bags in the
delivering on many of the new materials, so we are well prepared consultation process. The proposal
requirements. to transition to a regulated
refers to “lightweight bag under
scheme model.”
As Malcolm Everts, Chair says: 70 microns thick, without handles,
As an existing scheme, unless for carrying fruit and vegetables”.
“As a voluntary scheme, we
the scheme is revoked by the The government proposal
already have over 70% of
Minister, we theoretically have recommends using no bag or
industry, by volume, funding
the five years remaining of our
the recycling programme and reusable produce bags made from
voluntary scheme to apply for
membership has increased hessian, hemp or cotton.
priority product accreditation.
by 20% in the past year to 75
We will however start work so We are keen to hear from our
companies. We are also working
that we transition as painlessly members who manufacture or use
with members on the design of
as possible. It will mean more single use produce bags, and those
their packaging, reducing creation
reporting and more compliance who have introduced alternatives
of plastic packaging waste, and
costs. But our scheme is heading so we can incorporate members’
advocate using our “return to
in the right direction.” views in our submission.
store” labelling system.”
bit.ly/MFE-prod-stew It is good to note that the
“Scheme members’ levies fund
collections from stores, quality document identifies LDPE (4),
which is the main plastic resin in
our scheme, as “mainly used for
making soft plastic packaging and
is difficult to replace with other
materials”.
bit.ly/MFE-plastic-bans
Member update Welcome to our newest
members of The
PROMOTION OF THE SCHEME BY OUR MEMBERS Packaging Forum's Soft
Be proud and share our work! Plastic Recycling Scheme
Animals Like Us
Foodstuffs
Jenkins FreshPac Systems
Little Beauties
In one year, our amazing O F Packaging
customers saved 3.5 tonnes Pams
Sherbourne Packaging
of soft plastic from landfill by Suntory Coffee
putting it in our collection bins Tegel
Thermogard
Tropeaka
We are proud supporters
of the Love NZ Soft Plastic
oob organic are
programme, which gives New
proud to sponsor
Zealanders the knowledge and
the Love NZ Soft
tools to help keep plastic bags
Plastic Recycling
and packaging out of landfill.
initiative.
bit.ly/ME-spr bit.ly/OOB-spr
TC Transcontinental
If you have any news or would like us to profile any Packaging
innovative programmes your organisation is working on, Member TC Transcontinental
please let us know! Packaging is excited to introduce
its new stock line of courier bags,
which are manufactured using up
And it’s not just our members that to 80% of recycled New Zealand
are proud of our scheme LDPE waste.
TC Transcontinental Packaging is
Earthlink collects our soft plastic from proud to manufacture this range
Countdown and The Warehouse stores in of courier bags in its Christchurch
Wellington and The Hutt Valley. facility, and to be able to offer a
sustainable courier bag solution to
bit.ly/earthlink-spr
New Zealand customers.
O F PACKAGING – ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
We welcome new scheme different types of plastics (similar specifically because they view it
member O F Packaging. to how we sort different coloured without respect for the function
Paul Ehrlich, Research & broken glass), it is not a complete it has in relation to product
Innovation Engineer provides solution. protection, shelf life and food
his insight into the benefits safety. The question is raised—why
These two issues are why we
of using soft plastics, and not go back to the good old days
cannot currently accept soft
the issues impacting their of glass, paper and aluminium?
plastics into our commingled,
recycling in Australia. The fact is that these materials
kerbside recycling stream.
don’t have the same functionality
However, here in Australia, we are
and the low production costs of
WHY AREN’T SOFT PLASTICS currently working on innovation
plastic—and that’s not just cost in
COLLECTED IN THE KERBSIDE with how we dispose of soft plastics
a fiscal sense; flexible plastics have
COLLECTION SYSTEM? that will allow for easier collection
one of the lowest carbon emissions
There are two main issues when we and sorting through kerbside.
of any packaging material in both
look at recycling soft plastics: SO WHY USE SOFT production and transportation,
Firstly, the physical make-up of PLASTICS AT ALL? while also helping reduce food
soft plastic mimics the qualities Plastic is involved in every spoilage and waste (which is
of paper, which is problematic aspect of our modern lives, from another large sustainability
when trying to separate each protecting the food consumers concern). Sustainability, in regards
material category in the current buy to protecting medical staff to packaging and plastic, has to be
and patients, from making vital viewed along the entire lifecycle of
MRF process. Very thin plastics
the packaging product—otherwise
(such as shopping bags) also parts in vehicles or mobile phones,
we cannot be sustainable at all.
caused issues with the machinery to vital parts in human beings.
itself—wrapping around rollers Consumerism has changed WHERE IS THE MARKET MOVING?
or becoming stuck in conveyor drastically over the past 60 years,
Packaging manufacturers like O F
systems. and our waste behaviours and Packaging can now supply single
infrastructure never changed with polymer alternative soft plastic
Secondly, unlike most rigid plastic
it. Economic factors also influence materials, without losing packaging
containers (such as PET bottles),
more than just company profits, performance and barrier properties
soft plastics aren’t all made of a
with people in the modern world required for the majority of food
single, easily identifiable polymer
working more, but earning less in applications. This means that when
type. Furthermore, attempting
comparison to the cost of living. reclaimed, this packaging would
to identify different plastics once
When price is the mitigating factor be easier to sort into a polymer
they’re scrunched up, dirty, torn
in purchase decisions, it’s going to category, and provide a higher
and mingled in with the rest of our
impact negatively on the quality quality recycled feedstock for
recyclable waste, makes things
and quantity of products we buy, re-use into new plastic products in
even more difficult. While a select
and ultimately throw away. comparison to traditional multi-
few MRFs overseas utilise speciality
lighting frequencies and high- So often we hear people laminate structures.
end technologies to scan and sort questioning plastic in packaging
News from our processing partners Support from
our soft plastic
customers and
stakeholders
Designed by a fencer, built by a farmer!
Designed, re-purposed and made in New Zealand.
Approved for use on organic farms (BioGro certified)
Following the increase in collections, They are available in two sizes:
Future Post has added a second • 1960mm x 1040mm x 405mm
shift and is churning out hundreds $395.00
of posts using our soft plastic. The • 2535mm x 1040mm x 405mm
increased production brings new $495.00
products and new designs. Prices exclude GST & freight.
Ex-factory price.
Future Post square posts (top
Are you one of our
photo) looking smart in Thames. If you or anyone you know is
The ones shown are the 1.8m interested in one, please contact:
8500 Facebook
length posts, but they are also info@futurepost.co.nz.
followers?
available in 2.4m. If not, head on over and like the Love
Future Post square posts are also
NZ Soft Plastics Recycling Facebook
Future Post fans here's the news being used as parking stops (bottom page and keep up to date with
you have all been waiting for. You left). These are proving to be a highly everything happening in the soft
can now buy a new Forever Box versatile product. plastic space as well as promoting
(photo bottom right) for your your support!
garden!
facebook.com/
softplasticrecycling
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