Almost 6000 households have joined the City of Ballarat’s soft plastics recycling pilot which helps residents recycle plastics such as bread, cereal bags and bubble wrap.
The kerbside ‘scrunchable’ soft plastics recycling collection program is part of a national pilot managed by Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia, previously established by the Australian Food and Grocery Council.
Since July 2024, more than 90,000 kilograms of soft plastics have been collected and diverted from landfill across the nine councils participating in the national pilot program.
The soft plastics collected are being used to manufacture quality products, as part of plans to develop a long-term circular solution for soft plastic packaging waste.
Tracey Hargreaves, Mayor of the City of Ballarat said, the strong level of participation reflects the community’s willingness to adopt more sustainable practices.
She said it is clear that residents are eager to see better recycling options.
A decision on the future of the soft plastics program has not been made, but it will continue for the foreseeable future.
The council will survey participating residents to gather feedback on the program to help to understand what worked well, what can be improved and the benefits of the program for the community.
For more information, visit: www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/
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