Why You Should Start Recycling Soft Plastics Now
As you can see my beautiful Yoga Tent Studio is surrounded by nature which is why I loved creating it. Nature has the best ambient sounds like rain, wind, birds singing and so much more that you can’t get from your standard studio. Most of my students always comment when the rain hits the top of the tent how relaxing it sounds. It’s the best moment when it happens as I can see everybody relax even more. So what does this have to do with recycling soft plastics…. well because our waste is causing massive problems on this planet with extreme weather changes, massive landfills, plastic in oceans, cutting down of forest.
Most of the yoga I teach is in nature from my Yoga Hikes to teach Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga on the river… so for me, it was a NO BRAINER to start creating more AWARENESS about small changes we can start doing today to make a big impact tomorrow.
LEARNING about recycling and waste help me understand the issues
I only learnt about soft plastics last year when did a Challenge to Live Zero Waste One Month Pledge it really hit home for me that I can be part of the SOLUTION to the problem if I start making small changes in my lifestyle and that made me feel so much better. Watching the tv series ABC War On Waste it also helped me learn about the problems happening specifically in Australia our home. Totally recommend watching it get a better understanding for yourself what is happening to your garbage.
Learning about all the issues and problems we have about the waste opens your eyes to see what is going on in a BIG way making you feel awful because you know you are part of the problem. We all buy food, we all eat takeaway, we all have used plastic straws and bought bottle water without thinking we were doing anything wrong. But NOW we know it is wrong and we are resisting the change because it’s not promoted enough on TV yet as being a MAJOR issue. Let’s face it… human being don’t naturally like to change. Some of us LOVE change and thrive on it and some of us avoid change as we like our comfort zone. Unfortunately staying in our routine/habits/comfort zone won’t help our planet get rid of all the waste so we need to change whether we like it or not.
OFFSET your actions if you can’t go zero waste today start recycling correctly
Well the good news is that if you do decide to use soft plastics for certain items like us… you can do so knowing that you are not adding to the problem if you are putting in the extra effort to recycle CORRECTLY by dropping the packaging back off at Woolworths or Coles who have taken on the responsibility for their products’ waste. Ultimately our goal is to go Zero Waste Home eventually but we understand after almost a year of trying new things and changing lots of habits… not all of them can be changed overnight. It is not easy to stop eating your favourite chocolate bar or buying your weekly bread. To offset these purchases we make sure we drop them back off at our local Coles to be upcycled.
Where does Redcycle Go?
Well, today there is a lot of speculation about your local council kerbside collecting going to the correct facility vs the landfill. According to REDcycle they upcycle the soft plastics into other products through Replas.
Where does the collected soft plastic end up?
We bring the collected plastic back to our facility for initial processing, then it is delivered to Australian manufacturer Replas where it undergoes an incredible transformation. Replas uses the material as the resource to produce a huge range of recycled-plastic products, from fitness circuits to sturdy outdoor furniture, to bollards, signage and more. All products are extremely robust, as well as water and termite resistant. They won’t crack, splinter or rot and will never need painting. Replas products are perfect for use in schools, park, public spaces and commercial premises.
I’ve gone onto their website and read through the commitment to the environment and how they want to turn plastic waste into products for there future. For me, I always like the concept of taking something ugly like this issue with soft plastic waste and turning into something beautiful…like new products for the community.
Why Should Soft Plastic Recycling Be Treated Separately To Normal Recycling?
Why can’t I put my plastic bags and packaging in my kerbside recycling bin?
The majority of councils can’t accept soft plastic for recycling via their kerbside collection because soft plastic jams the automated sorting machines at the Materials Recovery Facility.
So here is a snapshot of the things you can put in the soft plastic bin and a full list below…lets start upcycling our soft plastics if we are consciously buying products still in soft plastics do the right thing and make the EFFORT to return it to Coles & Woolworths. If they can change and start collecting it back we can change too and start returning it. We all can make a difference today.
YES PLEASE!
Biscuit packets (outer wrapper only)
Bread bags (without the tie)
Bubble wrap (large sheets cut into A3 size pieces)
Cat and dog food pouches (as clean and dry as possible)
Cellophane from bunches of flowers (cut into A3 size pieces)
Cereal box liners
Chip and cracker packets (silver lined)
Chocolate and snack bar wrappers
Confectionery bags
Dry pet food bags
Fresh produce bags
Frozen food bags
Green bags (Polypropylene Bags)
Ice cream wrappers
Large sheets of plastic that furniture comes wrapped in (cut into A3 size pieces)
Netting produce bags (any metal clips removed)
Newspaper and magazine wrap
Pasta bags
Pet food bags (chaff/horse/chicken) – both the plastic and woven polypropylene types (but not woven nylon). Cut into A3 size pieces and shake free of as much product as possible
Plastic Australia Post satchels
Plastic carrier bags from all stores
Plastic film wrap from grocery items such as nappies and toilet paper
Plastic sachets
Potting mix and compost bags – both the plastic and woven polypropylene types (cut into A3 size pieces and free of as much product as possible)
Rice bags – both plastic and the woven type (if large, cut into A3 size pieces)
Snap lock bags / zip lock bags
Squeeze pouches with lid on (e.g. yogurt/baby food)
Wine/water bladders – clear plastic ones only
Please make sure your plastic is dry and as empty as possible.
NO THANKS!
Plastic bottles
Plastic containers
Any rigid plastic such as meat trays, biscuit trays or strawberry punnets
Adhesive tape
Balloons (of any kind)
Biodegradable/degradable/compostable plastics
Blister packs, tablets and capsule packaging
Blow up pool, pool toys or beds – plastic or PVC
Bread bag tags
Christmas tinsel and Christmas trees
Cling wrap/Cling film of any kind
Coffee bags
Cooler bags
Disposable food handling gloves of any variety
Drinking straws
Film negatives and x-rays
Fishing line
Foam or polystyrene of any kind
Foil / Alfoil of any kind
Food waste
Glass
Laminated materials and overhead transparencies
Medical waste materials
Nylon – woven, soft or fishing line
Paper and cardboard
Paper post packs
Plastic/clear vinyl packaging from sheets and doonas etc
Plastic packaging that has contained meat
Plastic strapping used for securing boxes and pallets
Powdered milk packets, made of foil
PVC
Rope of any variety
Rubber, rubber gloves, latex
Tarpaulins
Tin cans
VHS Tape
Vinyl – any type of vinyl packaging
Wet plastic materials as mould is a problem for us
Wine/water bladders – foil based
Wrapping paper and cardboard, ribbons or bows