Plastic Recycling Review

The Return and Earn machines in NSW is going gang busters. Though it only takes 

• Cans (e.g. soft drinks)
• Bottles ( e.g. beer bottles)
• Cartons (e.g. milk cartons)
• Juice boxes or poppers

Most containers between 150ml and 3 litres are accepted and can get you a refund. However, they must…

• Be in good condition (not be crushed or broken)
• Be empty
• Have the label attached 

These items aren’t accepted, but can still go into household recycling. They’re often used at home.

• Any milk containers that are 1 litre or more
• Glass wine bottles
• Glass spirit bottles
• Juice bottles over 1 litre
• Cordial bottles

More at https://returnandearn.org.au/how-it-works/containers/

With the public being rewarded for the collection and high quality sorting - the output becomes much more usable. Containers are being diverted from Bins in Parks and Kerbside Collections into the Return and Earn machines to produce a higher grade of materials. 

The EPA reports litter rates are down - though drink bottles and cans are still ending up in gutters and verges.

At Addison Road they have to empty the machines daily.

At Leichhardt Market Place they are returning trolleys to the return and earn bay... https://perambuler.ramin.com.au/2019/08/sustainability-at-leichhardt-market-town.html


However, all is not well. The high quality recyclable material is being stockpiled. Apparently there is no market for the product, which indicates virgin materials are too cheap.

The federal government has commissioned a report, which is recommending that governments start demanding recycled content in products. Also that the infrastructure is not in place.

"The report said meeting the national target for 70 per cent of Australia’s plastic packaging to be recycled or composted by 2025 would require a “major” expansion of plastics recycling.
The 70 per cent target is one of the national packaging targets agreed to by federal and state governments in 2018." - SMH, January 26, 2020 https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-warned-it-must-expand-plastic-recycling-by-up-to-400-per-cent-20200124-p53uft.html
 
"There is a recognition that government and major brands have a role in procuring recycled content product in order to create the market pull for a healthy circular outcome." - Recycling market situation - Summary Review Department of the Environment and Energy; Sustainable Resource Use Pty Ltd, 2020 http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste-resource-recovery/publications/recycling-market-review-paper

02 July 2019

In a major milestone for NSW litter reduction, two billion drink containers have been collected within just 19 months of the establishment of Return and Earn.https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/news/media-releases/2019/epamedia190702-contain-your-excitement---return-and-earn-hits-two-billion

"Coca-Cola shifted to using recycled plastic in its bottles after damaging reports on plastic pollution in the oceans. Coca-Cola Amatil aims to make 70 per cent of its plastic bottles from 100 per cent recycled PET by the end of this year." - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-15/coca-cola-to-open-a-reccyling-plant-to-deal-with-its-plastic-wa/11707380

"Beverage maker Coca-Cola Amatil is looking to establish a major recycled processing plant in Australia with French company Veolia as the drinks giant seeks alternatives to importing recycled plastic for its bottles." https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/coca-cola-looks-at-establishing-plastic-recycling-plant-in-australia-20191115-p53ay3.html 

"In Australia 7 out of 10 of our plastic bottles are now being made entirely from recycled plastic.

That is all bottles 600ml and under across our range of beverages including Coke, Fanta, Sprite and Mt Franklin. This is a significant commitment by our business together with Coca-Cola Amatil, and we believe it will spur on a more viable local market for recycling in Australia." - Last updated - 24 January 2020 https://www.coca-colacompany.com/au/news/coca-cola-australia-working-towards-world-without-waste