Soft plastics recycling launches at New World and PAK’nSAVE
Soft plastics recycling launches at New World and PAK’nSAVE
![]()
Environment Minister, Hon Dr Nick Smith, today formally
launched the new soft plastic packaging recycling initiative at
Mount Roskill's New World supermarket.
For the first time in New Zealand, shoppers will be able to
bring back to store and deposit, in the special bins, all soft
plastic packaging, including carrier bags. The packaging will then
be sorted, compressed and sent to Replas in Australia for recycling
into outdoor furniture products. At present there are very few
kerbside recycling collection schemes in New Zealand that will
accept soft plastics.
The Auckland initiative, managed by the Packaging Forum and
supported by the government is expected to expand through 2016 to
cover all metropolitan areas in New Zealand, with the objective to
provide access to recycle soft plastics to approximately 70% of the
population.
Steve Anderson, Managing Director, Foodstuffs New Zealand Ltd
says, "With the majority of local councils not accepting soft
plastics as part of their kerbside pickup, this material typically
ends up in landfill or littering the environment, potentially
harming wildlife."
This new project will take all soft plastic bags including bread
bags, frozen food bags, toilet paper packaging, confectionery and
biscuit wrap, chip bags, pasta and rice bags, courier envelopes,
shopping bags, sanitary hygiene packaging - basically anything made
of plastic which can be scrunched into a ball
"Plastic bags of all shapes and sizes are often the default
packaging choice in today's retail environment, as they are
resource efficient, space efficient, functionally efficient and
cost efficient," says Anderson. "Accepting that in some way, shape
or form, they will be with us for the foreseeable future,
Foodstuffs recognises that we have a responsibility to ensure that
we do not waste them by using them once and then consigning them to
landfill."
Anderson confirms that the initiative is being rolled out across
36 New World and PAK'nSAVE stores in the Auckland area and
represents a great example of both, innovation and
collaboration.
Innovation in terms of turning a waste item into a feedstock for
inventive reprocessors and manufacturers in New Zealand and
Australia and, collaboration as a fine example of the retail
industry pulling together for the greater good of the planet.
Sustainability is an area of high focus for Foodstuffs Anderson
says, "What we are increasingly learning is that sustainability is
just good business and that with a little innovation and a lot of
hard work the solution is never too far away."
Foodstuffs is proud to partner with The Packaging Forum,
REDGroup, The Abilities Group, The Warehouse and the many other
suppliers and manufacturing brands who have generously supported
the initiative.
