The Packaging Forum, which has been running a soft plastic recycling scheme since 2015, is set to trial a kerbside collection of soft plastics in Nelson, New Zealand. Currently, around 1.5 tonnes of soft plastic is collected each month in Nelson and recycled into fence posts. The scheme was first launched in 2015, paused in 2018, and reintroduced in 2019 in partnership with Future Post. Last year, over 700 tonnes of soft plastics were collected nationwide, and the goal is to collect 12,000 tonnes this year to meet the demand of New Zealand’s three processing plants.
The Packaging Forum is planning to boost the recycling rate of soft plastics, which currently stands at eight percent. To make the recycling process more convenient for consumers, the forum suggested a trial where households could opt-in to have their soft plastics collected from the kerbside every two weeks. This method could potentially increase the collection by one tonne per month if 1000 households participate.
The trial, which will be industry-funded, has been approved by the Nelson City Council and is set to launch in the second half of the year. The council also emphasized the importance of not mixing soft plastics with other recyclables in the yellow top bins, as they cannot be processed at the council’s facilities. Drop off points for soft plastic at supermarkets and other stores will continue to operate.
