Council launched an innovative kerbside soft plastics recycling collection trial in Romsey on 7 November 2022 to support the community reduce waste and recycle more.
2,246 kerbside properties in Romsey were selected to recycle their soft plastics by collecting them separately in a Council-supplied orange collection bag and placing it in the recycling bin (yellow lid) on collection day.
Residents and businesses received an information pack which included a letter and 10 orange collection bags to use during the trial period.
Soft plastics collected in the trial are sent to a specialist processor in Victoria to make new plastic products locally, creating a circular economy.
The 12-month trial is part of a national trial for a stewardship program led by the Australian Food & Grocery Council (AFGC) and funded by the Australian Government.
Soft plastic packaging, such as bread bags, cereal packets, frozen vegetable and snack wrappers, bubble wrap and cling wrap are accepted. All soft plastic items accepted in the REDcycle service, bearing the REDcycle logo or the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) – Return to Store/Store drop-off symbol, can go into the orange bag.
Do not include rigid plastic containers, lids, bread tags, straws, balloons, compostable or biodegradable plastics.
Step 1: Fill the orange bag with your soft plastic packaging and when it’s full like a pillow, tie it securely closed.
Step 2: Put the full bag in your recycling bin (yellow lid) on your collection day.
Remember, only use Council-supplied orange bags for the soft plastics and it must be bagged, not loose.
If you run out of orange bags but wish to continue the trial, bags can be purchased from Romsey resource recovery facility or Romsey Hub Customer service centre at $3 per 10 bags. Alternatively, you can continue to take large and excess soft plastic to a local resource recovery facility for free.
In February 2023, Council and the AFGC invited Romsey residents and business owners to complete a satisfaction survey (closed 31 March).
We are now reviewing the results of the survey and are looking at options for an ongoing shire-wide service to support soft plastics recycling.
Residents and businesses of the shire can recycle their soft plastics at our resource recovery facilities.