Soft plastic trial brings positive benefits

HUNDREDS of residents have taken part in a soft plastic recycling trial over the past month, resulting in positive circular economy outcomes.

The Surf Coast Shire Council began a soft plastics collection trial in July to reduce waste to landfill and maximise resource recovery.

Community members were encouraged to collect clean and dry soft plastics and drop them off for free at drop off sites in Anglesea, Lorne, Torquay and Winchelsea.

During the trial, more than 480 people customers dropped items, with 339 visiting the Torquay site alone.

A total of 1,328 bags full of soft plastic were deposited, with bag sizes varying from a bread bag up to a 25kg dog food bag.

Surf Coast mayor Liz Pattison said the shire was rapt with the results.

“We had a great response with hundreds of residents taking up the opportunity to recycle the soft plastics they’d been collecting.

“We’re lucky to have an environmentally conscience community and it was great to see so many people getting involved in this circular economy initiative.”

The plastics will be baled and sent for processing in Melbourne to be converted into new soft plastics packaging and recycled road products.

If you still have soft plastics and need to dispose of them, please put them in your red lid landfill bin, not in your yellow lid recycling bin.

To provide community feedback on the soft plastics collection trial please complete the survey at surfcoast.vic.gov.au/softplasticsurvey