The New Zealand Soft Plastics Recycling programme restarted on May 20 2019. We invite the public to drop off soft plastics for recycling at participating stores.
The Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme is part of the voluntary government-accredited product stewardship scheme and an example of businesses taking responsibility for their products.
Soft plastic packaging is collected from participating stores and delivered to two New Zealand processors; Future Post in Waiuku and Second Life Plastics in Levin. The soft plastics are then turned into new products, such as plastic fence posts, cable covers and garden edging.
The scheme is funded by the food and grocery product brand owners that are members of the scheme. These brand owners represent around 70 percent of the food and grocery products packaged in the soft plastics that can be processed via the scheme.
The brand owners pay a levy which funds the collection of the soft plastics from participating stores, quality checks, baling, transport and processing.
As at 10 October 2019, collections were available only at selected stores in Auckland and Hamilton. To see locations and view updates of coverage, see the Soft plastic recycling website.
Follow the scheme’s progress on Facebook.