{{Short description|Australian soft plastic recycling program}} {{Infobox | title = REDcycle | image = File:REDcycle_logo.jpeg | caption = Logo in 2021 }}
The '''RedCycle''' or '''REDcycle''' program was an Australian soft plastic recycling program started in 2010 by RG Programs and Services and suspended in 2022.
== History == Elizabeth Kasell founded RG Programs and Services Pty Ltd, also known as the RED group,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-24 |title=Red Group |url=http://redgroup.net.au/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140124092909/http://redgroup.net.au/ |archive-date=2014-01-24 }}</ref> launched the REDcycle program<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cosoleto |first=Tara |date=2022-12-24 |title=Charges laid over failed recycling program |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8030921/charges-laid-over-failed-recycling-program/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=Newcastle Herald|language=en-AU}}</ref> in 2010 after wondering why soft plastic could not go in the regular recycling bin. She discovered that, in Australia, traditional sorting machines used in plastic recycling facilities couldn't handle the soft plastic packaging properly and, as a result, soft plastics would either go to the landfill or be sent offshore.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Dyani |date=2017-05-21 |title='Recycling in Australia is dead in the water': three companies tackling our plastic addiction |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/may/22/recycling-in-australia-is-dead-in-the-water-three-companies-tackling-our-plastic-addiction |access-date=2024-01-09 |work=The Guardian|language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Kasell saw an opportunity for companies to recycle and reuse soft plastics to create new products by disposing and collecting them separately in the first place.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2021-03-09 |title=What is REDcycle? Exclusive Interview |url=https://cove.cleaning/blogs/blogs/lets-talk-about-redcycle |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Cove Cleaning |language=en}}</ref>
Kasell started implementing a program at her son's school and expanded to a few other primary schools after receiving a Grant from Sustainability Victoria.<ref name=":1" /> The program eventually grew to more than 600 collection points all over Australia.<ref name=":0" />
== Collapse == [[File:Redcycle stockpiles EPA staff.jpg|thumb|REDcycle soft plastic stockpiles monitored by EPA staff]] In November 2022, it was discovered that instead of being recycled the soft plastics were stockpiled in several warehouses across New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria causing an environmental and fire risk.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Victoria |first=Environment Protection Authority |date=2022-12-09 |title=Statement From EPA Victoria on REDcycle {{!}} Environment Protection Authority Victoria |url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/news-media-and-updates/media-releases-and-news/statement-from-epa-victoria-on-redcycle |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=www.epa.vic.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Following the discoveries, REDcycle announced that it would temporarily suspend its activities mentioning that one of their recycling partners had stopped accepting new soft plastics.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-03-30 |title=Cooperation proposed to continue on soft plastics recycling after REDcycle liquidation |url=https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/cooperation-proposed-to-continue-on-soft-plastics-recycling-after-redcycle-liquidation|website=Australian Competition & Consumer Commission|access-date=2024-01-09|language=en}}</ref>
In February 2023, RG Programs and Services Pty Ltd, was declared insolvent after not being able to pay the storage fees of the thousands of tonnes of plastics stockpiles all over Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vedelago |first=Chris |date=2023-02-27 |title=REDcycle declared insolvent after handing plastic stockpile to supermarket giants |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/redcycle-declared-insolvent-but-plastic-stockpiles-under-control-of-supermarket-giants-20230227-p5cns1.html |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://publishednotices.asic.gov.au/browsesearch-notices/notice-details/RG-Programs-and-Services-Pty-Ltd-159894069/64db615f-62b2-4632-a55b-979264b17bba Notice of application for winding up order] Australian Securities & Investments Commission 18 February 2023</ref>
A total of 14 sites storing soft plastics were discovered by EPA Victoria:
* Campbellfield * Craigieburn (2 sites) * Dandenong South * Laverton * Tottenham (2 sites) * Truganina (2 sites) * Tullamarine (2 sites) * West Footscray * West Wodonga * Williamstown North<ref>{{Cite web |last=Victoria |first=Environment Protection Authority |title=Soft plastics storage {{!}} Environment Protection Authority Victoria |url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/incidents/soft-plastics-storage |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=www.epa.vic.gov.au |language=en}}</ref>
REDcycle representative explained the stockpiling by pointing out that some recycling facilities were no longer accepting soft plastics since the pandemic of COVID-19<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vedelago |first=Chris |date=2022-11-08 |title=Coles, Woolworths recycling scheme collapses after secret stockpiles revealed |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/coles-woolworths-recycling-scheme-collapses-after-secret-stockpiles-revealed-20221107-p5bw9q.html |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> while the amount of soft plastic disposed of increased during that period making it difficult to keep up with little recycling solution.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mike.wheeler |date=2023-04-18 |title=Liz Kasell on why REDcycle failed – the lessons learned |url=https://www.insidewaste.com.au/85359-2-liz-kasell/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Inside Waste |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Partners ==
=== Recycling partners ===
* ''Replas'', a recycled plastics manufacturer based in Ballarat, Victoria, partnered with RG Programs and Services, to collect and recycle soft plastic packaging into bollards, decking, fencing, garden products and park benches and tables.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soft plastic recycling |url=https://www.perthcardio.com.au/perth-cardio-sustainability/soft-plastic-recycling |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=www.perthcardio.com.au}}</ref> * ''Close the Loop'', a company based in Somerton, Victoria, recycling plastic to create recycled asphalt additive for road infrastructure, also known as Tonerplas. * ''Plastic Forests'', a company based in Albury, NSW, recycling plastic material to create various products including air conditioner mounting blocks and mini wheel stops.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-09-07 |title=REDcycle |url=https://www.circularseptember.com/post/redcycle |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Circularseptember |language=en}}</ref>
=== Commercial partners === RED Group partnered with Coles, one of the two main supermarket chains in Australia, and implemented soft plastic deposit facilities in their stores from 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coles celebrates 10-year REDcycle partnership - PKN Packaging News |url=https://www.packagingnews.com.au/sustainability/coles-celebrates-10-year-redcycle-partnership |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=www.packagingnews.com.au |language=en}}</ref> The program helped divert more than 9 million soft plastic packagings from the landfill during its first year in Melbourne's sites, leading to the extension of the program to 370 more Coles store locations around Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-01-01 |title=COLES' CUSTOMERS TAKE PART IN AUSTRALIAN-FIRST RECYCLING PROGRAM {{!}} International Supermarket News |url=http://www.internationalsupermarketnews.com/news/8982 |access-date=2024-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101130211/http://www.internationalsupermarketnews.com/news/8982 |archive-date=2013-01-01 }}</ref> In June 2020, Coles and REDcycle reached their 1 billionth soft plastic deposited in store.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coles, REDcycle mark 1bn milestone - PKN Packaging News |url=https://www.packagingnews.com.au/sustainability/coles-redcycle-mark-1bn-milestone |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=www.packagingnews.com.au |language=en}}</ref>
By 2014, 15 companies were partners of the REDcycle program:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-02-28 |title=program partners {{!}} redcycle |url=http://redcycle.net.au/redcycle/program-partners |access-date=2024-01-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228161048/http://redcycle.net.au/redcycle/program-partners |archive-date=2014-02-28 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=12 Apr 2013 - REDcycle Program - Plastic Recycling - Australia Eco Citizen - Archived Website |url=http://www.ecocitizenaustralia.com.au/redcycle-program-plastic-recycling/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Trove |language=en |archive-date=2013-04-12 |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20130412045334/http://www.ecocitizenaustralia.com.au/redcycle-program-plastic-recycling/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* AFGC - Australian Food and Grocery Council: an association representing the food and grocery supply industry. * Australian Packaging Covenant: not-for-profit organisation promoting sustainable packaging. * Amcor: a global packaging company. * Arnott's: Australia's largest biscuit producer. * Birds Eye: international frozen food brand. * Cadbury subsidiary of Kraft: confectionary brand. * Coles: large Australian retailer. * George Weston Foods: Australia and New Zealand's food manufacturer * Goodman Fielder: Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific food company. * Kellogg's: multinational food manufacturing company. * Kimberly-Clark: multinational personal care corporation. * Huggies: company selling baby products, brand owned by Kimberly-Clark. * RED Group: Australian company funder of the REDcycle program.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-24 |title=Red Group |url=http://redgroup.net.au/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140124092909/http://redgroup.net.au/ |archive-date=2014-01-24 }}</ref> * Replas: Australian recycled plastics manufacturer. * SunRice: Australian rice brand.
Woolworths, the second main Australian supermarket chain, joined the program in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sustainability - Charlestown Square |url=https://www.charlestownsquare.com.au/sustainability |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Charlestown Square}}</ref>
== Aftermath == Following the collapse of the REDcycle program, Aldi, Coles and Woolworths supermarkets have started cooperating on finding solutions to the soft plastic recycling through the Soft Plastic Taskforce, chaired by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coles, Woolworths and ALDI join taskforce to find soft plastics solution after REDcycle collapse |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/coles-woolworths-and-aldi-join-taskforce-to-find-soft-plastics-solution-after-redcycle-collapse/o17zyt9jr |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=SBS World News|language=en}}</ref> It was announced in February 2024 that 12 locations in Melbourne would offer drop off bins for scrunchable food soft plastic that could be recycled through a newly operated facility.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dumas |first=Daisy |date=2024-02-08 |title=Woolworths, Coles and Aldi to roll out soft plastics collection bins in 12 Melbourne stores |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/09/woolworths-coles-and-aldi-to-roll-out-soft-plastics-collection-bins-in-12-melbourne-stores |access-date=2024-02-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-02-15 |title=A new soft plastic recycling scheme is underway. Will it work this time? |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-15/soft-plastic-recycling-redcycle-collapse-new-scheme/103471606 |access-date=2024-02-15 |work=ABC News|language=en-AU}}</ref>
== Gallery == <gallery> File:Redcycle stockpile warehouse.jpg|EPA Victoria staff monitoring soft plastic soft piles at REDcycle warehouse File:Redcycle stockpile warehouse 2.png|Soft plastic stockpiles and waste on the ground of a REDcycle warehouse </gallery>
== See also ==
* Environmental issues in Australia * Recycling in Australia * Waste management in Australia
== References == <references />
Category:Environmental issues in Australia Category:Waste management in Australia Category:Recycling in Australia