How many people today grab a takeaway coffee cup from the local cafe to drink on the go? We don’t know, but the number must be enormous.. Most every one of the above have a plastic top that will last 100s of years. Some cafes still use plastic cups that last a similar time. Is 10 minutes of coffee worth 100s of years of trash?
These items can be seen littering our gutters and on our streets all over the place. If they were all cardboard, they would still be littered, but they would, at least, be gone in a short time.
They do not need to be made of plastic.
On the way home from the gym last week, a distance of about 1 km (1/2 mile), I counted the items of plastic litter on the curb as I walked. In that short distance I counted 63 pieces of plastic litter. Plastic drink bottles, bottle tops, candy wrappers, plastic film, polystyrene fragments etc. That seemed to be a lot to me. I guess it is a generational thing. Our parents would have been horrified to see that amount, whereas it seems to go unnoticed by our youth of today. In another 20 years how many pieces will there be on this stretch, -- 200? What will today’s youth think of that new amount then when they are older? Will their children be so readily accepting of a higher amount of litter? New soft plastics stewardship scheme set for trials – Inside Waste
Posted on October 1, 2024 by DrRossH in Plastic RecyclingThe trials are being undertaken a newly created independent stewardship scheme, Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA).
Source: New soft plastics stewardship scheme set for trials – Inside Waste
A soft plastics recycling trial based in Queensland is set to test different ways people can return soft plastics to be reprocessed. The trials are being undertaken a newly created independent not-for-profit product stewardship scheme, Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA).
The government has committed $1 million to the pilot, which will trial new approaches to recycle the waste.
Under the pilot, trial hubs will be established in locations across Queensland to test different ways to allow people to return soft plastic packaging.
The trials will start in Brisbane before the end of the year, with the Sunshine Coast, Goondiwindi and Cairns to follow in the coming months. The hubs will trial a variety of collection options over a 12-month period to see what works best for urban, regional and remote Queenslanders.
This will include:
- kerbside yellow-lid bin collections in specific locations;
- return to store;
- council drop off locations; and
- drop off at central points such as container refund points.
Assessment of each collection channel will help inform future decisions on which model or mix of collections provide the best approach for various communities.
The pilots will also help identify potential options for local processing of soft plastics and explore potential end markets for recycled product.
This aims to avoid stockpiling and long-distance transport of soft plastics and to help create local markets and job opportunities.
As part of the trial, the government will work with Central Queensland University to process some of the collected material at its test facilities, to assess contamination tolerance levels for various end products.
This will help refine the messaging for consumers about the types of soft plastic packaging that can be collected as well as identify viable end-markets for recovered soft plastics.
“This funding represents a significant step forward for Queensland’s recycling efforts, enabling trials in communities across the state to actively contribute to reducing soft plastic waste,” said Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia Interim Co-CEO Barry Cosier.
“These trial hubs will help the Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia understand the best solutions for both urban and remote regions, making soft plastic recycling more accessible for everyone. We are excited to see how these hubs will perform across different communities in Queensland.
“It’s crucial to find a solution for soft plastic recycling methods that work for key urban centres as well as regional and remote areas, ensuring that all Queenslanders have the opportunity to participate in sustainable waste management.”
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