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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Adam Morton Climate and environment editor

Australia’s backlog of soft plastic could be processed overseas before supermarket scheme is rebooted

Coles, Woolworths and Aldi hope to start a new pilot program collecting soft plastic before the end of the year.
Coles, Woolworths and Aldi hope to start a new pilot program collecting soft plastic before the end of the year. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock

Thousands of tonnes of soft plastic that was collected and dropped off by supermarket customers, and has been stockpiled since the collapse of a domestic recycling program, could be be shipped to the US for processing.

The Albanese government has indicated it would grant an exemption to allow Coles, Woolworths and Aldi to send the plastic offshore for recycling despite a national waste export ban announced by the Morrison government in 2019.

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