Sustainability
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
REDcycle suspended operations in November 2022 after stockpiling 12,000+ tonnes of soft plastics instead of recycling them.
As of 2026, alternatives include: Curby (kerbside soft plastics in some councils), commercial soft plastics processors like Replas and Close the Loop, and retailer take-back programs at Coles and Woolworths (resumed in limited stores). For businesses, the best option is reducing soft plastic use — switch to paper packaging or reusable containers where possible.
Key Numbers
- REDcycle suspended: November 2022
- Soft plastics stockpiled: 12,000+ tonnes
- Metro landfill levy 2025–26: $169.79/tonne
What You Need to Know
REDcycle's suspension left Melbourne businesses with no default channel for soft plastics, and the gap has only been partly filled. Until a stable national scheme returns, the realistic options for a commercial site are limited and worth weighing before you commit storage space to material that may simply go to landfill:
- Curby kerbside — available in some councils only; check yours before relying on it.
- Commercial processors — such as Replas and Close the Loop, which take clean, dry, business-volume soft plastic.
- Retailer take-back — Coles and Woolworths resumed collection in limited stores, not all sites.
- Source reduction — switching to paper packaging or reusable containers removes the problem entirely.
Soft-plastics recovery sits squarely inside Recycling Victoria — A New Economy, the state's circular-economy plan that pushes businesses up the waste hierarchy toward reduction first. As an independent broker, Bundle Waste runs a free invoice audit, compares a network of providers for genuine soft-plastic outlets, and is paid only from the savings we find.
Related Resources
Related Questions
What is the Recycling Victoria policy?+
Recycling Victoria is a 10-year circular economy policy (2020–2030) investing $515 million. Key measures: mandatory four-stream separation, Container Deposit Scheme, landfill material bans, 80% diversion target by 2030, and new recycling infrastructure investment.
What is the National Waste Policy?+
National Waste Policy 2018 targets: 80% resource recovery by 2030, halve organic waste to landfill by 2030, phase out problematic plastics. Drives Victorian policy through export bans on unprocessed waste and product stewardship schemes.
Are compostable packaging items actually composted in Victoria?+
Most compostable packaging requires industrial composting conditions (55 degrees C+) not available at home. In Victoria, compostable packaging CAN go in commercial food organics bins if your composting facility accepts them — check with your provider. Many composters reject it because it resembles plastic.
What single-use plastics are banned in Victoria?+
Victoria's single-use plastics ban (2023) prohibits: straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, cotton bud sticks, expanded polystyrene food containers, and lightweight plastic bags. Fines up to about $55,000 for non-compliance. Compostable alternatives are permitted.
What is the Australian Packaging Covenant?+
APCO's 2025 targets: 100% packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable, 70% plastic packaging recycled, 50% recycled content. Businesses importing or manufacturing packaging over $5 million revenue must join ($1,000–10,000/year membership).
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Updated 25 June 2026
