Soft Plastics Recycling
Following a successful one-year trial that diverted over 10 tonnes of soft plastics from landfill (the equivalent weight of six small cars), the service is here to stay! Residents can continue to drop off eligible household soft plastics for free at the CRC and Mobile CRC drop-off points.
Where can I drop off Soft Plastics?
The collection point or drop-off point for soft plastics is the Community Recycling Centre, located within the Resource Recovery Centre at the Mobile Community Recycling Centre (MCRC).
Please click on our interactive Soft Plastics Recycling flyer below, where you can also choose to download a PDF version of this flyer.
About the Trial
The Soft Plastics Recycling Trial began on Monday 1 April 2024 and concluded 30 June 2025.
What happens next
Following a successful one-year trial the service is here to stay! You can continue to drop off eligible household soft plastics free at the CRC and MCRC drop off points.
What items can I drop off?
- Biscuit packaging
- Bread bags
- Bubble wrap
- Cereal box liners
- Chocolate wrappers
- Citrus netting bags
- Cling wraps
- Confectionary packets and bags
- Courier satchels
- Fresh produce bags
- Frozen foods bags
- Muesli bar wrappers
- Newspaper wrap
- Pasta and noodle packaging
- Plastic film
- Plastic sachets
- Reusable shopping/grocery bags
- Rice bags
- Shopping centre plastic bags
- Silver lined chip bags
- Snap-lock bags
- Squeeze pouches
- Sturdy pet food bags
What items are NOT accepted?
These items listed are materials that will not be accepted.
- Biodegradable/compostable plastics
- Drinking straws
- Rigid plastic containers
- Laminated materials
- Soft Plastic with food waste
What is the cost for disposal of soft plastics?
It's FREE to drop off soft plastics.
During the trial period, residents could drop off soft plastics free of charge at the designated drop-off points at both the Community Recycling Centre and the Mobile Community Recycling Centre. After the trial, this service will remain FREE.
What happens to the soft plastics?
Soft plastics collected and baled at the Community Recycling Centre are stored onsite and collected monthly by a contracted recycler. Once collected, the plastics are shredded to ensure they can be fed consistently into the processing system.
The shredded plastics are then processed through a pyrolysis system. This uses high temperatures to break the plastics down into a feedstock oil. The oil is sent to refineries, where it is further processed into resin. This resin can then be used to manufacture new plastic products, including food-grade packaging.
To avoid stockpiling issues experienced in previous programs, collections are scheduled regularly and managed in line with processing capacity. This approach reduces storage risks and supports a circular economy by turning soft plastic waste into new materials.
How can I tell what is a 'Soft Plastic'?
Soft plastic is a material that can be scrunched in your hand, and remain in a 'ball' like shape for more than a few seconds, the material may expand slightly after the compression. Alternatively, you may wish to look for the Australasian Recycling Label, this clearly identifies the recyclability of a material and the instructions of disposal.