The Canowindra Post Office has the soft plastics bin located in their shop.
Feedback from residents is that the trial of recycling soft plastics via a REDcycle bin at Canowindra Post Office is something they’d want to see as a permanent solution to plastic waste.
The trial allows customers to drop their soft plastics, including Australia Post plastic satchels, into a dedicated bin.
From there the plastic is processed by REDcycle and delivered to a manufacturing partner to be made into a range of recycled products.
Two previous collection bins organised by the CWA Branch of Canowindra started by REDcycling at Foodworks and HACC offices were closed last June, citing a change in the market.
CWA members would collect the donation and deliver them to Woolworths and Coles in Orange and Cowra.
Australia Post Executive General Manager Community & Consumer, Nicole Sheffield said the trial was another way the organisation was using the breadth of its national network to give more communities access to services.
“While many Australians have fully embraced soft plastic recycling with REDcycle, not everyone has access to the service, which is why we have targeted selected post offices to help increase access to the service.
“There is growing interest and concern among the community surrounding plastics, including that used in our packaging, so we’re incredibly proud to be expanding our partnership with REDcycle and give our customers the opportunity to recycle their satchels and other soft plastics at the post office,” Ms Sheffield concluded.
The in-store trial ran until the end of June, with the option to extend it to more post offices around the country depending on up-take and feedback.
Soft plastics that can be recycled include: bread bags, biscuit packet wrappers, pasta and rice bags, frozen veggie bags, plastic bags, cereal box liners and old green bags. It’s soft plastic if it can be scrunched into a ball.