The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is assembling a supermarket task force to tackle the soft plastics crisis that has arisen from the collapsed REDcycle initiative. Creatively, it is called the ‘soft plastics task force’.
REDcycle, a startup based on recycling soft plastics (like food packaging) has suspended all operations within Australia. Previously, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi customers could bring their used soft plastics to drop-off spots at supermarkets, where Redcycle would take plastics from to get recycled elsewhere.
Well, the system collapsed. Secret soft plastic stockpiles were revealed and REDcycle has paused operation since November 9.
On November 16, Coles (on behalf of itself and participating supermarkets) submitted an application to the ACCC for the formation of a task force to handle the soft plastics situation.
“We have moved quickly to approve the interim application as the suspension of the REDcycle program stopped in-store collections of soft plastic, raising community concerns and an urgent need to address the environmental risk of the existing stockpile and future waste,” ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said.
The soft plastics task force has a few objectives. The group will consider solutions and will seek to implement short-term storage solutions. It’ll also navigate transport, processing, recycling and management concerns.
It’ll also need to provide the ACCC with the minutes of meetings between task force members, along with periodic reports. Non-confidential versions of these reports will be made available at a later date.
“The application envisages that a longer-term solution to the issue of recycling soft plastics is needed and that the proposed conduct will not detract from or adversely affect the development of longer-term solutions,” Keogh added.
The ACCC says that it’ll act to benefit the public with this soft plastics task force, although it is an interim project at this stage.
It’ll allow the major supermarket chains to cooperate with a unified purpose: to stop soft plastics from going into landfill when they could otherwise be reused.
“The ACCC expects the applicants to resolve this situation urgently and has placed a number of reporting conditions on them to ensure we are informed of their progress. This will aid us in determining our final decision on the application, as well as whether the interim authorisation should be revoked,” Keogh said.
The ACCC will also work with industry stakeholders to make sure the scheme is transparent and to minimise the risk of misleading consumers.
This interim authorisation will continue “until it is revoked, the application for authorisation is withdrawn, or the date the ACCC’s final determination comes into effect”, as stated on the ACCC website.
A public consultation process will begin shortly and the ACCC’s final determination will come into effect at a later date