<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/14/tanya-plibersek-urged-to-intervene-to-stop-stockpiled-soft-plastics-from-being-dumped>
"Environment groups are urging federal and state governments to ensure
thousands of tonnes of soft plastic that could end up in landfill are safely
warehoused by supermarket chains until recycling facilities become available,
even if that takes years.
The Boomerang Alliance – a coalition of 55 conservation groups – has accused
the packaging industry of using a failed scheme run by REDcycle, which led to
more than 12,000 tonnes of plastic collected by the public being stockpiled
since 2018, as a marketing ploy to mask how little was being done to improve
recycling rates.
It has urged the federal environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, to regulate to
stop the stockpiled waste being dumped, arguing it was possible to do it while
reducing fire risk. In letters sent last week, the coalition called on
Plibersek and state ministers to also use the crisis to back a tougher national
plan to properly deal with Australia’s languishing recycling rates by 2025.
The Nine newspapers revealed that plastic collected and dropped by supermarket
customers had been secretly stored for at least four years while the company
contracted to run the scheme, REDcycle, claimed it was being distributed for
reuse and recycling.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority this month issued clean-up orders to
Coles and Woolworths for 15 warehouses and storage depots after finding plastic
“from the floor to the ceiling, blocking entry ways and preventing adequate
ventilation”. Tony Chappel, the EPA’s chief executive, said it was a fire
hazard and the plastic may “unfortunately end up in landfill”.
The Victorian EPA has said it was aware of 14 warehouses in suburban Melbourne
where plastic was being stockpiled and had taken action to ensure the immediate
fire risk was controlled and laws were complied with.
Boomerang Alliance’s director, Jeff Angel, said Plibersek and the NSW
environment minister, James Griffin, should intervene to ensure supermarkets
were required to maintain safe storage facilities, including installing fire
warning and suppression systems and employing around-the-clock security
guards."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
