The failings of Australia's soft plastic recycling program

REDcycle was an Australian program that collected soft plastics. The collected plastic waste was to be processed into a range of products such as outdoor furniture, bollards, and traffic control products. 

In December of 2022, an estimated 3,000 tonnes of soft plastics  were discovered stockpiled instead of being recycled by REDcycle. The operators behind REDcycle may face a possible (small) fine after being charged by the environmental protection watchdog. REDcycle was ordered to remove the 3,000 tonnes of single-use plastic to landfill by the end of February 2023.

We know that single-use plastic has a damaging impact on the environment in Australia and around the world. Plastic waste can end up in rivers, oceans, and landfills where it is dangerous for wildlife and breaks down into micro-plastics which can be harmful when ingested by animals. The Australian government has launched bans on light-weight single-use plastic shopping bags and plastic straws and cutlery, however, multi-national supermarket chains are still able to produce thick, reinforced plastic bags that are detrimental to the environment and they are profiting by charging their customers for these bags!

Now that the REDcycle program is not available, single-use plastic waste is being sent to landfill. It's important to reduce the use of single-use plastics and properly dispose of them to minimise their impact on the environment. 

Are we ready to break the single-use plastic mindset?

According to the Plastic Waste Makers Index; Revealing the Source of the Single-Use Plastics Crisis,  Australians are producing 60kg of plastic waste per annum! 

At the moment, it is cheaper to make new single-use plastics rather than recycle them due to a variety of factors, such as the cost of collection, sorting, and processing of recycled materials, the low cost of oil (a primary raw material for making plastics), and the lack of market demand for recycled plastics.

Additionally, the cost of producing recycled plastics can be higher due to the need for more advanced technology and equipment. However, the environmental costs of producing new plastic and disposing of it after use can be significant, and efforts to reduce plastic waste through recycling and other means are becoming increasingly important.

As pet consumers, we must look closely at our involvement in contributing to plastic waste when we purchase our dog's food. Learn more about reducing your single-use plastic waste when it comes to feeding your dog healthy, nutritious, and well balanced dog food here!

How do we reduce, reuse and REFUSE single-use plastic?

Reducing, reusing, and refusing single-use plastic can help to reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the environment. Here are some ways to do this:

1. Reduce: Use less single-use plastic by choosing alternatives. For example, bring your own reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and shopping bag. Even dog food is available in reusable containers such as our range with Delivery Hound. Our range is sold without the use of single-use plastic and will save more than 96 single-use plastic dog food bags from landfill over the life of your dog!

2. Reuse: Extend the life of single-use plastic items by finding ways to reuse them. Our approach to delivering premium Dog Food across Sydney is based on a reuse and refill approach with no single-use plastics!

3. Refuse: Say no to single-use plastics like straws, plastic cutlery, and plastic bags when you don't need them. Send a message to large corporations that are still manufacturing products in single-use plastic by purchasing alternatives that don't use single-use plastic.  The single-use plastic that manufacturers of dog food use are amongst the worst in the world for the environment.  Often made from multi-layered plastic with extrusions such as zip lock or velcro seals and adhesive laminations. While this plastic has not been as obvious as plastic water bottles in terms of harm to the environment, it is just as significant.  Each plastic bag takes 1,000 years to break down in landfill, and, even then, that is only into small plastic particles, known as micro plastics.

4. Compost: Some single-use plastics like food packaging made of biodegradable materials can be composted instead of being thrown away.

By following these principles, we can all make a difference in reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in our environment. It is obvious from recent failings from recycling companies and programs, we must improve our habits in the way we shop and use single-use plastic. As dog owners, we know that we can make a difference to the traditional way we purchase our best mate's food and Delivery Hound has the solution to reducing your single-use plastic waste from dog food.

Don't be a bystander, join the 'circular pet economy' today and get your dog food delivered to your door across Sydney without  harmful single-use plastic!

©deliveryhound.com.au 2023