Community members living in Alpine Shire have recycled a total of 15,501 kilograms of soft plastic between 2024 and 2026, contributing 16% to the total amount recycled across four local government areas.
Data collected by Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA) highlights the following totals across the four LGAs over a two-year period:
Alpine Shire | 15,501 kilograms
Albury | 22,369 kilograms
Indigo Shire | 35,549 kilograms
Wodonga | 19,399 kilograms
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, said that the soft plastics recycling program has allowed residents to confidently recycle their soft plastics, knowing that there is strong governance behind the SPSA to ensure long-term positive outcomes.
"We were given the invaluable opportunity to be part of a kerbside trial back in 2024, which has now led to an ongoing kerbside program for all residents of our region," she said.
"Thanks to the advocacy of the SPSA, industries are now coming together with governments to develop sustainable solutions for community members across Australia, including right here in Alpine Shire."
Cr Nicholas said that, with further uptake, Alpine Shire communities are capable of doubling the amount being recycled.
"Recycling our soft plastics ensures that we are keeping these materials out of landfill, so that they can be used to create new products we need," she said.
"It also means that community members will also have more room in their red-lidded kerbside landfill bins for materials that cannot be reused or recycled in any other way."
Cr Nicholas also said that community members are integral to the success of the program.
"To sustain this program, we need to continue demonstrating that we are using it, which means that if you are yet to start, now is the time to register and pick up your orange bags," she said.
"Recycling soft plastics in Alpine Shire is as easy as putting them all into the orange bag so that it's the size of a basketball, tying the bag closed, and placing it into your yellow-lidded kerbside recycling bin."
Community members can register for the program and pick up their orange collection bags by visiting the Council office in Bright, or libraries or visitor information centres in Bright, Mount Beauty, or Myrtleford.
More information about the soft plastic recycling program can be found online by visiting https://www.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/residents-ratepayers/waste-recycling/residential-soft-plastics-recycling-program
Community members can learn more about the SPSA by visiting https://spsa.au/