NEWSPAPERS PARTNER UP FOR WRAP WASTE RECYCLING

Australia’s major newspapers and magazines are embracing the circular economy, by establishing a partnership with REDcycle to recycle the plastic wrap used for home delivery publications.

On behalf of News Corp Australia, Nine, Seven West Media and Are Media, industry organisation ThinkNewsBrands has forged the partnership, which will see the plastic sleeves and wrap being collected throug bins located outside Coles and Woolies.

It follows figures which show Australia’s publishing industry is among the best in the world when it comes to recycling printed newspapers, with two-thirds of all newspapers recycled. Now, thanks to the partnership, all elements of the printed product will get a second life.

The partnership will see the plastic wrap from magazines and newspapers turned into furniture for parks and schools, garden beds, exercise equipment, shopping trolleys and an additive to improve the performance of roads.

Tony Wilkins, environment director of ThinkNewsBrands, said, “Recycling newspaper and magazine plastic wrap is a small step that will make a big difference. Australia is already a world leader in recycling newspapers, and we can easily do more to recycle our plastics. The next step is encouraging Australians to buy products made from recycled soft plastics, supporting a true circular economy.”

To thank Australians for their recycling efforts to date and encourage further participation in the REDcycle programme, a national advertising campaign rolls out this week across newspapers and magazines.

Its CEO Elizabeth Kasell said, “We can all do something to help by recycling our plastics and keeping them out of our rivers, oceans and landfills. It’s easy to drop off plastic wrap for recycling at bins in Coles or Woolworths stores. Now, with Australia’s major newspaper and magazine publishers on board, we can save even more energy, resources and landfill space as well as potentially reducing litter.”

Waste plastic taken in by REDcycle is sent on to Replas, which converts the waste into useful items such as fences, benches and road aggregate.