Coles and Woolies caught up in worsening REDcycle scandal

A recycling program run from Coles and Woolies stores has been caught stockpiling tonnes of plastic amid an investigation.

A recycling program partnered with Coles and Woolworths has been caught stockpiling thousands of tonnes of soft plastics.

REDcycle, a soft plastic recycling program which has been suspended, was found to have been stockpiling approximately 3000 tonnes of soft plastics in six Melbourne warehouses by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The dumping of the soft plastic could represent a fire risk, according to EPA Victoria chief executive Lee Miezis, with officers working to reduce the danger the waste represents to local communities and businesses.

REDcycle was found by the Environmental Protection Authority to have been stockpiling approximately 3000 tonnes of soft plastics in six Melbourne warehouses.

The soft plastic recycling scheme at Coles and Woollworths supermarkets collapsed in November. REDcycle, the company which was meant to recycle the plastics, has instead been stockpiling them. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“Our officers are out inspecting sites today and we’ll continue to work hard – using our stronger regulatory powers – until we’re certain we’ve found every site in Victoria,” he said.

“We will not allow unacceptable risks to Victoria’s community or environment from pollution or waste.”

It’s believed the plastics found originated from outside Victoria.

REDcycle suspended its recycling program last month, saying it could no longer offload the material to recyclers after it was exposed for stockpiling the soft plastics.

A Woolworths spokesman apologised and said the supermarket was ‘disappointed by the situation’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

The company said it had collected 5.4 billion pieces of plastic since it began setting up bins in Coles and Woolworths supermarkets for customers to return their soft plastics.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek weighed in on the news at the time, saying it was “really concerning”, putting pressure on major supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths to come up with a solution.

“Big companies like Coles and Woolies generate a lot of this material; it shouldn‘t be beyond them to come up with a viable solution,” she said.

In May, EPA officers found another Melbourne warehouse under the control of REDcycle which was also stockpiling plastics.

The EPA says the initial discovery led to further investigation and regulatory action against the company and ultimately led to officers locating the other six warehouses.

“Although the operators of REDcycle did tell us about some of the sites, intelligence from logistics companies and others is assisting EPA’s investigations. If you have any of these soft plastic wastes at your warehouse, we need to know,” Mr Miezis said

“For your safety and for the safety of your employees, business and local community, you must make sure that you’re complying with our environmental laws.’’