Step 1: Brand owners pay levies

Subject to ACCC authorisation, SPSA plans to collect levies from brand owners (manufacturers) and retailers of consumer products based on the amount of consumer soft plastic they put into the Australian market associated with the products that they produce.

Step 2: Pilots and proposed levies for collections and reprocessing

SPSA plans to use the levies to fund economic gaps in the soft plastic recycling supply chain, including the collection, sorting and processing of material from various collection channels, as well as leveraging the REDcycle stockpile material to accelerate recycling infrastructure.

SPSA aims to assess the scale and breadth of coverage provided by both drop off locations and kerbside recycling collection, providing consumers with convenient access to recycle their soft plastic at or outside the home. Both collection channels have enormous potential to increase the amount of soft plastic being recycled. SPSA will deliver a range of collection options tailored to the community, acknowledging solutions for regional and remote communities are likely to be different to those in metro areas, as an example.

SPSA proposes a model where households in participating council areas would be able to dispose soft plastic packaging in specially designed bags, placing them in their recycling bin or at other drop off locations.