Cole and Woolworths issued draft clean-up notice worth US$2.40M

AUSTRALIA – Coles and Woolworths are being served by the New South Wales (NSW), Australia, Environment Protection Authority (EPA) with a draft Clean-up Notice worth AUS$ 3.5 million (US$2.40m).

EPA gave the notice due to accusations of stockpiling soft plastics after the supermarkets took over the “failed” recycling program from REDcycle.

Woolworths and Coles are facing the same stockpiling issues with hoarding excess soft plastics.

The NSW EPA asks the supermarkets to remove more than 5,200 metric tons of soft plastic accumulated at 15 sites across warehouses across New South Wales.

Following the temporary closure of  REDcycle after its stockpiling controversy, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi were approved for an urgent interim organization called the Soft Plastics Taskforce in December.

However, the companies still had all the plastics left over from REDcycle, leaving them with a pile of problems.

“Woolworths was issued a letter from the NSW EPA on Friday, 3 February, which outlined a draft of a potential Clean-up Notice,” said a spokesperson from Woolworth.

“Woolworths will be responding to the NSW EPA to seek clarity and communicate its position.”

NSW EPA had asked the supermarkets to either dispose of the waste in landfills, reprocess, or export it internationally.

Due to no other country accepting imports of contaminated soft plastics and Australia not having the means to reprocess such amounts, leaves landfills as the only viable option.

The grocery retailers were given the draft because the NSW EPA is concerned that vast amounts of soft plastic are dangerously stored in 15 warehouses.

The EPA has notified Fire and Rescue NSW and requested the operators take immediate action, as 11 of the warehouses have been classified as “high-risk.” The whereabouts of these stockpiles have not yet been indicated by the companies.

“The extent of soft plastic waste sitting in warehouses across NSW is very concerning, and I know customers will be disappointed. It is estimated to fill about three-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools,” said NSW EPA chief executive Tony Chappel.

REDcycle’s lasting effects

REDcycle, when in operation, claimed to have diverted more than 5 billion pieces of soft plastics from landfill over the last decade.

However, new stockpiles of plastic linked to REDcycle continue to be discovered in NSW, Victoria and South Australia after investigations by state environmental regulators.

Twelve thousand four hundred metric tons have been located in 32 locations across the three states, equating to more than 1,000 semi-trailer truckloads.

Since last Friday, four new warehouses filled with soft plastics have been found in Melbourne. The EPA estimates some of the stockpiles in NSW are at least three years old.

REDcycle claimed it was recycling up to 7,000 metric tons of soft plastics a year collected from 2,000 supermarkets around the country.

In light of the continued discovery of more soft plastic stockpiles, these numbers are being thrown into question.

REDcycle is facing criminal charges in Victoria for refusing to disclose information about its operations to the EPA.

“Our largest retailers have an important role to play in how we continue to reduce plastic waste and we are committed to working together so we can support opportunities and minimize risk,” Chapel concludes.

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