Top tips for reducing soft plastic use

With the temporary suspension of the Packing Forum’s soft plastics recycling scheme, Nelson City Council is encouraging residents to make efforts to reduce their consumption of soft plastics.

Soft plastics recycling is not a Council-funded service. We are unable to collect soft plastic packaging as our processing equipment is designed to only handle rigid plastics.  Council urges residents not to put soft plastic into their kerbside recycling bins, as the material gets caught in the sorting machine at the recycling plant and can be a significant hazard and risk.

For the time being, you will need to put your soft plastic packaging in the rubbish bin. 

With that in mind, let’s look at ways of reducing how much soft plastic you use, so you create less waste. Here are five easy tips:

• Choose carefully when shopping, look for options which have less or no packaging, or packaging that can be re-purposed.
• Put your fruit and vegetables directly into your shopping trolley and then into a reusable bag at checkout. You can also make or buy reusable produce bags if you prefer.
• Check with your local shops if they are happy for you to bring BYO reusable containers.
• Buy in bulk from bulk bin outlets.
• Use reusable cotton beeswax food wraps instead of plastic food wrap and snack bags. These are widely available, very easy to use, and can be washed and re-used for up to 12 months.

If you’ve got any other great tips for reducing soft plastic packaging, let us know at lesswaste@ncc.govt.nz – if we publish your tip on our Facebook page you’ll receive a pack of stainless steel straws.