Australia is seeing a long-awaited comeback of soft plastics recycling in supermarkets. Thanks to the Soft Plastics Stewardship of Australia (SPSA), over 120 stores nationwide—including Aldi, Coles, and Woolworths—now accept soft plastics like yoghurt pouch wrappers, shopping bags, and food wrappers. This revived scheme is in place until July 2026 and comes with ACCC support as a vital environmental step forward. (Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia, News.com.au)

---

SPSA’s National Vision vs Local Rollout

SPSA’s long-term plan involves multiple collection channels: in-store bins, kerbside bags, and other local drop-off points—all funded by levies on manufacturers and retailers. The goal? A market-driven circular economy for soft plastics, including advanced recycling technologies like chemical breakdown into food-grade plastic feedstock. (Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia)

However, at present there are no confirmed supermarket drop-off locations in Western Australia. Recent pilot collections have only been confirmed in select stores across Sydney, Melbourne, and Newcastle. (Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia)

While SPSA’s scheme is national in scope, the expansion into WA has not yet been publicly detailed—though the infrastructure and national push suggest it’s only a matter of time.

---

Current Recycling Alternatives in WA

In the meantime, Perth residents grappling with soft plastics still have options:

• RecycleSmart (paid service) remains available statewide: schedule a pickup or order bags to take your soft plastics away. (Branches Of Me)
• Local Landfill Advice: As per WasteSorted WA, soft plastics must go in the general waste bin unless a specialist service is provided. (Waste Sorted)
• Community and future options: While local recycling hubs (e.g., Perth City Farm, Council-run facilities) may accept some soft plastics, none have been confirmed in WA for SPSA’s current rollout yet.

---

Why We Need to Do Much More – APCO’s Latest Numbers

The national data shows incremental progress—but not enough:

• Target 1: 100% of packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable
  Result: Up from 84% to 86%.
• Target 2: 70% of plastic packaging recycled or composted
  Result: Dropped from 20% to 19%.
• Target 3: 50% average post-consumer recycled content
  Result: Improved from 40% to 44%.
• Target 4: Phase out of problematic single-use plastics (since 2017–18 baseline)
  Result: Reduced by 40% overall.

(Branches Of Me, ACCC)

The key takeaway? We're making modest gains—but recycling alone won’t carry us to the finish line.

---

What You and Perth Can Do Now

1. Watch for WA store updates—keep your eyes peeled at local Aldi, Coles, and Woolworths for soft plastics bins.
2. Use RecycleSmart if you want immediate recycling—either door collection or drop-off via paid service.
3. Push for local solutions—contact your local council or sustainability groups about becoming a drop-off hub.
4. Reduce first—choose products with minimal or compostable packaging, and support brands using recycled content.
5. Stay informed and engaged—track SPSA announcements and ACCC progress for WA rollout updates.

---

Summary Table

Feature	Status in WA
Supermarket drop-off (SPSA)	Not confirmed in WA yet
RecycleSmart (paid pickup)	Available statewide
Kerbside recycling (yellow bin)	Not available for soft plastics
General waste (red bin)	The default if no recycling is possible

---

Final Thought:
The supermarket drop-off revival marks progress—but the APCO data shows slow movement on key packaging targets. If we want to hit national goals and protect our environment, we need to combine recycling with smarter design, recycled content, and local access expansions. Let me know if you’d like help keeping tabs on WA’s rollout or spotlighting local councils ready to take action.