Australian meat trays changed from black to clear plastic to boost recycling of the material

REVEALED: Why black plastic meat trays have disappeared from supermarket shelves to help improve Australia’s recycling effort

Aussie meat trays have changed from being black to a clear plastic – for a reason
Black soft plastics could not be picked up by automated recycling machinery
The colour change makes the recycling process more accurate and streamlined
It is part of a push to improve the country’s waste management processes

By Jade Hobman For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 04:09 BST, 30 August 2022 | Updated: 06:40 BST, 30 August 2022

Aussie meat trays were given a colour makeover because they weren’t being scanned properly by recycling machines.

The soft plastics were changed from black to clear two years ago because the optical sorting technology used wouldn’t work on black-coloured trays.

They were removed from the conveyer belts instead of being sent through to recycle new products, such as pots for plants.

New clear plastic trays for meat were introduced because they can be picked up by the automated recycling machines (pictured, the new trays)

The black soft plastics (pictured) were removed from the conveyer belts instead of being sent through to recycle into new products like pots for plants

But the clear packaging can be picked up by the automated machines.

Waste management consultancy Blue Environment’s director Kyle O’Farrell told The Australian the new look has a simple purpose.

‘They’ve changed the colour so [meat trays] are also sortable,’ he said, adding that it had taken a lot of work to improve the design.

He said most big manufacturers have moved away from using PVC plastics and to polypropylene (PP), which contains hydrogen and carbon.

PVC contains chlorine – a damaging substance that can produce toxic byproducts when burned.

The change occurred as the nation produced a massive 2.5million metric tonnes of plastic waste in 2018-19, a National Waste report said.

Mr O’Farrell added that non-packaging plastics used in cars, clothes, household and electronic goods have a shocking recycling rate of seven per cent.

He said this accounts for 10,000tonnes of waste.

‘Not only does it have a terrible recycling rate but it’s also the bigger quantity as well,’ he said.

The nation produced a massive 2.5million metric tonnes of plastic waste in 2018-19, a National Waste report said (pictured, an Aussie materials recovery centre in action)

Meanwhile, the pandemic triggered a spike in plastic waste across the country.

Clothing, footwear and accessories topped the list of the most popular items, a Monash University Retail report said.

‘Understandably, the pandemic has led to an increase in online shopping and with it a higher amount of packaging for consumers to dispose of at home,’ a spokeswoman from sustainable packaging advocates APCO said.

She added soft plastic recycling was an ongoing issue as it is not recycled through kerbside bins.

Soft plastic waste collected via the REDcycle bins outside Coles and Woolworths grew by 200 per cent in the 2020-21 financial year.

Items you can throw in the REDcycle bins

The REDcycle Program makes it easy for consumers to keep ‘soft’ plastic used in plastic bags and food packaging out of landfill:

Biscuit packets (outer wrapper only)

Bread bags (without the tie)

Bubble wrap (large sheets cut into A3 size pieces)

Cat and dog food pouches (as clean and dry as possible)

Cellophane from bunches of flowers (cut into A3 size pieces)

Cereal box liners

Chip and cracker packets (silver lined)

Chocolate and snack bar wrappers

Cling film – GLAD, COLES HOME brand and WOOLWORTHS Essentials Home brand ONLY

Confectionery bags

Document sleeves (remove the white reinforcement strip along the holes)

Dry pet food bags

Fresh produce bags

Frozen food bags

Green bags (woven polypropylene bags)

Ice cream wrappers

Large sheets of plastic that furniture comes wrapped in (cut into A3 size pieces)

Meat – plastic packaging that has contained meat (rinse and dry first)

Netting produce bags (any metal clips removed)

Newspaper and magazine wrap

Pasta bags

Pet food bags (chaff/horse/chicken) – both the plastic and woven polypropylene types (but not woven nylon). Cut into A3 size pieces and shake free of as much product as possible

Plastic Australia Post satchels

Plastic carrier bags from all stores

Plastic film wrap from grocery items such as nappies and toilet paper

Plastic sachets

Potting mix and compost bags – both the plastic and woven polypropylene types (cut into A3 size pieces and free of as much product as possible)

Rice bags – both plastic and the woven type (if large, cut into A3 size pieces)

Snap lock bags / zip lock bags

Squeeze pouches with lid on (e.g. yoghurt/baby food)

Wine/water bladders – clear plastic ones only

Please make sure your plastic is dry and as empty as possible.

Source: Redcycle

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