The Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Plastics Pact (ANZPAC) has announced the launch of a pilot project for the collection, recovery and recycling of soft plastics in the Pacific Islands.
The project marks a major milestone for the region, aiming to lay the foundation for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, which will facilitate the sustainable management of plastic packaging while addressing the critical gaps in waste and recycling infrastructure.
The recovery rate for soft plastics in the ANZPAC region is alarmingly low, approximately 5% across the region and as low as 0.2% in some Pacific Island countries, according to ANZPAC. The pilot is part of stage one of the Circular Pacific Plastics (CPP) project, a whole-of-industry initiative uniting brands with key local decision makers to develop regionally relevant, impactful and locally sustainable end-of-life solutions for used plastic packaging.
Together with WRAP and funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), ANZPAC is facilitating the first phase of the project which includes a brand-driven recovery pilot to test the collection and recycling of soft plastics in Fiji, creating a blueprint for replication across the region.
Led by global brands Nestlé and Colgate-Palmolive, stage one will involve both business-to-consumer and business-to-business recovery trials to understand the mechanisms necessary to overcome local challenges of soft plastic collection and recycling. “The CPP project represents a significant milestone in connecting international brands with regional programs, helping them to take meaningful action and responsibility for the packaging they place onto Pacific Island markets,” says ANZPAC.
Guided by local insight and knowledge, the project will be developed with Fiji’s Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF), to ensure outcomes are regionally impactful and meaningful for the community.
Senior ANZPAC Program Manager Angela Mayer said: “Circular Pacific Plastics is a true testament to the power of collaboration. It has been inspiring to see so many brands and stakeholders from across the globe come together to tackle the issue of plastic packaging circularity in the remote Islands of the Pacific.
“This is a major milestone for the ANZPAC region and we are proud to be working with local communities and businesses to develop recovery projects that are relevant, effective and essential to the long-term success of end-of-life solutions for used plastic packaging.”
ANZPAC has established an industry advisory group for the duration of this project that will be instrumental in guiding the long-term vision of CPP and the effective implementation of phase one. At present the advisory group consists of key representatives from Coca-Cola, Scion, Nestlé, Colgate-Palmolive, WRAP, Fijian brands and distributors, and technical consultants.