Soft plastics: We must do better
Even what throw in our recycling bins can be bad news so, writes Nadia Lim, there’s a new way to deal with our wrapping.
Iwas pretty shocked to recently read a global assessment that showcased the reality of New Zealand’s product packaging recyclability. We were the second-worst country (after Brazil) for packaging that wasn’t able to be recycled. What’s worse, of the five products assessed that weren’t easily recyclable in Aotearoa, three were soft plastics.
The Packaging Forum – an industry group that runs the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme – estimates 4976 tonnes of soft plastic packaging was used by Kiwis in a 12-month period up to August 2020. That’s about a kilogram of soft plastic packaging consumed per Kiwi per year. One kilogram may not sound like a lot, but when you think about how light soft plastics are, the reality really hits home.
I get it, it’s confusing trying to keep track of what to recycle, what not to recycle, and what’s just rubbish. And I know there are many of you thinking ‘what is a soft plastic?’
A soft plastic can be scrunched easily into a ball in your hand – think most food packets like bread bags, frozen food bags, muesli bar and chocolate wrappers, courier packs, and the packaging that surrounds many household items like toilet paper, kitchen towels and nappies. The list is long.
Soft plastics are bad news for the machinery at our normal recycling sorting facilities across the country as the small and malleable packaging tangles up in the machines, which is why we shouldn’t be putting them in recycling bins. The general waste isn’t a good place for them either as they won’t be recycled.
It’s not until recently that soft plastic recycling options have returned in Aotearoa and we’re all still learning about how to do the right thing.
We did some research at My Food Bag and found that the majority of Kiwis we spoke to dispose of soft plastics in their general waste. We also found that Kiwis would prefer household collection of soft plastics so that’s why we’ve just started a household collection scheme for all household soft plastic waste. Opt-in with your weekly delivery, we’ll send you a bag, fill it with all your soft plastic waste (just make sure all packaging is empty, clean and dry first), and arrange a time for NZ Post to pick it up or drop it at your nearest post shop.
The Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme that My Food Bag works with also has a host of soft plastic recycling collection points throughout the country in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Wellington and Christchurch where you can drop off your soft plastic waste. Here’s hoping more and more companies come on board with soft plastics recycling solutions so that the next time there’s a global assessment into our product packaging recyclability, we can drastically improve.
So, what happens to soft plastics when they are recycled? This is where it gets really interesting. Once collected, the recycled soft plastic waste is transformed into innovative and useful products like durable fence posts in a matter of weeks. FuturePost is the New Zealand business behind the idea to grind up the soft plastic waste and transform it into fence posts that last well over 50 years. That’s turning waste into something useful.
Of course, it would be preferable if these soft plastics didn’t exist at all, but until we find a solution for not needing them at all, saving them from going to landfill and turning them into something useful is the next best thing.
AUTUMN FRUIT COBBLER, WITH A CINNAMON BROWN SUGAR CRUST
Fresh fruit comes cleverly packaged in its own skin. The more locally grown, fresh food you eat, the less packaging and food miles you’ll be responsible for (especially if you can grow some of your own). This comforting autumn/winter pudding makes use of whatever seasonal fruit you have on hand – try feijoas, apple, rhubarb, pears, quince, late plums (if there are still any around). I always like to throw a handful of berries in for colour, too. I’ve used hazelnuts in the topping, but you could also use almonds or pecans, just make sure the nuts are fresh (not rancid).
Serves 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
700g autumn fruit
200-250g blackberries, boysenberries or raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 Tbsp honey, sugar or maple syrup, to taste 50g hazelnuts (ideally skins off)
100g flour (plain, spelt or buckwheat/GF mix) 1 tsp baking powder
1⁄4 cup raw sugar
100g chilled butter, cubed (or coconut oil for a dairy-free version)
1 tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice
1-2 Tbsp raw sugar
Preheat oven to 220C. Place fruit and cinnamon stick in a pot with a splash of water. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until tender. Stir in berries and honey to taste. Keep cooking for a few more minutes if there is a lot of excess liquid.
Meanwhile, make the cobbler topping. Place hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz until the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Add flour, baking powder, sugar and butter, and pulse a couple of times to combine everything. Add a tablespoon or two of milk or water and pulse again to bring it together as a dough.
Spoon stewed fruit into an oven-proof pudding dish. Drizzle with a little more honey. Dollop cobbler dough on top in clumps, leaving gaps in between to allow the juices from the fruit to bubble up through the cobbler crust. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the top.
Bake in hot oven for 15-20 minutes until the cobbler topping rises, and is a deep golden brown. Serve with icecream, yoghurt, cre`me fraiche or whipped cream on the side.