Recycle your soft plastics

Mount Alexander Shire Council is launching a new trial program to collect and recycle soft plastics. 

This service will be available free of charge during the trial and the goal of the trial is to gauge the level of community uptake and the costs involved.

When: From 10 November 2025 to 30 June 2026

Drop-off location: Castlemaine Transfer Station
Accepted soft plastics: If your soft plastic is scrunchable, it’s recyclable!
Cost: FREE for the duration of the trial
Eligibility: Service is only for residents of Mount Alexander Shire
Quantity: Up to one quarter of a cubic metre (¼ m3) or one full 240 L wheelie bin. Commercial quantities are not accepted

What type of soft plastics are accepted?

Soft plastics that are accepted

Examples of acceptable and recyclable soft plastics include:

  • Plastic bags
  • Biscuits and other snack wrappers
  • Chip packets and other silver lined snack wrappers
  • Fresh and frozen food and veggie wrappers/bags
  • Pasta bags, rice bags (both plastic and the woven type), bead bags (without the tie), and cereal liners
  • Cling wrap, bubble wrap, and snap lock/zip lock bags
  • Document sleeves, mail satchels and carrier bags
  • Plastic pet food and clean potting mix bags

Soft plastics that are not accepted

Plastics that are not accepted as part of the soft plastics trial include:

  • Rigid plastics
  • Compostable plastics, which are not recyclable with conventional plastics
  • PET, PVC, PS or nylon

What happens to your soft plastics?

Soft plastics will be sent in bulk to APR Chemcycle on the outskirts of Melbourne. APR uses a process called pyrolysis, which heats plastics in the absence of oxygen to break them down into simpler compounds.

Other forms of plastics are turned into a recycled plastic resin, which will be used to make new food-grade packaging.

These materials are initially converted into:

  • Gas for energy
  • Plastic oil
  • Char (used as a filler)

The long-term goal is to transform these recycled materials into new plastic packaging, supporting a circular economy.

Accepted plastics typically carry resin codes 2, 4, or 5 and include items like plastic bags and  plastic packaging for food items.

Why recycling soft plastic matters

Soft plastics are a major contributor to landfill waste due to their convenience and widespread use. 

By recycling them, we can:

  • Significantly reduce landfill volume
  • Protect our natural environment
  • Contribute to the development of a circular economy by turning this resource into new plastic packaging

More information

For more information contact the waste team on email waste@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or call 03 5471 1700.

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