Secret sites reveal REDcycle collapse far worse than first thought

The collapse of Australia’s largest tender plastics recycler is getting worse the extra investigators study, following the invention of 14 plastic stockpiling websites beforehand saved secret.

New stashes of plastic waste, which REDcycle was being paid many thousands and thousands to recycle, have been uncovered for the primary time in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.

Those websites take the whole variety of REDcycle stockpile areas to 44, up from the 32 which have been recognized in February.

Plastic bags found at a REDCycle warehouse in Melbourne. — Plastic bags found at a REDcycle warehouse in Melbourne. (Supplied/EPA)

Additional discoveries have been made in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, states which have been already recorded as internet hosting some REDcycle websites.

Liquidators, environmental brokers and grocery store giants Coles and Woolworths have been making an attempt to unravel the true nature of REDcycle’s failed nationwide operation for the reason that firm was discovered late final yr to have been stockpiling plastics in warehouses as a substitute of recycling them.

The numbers concerned are big.

But during the last three months, authorities have been capable of affirm REDcycle had been hiding greater than double that quantity, with 44 stockpiles now recognized.

Officials haven’t revealed an up to date plastic tonnage determine.

A spokesperson confirmed the brand new areas to 9news.com.au right this moment in an announcement, after the story was first reported in The Age.

“To date, we have identified a total of 44 sites where REDcycle had been stockpiling soft plastics without our knowledge,” the spokesperson stated.

“We have contacted the operators of every site to develop an action plan to ensure this material is stored safely.

“With new info persevering with to return in, we’re navigating a posh vary of websites and challenges, and we all know this course of will take time.”

REDcycle, which is run by the company RG Programs and Services, had been secretly amassing the plastics since June, when a fire destroyed a Melbourne factory which was pivotal to its recycling operations.

In the months that followed, the company kept quiet as its hoardings of plastic grew into mountains.

REDcycle paused its soft plastics recycling scheme after Nine newspapers revealed it had been stockpiling the plastics for months. (Today)

REDcycle was supposed to collect and recycle plastics from Woolworths and Coles customers, who were left astonished when the truth emerged.

The Environment Protection Authority Victoria has charged RG Programs and Services and it now faces a possible fine in excess of $165,000.

Woolworths and Coles have been left scrambling to find an alternative to landfilling the gigantic collection of plastic.

“We’re assessing logistics and warehousing preparations for every stockpile on a case-by-case foundation, as we proceed to debate recycling choices with a number of respected processors abroad,” the spokesperson told 9news.com.au.

“Simultaneously, we’re working by the Soft Plastics Taskforce to develop a brand new in-store recycling program to fill the hole left by REDcycle’s collapse, and we sit up for seeing contributions by different manufacturers and retailers which produce tender plastics.”

When REDcycle was initially suspended, the company refused to provide information on specific stockpile locations and volumes to Woolworths and Coles.

After its operations were exposed, REDcycle CEO Liz Kasell said the company had been struggling to keep up with demand, with a 350 per cent surge in people recycling plastic products.