Coles is marking National Recycling Week by celebrating the successes of team members, customers, partners and stakeholders who are working together to achieve zero waste.
National Recycling Week runs between 8-14 November, and is an opportunity for workplaces, councils and schools to improve their recycling knowledge, and share ways they have embraced recycling.
As part of Coles’ Sustainability Strategy, under the Together to Zero focus area, Coles has implemented innovative recycling practices as it works toward its ambition of zero waste.
Coles reaffirmed its commitment to packaging sustainability earlier this year by joining the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands (ANZPAC) Plastics Pact as a founding member.
In the FY21 financial year, 87 per cent of Coles Own Brand and Coles Own Liquor Brand primary packaging was classified as recyclable.
Coles’ target is that by 2025 or earlier, all Own Brand and Own Liquor Brand packaging in Australia will be 100 per cent recyclable, reusable or compostable, include an average of 50 per cent recycled content, and carry the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL), while phasing out problematic unnecessary single-use plastic.
In the FY21 year, the ARL was proudly displayed on more than 3500 Coles Own Brand and Own Liquor Brand products. The ARL provides information on what packaging parts can be disposed of according to different waste streams.
In a significant milestone, Coles is this year celebrating 10 years of working with soft plastics recycling organisation REDcycle.
In 2018, Coles became the first major Australian supermarket to have REDcycle bins in every store for customers to drop off soft plastics, which are transformed by manufacturers such as Replas into a range of recycled products, including outdoor furniture for community groups.
Thinus Keeve, Coles chief sustainability, property and export officer, said Coles was forging ahead on its ambition to be Australia’s most sustainable supermarket.
“We are incredibly proud of the achievements we are making under our ambition of Together to Zero, and our milestone 10-year partnership with REDcycle is a testimony to our commitment,” Keeve said.
“National Recycling Week is a wonderful opportunity to promote the benefits of recycling, and how it plays an integral part in helping to drive generational sustainability.”
In addition to its partnership with REDcycle, Coles also works with waste and recycling partner Cleanaway to reduce waste sent to landfill.
In FY21, Cleanaway recycled more than 181,000 tonnes of cardboard and 6200 tonnes of low-density polyethylene pallet wrap from supermarkets, distribution centres, Coles Express and Liquor stores nationally.
Over the past financial year, Cleanaway collected more than 20,000 tonnes of organic waste from 558 Coles supermarkets, 14 distribution centres, and 347 Coles Express sites to be turned into valuable compost and soil conditioner, diverting it from landfill.
For National Recycling Week, Cleanaway is challenging Australians to take part in its 30-day recycling challenge, which is a calendar of daily recycling activities with bonus weekend challenges.
