Recycling Update inc. Soft Plastics!!

Great news: the Anglesea Transfer Station is now accepting Soft Plastics for Recycling! We’re looking to start a volunteer drop-off roster / community initative to make this easier for Deans Marsh & district members. The Deans Marsh Recycling Station is looking for more helpers—if you’d like to volunteer, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact us if you'd like to get involved...

Wondering what you can drop off as a soft plastics?

SOFT PLASTIC ACCEPTED AT ANGLESEA

e.g soft plastic bags and wrappers such as:

• Biscuit wrappers (but not the clear tray that holds biscuits)

• Bread bags

• Bubble wrap (clear and coloured)

• Cereal bags (the bag that holds the cereal)

• Chip packets

• Citrus netting bags (remove metal clips)

• Chocolate & other confectionery wrappers/bags

• Cling wrap/plastic film

• Coffee bean bags with zip lock (remove zip lock)

• Condiment sachets

• Document sleeves

• Fresh fruit and veggie produce bags

• Frozen food bags

• Garden fertiliser bags (must be empty)

• Ice cream/icy pole wrappers (no sticks)

• Magazine and newspaper clear wrapping

• Mail satchels (plastic only with labels removed if possible)

• Mesh bags (the ones holding oranges, onions)

• Muesli bar wrappers

• Newspaper/magazine wrap

• Pasta and noodle packets

• Pet food bags

• Pet food bags with zip lock (remove zip lock)

• Plastic food wrap eg cling wrap, glad wrap etc.

• Plastic wrapping from paper towels and toilet paper

• Reusable ‘green’ shopping bags

• Plastic shopping bags (from retailers)

• Potting mix bags (empty)

• Rice bags (both plastic & woven)

• Silver-lined bags from chips, confectionery etc.

• Six-pack ring (the soft flexible plastic only)

• Snap lock bags (remove the snap lock)

• Squeeze pouches (clean & remove hard plastic lid & spout)

• Veggie produce bags

• Wine bladders (remove the hard plastic spout)

• Wrappers from chocolate bars & lollies

• Zip lock bags (remove the zip lock)

Click Here for Angelsea Transfer Station Opening Hours

And did you know these 5 things about Recycling?...

1. Coffee Cups Can’t Be Recycled in Your Kerbside Bin

That takeaway coffee cup might look like cardboard, but most disposable cups are lined with a thin layer of plastic to prevent leaks. This makes them non-recyclable in your regular kerbside bin. The lid (if clean and labelled recyclable) may be okay—but the cup itself needs to go in the general waste or be taken to a specialised collection point like a Simply Cups drop off or send them to BRAD.

2. Don’t Bag Your Recycling—Ever

This one’s a biggie. Putting your recyclables in plastic bags is one of the most common recycling mistakes in Australia. Why? Because the entire bag will be considered contaminated and sent to landfill. Even if it’s full of perfectly recyclable materials, it won’t be opened.

Toss items in loose, and skip the plastic bag.

3. If It’s Smaller Than a Credit Card, It Can’t Be Recycled Kerbside

A good rule of thumb? If an item is smaller than a credit card, it’s too small for most sorting machines. Think bottle caps, bread tags, or mascara wands—they fall through the cracks, literally.

Pro tip: Collect small items and drop them off at specialty recycling programs like BRAD or your local council’s drop-off points.

4. It Doesn’t Need to Be Spotless—But Give It a Rinse

You don’t need to scrub your containers to perfection, but a quick rinse goes a long way. Food scraps left in jars, tins or takeaway containers can contaminate an entire batch of recycling.

Think “clean enough”—a rough rinse is enough to stop smells, pests and contamination.

5. Never Put Batteries in the Bin—They Can Catch Fire

Batteries must not go in your rubbish or recycling bin. They pose a serious fire risk in collection trucks and recycling facilities. Instead, take them to a designated battery drop-off point. The easiest way? Head to bcycle.com.au to find your nearest collection site.

This includes AA, AAA, laptop, phone and power tool batteries.

This article was sourced from Banish.com.au and written by Lottie Dalziel