Community-Driven Recycling Model Expands
Box Divvy, a community-based food network, has launched its own soft plastics recycling initiative, diverting approximately 2.5 tonnes from landfill each month across NSW, Victoria, and the ACT. This initiative follows the collapse of Australia’s largest supermarket soft plastics scheme in 2022, which highlighted significant vulnerabilities in the nation’s recycling infrastructure.
Flexible plastics like bread bags, produce bags, chip packets, and bubble wrap cannot be placed in kerbside bins because they jam sorting machinery. Globally, less than 10% of plastic is recycled. In Australia, soft plastics are among the least recovered materials, largely excluded from kerbside recycling and dependent on voluntary drop-off schemes.
Box Divvy operates over 350 neighbourhood food Hubs, which facilitate this recycling effort. The network, known as “the Unsupermarket”, connects members with seasonal produce and pantry goods, focusing on pricing transparency, reduced food miles, and community distribution. Its model reduces retail packaging layers by distributing food through neighbourhood Hubs instead of individual supermarket shelves.
Addressing Recycling Challenges
The NSW Environment Protection Authority contributed 50% of the upfront cost for 500 dedicated 240-litre soft plastics bins, with Box Divvy funding the balance and covering ongoing collection and processing costs. As of April 2026, 310 bins have been deployed, and 90% of NSW and ACT Hubs participate.
Members can bring scrunchable plastics to their local Hub on collection days without any fee. These plastics are collected weekly by sustainability partner ReSmart, transported to a Sydney aggregation warehouse, and then sent to an EPA-approved Victorian processor where they are converted into resin and manufactured into new food-grade bags.
Box Divvy’s model builds on a successful 2024 pilot in the Southern Highlands, which collected 750 kilograms of soft plastics over a few months. The current programme aims to reach three tonnes monthly as it continues to expand.
Anton van den Berg, co-founder of Box Divvy, stated, “If we are serious about reshaping food systems, we cannot ignore the packaging that comes with them. We talk about transparency and fairness in supply chains. Taking responsibility for soft plastics is part of that same commitment.”
ReSmart’s Mikey Dukey commented, “Rebuilding confidence in soft plastics recycling starts with reliable infrastructure. Our role is to ensure consistent weekly collection and clear processing pathways.”
