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Community food network steps into soft plastics gap with circular recycling model

Issued by Lanham Media on behalf of Box Divvy

When Australia’s largest supermarket soft plastics scheme collapsed in 2022, it exposed a structural weakness in the country’s recycling system. Millions of households had been encouraged to separate “scrunchable” plastics, yet the infrastructure behind that promise proved fragile.

 

Flexible plastics such as bread bags, produce bags, chip packets and bubble wrap cannot go in kerbside bins because they jam sorting machinery. Globally, less than 10 per cent of plastic is recycled. In Australia, soft plastics are among the least recovered materials, largely excluded from kerbside recycling and reliant on voluntary drop-off schemes.

 

Box Divvy, a community-based food network operating across NSW, Victoria and the ACT, has now built its own soft plastics collection and recycling pipeline, diverting approximately 2.5 tonnes from landfill each month.

 

Box Divvy operates more than 350 neighbourhood food Hubs and describes itself as “the Unsupermarket”, a decentralised model connecting members with seasonal produce and pantry goods from mostly Australian suppliers. Built on principles of pricing transparency, reduced food miles and community distribution, the network was originally designed to strengthen local food systems.

 

Its model reduces layers of retail packaging by distributing food through neighbourhood Hubs rather than individual supermarket shelves. The soft plastics initiative extends that philosophy further, addressing the packaging that still enters the system.

 

“If we are serious about reshaping food systems, we cannot ignore the packaging that comes with them,” said Anton van den Berg, co-founder of Box Divvy. “We talk about transparency and fairness in supply chains. Taking responsibility for soft plastics is part of that same commitment.”

 

Over the past 12 months, Box Divvy has worked to establish the infrastructure required to scale the program across its network. The NSW Environment Protection Authority contributed 50% of the upfront cost of 500 dedicated 240 litre soft plastics bins, with Box Divvy funding the balance and covering ongoing collection and processing costs.

 

The first 140 bins were installed in December. A further 170 have since been deployed. Around 90 per cent of Box Divvy Hubs in NSW and the ACT now host a soft plastics bin, with additional sites continuing to join the program. With expanded rollout, monthly volumes are expected to approach three tonnes.

 

Members can bring scrunchable plastics to their local Hub on collection day at no cost. Hub operators are paid by Box Divvy to host and manage the bin. Collected plastics are picked up weekly by sustainability partner ReSmart and transported to a Sydney aggregation warehouse. From there, the material is sent to an EPA approved Victorian processor, where it is to be converted into resin and manufactured into new food grade bags.

 

In a deliberate circular economy move, Box Divvy plans to purchase these recycled bags to package dry goods such as nuts and beans sold through its network.

 

Mikey Dukey from ReSmart, said rebuilding confidence in soft plastics recycling depends on credible end markets.

 

“Rebuilding confidence in soft plastics recycling starts with reliable infrastructure," Duke said. "ReSmart's role in this partnership, providing consistent weekly collection and a clear pathway from neighbourhood Hub to processor, is what makes verified outcomes possible. When the logistics are right, soft plastics can then be successfully remanufactured into new products, and that's exactly what this program delivers."

 

The initiative builds on a smaller 2024 pilot in the Southern Highlands, where six Hubs collected 750 kilograms within months. Scaling the model required coordination across logistics, processing and funding partners to ensure the system was viable long term. Collection volumes are tracked weekly, allowing the Box Divvy network to verify diversion rates and adjust collection logistics as the program expands.

 

Anton said the program shows how community-based supply chains can take responsibility for their own waste streams.

 

“Circular economy only works if someone closes the loop,” he said. “We are in a position to do that within our own network. If communities control parts of the supply chain, they can also take responsibility for the waste that flows through it.”

 

Issued by Lanham Media on behalf of Box Divvy

 

Media Contacts:

 

Fleur Townley | [email protected] | 0405 278 758

Greg Townley | [email protected] | 0414 195 908

 

Available for interview:

• Jayne Travers-Drapes and Anton van den Berg, Box Divvy Co-founders
• Participating Hubsters or members in NSW and ACT available on request. The Box Divvy map now includes a soft plastics collection filter, with active Hubs currently including Warnervale, Fig Tree, North Turramurra, Kahibah, Valentine, St Ives and East Ryde.

 

Media assets available here

 

General Box Divvy media assets available here

 

About Box Divvy

Box Divvy is a free, community-driven food co-op that connects households with fresh, seasonal produce and healthy pantry staples. With over 350 local Hubs across NSW and the ACT, and expansion into VIC, it’s a simple and affordable way to shop - no membership fees, just a regular commitment to order. Each Hub is run by a neighbour, and members collaborate to reduce waste, share deliveries, and keep costs low. By supporting mostly Australian and local suppliers, Box Divvy helps families eat well, live more sustainably, and make food choices they can feel good about. Find out more at boxdivvy.com