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It\u2019s 8.40am on a Tuesday and I\u2019m perusing the self-care aisle in Woolies Metro on top of Melbourne\u2019s bustling Southern Cross Station. I\u2019m not here to buy shampoo; I\u2019m on a covert mission.<\/p>\n
Standing beside me is Manny Manatakis, a chief sustainability officer at Circularise who works with companies such as Wesfarmers Health to help improve their packaging and further sustainability goals.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Circularise packaging expert Manny Manatakis. Credit: Luis Ascui<\/p>\n
Our objective is straightforward. Manatakis will pick out items in the lane and I have to identify whether it\u2019s recyclable or not.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m quietly confident. I\u2019m an avid keep cup user for my daily cappuccino, a frequent opp shopper and owner of quaint compost bin in the corner of my kitchen. This should be easy.<\/p>\n
First up is a bottle of Bondi Sands SPF 50+. I\u2019d normally put this bottle straight in the recycling bin, but I check the labels throughout just in case. I spot the Mobius loop \u2013 three arrows in a triangle \u2013 on the back. It looks like a standard recycling symbol.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecyclable,\u201d I say confidently. Manatakis shakes his head.<\/p>\n
Next up is a yellow Essano Happy Skin spray. This time I\u2019m cautious. I check the back of the product more thoroughly and see a different loop with skinner arrows and a label that says, \u201cPlease recycle\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecyclable,\u201d I say. I\u2019m wrong again.<\/p>\n
Finally, we head to Chemist Warehouse and Manatakis picks out a bottle of MooGoo Natural Milk Shampoo. The shiny packaging is opaque with a sky-blue strip in the middle and a dairy cow in the corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur bottles are off-white because we use 100 per cent recycled plastic. Please recycle,\u201d the label assures me.<\/p>\n
Surely, that means it\u2019s recyclable? I anxiously turn the bottle over to check if for a hidden trick. \u201cPlease recycle\u201d another label says on the bottom.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo would you put that in your recycling bin,\u201d Manatakis asks me. I nod. \u201cThat\u2019s fair,\u201d he says. \u201cI think many people would, but it\u2019s not recyclable in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Defeated and slightly embarrassed, I head outside with Manatakis so he can explain where I went wrong.<\/p>\n
All the \u201cnon-recyclable\u201d examples used a form of opaque polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic packaging, Manatakis tells me.<\/p>\n
PET is one of the most highly used plastics across the world<\/a> and is omnipresent across supermarkets and chemists for food, beverage, shampoo and skincare packaging. In Australia, PET is recyclable \u2013 but only when it is clear and transparent.<\/p>\n According to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), Opaque PET (1) is classified as non-recyclable in Australian and New Zealand kerbside recycling systems. If you place a product with opaque PET packaging in your recycling, it can contaminate a whole load of recycled PET, making it unusable for end markets.<\/p>\n Loading<\/p>\n So if opaque PET isn\u2019t recyclable, why is it so commonly used in product packaging? And why doesn\u2019t the everyday Australian know how to recycle properly?<\/p>\n Manatakis said the challenges and problems within Australia\u2019s recycling system were multipronged.<\/p>\n \u201cFirstly, there is a lot of confusion at the household level on what is and isn\u2019t recyclable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThen there can be confusion when neighbouring councils have different rules on recycling. The final tier is companies and businesses who don\u2019t know if their packaging is recyclable and use incorrect labels.<\/p>\n \u201cThe multiple levels of confusion make recycling in Australia a complex problem.\u201d<\/p>\n The Australian Council of Recycling is calling for a mandatory recycling label to be placed on every product in Australia. Credit: Jason South<\/p>\n Opaque PET: The plastic contaminating our recycling system<\/p>\n The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) works with governments and businesses to manage the environmental impact of packaging.<\/p>\n The organisation\u2019s 2022-23 consumption and recovery report estimated six million kilograms (6000 tonnes) of rigid opaque PET was in the market.<\/p>\n APCO chief Chris Foley said opaque PET was not recyclable in Australia and described the products as a \u201ccontaminant in the recycling stream\u201d.<\/p>\n So what makes opaque PET so bad for Australia\u2019s recycling system?<\/p>\n An APCO spokesperson said the loss of clarity and transparency in opaque PET reduces its sustainability for high-value applications, such as new packaging, ultimately limiting the circularity<\/a> of PET materials.<\/p>\n In some countries opaque PET is classified as recyclable, but in Australia, opaque PET is difficult for optical sorters at material recovery facilities to detect.<\/p>\n \u201cThese sorting systems use infrared technology to identify and separate materials on high-speed conveyor belts,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf opaque PET is not effectively separated from clear plastics, it can contaminate the recycling stream, reducing the quality, value, and end-use potential of rPET [recycled PET].\u201d<\/p>\n Manatakis said the prevalence of white opaque PET plastic in Australia\u2019s recycling system led to frequent dumping.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you put opaque white-coloured PET in your recycling, the high-speed sorting machines cannot sort white from clear, so someone has to be carefully studying and removing any white bottles from that strain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, if a white bottle gets through the system and it gets shredded, a white blotch appears in the new recycled bottle.<\/p>\n \u201cThe moment a recycler sees a white splotch, the alarm bell goes off and they need to dump the whole load.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Dog\u2019s breakfast\u2019: Aussie customers confused by recycling labels<\/p>\n In 2020, an audit commissioned by the Australian Council of Recycling found consumers were confused by different logos and incorrect or non-existent labelling on products.<\/p>\n The audit found 88 per cent of packaging on 150 sampled products was recyclable, but only 40 per cent had a label indicating it could be recycled.<\/p>\n Australian Council of Recycling CEO Suzanne Toumbourou at a material recovery facility in Sydney,Credit: Kate Geraghty<\/p>\n Then chief executive officer Pete Shmigel referred to Australia\u2019s recycling labels as a dog\u2019s breakfast <\/a>and called for mandatory uniform labels on every product and packaging type sold into the Australian market to remove confusion.<\/p>\n Five years later, new Australian Council of Recycling chief executive officer Suzanne Toumbourou, said nothing had changed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sad to say that the situation has not much improved,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m optimistic about a broad industry commitment to improvement \u2013 the problem is that we don\u2019t have the mandatory levers to support that investment.\u201d<\/p>\n Toumbourou is referring to APCO\u2019s Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) \u2013 the only evidence-based labelling program in Australia.<\/p>\n The Australasian Recycling Symbol Credit: APCO<\/p>\n Companies that want to use the Australasian Recycling Label must use PREP \u2013 a packaging assessment tool that determines the recycability of their packaging based on shape, weight, size, inks, adhesives and materials.<\/p>\n Sounds good, right? The only problem is: the label is not mandatory.<\/p>\n In 2024, the Department of Climate Change and Energy hosted a packaging regulatory consultation, which found there was strong support within the industry for mandatory on-pack recyclability labelling obligations.<\/p>\n But currently, Australian companies are not required to join APCO and can elect to use the Mobius loop \u2013 an internationally recognised but unregulated symbol, meaning any brand can use it regardless whether their packaging is recyclable.<\/p>\n Many companies also use resin code symbols, which identifies the type of plastic resin used but is often mistaken for a recycling label.<\/p>\n APCO\u2019s report found that of the total packaging in the market between 2022 and 2023, 86 per cent had good recycling potential but only 56 per cent was recovered.<\/p>\n Toumbourou said the absence of a national mandatory labelling system in Australia meant businesses could \u201cslip through the cracks\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of questionable environmental claims made relating to recyclability by those who are putting products on the market in relation to their packaging, which further distorts and confuses and lowers people\u2019s confidence in recycling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Renata Daudt is a packaging engineer at AWEN Packaging Consulting, a firm that helps businesses comply with the Australian packaging standards and global regulations<\/a>.<\/p>\n This masthead sent Daudt images of several products at Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse that used the unregulated Mobius recycling symbol or had \u201cplease recycle\u201d labels.<\/p>\n These three products all use opaque PET or rPET plastic, which is non-recyclable in Australia and New Zealand recycling systems. Credit: Michael Howard <\/p>\n She conducted a PREP assessment on each of them and confirmed Essanno and Bondi Sands used opaque PET, rendering it non-recycable in Australia. MooGoo used opaque rPET (recycled PET), which is also non-recycable in Australia.<\/p>\n \u201cBig companies send their products all over the world but recycling is different in every country,\u201d she said. \u201cOpaque PET is recyclable in Germany using a separated stream, but not in Australia. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important we have a mandatory, national and regulated labelling system.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re labelling your product as recyclable when it\u2019s not, then you\u2019re misleading customers.\u201d<\/p>\n This masthead approached MooGoo, Bondi Sands and Essano for comment.<\/p>\n A Bondi Sands spokesperson said the company was conducting a comprehensive review of its packaging and labelling to improve consumer eduction.<\/p>\n \u201cThis ongoing review has brought to our attention a discrepancy in the recyclability labelling on the packaging of our SPF 50+ Fragrance Free Sunscreen Lotion 500ml sold in Australia,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n \u201cPending completion of the review, we are taking immediate steps to address this discrepancy.\u201d<\/p>\n A spokesperson from Vitality Brands, which acquired Essanno last year, said the company was undergoing a packaging audit process across the 250-plus stock keeping units in its portfolio.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are transitioning the packaging on products that do not meet the Vitality Brands standards or ethos over the next three years,\u201d they said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cVitality Brands is a member of APCO and to ensure we actively address recyclability we have set clear targets to improve the sustainability of our packaging across product lines.\u201d<\/p>\n Melody Livingstone, chief of Australian brand MooGoo, said she acknowledged opaque rPEt was \u201cnot always accepted or effectively processed by local in recyclers in Australia\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIn contrast, rPET \u2014 including opaque \u2014 is more widely accepted in places like the UK and USA, where our products are also sold,\u201d she said. \u201cThe UK is one of our biggest markets…<\/p>\n \u201cBecause MooGoo products are sold internationally, our labelling reflects the recyclability of the material in a global context, not solely based on any one country\u2019s infrastructure.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, we recognise that this can lead to confusion in regions like Australia where recycling access is inconsistent, and we are actively reviewing our labelling to provide clearer guidance for Aussie consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n So why doesn\u2019t Australia process opaque PET when other countries say they can?<\/p>\n Toumbourou said the answer is complicated, but noted many countries in Europe have mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes. These environmental policies ensure manufacturers are responsible for the end-of-life management of their products, including collection, recycling and disposal.<\/p>\n Australian Council of Recycling CEO Suzanne ToumbourouCredit: Kate Geraghty <\/p>\n \u201cPlaces like Europe have EPRs that help to fund the process of recycling and therefore make it more feasible to do so,\u201d she said. \u201cSo Australia\u2019s inability to recycle opaque PET isn\u2019t just about technology, it\u2019s about investment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCompared to Europe, we are behind.\u201d<\/p>\n What are the consequences for labelling a non-recyclable products as \u2018recyclable\u2019?<\/p>\n The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is responsible for enforcing legislative requirements and holding businesses accountable for breaching its guidelines.<\/p>\n The consumer watchdog collaborates with APCO to ensure a \u201cunified approach\u201d and to provide \u201cclarity and transparency\u201d for brand owners regarding packaging labelling requirements.<\/p>\n In response to questions from this masthead, an APCO spokesperson said while many organisations were committed to making responsible choices, some may \u201cinadvertently mislead consumers by making inaccurate recyclability claims\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf a company labels packaging made from opaque PET as recyclable, it risks misleading consumers about the product\u2019s environmental impact,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile APCO does not determine whether a claim breaches ACCC guidelines, we play a critical role in helping businesses understand the recyclability of their packaging and avoid making misleading claims,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n In response to the questions around opaque PET\u2019s prevalence on the market, an ACCC spokesperson said businesses must have a legitimate basis for making recyclablity claims.<\/p>\n Loading<\/p>\n \u201cWhen making claims about recyclability, businesses should not only consider whether the product is technically recyclable, they should also consider whether there are sufficient facilities available to recycle the product, including how accessible those facilities are to ordinary consumers,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n In April this year, Clorox Australia \u2013 the manufacturer of GLAD Wrap waste disposal and food storage bags \u2013 was hit with an $8.25 million federal penalty for incorrectly making claims a product was partly made from recycled \u201cocean plastic\u201d.<\/p>\n Toumbourou was glad to see regulators cracking down on greenwashing \u2013 which involves making false or unfounded claims about sustainability and climate action.<\/p>\n However, she\u2019d like to see greater scrutiny on claims relating to recyclability.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re misleading the public about recyclability, what you\u2019re ultimately doing is undermining their confidence in a real recycling outcome, and they\u2019re also undermining the investment that the recycling sector has made in delivering those outcomes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Manatakis agreed and wanted to see the watchdog impose stricter penalties on brands incorrectly advertising their product\u2019s packaging as recyclable.<\/p>\n \u201cThe average Australian customer want to do the right thing,\u201d Manatakis said. \u201cThey want to be sustainable and recycle properly, but in order to do so, companies, watchdogs and governments need to fix the flaws within the system.\u201d<\/p>\n Get to the heart of what\u2019s happening with climate change and the environment. Sign up for our fortnightly Environment <\/a>newsletter.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size It\u2019s 8.40am on a Tuesday and I\u2019m perusing the self-care…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13087,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[64,63,75,128],"class_list":["post-13086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13086\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/617a23bc8221cef96b13dc11e94176a2e0746836.jpeg\")
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