Everything you need to know about recycling bulk bags
Bulk Bags includes:
Plastic Sacks
Bulka bag
FIND A RECYCLER
Learn more about recycling bulk bags
How to recycle bulk bags
Bulk bags (sometimes referred to as bulka bags) are large plastic bags or sacks used to carry bulk items such as seeds, flour, sugar, milk powders, fertiliser, sand, mulch and more. Australia has a national product stewardship scheme to recover and recycle bulk bags.
Australia has a national product stewardship scheme for the recycling of bulk bags and sacks used to carry at least 15 kilograms or litres of contents. The Australian Government Accredited Scheme, Big Bag Recovery, accepts bags that are made from woven polypropylene (wPP) and LDPE.
Participating brands
Bags from participating brands only are accepted. Visit the Big Bag Recovery website to see if your bags are supported under the scheme and consider switching to a participating brand if they are not.
How to find a recycler
Big Bag Recovery advises businesses to contact them directly for information about recycling drop-off points or collection services as it is important for them to ascertain if the bags are recyclable, what contents were inside the bag and the brand. Submit an enquiry via the website’s live chat or enquiry form.
Why recycle?
Most bulk bags, also known as FIBC (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container) or bulka bags, are made from polypropylene (PP), as well polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), all derived from petroleum. Reusing or recycling bulk bags reduces the demand for plastic production and oil, a non-renewable resource. Other reasons to recycle bulk bags include a growing commitment to corporate environmental responsibility and rising landfill costs.
What happens to them?
Used bulk bags are collected, compressed and bailed for transport to a recycling facility. The bags are then cleaned of contaminants and processed into small chips. These chips are re-extruded into secondary plastic products such as new bulk bags, cables, brooms, bins or planter pots.
Big Bag Recovery is working with Circular Communities Australia to open Australia’s first purpose-built bulk bag recycling plant in Toowoomba, Queensland.
Can bulk bags be reused?
Bulk bags are highly durable and can often be reused for some applications before they are recycled. However, reusing bulk bags can be dangerous so it is important to understand the hazards before reusing them.
Bags must be carefully inspected for visible damage, wear and contamination to ensure they are safe for reuse. Bags should not be reused if there is damage on the lift straps, outside contamination that cannot be removed by cleaning, dampness or growth of mould or mildew, embedded wood splinters or unreadable printing on the outside. Inappropriate reuse of bulk bags can lead to workplace accidents or spoilage of contents.
