APCO and SPSA partner on soft plastics stewardship

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia (SPSA) have partnered to support the next phase of soft plastics stewardship in Australia, giving brands and retailers a clear and coordinated pathway to participate.

The partnership brings together SPSA’s work to expand soft plastics collection and recycling pathways with APCO’s national stewardship infrastructure across reporting, invoicing, packaging guidance and extended producer responsibility administration.

APCO and SPSA will collaborate to promote scheme participation through a coordinated model designed for no duplication in levies, reporting and administration, while supporting strong data integrity and confidence across the value chain.

CEO of APCO Chris Foley said the partnership reflects the kind of practical coordination the industry has been calling for.

“Soft plastics stewardship needs to be credible, workable and easier for industry to engage with,” Foley said. “This partnership connects scheme delivery with the systems many businesses already rely on, while supporting stronger consistency, clear participation pathways and greater confidence in how stewardship is administered.

“It also supports the broader integrity of the system by linking participation with robust packaging guidance and evidence-based outcomes.”

CEO of SPSA Barry Cosier said the partnership strengthens industry’s ability to deliver a scalable and cost-effective national system for soft plastic stewardship.

“Soft plastic recycling will thrive with aligned packaging design, labelling, collection and recycling infrastructure, supported by policy reform of the broader packaging value chain,” Cosier said.

“By working closely with APCO, we can provide brands and retailers with greater confidence that packaging design, labelling and recycling infrastructure are evolving together. This agreement provides industry with greater clarity and coordination.”

SPSA will continue to drive the development and expansion of collection and recycling pathways in collaboration with retailers, councils, recyclers and industry.

APCO will support scheme administration through its established national processes and continue to provide industry leadership for improved soft plastics design outcomes enabled by its packaging guidance and the Australasian Recycling Label Program.

The partnership is expected to deliver practical benefits for industry, including more efficient reporting and invoicing, avoidance of duplication, stronger scheme data integrity, greater confidence in labelling and clear signals for future packaging decisions.

To support industry engagement, APCO and SPSA will host two invitation-only roadshow sessions in March for brands and retailers wanting further information about the scheme.

The sessions will be held in Sydney on Thursday, 19 March 2026 and Melbourne on Friday, 20 March 2026, and will cover scheme expansion, membership value, regulatory context and what participation may mean for businesses planning for FY27.

For more information on the roadshow sessions, please email SPSA.

Image credit: iStock.com/RecycleMan