St Columba’s campaign to reduce soft plastics

Contributed by the St Columba Havelock North Eco Group (SCHNEG).

As an expression of their commitment to care for the environment, the St Columba Havelock North Eco Group (SCHNEG) have launched an awareness and advocacy campaign focused on reducing and recycling soft plastics. The campaign invites eco churches to work together to promote awareness regarding soft plastics. This initiative not only helps protect the planet but also fosters a spirit of unity and responsibility — reminding everyone that caring for creation is a shared mission. Read on as the SCHNEG team outlines the issue and invites churches to join with them to take action: 

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We at St Columba, Havelock North need your help to raise awareness and ask some hard questions about the impacts of plastic packaging on health and environment. We all know about the problem of nano-plastics, right? Well, it turns out, that the seemingly benign soft plastics recycling industry isn’t – well – that green. We want to know if the soft plastic recycling industry means that the production and use of soft plastics will be reduced. In yet another case of green-washing, soft plastics recycling doesn’t remove the problem, and ultimately even this gets broken down into micro plastics.

We are hoping that some of our fellow Eco Churches would like to join us in asking the Environmental Protection Authority about this issue and what they intend to do about it.

So, what’s going on with the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme?

Well, it promises to collect soft plastic packaging from supermarkets and council buildings. At first glance, that sounds like a win, right? But here’s the catch: It’s not as green as it seems. The plastic doesn’t just magically disappear. Instead, it gets downcycled—that’s right, “downcycled” as in “not really recycled,” but turned into a product like fence posts, bollards, or plastic lumber. But wait, it gets worse. Over time, those fence posts and bollards break down, and guess what happens next? Yep, you guessed it—microplastics. These tiny plastic particles spread into our environment, showing up in our water, our food, and even in our bodies.

The truth behind the soft plastic curtain

Now, we’re not saying the recycling scheme isn’t trying. Sure, it looks good in theory, but the reality is that this downcycling doesn’t get rid of the problem; it just shifts it into something more insidious. Microplastics are everywhere, and they're here to stay unless we rethink how we handle this stuff.

What’s the Plan, EPA?

We’re calling on the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to take a closer look at this whole plastic recycling situation. Here’s why: some products made from downcycled plastic might be causing more harm than good as they break down and release microplastics into the environment. It's time for the EPA to assess the long-term impact of soft plastics recycling, because we’re all about responsibly reducing plastic, not just recycling for recycling’s sake.

Here's what we are asking

To get the wheels turning, we’ve got some important questions that need answers.

1. Is the soft plastic recycling scheme reducing the production of new single-use plastic?

2. What environmental impacts can we expect from the distribution of downcycled plastic products made from soft plastics?

3. Would it be better to make products like fence posts and bollards from more sustainable materials like hardwood or concrete? We’re thinking that something made of wood or concrete might just be better for the environment in the long run.

Here’s the deal: Eco Churches could work together on this. As a united front, we can push for reduction in use of single-use plastic and responsible practices in recycling to help protect both our environment and our health. If you’re as concerned as we are and want to get involved, drop us a line and join our letter to the EPA. Together, we can create a future that’s cleaner, healthier, and—dare we say it—has less plastic!

Send us an email at info@schn.org.nz if you want your name added to the letter, and let’s get this movement going!