Sustainability in Action
Close the Loop and Recity team up to revolutionise Soft Plastics Recycling with Traceability based on GS1 Australia Standards.
November 12, 2024: Close the Loop, in collaboration with Recity and GS1 Australia, is excited to announce a groundbreaking initiative in plastics recycling, designed to deliver unmatched traceability from collection to final use, specifically focusing on post-consumer mixed soft plastics.
The project aligns with the National Framework for Recycled Content Traceability (NFRCT) and aims to offer trust and transparency of Australian recycled content for end users while automating data capture and reporting.
The NFRCT, released in December 2023, is a voluntary national framework for recycled content traceability. This guideline aims to enhance trust in recycled materials by helping businesses collect and share information, ensuring clear and consistent traceability rules for all recycled content products in Australia.
Close the Loop, a leader in circular economy solutions, is tackling the challenges of soft plastic waste by implementing real-time, verifiable tracking of recycled content – a first in the industry. Its Circular Contracts, for example, enhances soft plastic recycling while fostering commitments that boost demand for recycled products and streamline the recycling process.
Steve Morriss, Founder & Head of Circularity at Close the Loop said: “We are constantly building innovative products and solutions for Australia’s recycled content and are excited to deliver Circular Contracts with an unprecedented level of transparency.”
He further added that the initiative will focus on two key objectives: developing standardised labelling with GS1 Australia and trialing a traceability platform for efficient data exchange enabled by Recity.
Recity is a provider of waste management and resource recovery technologies based in India. This year, Recity was selected for the circular economy cohort of the India Australia Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator.
The intensive nine-month program, delivered by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, in partnership with the Atal Innovation Mission, supports Indian and Australian startups with innovative climate and environment solutions to scale their technologies in the alternate market.
Meha Lahiri, Co-founder & COO at Recity said: “We are thrilled to work with Close the Loop and GS1 Australia to bring our traceability technology to Australia. This is built on our extensive experience in offering this platform in India and Europe.”
Currently, MVP trials are underway with Close the Loop and select supply chain partners using standardised labels by GS1 Australia.
This project is set to transform soft plastics recycling, positioning Australia’s recycled content on the global stage through Circular Contracts and potential credit schemes – creating new opportunities across the supply chain and opening doors to fresh markets. The MVP is targeted to be completed by December and the platform expected to be operational by early 2025.
About the Project Stakeholders
Close the Loop is an industry-leading product stewardship and circular economy company with a strong focus on innovation and manufacturing with recycled content. The business excels in recycling problematic materials, including soft plastics, and has established robust supply chain partnerships. Close the Loop is the industry exemplar for this case study and project lead.
Recity is a leader in waste management and resource recovery technologies, offering traceability solutions to clients in Europe and India. With a comprehensive understanding of the waste and resource recovery sector, Recity provides cutting-edge solutions for data capture, tracking, and traceability.
GS1 Australia is a global standards organisation for business communication, specialising in supply chain traceability and traceability. The GS1 Australia Team has been actively supporting national and international efforts to assist WRR sector avoid re-inventing processes for supply chain data capture and sharing. Their expertise includes advisory services, technical input, and coordination support, ensuring efficient and effective implementation of the National Framework for Recycled Content Traceability (NFRCT).
