Frequently Asked Questions
Browse through these FAQs to find answers to commonly raised questions. If you have any questions that we haven’t been able to answer, please contact us today!
About
*provided the products are clean and free of cement *returning of products through freight costs is dependant on the customer
There are a variety of mixed recyclables in Replas products. Post consumer material comes from the soft plastic collected at Coles and Woolworths through the REDcycle program, as well as car bumpers. Post commercial materials comes from hospital waste, post industrial mixed plastics are factory scraps, and mixed hygiene products comes from multiple polymer types and paper.
View our Raw Material Statement.
REDcycle Program
Education
What is a circular economy?
Most Australians are all too familiar with the traditional linear economy, that is, the ‘make, use, dispose’ economy – sometimes referred to as a ‘throwaway’ society. This linear approach is inefficient and has many negative impacts on the environment. We also live on a planet with limited resources. There is an alternative, called the circular economy. Nature recycles everything – nutrients flow from one living organism to another. But our ‘linear’ economy ignores this law of nature. In a circular economy, the aim is to keep materials from being thrown ‘away’ (since there is no ‘away’). The best way to do that is to reduce consumption or design out waste before it is created. And then via re-using or recycling the product or its component parts, we keep resources in the productive economy. This approach creates a continuous cycle and capitalises on the fact that the longer an item is in use, the more value (and return on investment) can be extracted. The cycle is restorative and regenerative by design.
Why is a circular economy important?
The current economic model is reaching its physical limits. A circular economy will preserve natural resources, and not only mined minerals but also our oceans, soil, and whole ecosystems. It will minimise risks by managing limited stocks and renewable resources. Waste in a circular economy builds capital rather than reduces it. By rethinking the way we make stuff, we can design a product or its parts to be disassembled and regenerated into new products. Extending the life of a product or its parts reduces waste. In addition, a circular economy creates new business ventures and revenue streams. Examples of this are provided in the Inspiring Stories we produce each month in our newsletter stories. A circular economy means more than just putting recyclables out for collection; developing robust end markets is the key.
When virgin polymers are used, the products manufactured can be created into almost anything including most of the single use plastic products that we see in society today which we do not produce. Replas recycles them. For 28 years Replas has increasingly mastered the production of over 200 products which lend themselves to the recycling of plastic waste which is Replas’s mission.
Replas will increasingly produce products that are suitable for the home market however, as many of our products are 20mm thick or above, they have a clear market in the commercial arena which is a great use for recycled plastic. Therefore it is imperative that everyone encourages our councils, governments, schools and big corporations to create a demand for recycled plastic products by recycled products becoming a priority in purchasing and tenders by all these entities.
Replas is ready to supply.
General
Environmentally Friendly
Replas’ plastic recycling leads to low maintenance products that are designed to last. Recycled plastic is resistant to termites, microorganisms and moisture, and will never split, rot, crack or need painting. Through the REDcycle Program Replas is proud to partner with companies, such as Coles and Woolworths, who have taken responsibility for the plastic waste they create. The soft plastic material collected through the program can be recycled by Replas and turned into products designed for outdoor use within the community.
Replas Environmental Statement
With plastic use on the rise, we need to create a sustainable community that reduces, re-uses and recycles plastics. At Replas, we see waste as a valuable resource, and are part of making this world more sustainable. What is the environmental cost in not being involved in the circular economy? By re-thinking your selection and procurement to recycled plastic products, you become the true recycler. Everyone touches plastic and we must be more accountable and responsible if we are to drive demand for recycled plastic products.