Bread is an every day staple food in most house holds in Australia, with reports that on average every week 11 million Australians will purchased bread in some variety. The majority of bread sold at your local supermarket comes wrapped in plastic complete with a plastic bread tag. Although small, this item in itself can add up to a huge amount in landfill when you consider the number of people purchasing bread across Australia. The increasing amount of plastic entering the environment is also becoming an ever growing threat to wildlife. Now, thankfully there are a few options to reduce your impact when choosing your every day staple!
One option is choosing to purchase your loaf of bread loose from a bakery. You can purchase your own bread bag and bring it along for re-use at many bakeries across Australia. A range of sites sell these including Onya, Flora and Fauna, and Biome. The initial cost can be a deterrent to some, and the perceived inconvenience can be another deterrent. Thankfully, there is another option. Collect your tags and donate them for recycling with the company Bread Tags for Wheelchairs! Bread Tags for Wheelchairs has been running in South Africa since 2006 and recycles the tags into seedling trays, through a company called Zibo, which are then sold with the proceeds being used to provide wheelchairs to those in need. Since it began, the business has grown and has now launched an Australian arm of the business in 2018. Shortly after, in February 2019, they partnered with an Australian recycling business called Transmutation in Robe South Australia. Transmutation recycles the bread tags into bowls, with each bowl containing around 1,870 bread tags! The bowls are hardy, food-safe and microwavable — and can be melted down again by a recycler in future to create other products. To deliver your bread tags, there are over 180 collection points in Australia or you can simply post them! If you don't purchase enough bread yourself to justify posting your tags, you can set up a collection point and get your work place or school involved. My work place has recently set up their own collection point and its a great way to connect with like minded people. This business really creates a win-win situation - its helps reduce the impact of plastic waste on the environment, while helping those in need, so why wait, get involved today and start collecting those tags!
2 Comments
Patricia Dennis
5/1/2021 10:32:27 am
About 35 years ago, I was collecting bread tags as I had been told they could be used for buying wheelchairs for the disabled. I collected thousands and when I tried to find someone associated with the above, I was told it was all a scam!
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Hi Patricia, that may be a question better aimed at the organisations themselves, however, from the information I have found Bread Tags for Wheelchairs has been running in South Africa since 2006 and the Australian arm has only been running since around 2018, so if there was an issue 35 years ago it was likely a different organisation/scheme. I also note the scheme in this article does not allow people to purchase wheelchairs through the collection of bread tags, instead the bread tags are recycled into other products which are then sold, with the proceeds being used to provide wheelchairs to those in need.
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AuthorMy name is Garry and I am extremely passionate about the environment. I have completed my BSc. Conservation and Wildlife Biology with First Class Honours and have worked in the Environment sector since 2009. Archives
October 2019
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