We have completed the phase-out of 10 priority own brand single-use plastic products
By January 2030, 50 per cent of the plastic used in our own brand merchandise will be made from recycled materials or plant-based materials*.
Our targets on problematic plastics and plastic recyclability**. have been taken down pending a strategic review and will be re-published soon
Plastic is a popular material used to make many products given its versatility and reasonable cost. But the large volumes and wide-spread use of plastic causes a big problem for our planet, sea life and wildlife when it’s thrown away.
As a large user of plastic material, Kmart has a responsibility to eliminate the worst forms of plastic and to transition to recycled content, and recyclable or compostable options, where possible.
Our approach to plastic includes:
Signing the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. This commitment aims to unite businesses, governments, and other organisations globally behind a common vision and targets to address plastic waste and pollution at its source.
As a member of the Australian Toy Association sustainability committee, we are supporting research aimed at better understanding the flow of toys through the Australian economy
Developing a long-term sustainable plastic roadmap.
Our target of phasing-out of 10 priority own brand single-use plastic products was completed in 2021. This included:
Single-use plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons and chopsticks)
Single-use plastic plates
Plastic straws
Cotton bud sticks made of
Plastic balloon sticks
Oxo-degradable plastics
Food containers
Expanded polystyrene cups.
Building on this work, we are now working to comply with new governments requirements in relation to single use plastic and minimum standards for reusability.
In the past year we have also conducted baseline assessment of our plastic usage and composition in own brand products, as a first step in developing a roadmap to meet our target on problematic plastics by 2025, and our 2030 targets in relation to recycled content.
In addition, we continue our work to phase out problematic plastic packaging. For example, to-date we have phased-out of expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging from 485 products.
*Plant-based plastics can be made from, for example, vegetable oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, and food waste. They are an alternative to fossil-fuel based plastics, which are made from petroleum or natural gas.
**Previously we had made a commitment that all own brand plastic products would be recyclable or compostable by 2030. However, due to continued uncertainty in terms of the development of suitable recycling infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand, we have made the decision to remove the target pending a strategic review. Once this review is complete, we will publish an updated target. We remain committed to the vision of all our plastic products being recyclable or compostable, and our team continue to work on an action plan to achieve this over the long-term.
***Compostable (and biodegradable) plastics can be decomposed by the action of living organisms, usually microbes, into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass.