The Problem with Corflute®
With Waste Action Maleny
At WAM’s Earth Day information kiosk last week, someone asked what happens to all the Corflute® signs used by candidates at election time.
Corflute® (the brand name) is made from polypropylene, a type of plastic made from fossil fuels. At present, Corex Plastics Australia, the manufacturer of Corflute®, can recycle it, but the problem is getting it to them. Otherwise, the only option is sending it to landfill. There, it takes hundreds of years to degrade, becomes a contributor to carbon emissions, and breaks down into microplastics, which pollute the environment and harm human health.
If you’re concerned about this, ask your local candidates what they do with their Corfl ute® signs once the political campaign is over. Are they being recycled responsibly? And if not, why not?
Council could also play a role in responsibly recycling Corflute® by setting up drop-off points at their resource recovery centres to send bulk lots back to Corex’s recycling facility. Because it is used for a variety of signage, packaging, and other purposes, this could help address the larger problem of Corflute® disposal as well.