Australia’s four biggest publishers are doing their bit to keep plastic wrappers out of waterways with a new partnership with recovery initiative REDcycle.

News Corp Australia, Nine Entertainment, Seven West Media and magazine publisher Are Media, announced the partnership through industry group ThinkNewsBrands, forging the partnership ahead of Global Recycling Day tomorrow (March 18).

Industry Edge figures for 2020 show publishers are already among the best in the world for recycling printed newspapers – with two-thirds of all newspapers recycled – and the REDcycle agreement will give a second life to other elements such as plastic sleeves and wrap.

An advertising campaign across members will spread the message, and direct readers to bins at locations such as Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.

REDcycle is part of RED Group, which developed and implemented a recovery programme for post-consumer soft plastic. Collected plastic is processed at RED Group's facility, and then delivered to Victorian manufacturer Replas (Repeat Plastics) to be transformed into products such as park, school and garden furniture, exercise equipment, shopping trolleys and as an additive for road surfacing.

REDcycle chief executive Elizabeth Kasell said the initiative will help keep plastics out of rivers, oceans and landfills. “It’s easy to drop off plastic wrap for recycling at our bins in Coles or Woolworths stores,” she said.

Bringing major newspaper and magazine publishers on board will help save energy, resources and landfill space “as well as potentially reducing litter”.

ThinkNewsBrands environment director Tony Wilkins described recycling newspaper and magazine plastic wrap as “a small step that will make a big difference”.

“Australia is already a world leader in recycling newspapers, and we can easily do more to recycle our plastics,” he said.