Shopping centres program


More than 1.75 billion people visit shopping centres each year, many of whom visit the food court and leave behind packaging waste. The Shopping Centres Program targets packaging waste generated in food courts throughout Australia aiming to encourage people to recycle the correct materials (i.e. plastic/glass bottles and aluminium cans).

In 2008, with the support of the Australian Packaging Covenant, the PSF developed a guide for centre managers called ‘Guidelines for public recycling in shopping centres’. The guide shows shopping centres how to run an effective recycling system within their shopping centre by keeping it simple and making it easy.

The guidelines are now being implemented through partnerships between the PSF and the following shopping centre managers and centres:

  • Lend Lease Retail – new away from home recycling systems have been installed at nine (9) Lend Lease centres in:

    • Queensland: Indooroopilly, Caneland Central, Cairns Central, and Sunshine Plaza (in partnership with the Department of Environment and Resource Management Qld)

    • Victoria: Caroline Springs Square, Pakenham Place and Greensborough Plaza

    • NSW: Erina Fair and Macarthur Square.

  • Westfield – new away from home recycling systems have been installed in food courts in 36 Westfield Centres in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA, WA and ACT during 2010-11. The project was in partnership with Westfield, Coca-Cola Amatil and the Australian Packaging Covenant.

  • Mirvac – new away from home recycling systems are being installed in ten Mirvac centres nationally. To date, centres at Hinkler Central (Bundaberg Qld), City Centre Plaza (Rockhampton Qld) and Rhodes (NSW), Stanhope Gardens (NSW) and Cooleman Court (ACT) have been completed. Queensland installations have been in partnership with the Department of Environment and Resource Management Qld

  • Colonial – a pilot away from home recycling project between the PSF and Colonial is currently in progress at Brimbank Central Shopping Centre in Victoria. Once completed, Colonial will look to rollout new systems nationally.

  • GPT – new away from home recycling systems are being installed in 13 GPT centres nationally. To date, Melbourne Central (VIC), Rouse Hill Town Centre (NSW), Hunter Street Outlets (NSW), Carlingford Court (NSW), Norton Plaza (NSW), and Dandenong Plaza (VIC) have been completed.

For information regarding our Shopping Centre program contact Program Manager Sabina Wills on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .