SPSA has named members of the inaugural Stakeholder Advisory Council (SAC) to support the development of Australia’s national soft plastics product stewardship scheme.
The formation of the SAC is an important milestone in progressing an industry-led recycling framework, pending full authorisation from the ACCC.
The SAC brings together a panel of experts and leaders from across the soft plastics value chain – spanning government, local councils, recycling, retail, policy and consumer engagement – to provide strategic advice to SPSA as it works towards an industry-led recycling program, pending full authorisation from the ACCC.
SPSA interim co-CEO Barry Cosier said the council would play a critical role in building a scheme that was “effective, inclusive and credible”.
“This Council brings together a remarkable range of experience in recycling systems, packaging sustainability, policy and consumer engagement,” Cosier said. “It’s not just a box-ticking exercise – the SAC will provide real strategic input to help us build a scheme that works in practice and earns public trust. We’ve learned from past setbacks, and we know that collaboration and credible solutions are the way forward.”
Cosier stressed that the SPSA model is being designed as a full product stewardship program rather than simply a collection scheme.
“Our message is that this is not just a collection scheme, it’s an end-to-end stewardship model. We will only collect as much material as can actually be recycled and purchased as new products, and we’ll be transparent about our progress. The Stakeholder Advisory Council will help keep us accountable to that promise,” he said.
Appointed members
The inaugural SAC members, who begin their roles immediately, are:
Alexandra Geddes – executive director, Programs & Innovation at NSW EPA, leading circular economy and waste-reduction initiatives.
Elenor Robson – policy director for Environment at the Australian Local Government Association, representing councils in national waste policy.
Bill Pemberton – coordinator Resource Recovery, Macedon Ranges Shire Council (VIC), recognised for pioneering kerbside soft plastics recycling.
Gemma Boucher – customer experience and behaviour-change specialist with expertise in community recycling programs.
Andrew Smith – executive advisor – Circular Economy, Pact Group, with long-standing industry leadership in recycling and packaging sustainability.
Anthony Peyton – director, PREP Design, co-developer of the Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal and ARL program.
Pamela Mikschofsky – executive manager Sustainability, ALDI Australia, driving packaging circularity initiatives across FMCG.
Graham Knowles – group general manager, iQRenew, bringing more than three decades of recycling operations expertise.
Dr Jeroen Wassenaar – head of Innovation, Cleanaway, leading advanced plastics recycling initiatives, including food-grade recycling.
Dr Hadi Vandchali – ESG and procurement consultant with LGNSW, specialising in circular procurement and policy development.
Two additional appointments will be announced shortly to round out the skills-based council.
SPSA interim co-CEO Dee Milosivic said the breadth of expertise represented on the SAC was fundamental to the scheme’s credibility.
“Our inaugural SAC members are all leaders in their own right. Bringing them together is about tapping into that collective expertise. They will help SPSA address the soft plastics issue from every angle – whether it’s technology, consumer behaviour or policy. This kind of collaboration is exactly what we need to succeed.”
