KFC Australia wheels in new recycling bins across Vic stores

KFC Australia has announced the completion of the rollout of new recycling systems at selected KFC restaurants throughout Victoria. This follows the successful rollout in NSW and South Australia, resulting in more than 130 KFC restaurants with new recycling systems - the largest network of quick service restaurants in Australia to provide away-from-home recycling opportunities for its customers.

KFC is the first quick service restaurant to participate in the national recycling initiative ‘Do the Right Thing, Use the Right Bin’, funded through the Australian Packaging Covenant (APC). New recycling systems have been installed at 48 Victorian restaurants for public use, providing away-from-home recycling opportunities for an estimated 29 million customer visits each year. Back-of-house cardboard recycling bins have also been installed in 88 Victorian restaurants, helping to divert thousands of tonnes of waste from landfill nationally.

Michael Clark, Chief Supply Chain Officer at KFC Australia, said the rollout had been highly successful across NSW and South Australia, and KFC was excited to introduce these new recycling systems into the many Victorian restaurants, helping more customers recycle responsibly when visiting KFC.

“Thanks to the Australian Packaging Covenant and industry and government partners, KFC is able to provide more opportunities for our customers to feel ‘so good’ about the environmental solution. Last year, nationally, we diverted over 1800 tonnes of cardboard, bottles and cans from landfill through our Closed Loop Recycling program, the first national public place recycling program of its kind in the quick service restaurant industry,” Clark said.

The Do The Right Thing, Use the Right Bin project is a partnership between the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Packaging Stewardship Forum (PSF), the National Packaging Covenant Industry Association, the Victorian Government, Closed Loop Environmental Solutions, and KFC and Pizza Hut (Yum! Restaurants).

Jenny Pickles, General Manager of the PSF, congratulated Yum! Restaurants on its outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability.

“The rollout of the Do the Right Thing, Use the Right Bin recycling program is a great example of a proactive program, undertaken by industry, to address the issue of packaging product stewardship. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Yum! as we continue the rollout of new recycling bins at KFC restaurants,” Pickles said.

Stan Moore, CEO of the APC, said the APC was pleased to be able to help KFC make a positive difference.

“The Australian Packaging Covenant is proud to be able to collaborate with industry and facilitate this response to the community’s desire to recycle and reduce littering,” Moore said.

Left to right: Robert Pascoe, Managing Director, Closed Loop; Michael Clark, Chief Supply Chain Management Officer, Yum! Restaurants International; Stan Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Packaging Covenant; Hon Ryan Smith, Minister for Environment and Climate Change.