Samantha Cross and Plastic Police

Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie)—I'd like to acknowledge the revolutionary work of Plastic Police founder Samantha Cross from Lakelands. For the past five years Samantha and her small team have saved over 65 million pieces of soft plastic pieces from going into landfill. The soft plastics collected have been used to remanufacture the likes of park benches, roads, garden beds and wheel stops. Samantha has created a circular economy for soft plastic and has set a new benchmark in sustainability and innovation. The Plastic Police program began as a trial at just one school and was so successful that it grew into a regional project in the Hunter-Central Coast region with over 20 organisations and 90 sites collecting soft plastics. The program continues to grow with a focus on educating, engaging and inspiring communities and organisations to reduce, recycle and buy recycled. More than 10,000 employees and 11,000 primary school students in the region now recycle their soft plastics and many more thousands of residents have changed their behaviour towards the disposal of plastic. She really is making a better future for both our planet and our communities and I applaud Samantha on her work.