THE expansion of free soft plastic recycling to the Border recently has driven unprecedented demand. A recycling service with major supermarkets, REDcycle diverts flexible plastics – the ones you can't put in the kerbside recycling bin – from landfill and turns them into new products. REDcycle spokeswoman Elizabeth Kasell said the Melbourne-based organisation had been flooded with enquiries in recent weeks. “Interest has been building but (ABC television series) War on Waste raised awareness further and coincided with our big expansion into regional areas,” she said. Ms Kasell said soft plastics such as bread bags, cereal box liners, plastic bags and pasta packets were collected weekly from participating supermarkets. She said Australian manufacturer Replas used the plastics to make more than 200 products including bollards, signage, outdoor furniture, fitness equipment and enduroplank/decking. “Replas are our sole manufacturer at the moment for REDcycle,” Ms Kasell said. There are 824 REDcycle drop off points across Australia and about 300 in New Zealand. Coles in Albury, Lavington, Wodonga, Myrtleford, Wangaratta and Wagga now have collection points while Chiltern Post Office has long offered the service. REDcycle has collected 263 million pieces of soft post-consumer packaging. Anyone who can't get to a REDcycle drop-off point can post soft plastics to: RED Group, 38 Chelmsford Street, Williamstown North VIC 3016. RED Group does not offer collection services to businesses or schools at this stage.