SNIP RINGS FOR WILDLIFE

The Society’s Snip Rings for Wildlife campaign, established in 2020, aims to raise awareness and encourage individuals to protect Australia’s wildlife by cutting through ring-shaped items such as plastic rings, rubber bands, hair ties, loops of facemasks, and plastic dome-shaped lids, in their entirety, before disposing of them.  Each year, thousands of birds and semi-aquatic, air-breathing species such as platypus, turtles, and water dragons are strangled, obtain significant injuries, and often die horrific deaths from discarded litter.  Wildlife often becomes entangled in ring-shaped items that wrap around their beak or muzzle, preventing them from eating.  These items can also tangle up their feet, wings, or fins, limiting their movement.  Young animals can become trapped in these items, and as they grow, these items cut into their flesh, sometimes amputating limbs or killing the animal.

Despite contacting numerous manufacturers, informing them of the danger that ring-shaped items pose to native wildlife, and encouraging them to improve their products to a wildlife-friendly alternative, many companies are not taking action.  Jars, bottles, and tetra packs with plastic lids now come with a plastic ring that snaps apart from the lid upon opening or a peel-off seal under the cap.  While it is a step in the right direction, it poses another issue being made of plastic.

While we continue urging manufacturers and the government to take action, we ask our followers for their support to Snip Rings for Wildlife.  All you need to do is snip the ring-shaped item in half, place it in the bottle, put the cap back on, and then you can place the item in your recycling bin.  We must remind ourselves that we can create real change.  The Society encourages everyone to get behind the campaign by sharing a post on social media.  Don’t forget to use the hashtag #SnipRingsforWildlife.  

Should snipped plastic rings go in the recycling or general waste bin?

Unfortunately, the answer is not straightforward and can be somewhat confusing due to the recycling technology at different processing facilities.

Yes, you can separate the rings from the neck of the bottle before throwing the plastic ring in the recycling bin.  However, plastic rings and lids are often too small for current recycling technology to sort, so it is advised not to place them loosely in the recycling bin.  If the plastic ring is detected as too small, it will be automatically discarded and diverted to general waste.  However, if its small size is not detected, the plastic ring is more likely to be recycled with the larger items.  You may like to separate the plastic ring, place it in the bottle, and put the lid back on to ensure it gets recycled with the larger items.

Sometimes, the plastic rings and lids are not the same type of plastic as the bottle, but they can be easily separated in many processing facilities.

Ideally, it would be best to eliminate plastic rings during the product manufacturing stage – something the Society encourages manufacturers to do to help protect native wildlife.

Please check with your council for specific local advice on recycling plastic rings.

Additional information:

Australasian Recycling Label

Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation

We have created a template letter to help community members reach out to manufacturers and encourage them to improve the design of their products to protect native wildlife.