How to Recycle Plastic Bread Tags in Australia
The small plastic clip on the back of every loaf of bread is one of the easiest, most cheerful pieces of recycling you will do this year. Since 2018, a small Australian charity called Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia has been collecting them, selling the plastic for processing, and using the proceeds to fund wheelchairs for people in South Africa. As of early 2026, the program has funded more than 700 wheelchairs from bread tags alone. That is a fantastic return on something most of us flick into the bin without thinking.
Here is the practical 2026 guide to how to recycle bread tags in Australia, plus the question we get asked just as often: what about the bread bag?.
Bread bags versus bread tags: two different things, two different streams
The little plastic clip and the loaf's plastic bag are made of different plastics and go in different places. Mixing them up is the most common mistake we see.
| Item | Material | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Bread tag (the clip) | Polystyrene (rigid plastic) | Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia |
| Bread bag (the plastic loaf wrapper) | LDPE (soft plastic) | Participating soft-plastics drop-off (see below) |
| Paper bread bag (artisan loaves) | Paper, often with a thin plastic window | Yellow paper and cardboard bin (remove the plastic window if separable) |
How to recycle bread tags in Australia
Bread tags are rigid polystyrene, which is technically recyclable but too small for kerbside MRFs to sort. They fall through the screens and end up in landfill. Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia collects them in bulk, sells the plastic for processing, and donates 100% of the proceeds to the Bread Tags for Wheelchairs project.
Here is how to take part:
- Collect bread tags in a small jar or container in the kitchen. Any colour. Any brand. Including the older ones with the tooth at the end.
- Once you have a decent handful (say a fistful or more), check the Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia drop-off location map. There are collection points in every state, including schools, libraries, cafes and community centres.
- If you cannot get to a drop-off, you can post them to the central sorting hub. The address and postage instructions are on the Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia website.
The program does not accept the bread bag, only the tag.
How to recycle bread bags in Australia
The plastic bag your loaf comes in is LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene), the same family as a shopping bag or a frozen pea bag. It is soft plastic, which means:
- It does not go in the yellow bin. Soft plastics tangle MRF sorting machinery and contaminate paper bales.
- It does go through soft-plastics collection programs. Since the collapse of REDcycle in late 2022, a patchwork of programs has filled the gap, including the Soft Plastics Taskforce trial at participating Woolworths and Coles stores, plus the Curby program in select council areas.
For the most up-to-date drop-off points near you, check the Banish RedCycle alternatives guide or use Recycling Near You.
A note on BRAD and bread tags
BRAD does accept bread tags. If you would rather post them along with your other hard-to-recycle items (blister packs, toothbrushes, cosmetics, pens, chip packets, coffee pods), they are welcome in your BRAD box. That said, Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia is a beautifully simple charity-driven program, and the direct donation impact is part of the magic. Use whichever route fits your household best.
Why this small clip matters
Each bread tag weighs roughly half a gram. A wheelchair through Bread Tags for Wheelchairs costs about $200, which the charity raises from selling around 250 kilos of plastic tags. That works out to roughly half a million bread tags per wheelchair. The Australian arm started with one woman in Adelaide; in 2026 there are hundreds of community drop-offs.
It is the kind of recycling story we love: a charity doing one thing brilliantly, in a way most people can easily join, with a clear and tangible outcome. Drop your tags off, post a photo for your local school's collection point, tell a neighbour. The clip is the warm-up; the rest of your household waste is the main event.
Frequently asked questions
Can bread tags go in the yellow recycling bin?
No. Bread tags are too small for kerbside sorting machinery. They fall through the screens and end up in landfill or as litter. Send them to Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia, or put them in your BRAD box.
What kinds of bread tags does Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia accept?
Every colour, every brand, and every style, including the older ones with a tooth. They do not need to be cleaned, just brushed free of crumbs.
Are bread bags recyclable in Australia?
Yes, but not in your yellow bin. Bread bags are soft plastic, the same family as shopping bags and frozen-vegetable bags. They go through soft-plastics drop-off programs at participating Woolworths and Coles stores, or via Curby in council areas where it is available. See our RedCycle alternatives guide for the current options near you.
Does BRAD accept bread tags?
Yes. Bread tags are accepted in BRAD boxes alongside blister packs, toothbrushes, cosmetics and other hard-to-recycle items. That said, Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Australia is a beautifully simple direct-donation program. Use whichever fits your household.
Does BRAD accept bread bags?
No. BRAD does not accept soft plastics. Bread bags need to go through a soft-plastics drop-off program. See our RedCycle alternatives guide.
How many bread tags make a wheelchair?
Roughly half a million. Each wheelchair the program funds costs around $200, raised from selling about 250 kilos of plastic. The clip in your hand right now is part of someone's mobility, eventually.