When planning a playground, the materials you specify aren’t just aesthetic choices. They influence performance, maintenance budgets, safety outcomes and environmental impact over decades.

Recycled plastics are increasingly used as a material in commercial playgrounds, but not all recycled materials are the same. Understanding where recycled plastic comes from, how it is processed, and how far it travels makes a real difference to long-term outcomes.

Post-Consumer Vs Post-Industrial Recycled Plastic

What does ‘Closed Loop’ mean?

A closed loop recycling system means the material never leaves the manufacturers control.

In a closed loop, recycled materials are generated, processed, and reused within the same production system. it isn’t mixed with unknown waste streams, shipped offshore for processing, or reintroduced through global supply chains.

That level of control means the source, composition, and performance of the materials are known from the outset. For playgrounds, where durability and safety matter, that transparency makes a difference.

Why Post-Industrial Recycling Matters in Australia

Keeping recycling and manufacturing in Australia has practical benefits. Shorter transport distances reduce emissions, local processing improves reliability and reduces exposure to global supply disruptions, and material quality can be monitored, verified, and certified to meet Australian Standards.

It also supports Australian manufacturing jobs and keeps skills, knowledge and investment within local communities. That’s what a true functioning circular economy looks like in practice.

Clearing up the confusion around Recycled Plastics

There’s been a lot of conversation recently about recycled plastics in playgrounds, and with it, some confusion about what is actually better for the environment.

In Australia’s current recycling system, overall plastic recovery rates are relatively low and infrastructure for processing mixed post-consumer plastics is still developing. That means post-industrial streams often offer a practical way to boost recycled content locally without compromising quality or traceability.

When recycled plastics are sourced from overseas, particularly post-consumer material that has passed through multiple sorting and processing systems abroad, transport and handling add to the emissions footprint. When these stages are added together, a like-for-like playground can carry around 30 times more freight emissions and an overall carbon footprint approximately 62% higher than a unit manufactured in Wollongong and delivered within Australia.

What is RePlay by Moduplay? And why is it different?

RePlay™ by Moduplay is our closed-loop recycled material, made from post-industrial HDPE offcuts generated by our own manufacturing process. Those materials are reprocessed locally and used again in our playgrounds.

The material never leaves our control and never enters mixed waste streams. By closing the loop on our own materials, RePlay™ delivers:

• Known provenance and traceability
• Consistent quality and performance
• Reduced waste from our manufacturing process
• A genuinely circular approach to recycled playground materials

RePlay™ isn’t an add-on or a sourcing shortcut. It’s recycling built into the way we manufacture. Locally, deliberately and with long-term outcomes in mind.

See our RePlay catalogue products here

Why Moduplay?

At Moduplay, we have decades of experience creating Australian-made playgrounds that inspire joy and connection. Our collaborative approach to community consultation ensures every project reflects the unique identity and needs of its users while upholding the highest standards of design, quality, and safety.

Together, we can create spaces that bring people together, foster well-being, and celebrate the spirit of your community.

Let’s build something extraordinary.