Woolworths issues urgent recall of sausages sold in one Australian state over plastic pollution fears
- Supermarket recalled Market value 24 thin beef sausages 1.8 kg packs
- Products may contain plastic
- Poisoning can occur from ingestion of plastic
Woolworths has announced an urgent recall of sausages from its stores in Western Australia.
The supermarket giant has warned that 24 thin 1.8 kg beef sausages sold between February 22 and March 1 may contain plastic.
Products containing plastic can cause injury and illness if eaten.
“Consumers should not eat this product and return the product to the nearest Woolworths supermarket for a full refund,” Woolworths said in a statement.
Woolworths has issued an urgent warning to recall sausages from its stores in Western Australia
Customers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.
“Woolworths takes product safety seriously and apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this recall.
“Customers can call the toll-free customer service number for more information on 1800 103 515.”
Poisoning can occur from ingestion of plastic, with difficulty breathing and rapid respiratory symptoms of illness.
It comes after Coles and Woolworths were told to landfill 5,200 tonnes of soft plastic after it emerged their recycling program was secretly storing the waste in warehouses.
The supermarket has warned market value that 24 thin 1.8 kg beef sausages sold between February 22 and March 1 may contain plastic
The NSW Environment Protection Authority commissioned the supermarkets after discovering that REDcycle had been stockpiling soft plastics in 15 warehouses and depots across the state – instead of recycling them as intended.
REDcycle had donation bins in thousands of Coles and Woolworths stores across Australia and ceased recycling operations several months ago but continued to collect soft plastics.
The recycling program claimed it was collecting up to five million pieces of plastic each day from supermarkets and other partners, including Australia Post.
The mission to take the plastic to landfill is expected to cost supermarkets more than $3.5 million.
The EPA and Fire Rescue NSW are now concerned about potential fire threats from the waste stockpiles in 11 local government areas – though it’s not known where they are.