THE PROBLEM...
AND THE SOLUTION

We need governments to act.

Voluntary approaches to reducing waste have not worked. Government intervention is crucial.

Recycling our way out? Merely 20% of plastic is recycled. It’s time we bust the old recycling myth and get serious about reducing waste and pollution at the source.

THE PROBLEM AT A GLANCE

Each Australian produces 2,280kg

of waste annually.

1.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging ends up as waste each year.

WHY PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP MATTERS

We are calling for mandatory product stewardship - making producers, brands and retailers fully responsible for the packaging they place on the market.

While everyone involved – manufacturers, retailers, consumers, collectors and government - has a role to play, the tide will only turn when producers take full responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their packaging.

What are we calling for?

Mandatory targets for the reduction, reuse and recovery of all packaging
Extended producer responsibility for all packaging placed on the Australian market
Stringent packaging standards that mean all packaging will be reused, composted or recycled in practice

By advocating for strong reform, we will reduce waste and increase the uptake of refill and reuse models across Australia.

Check out our best practice product stewardship model for packaging HERE to find out what’s required to turn the tide.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO ACT

The Commonwealth is unveiling its consultation draft for the proposed Product Stewardship Scheme this year.

This marks a pivotal moment for public scrutiny and debate on the scheme’s merits. It's our chance to shine a spotlight on the issue, advocate for a robust solution, and ramp up our national campaign to ensure the final regulations truly drive meaningful change.

THE PROBLEM

Australia's waste crisis is escalating, with each person generating an astonishing 2,280 kg of waste annually. Despite our best efforts, a staggering amount of plastic packaging—1.2 million tonnes every year—ends up as waste, with only 20% being recovered. The majority of this packaging, especially soft plastics, is either poorly recyclable or deemed unrecyclable.

Only 6% of packaging contains recycled plastics, and reusable packaging remains a rarity.

Our waste crisis is fueled by both insufficient government regulations and industry failures. Packaging waste and plastic litter result from a lack of responsibility for the post-consumer fate of products. The absence of comprehensive policies and effective producer responsibility has allowed this problem to persist, impacting our environment, health, and economy.

Behind the scenes, some stakeholders are pushing for policies that could dilute the scope of producer responsibility and undermine the effectiveness of proposed regulations. Alarmingly, it seems the Commonwealth might be swayed by these attempts.

CALLING FOR CHANGE

In 2023, the Commonwealth Government committed to tackling this issue with a new Product Stewardship Scheme for Packaging. This scheme aims to hold industries accountable for the 6.7 million tonnes of packaging they place on the market, with mandatory reduction, recovery and recycled content targets.We applaud this move as a crucial step towards meaningful change.

Over the past year, we created the first publicly available Product Stewardship model.

Our best practice model, built on mandatory producer responsibility, addresses the entire lifecycle of packaging— from design to disposal. This model has proven effective with the container refund scheme, which significantly reduced container litter and tripled recycling rates.

The proposed product stewardship scheme needs to be robust and comprehensive.

The initial proposal that was brought to us by the government failed to fully embrace producer responsibility. We need to ensure that the final scheme mandates full accountability for packaging waste.

We’re mobilising our supporters and the public to advocate for a model that includes ambitious additional targets: a 20% reduction in plastic packaging and a 30% increase in reusable packaging by 2030. Your support is vital to keep this issue in the spotlight, drive public awareness, and ensure that our campaign remains effective and impactful.