THE LATEST ON SOFT PLASTICS

Last week, we represented our community at a crucial Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) hearing on soft plastics. Being at the table matters – because without a strong community voice, industry and government decisions risk leaving people and the planet behind.

The Issue

The ACCC is reviewing a proposed voluntary product stewardship scheme put forward by Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA). Under this plan, supermarkets and a handful of producers would pay levies to fund the collection and reprocessing of some soft plastics.

While this might sound like progress, the reality is:

Only around 15% of soft plastics in Australia would be covered – the remaining 85% risks heading straight to landfill.
Just 40 brands have signed up, leaving plenty of “free riders” avoiding responsibility while continuing to flood shelves with plastic.
The scheme focuses heavily on collection and recycling, with little emphasis on reducing plastic use or mandating reuse systems.
Governance would sit with the very companies creating the problem – a clear conflict of interest.

Why We Need More Than a Voluntary Scheme

Since this scheme was submitted, we’ve secured agreement from SPSA and key waste and recycling stakeholders to support our call for a mandated packaging law by 2026. A voluntary scheme is no longer enough – we need best-practice, mandatory stewardship where every producer is held accountable.

What Real Stewardship Looks Like

At Boomerang Alliance, we’ve consistently called for a mandatory product stewardship scheme that includes:

Mandatory membership – no free riders
Independent governance with transparency and accountability
Eco-modulated fees reflecting the true lifecycle costs of products
Clear, enforceable targets for reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery
Transparent public reporting to verify outcomes and recycled content use
Strong domestic markets for recycled plastics

This is how we reduce unnecessary plastics, accelerate reuse and refill systems, and ensure everything produced is recovered in practice. Government regulation is essential if Australia is to move towards a truly circular economy.

What We’re Asking Government To Do

We’re calling on the Commonwealth to:

Legislate mandatory membership of stewardship schemes
Introduce clear reduction and reuse targets for soft plastics
Guarantee transparency and equal access nationwide
Penalise producers that fail to meet their obligations

What You Can Do

Help us keep the pressure on to demand real packaging reform now.

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SOFT PLASTIC RECYCLING POINTS

NSW Councils

Wingecarribee council
Illawara/Shoalhaven
Lake Macquarie
Inner West Council
Mosman Council
Wagga Wagga City Council
City of Newcastle

VIC Councils

Macedon Ranges Shire Council
City of Ballarat
Indigo Shire Council
Glen Eira City Council
City of Kingston
Monash City Council
Beyond the Curb Program

WA - not yet available

NT - not yet available

ACT - not yet available

Others

Recycle Smart
List of Woolworths stores participating in trials
Coles stores running trials: Northcote, Flemington, Ivanhoe, Brunswick, Monee Ponds.
Aldi stores running trials: Prahan and St Kilda
Curby
Reground

Know of a store or avenue to recycle soft plastics, but don't see it listed here? Please email Sara at info@boomerangalliance.org.au

RECYCLING ISN'T THE SOLUTION

It's no secret we're drowning in plastic, with Australia’s national recycling rate stuck at a dismal 13%, the current approach simply isn’t cutting it. Plastic pollution continues to overwhelm our environment, landfills, and waterways, threatening wildlife and communities alike.

We urgently need real, systemic solutions that include mandated reduction targets, to turn the tide on this crisis.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) offers a powerful way forward. By making manufacturers and brands responsible for the entire lifecycle of their plastic products and packaging, including post-consumer waste — EPR creates strong incentives for designing out waste, increasing recyclability, and funding effective collection and processing systems.

But recycling alone isn’t enough.

Reuse models provide another crucial piece of the puzzle, shifting us away from single-use culture entirely. From refill stations and reusable packaging to deposit return schemes, reuse systems keep plastics and other materials circulating in closed loops, dramatically reducing waste, resource consumption, and emissions.

Together, EPR and reuse can drive the transformational change needed to build a truly circular economy for plastics, one where waste is designed out and valuable materials stay in use, not landfill.

Help us create change in Australia by completing our actions below.