From January 1 2022, single use plastic cutlery, straws, stirrers, plates, bowls, cups, thick plastic bags, polystyrene food containers and helium balloon releases – gone!
SA used to be the leader with container deposits but WA is doing much better. And shame on NSW and Victoria for falling behind!
The Australian Marine Conservation Society deserves our thanks for their advocacy in getting most states further across the plastic waste line.
See here for the AMCS Tracker and here for the WA Government announcement.
Our Plan
- Fully embrace and promote the ‘circular economy‘ at all levels of government and win public acceptance that sorting, processing, treatment, and storage of waste is managed in this country
- Set measurable targets and incentives for recycled material to replace raw materials for manufacturing and growth of future viable industries in repurposing waste material
- Fund research and action into:
- achieving a zero plastic waste economy
- recovery of metals from the waste stream,
- developing new battery materials and lithium battery reuse and recycling
- the potential for energy generated from waste
- the emerging waste issue that decommissioned solar panels will bring, giving priority to photo-voltaic recycling facilities
- developing high-quality resins that are cost-competitive with virgin materials
- Regularly report progress of the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020 – its implementation and adequacy of funding, and transparently measure its objectives
- Lead nationally consistent waste controls
- Set an average 80 percent recovery rate from all waste streams by 2030 (as set by the 2019 National Waste Policy Action Plan) and establish annual, measurable targets
- Set consistent and clear product labeling regulations so consumers can make informed choices on what can be readily recycled
- Encourage state and local government to:
- Achieve consistency in waste collection bin provision to enable public confidence and correct participation in pre-recycling, and to minimize cross-contamination of materials
- Minimise the volume of waste going into landfill sites using technology and recycling interchange facilities and capture landfill greenhouse emissions
- Support organizations in the packaging industry to improve product, practices, and policies;
- Support campaigns and programs for the right-to-repair products;
- Support a national approach to incentive schemes for recyclers, so that the collection end of the process can share the benefits;