Key facts
- The Australian government has shelved planned packaging laws aimed at reducing plastic waste.
- The decision was made due to concerns about exacerbating cost of living pressures.
- The laws were intended to require producers to cut waste and boost plastics recycling.
- Packaging accounts for 59.5% of all litter reported in Australia.
- The government will instead work with states and territories on improving existing packaging regulations.
The Australian government has abandoned plans to introduce new packaging laws designed to reduce plastic waste, a decision that has ignited significant backlash from environmental groups, industry stakeholders, and state governments. The federal environment department communicated via email last week that the commitment would not be met before the upcoming election, citing a desire to avoid worsening cost of living pressures.
Environmental advocates expressed strong disappointment, with Jeff Angel, director of the Boomerang Alliance, stating that "ongoing inaction and token measures won’t be tolerated" and that the government's failure to act was a "repudiation of the public’s support of recycling and concerns about the health and environmental impacts of plastic pollution." He further noted an "unprecedented" level of outrage from a wide range of stakeholders.
The proposed laws, developed from a 2023 agreement between federal and state governments, would have mandated producers to cut waste and increase plastics recycling. Potential regulations included setting design standards for packaging, prohibiting certain chemicals, restricting excessive packaging, and limiting empty space. Producers could also have been made responsible for the entire lifecycle of their packaging.
Environment Minister Murray Watt stated that the government aims to balance environmental outcomes with economic needs, particularly concerning cost of living. Instead of introducing a new national scheme, the government will collaborate with states and territories on improving existing packaging regulations in the shorter term.
Industry groups echoed the need for clear policy. Chris Foley, chief executive of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, highlighted the desire for certainty to "unlock investment in recycling." Suzanne Toumbourou, chief executive of the Australian Council of Recycling, stressed the sector's call for a "nationally consistent scheme with real targets" to prevent the closure of recycling facilities due to a lack of policy certainty.