Plastic "L" (Learner) and "P" (Provisional) driver plates can often be seen in NSW on the roadside and in the gutters as they too easily fall off cars. Boomerang is calling on the NSW government to change the requirement for Learner and Provisional plates to be on the exterior of the vehicle only; and to stop distributing low quality plastic plates which too often end up on the roads, which are then washed down the stormwater drains, becoming plastic pollution.

We are confident that the NSW government can offer better options. Even the cardboard L plates issued in the 1980's would be better. Durable plastic that could be passed from Learner Driver to Learner Driver or perhaps come up with a whole new idea such as recycled and recyclable aluminium plates!

Queensland offers a downloadable template; SA sells 'see-through plates' for inside the car window; ACT,  WA, Tasmania and Victoria simply require: "You must display L-plates so they are clearly visible from the front and back of the car you are driving." Magnetic plates, plate display brackets and plate clips are also available in most states and territories.

This is an easily preventable form of plastic pollution - and with your support, we look forward to NSW taking action to prevent it.

THESE ARE ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO LET THE GOVERNMENT KNOW THAT WE WANT THIS PLASTIC POLLUTION STOPPED! 

1. SIGN OUR PETITION

Boomerang Alliance is calling on the NSW government to change the requirement for Learner and Provisional plates to be on the exterior of the the vehicle only and to stop distributing low quality plastic plates. Please sign our petition on the right hand side of this page.

2. POST-A-PLATE

We encourage you to send any "L" or "P" driver plates that you find to Minister for Customer Service The Hon. Victor Dominello MP, Minister for Transport and Roads The Hon. Andrew Constance MP or Minister for Energy and Environment The Hon. Matt Kean MP, with a note asking for a change in the law that currently requires them to be on the exterior of the vehicle. Below are a couple of sample notes to give you an idea of what to write.

Wrap the plates in scrap paper, address them, stick on a stamp and send them to:

The Hon. Victor Dominello, MP
Minister for Customer Service, NSW Government
GPO Box 5341, SYDNEY NSW 2001

The Hon. Matt Kean, MP
Minister for Energy and Environment, NSW Government
GPO Box 5341, SYDNEY NSW 2001

The Hon. Andrew Constance, MP
Minister for Transport and Roads, NSW Government
GPO Box 5341, SYDNEY NSW 2001

Sample note 1

Dear Minisiter Dominello,

Freebie plastic "L" and "P" plates given out at Service NSW locations are creating plastic pollution as they regularly fall off vehicles, onto the road and wash into stormwater drains. Please change the law that requires them to be on the exterior of the vehicle (other states eg. SA allow internal "see through" versions) and RE-THINK the cheap brittle plastic they are made of. We can do better than this.

Kind regards,
(name)

(don't forget to add your return address so that the minister can write back to you)

Sample note 2

Dear Minister Matt Kean,

I am sick of seeing lost "L" and "P" plates on the road. They break into lots of little pieces of plastic and wash down the stormwater drains. Please RE-THINK the design of these plates - free "L" plates could be cardboard; "P" plates could be aluminium - totally recyclable! I will keep posting them to you until we get something better in NSW.

Look forward to hearing of a change.

Kind regards,
(name)

(don't forget to add your return address so that the minister can write back to you)

Information on Learner and Provisional plates display in other states

Victoria has now committed to a Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) to start by 2023. It needs to be the best scheme maximising recycling; with great convenience for consumers who want to redeem their 10cents; and a credible governance system.   

The Boomerang Alliance has joined forces with Victorian community organisations and groups to push for action. The Victorian government originally was defending inaction on CDS with questionable statistics on litter and recycling rates. We took actions to dispel myths, raise awareness and presented the true cost of inaction. 

NSWs 'Earn and Return' has collected over 5 billion containers in 36 months and increased recycling rates from 35% to over 70% under its ''split responsibility'' model with the independent Coordinator and Network Operator. This is supported by the Victorian government for the state's CDS. 

QLDs 'Containers For Change' which operates under the system favoured by Coca Cola has significant problems with inconvenient refund points; alleged fraud; and lower recycling rates.  Nevertheless, Coke and Lion have embarked on a campaign to reverse the government's position because they can make a profit from a poorly performing CDS by keeping consumer refunds.

NOW we need to win the battle for a CDS that works best for consumers and recycling.

SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Sign this letter to Lily D'Ambrosio thanking her for the CDS and maintaining her government's support for the BEST system.

• Sign up to our campaign and join us in clean-ups, media stunts and other actions

• Donate to our campaign

HOW DOES A CONTAINER DEPOSIT SCHEME WORK?

A container deposit scheme is based on a refundable deposit able to be redeemed by the consumer or collectors at convenient locations. In other words, people get cash for recycling their containers. There are over 40 such systems around the world including in South Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT, NSW and Queensland. WA, Tasmania and Vic are planning to follow suit in 2020, 2022 and 2023, respectively. Enregistrer

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