Major supermarket chains and multinational brands are among more than 60 organisations to sign up to a long-awaited pact to reduce plastic waste across Australia and the region.

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is launching the ANZPAC Plastic Pact today, a collaborative solution that brings together key players behind a shared vision of a circular economy for plastic, where plastic never becomes waste or pollution. It aims to share knowledge, investment and industry led innovation to implement solutions tailored to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands region.

NSW regulation requires that plastic “L” (Learner) and “P” (Provisional) plates be on the exterior of the vehicle only. These plastic plates can often be seen in NSW on the roadside and in the gutters as they too easily fall off cars and wash down the stormwater drains, becoming plastic pollution.

Boomerang Alliance is calling on the NSW government to change the current requirement to allow the Learner and Provisional plates to be displayed inside the vehicle.

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 current requirement to allow the Learner and Provisional plates to be displayed inside the vehicle. Please sign our Change.org petition.

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. James Griffin, MP
Minister for Environment and Heritage, 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 Minister 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). 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 James Griffin,

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 law that requires them to be on the exterior of the vehicle and allow them to be displayed inside the vehicle. 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

The Victorian Government’s decision on how the state’s container deposit system (CDS) will operate is a good and wise decision, the Boomerang Alliance of 53 NGOs said today.

"We congratulate the government for listening to the community and rejecting the disinformation campaign by the big bottlers, Coke and Lion, their lobby group VicRecyle and Planet Ark. Everyone should now move on and work together on the key metrics like recycling targets, involvement of charities and the most accessible collection points for consumers to get their 10c refunds,’’ said Jeff Angel, Director of the Alliance.

"Our research into the various types of schemes here in Australia and overseas shows that the chosen "split responsibility" model (Coordinator and Network Operators) is best practise. It sets up the right allocation of responsibilities so that the system can grow, be accountable, accessible and deliver multiple benefits for decades. It’s based on the NSW approach where there has been very significant involvement of charities and small businesses; billions of drink containers returned; and very accessible refund points," Mr Angel said.

"The Boomerang Alliance has been campaigning for Australia to be entirely covered by container deposit schemes and today’s announcement fully achieves this. In fact Australia is the first continent on the planet to do this. There will be remarkable environmental, employment, recycling and charity benefits."

Whilst key design elements and collection arrangements are still to be worked out, the announced scheme means that:

• Responsibility for the scheme is split between the government, the beverage industry and a container collection network (still to be determined)
• Victorians will be able to redeem a 10 cent refund on every plastic, glass or aluminium drink container from 2023
• Container litter will be slashed and recycling significantly increased
• Community organisations will be able to fundraise by collecting cans and bottles

The NSW government has just released a discussion paper Cleaning Up Our Act: Redirecting the Future Plastics in NSW. The paper seeks public views on what action NSW should be doing to address plastic pollution in the State. 

Did you know that 75% of marine debris found around the coastline of Australia is plastic, and comes from local land-based sources?

This year’s final session of Parliament is voting on a new law to stop the export of waste and enact better product stewardship laws. It's a big opportunity to tackle packaging and single use plastics (*background information below).

We need your help to make the new law, which will be debated in the Senate on 9 November, effective. A short email (see below) to key MPs could make the difference.

As part of the Boomerang Alliance Zero Plastic Pollution Campaign, we are launching SUPTEMBER! A whole month dedicated to getting rid of Single Use Plastics by inspiring and mobilising our supporters to take action. 

The Boomerang Alliance of 53 national, state and local NGOs has called on political parties in the Tasmanian Election to commit to the introduction of bans on problem single use plastics and develop greater recycling.

"Tasmania made a great start with its commitment to a best practise container deposit scheme (CDS) and was the second state to introduce a ban of lightweight plastics bags in 2013. With plastic pollution an ever growing environmental threat – the state needs to take the next big steps’’, said Jeff Angel, Director of the Alliance.

"Tasmania should not be the last State to ban problem single-use plastic takeaway items. However time is running out as other mainland states are moving quickly. It’s a natural move as Tassie has an enviable reputation as a green and healthy island."

"Plastic bans are popular in the community and will change business and consumer practices and significantly reduce plastic litter and waste. This election is the opportunity to put things right, to change plastics habits and reduce plastic litter and waste, once and for all. We want to see all political parties include these measures in their election policies."

Background Facts

• Five States and Territories have banned or plan to ban plastic takeaway items. NSW is likely soon. That leaves Tasmania and the NT to act.
  
  
• According to latest Clean Up Australia data for Tasmania, 41% of all litter was beverage and takeaway food packaging.

Our policy asks for the next Parliament:

• Introduce a container deposit scheme on schedule with a declared return target of 90% + within 3 years.
  
  
• Develop a long-term Plastic Pollution Reduction Strategy for the State that addresses single-use plastics in the home, away from home, in agriculture, business and industry and the marine environment.
  
  
• Implement by mid-2022, laws to prohibit the supply of identified single use plastic takeaway items. Specifically plastic straws, cutlery, coffee cups/lids, cups and containers and heavyweight plastic bags. Other items such as plastic stems on cotton buds and other problem plastics should be included.
  
  
• Enact laws to ban the release of helium balloons for non-scientific purposes and prevent the supply of helium at retail level for event and recreational balloon purposes.
  
  
• Increase funding for community litter clean ups and citizen science projects on plastics and litter.
  
  
• Make all government sponsored public events plastic-free.
  
  
• Promote the uptake of reusable foodware in takeaway and food services.
  
  
• Adopt targets for recycled content in government procurement and ensure certified standards for reusable and compostable food ware are adhered to.

Coles have announced that they will no longer sell single-use plastic tableware including cups, plates, bowls, straws and cutlery from 1 July 2021. Instead, they will offer a range of Forest Stewardship Council certified tableware and reusable options.

Boomerang Alliance welcomed the announcement although we have sought clarification about the alternatives. Are they genuinely reusable to the International standards or certified compostable to the Australian standards?

For more information: https://www.colesgroup.com.au/media-releases/?page=coles-shelves-single-use-plastic-tableware

WWF released a report finding 80% of packaging marked as recyclable was not being recycled.

Of 82 popular products surveyed, the report found that only 16 products were entirely kerbside recyclable, 45 needed some materials taken to a collection point and 21 were difficult to collect and recycle.

For more information: https://www.wwf.org.au/news/news/2021/over-80-percent-of-food-packaging-examined-in-a-new-survey-cant-go-into-home-recycling-bins#gs.wgpz2u

The EU has just introduced law to ensure that companies that make white goods, including washing machines, fridges and TVs, must allow these products to be repaired for up to 10 years. The ‘right to repair’ is part of a broad agenda to cut the environmental footprint of manufactured goods. In Australia, the Productivity Commission is currently examining the issues.

Boomerang Alliance and our allies are working on a revised position on deliberate helium balloon releases. The fact that this activity is littering does not seem to be stopping the activity and regulators are not acting. We think specific laws banning the deliberate release of these balloons and only allowing registered providers to use helium (but no release) will make a difference.

Back to March 2021 Newsletter page >>

After many years of community demands to reduce plastic pollution, 2021 promises to be the year that our state and territory governments start to make a difference.  Five jurisdictions - South Australia, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia and Victoria have either passed or have promised legislation to reduce takeaway single-use plastics.  We applaud them.

The other jurisdictions, New South Wales, Tasmania and the Northern Territory are considering their options but lagging behind. They need to catch up quick and we are campaigning to get them moving.  

Below is our status report on each active state and territory.

Back to March 2021 Newsletter page >>

Recycle photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com

Did you know?

• The amount of ash waste (mostly from coal-fired power stations) generated in Australia each year is “about the same as all household waste landfilled and recycled.”
  
  
• 47% of the generated ash (5.9 million tonnes in 2018-2019) was recycled – primarily as a substitute material in the mining and construction industries. Non-Recycled material was placed in on-site ash dams.
  
  
• 47% recycling of coal ash is much lower than the global average. Japan recycles 97%, China 70% and the UK 70%.
  
  
• If we allow incineration of mixed waste to increase (commonly referred to as Waste to Energy) we will have more ash to recycle or dispose of? Not to mention the air pollution.
  
  
• "About 80kt of tyre dust was left on our roads. Much of this would be washed into the ocean.”
  
  
• Significant opportunities remain to improve the recovery of organic.? Of the 4.43million tonnes of non-hazardous food waste, about 3.76 million tonnes (85%) was deposited in landfill.

Are you curious to know about other wastes in the whole Australian economy? 

Here is a summary of the ‘material flows’ and you can find out more by reading the Report: https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste/national-waste-reports/2020

Late last year we wrote to the Prime Minister urging Australia to support an international treaty to address marine plastic pollution. We pointed to a precedent for such a treaty, the Montreal Protocol. That protocol, on which Australia played a leading role successfully curtailed the global use of CFCs to stop further damage to the ozone layer.

In 2017 the United Nations Environment Assembly established an expert group (AHEG) to investigate the issues of marine plastics and microplastics pollution of the oceans. At the final meeting of the AHEG group concerns were expressed at the accelerating rate of plastic pollution, made worse by the COVID pandemic. Two thirds of UN members nations have indicated an interest in a global treaty and one quarter have gone further and urged that negotiations should begin on such a treaty.

A global petition (www.plasticpollutiontreaty.org) has already gathered over 2 million signatures and the support of over 28 international corporations, many directly involved in plastics and packaging manufacture.

Included in the Commonwealth National Plastics Plan (March 2021) was confirmation that Australia will support a new global agreement to address marine plastic pollution. The Commonwealth has already committed $100 M to a Pacific Litter initiative and will also work with Indonesia to assist with plastic waste and litter reductions.

We will be working with other peak groups on the most effective contents of a treaty.

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