Boomerang Alliance Newsletter - November 2023

Posted by on November 22, 2023
November 2023
 

The pace is quickening on the plastic front.

We have released a strong regulatory scheme for packaging that makes the packaging sector responsible for meeting tough standards to reduce and recycle and achieve meaningful recovery for recycling. Environment ministers from around Australia are preparing to announce their commitment to new mandatory targets for the sector.

Our Plastic Free Places team begins a push to mainstream reusables with several trials in various states.

More single use items are being banned including coffee cups and heavyweight one-off plastic bags; and NSW, the biggest market, releases a plan to catch up to other jurisdictions. Victoria begins its container refund scheme. And finally the international negotiations for a Plastic Treaty have begun in earnest.

2024 is going to be big year to make significant advances and Boomerang Alliance with its 55 allies, is at the forefront. We are lobbying all Australian governments; actively making commentary across media platforms; mobilising communities; and creating workable but ambitious solutions.

As we come to the end of 2023, we hope you will continue on the journey with us. It's going to be exciting as we push towards the biggest changes in plastic waste and litter in Australia.

Thanking you for your support and donations; and best wishes for the festive season.

Jeff Angel
 

Australia generates more single-use plastic waste per person than any other country except Singapore - Minderoo Foundation, Plastic Wastemaker Index.

With your help, we have a very rare opportunity to turn the tide on plastic waste and pollution. Australia's environment ministers have recently agreed to an ambitious packaging reform, with federal Minister Tanya Plibersek calling for a "Plastic-Pollution-Free Pacific in our lifetimes" – committing to world leading regulation in 2024. This is our chance, but it won’t happen without cutting the amount of plastic we use in the first place.

CAN YOU HELP US MAKE THIS HAPPEN?

 
CAMPAIGN UPDATES
 

NEW NATIONAL RULES FOR PACKAGING - WE ARE STILL WAITING...

Whilst we wait for the Commonwealth Government to release its consultation paper for the promised Product Stewardship for Packaging Scheme, we have challenged the packaging industry to cooperate & take full responsibility for its products.

LETS NOT GO SOFT ON PLASTICS

In April 2023, our supporters voiced their concerns about the lack of soft plastic collections following the collapse of the REDcycle scheme. Since then, the Australian Food and Grocery Council has provided more details of recovery via pilots of its evolving National Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme.

CHOOSING TO REUSE IN AUSTRALIA

The Boomerang Alliance has released its Reuse report calling for greater focus on reusable cups and containers for takeaway. In May 2023 the UN (Turning off the Tap) calculated that with reuse, plastic pollution can be slashed by 30% by 2040. 

UNWRAPPED: THE TRUTH ABOUT SUPERMARKET PLASTICS

Supermarkets in Australia are responsible for supplying the majority of household plastic packaging. AMCS & Boomerang Alliance have audited plastic use in our supermarkets and released a first audit on their performance.

PLASTIC FREE PLACES

We're on a mission to make reusables the ONLY option. If you agree, come to our first BYO Cup Day at Morning Glory Café in Coogee NSW on December 1 (event details below). Show your support and create change! 

SYDNEY - LET'S GO NEXT LEVEL SUSTAINABLE

We’re looking for 100 of Sydney’s most sustainable cafes to participate in our reusables program… could your local be one of them?

CDS UPDATE

2023 is the year, Australia will be fully covered by container refund schemes (CRS) resulting in billions of drink containers being recycled every year. Even Coca Cola, which vehemently opposed a CRS are now championing their involvement.

NEW ROUND OF TALKS ON GLOBAL PLASTIC POLLUTION TREATY

As we publish, the third session of the UN sessions on an international treaty to address marine plastic pollution is winding up in Nairobi, Kenya. This session is to discuss the draft Zero text for a binding agreement. Here are the latest perspectives from our colleagues at Break Free from Plastics who are attending.
 
 
 

We would not have been able to do all this work without you and your support by making a donation, signing a petition, sharing our social media posts and sending us words of encouragement. We still have much work to do this year and we hope you will continue to help us.
 
Please donate so we can continue our fight against plastic pollution.
 

 

Orange

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We acknowledge that the name of our organisation includes the name of the Aboriginal tool, the BOOMERANG, adopted for the symbolism of returning to the user. We hope that the resources we use, which all come from the land, will be part of a circular economy and return to that economy again and again. We respectfully commit to Care for Country in the spirit of the Indigenous custodians of this land and these waters. We recognise that there has never been compensation for stolen country. We continue to show our respect to Indigenous leaders, past, present and emerging. May we all walk respectfully on the land and protect the waterways which are life.

 

 

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