With the new government sworn in NSW, we will be seeking quick action on the ALP's promises. These follow:
1. NSW Labor supports a nationally consistent approach to tackling plastic pollution and supports the Federal Government’s recent move to join the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution. We will:
- Review the NSW Plastics Action Plan to see where the removal of single use items can be accelerated.
- Support circular economy actions for plastics in which plastic products are either reused, recycled, or remanufactured when no longer useful or required for their initial purposes.
There has been action to reduce single-use plastic items entering the waste streams of NSW following bans and the Plastics Action Plan. There is more work to be done especially given the growth of thicker shopping bags to seriously reduce plastics as well as stop the scourge of disposable coffee cups. Labor will review the Plastics Action Plan to see where the removal of single use plastic items can be accelerated.
2. NSW Labor supports:
- strong packaging targets to increase recycling and ensure that there are recycled content goals and markets for recycled products. Labor supports, where possible, a nationally consistent approach and supports the Commonwealth’s product stewardship priority list and will seek greater ambition in this area.
- the expansion of the NSW container deposit scheme to include other containers with appropriate periods of consultation and transition timeframes to be determined in collaboration with effected industries, environment groups, and the broader community.
- a transition to a circular economy for our waste, with zero incineration and landfill.
- government action to incorporate more recycled products into government procurement processes and will examine any opportunities in government including mandating some content after appropriate consultation.
3. Labor does not support waste to energy where there are available alternatives that are economically sustainable, economically practicable and supported by the local community.
Energy from waste may be an appropriate resource recovery option only when there are no other options further up the waste recovery hierarchy that will provide better environmental outcomes. Any proposed facilities must conform to world’s best practice and must operate to the highest environmental standards. More needs to be done in the first place to avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle waste before it gets sent to landfill and incinerators.