The New South Wales Government released its Cleaning Up Our Act- Redirecting the Future of Plastics in NSW Discussion Paper. It sought our views on how plastic waste and litter could be reduced, with four outcomes:
- The phase-out of single use plastics
- Tripling the proportion of plastics recycled in NSW by 2030
- Reducing plastic litter by 25% by 2025
- Making NSW a leader in plastic research and innovation
A welcome, long awaited promise is to phase-out lightweight plastic shopping bags (less than 35 microns thick, including those made from degradable and 'compostable' plastic).
We want to thank everyone who put in a submission or completed one or both of the surveys. The more support the NSW government receives for a single use plastics phase-out, the more likely it is to happen. Remember you can always contact to your local State MP or NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean about this and other environmental issues: https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/ministers/minister-for-energy-and-environment
The Current Update from the NSW government (as at 12/5/2020):
Feedback on the discussion paper is now being reviewed
A report on the consultation outcomes will be released to the public in late 2020.
The NSW Plastics Plan will be finalised and released to the public in late 2020.
LETTER-WRITING TEMPLATE
I support urgent action to eliminate problematic and unnecessary single use plastics in NSW, including:
- A ban of lightweight plastic bags (including degradable and ‘compostable’ bags) in 2020 (exemptions can be given for certified compostable bags for Food Organics collection Services)
- A ban on single-use plastic takeaway items such as straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates/bowls, coffee cups/lids, containers and heavyweight plastic bags in 2021
- An immediate ban on polystyrene cups, bowls and containers
- An investigation into and future policies designed to reduce other single use plastics in the home, in retail, business and industry, agriculture and used in the marine environment
Your Name and address
