The Boomerang Alliance has welcomed the NSW Plastics Plan and its proposed policies to support reuse.

The plan includes support for;

• reusable cups at stadiums, events and in government and other offices
• that fast food and other cafes accept/offer reusable cups to customers
• and the establishment of a reuse-only precinct in Sydney CBD

Similar policies in Europe in Europe have led to widespread use of reusable cups at stadiums, events and in cafes.

The Boomerang Alliance is calling on all Australian governments to introduce similar reusable packaging plans.

Hundreds of volunteer mystery shoppers have revealed that buying plastic-free fresh produce often comes at a higher cost, with loose items more expensive than their pre-packaged equivalents in 73% of cases.

The findings, published today in the third annual Unwrapped Audit, also highlight the inconsistent and limited options for Australians buying groceries online, factors that could unintentionally increase plastic use.

The audit, conducted by the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and the Boomerang Alliance (BA), also found that Australia’s largest supermarkets are failing to address the nation’s growing plastic pollution crisis. Around 140,000 tonnes of plastic enter the Australian environment every year, with packaging accounting for 58% of litter collected.

Big supermarkets failing on plastic reduction

The audit assessed Australia’s four major supermarket groups: Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, and Metcash (IGA, Foodland, Friendly Grocer, and Eziway), across five areas: transparency, plastic reduction, reuse, recycling, and policy, planning, and governance.

• Woolworths scored 38%

• Metcash 26%

• Coles 19%

• ALDI 14%

While Woolworths and Metcash have made notable improvements since 2023 (from 10% and 3% respectively), Coles has declined year-on-year, and ALDI dropped from the top spot in 2023 to last place.

“Supermarkets are sweeping the plastic pollution crisis under the shelf,” said AMCS Program Manager Tara Jones. “Despite selecting loose produce online, shoppers often received groceries overwrapped in plastic. We even saw single garlic bulbs packed in their own plastic bags. If online orders are contributing to more single-use plastic, urgent action is needed.”

Plastic-free produce comes at a premium

The audit involved hundreds of volunteer shoppers collecting price data, revealing that loose fresh produce is often more expensive than packaged alternatives. For example, loose oranges averaged $4.24 per kilogram, compared with $2.49 per kilogram pre-packaged.

“Australians trying to make sustainable choices are being penalised,” Jones said. “People should be able to trust that ‘loose produce’ actually means plastic-free, both in-store and online. Supermarkets must provide more plastic-free options and publicly report the amount of packaging used across supply chains.”

Urgent action needed

Boomerang Alliance Director Jeff Angel warned that the plastic crisis has serious environmental and health consequences. “Packaging now makes up 58% of litter collected by Clean Up Australia volunteers, much of it from supermarket shelves. Without strong action, plastic production, which is projected to triple by 2060, will send pollution spiralling out of control.”

We are calling on both supermarkets and government to implement mandatory reuse targets and an extended producer responsibility scheme, making retailers and brands financially accountable for the waste they generate.

The Unwrapped Audit 2025 was launched at a press conference this morning outside the Coles Group AGM in Melbourne.

For more information or media enquiries, contact: [email protected]

Did you know that schools, sports clubs, and community groups can turn empty drink containers into real cash or donation credits? By participating in the Container Refund Scheme (CRS), every eligible container returned earns a 10c refund—and increasing this to 20c could double the benefits for your community.

The scheme not only boosts fundraising opportunities but also helps reduce litter, increase recycling rates, and support local jobs and recycling industries. With more containers included, easier access to return points, and clean, high-value materials for recycling, communities across Australia are already seeing significant financial and environmental rewards.

This page explains how the Container Refund Scheme works, why expanding it matters, and how your group can make the most of it—financially, socially, and environmentally.

How can schools, sports clubs, or community groups benefit financially from collecting containers?

By returning eligible drink containers, groups receive the refund (10c each) as cash or donation credits. A 20c refund will double community benefits. 

If the refund goes up to 20c will I bear the cost as the consumer?

Not a deposit. the 10 cent producers can charge consumers when buying a container drink  is fully refundable when the container is returned. There is no cost increase to consumers if the refund increases as long as containers are returned for recycling.

Where does the money come from to fund the container refund scheme?

First suppliers (beverage companies) initially fund the scheme: they pay per eligible container to cover refunds and operating costs; unredeemed deposits and material revenues also help offset costs, depending on the state. 

Is the Container Refund Scheme the same as Extended Producer Responsibility? 

CRS is a form of product stewardship/EPR for beverage packaging, producers take responsibility for what they put on the market—but “product stewardship” can include other products like batteries..

Why should we up the 10c refund  to 20?c

Lifting it to 20c would align better with high-performing deposit systems overseas and is expected to push return rates towards 90% above the current 65%, reducing litter and boosting recycling revenues for communities.

How does expanding the scheme reduce litter and plastic pollution?

Including more container types and making returns more convenient raises redemption rates and cuts litter fast, studies show container litter drops by ~60% soon after refund schemes launch. More clean, source-separated material also enables true bottle-to-bottle recycling. Boomerang Alliance is pushing for expansion so we can capture more containers and cut more waste.

How much waste is expected to be diverted from landfill with the expansion?

While the exact tonnage depends on what is eligible , states see sharp increases in recovered glass, aluminium and PET after expansions (e.g., QLD’s inclusion of wine/spirits lifted glass recycling). Higher deposits and broader eligibility move many millions more containers away from landfill into recycling each year.

How will this expansion benefit local communities and charities?

More eligible containers = more fundraising potential and local “cash-for-containers” drives. NSW reports large, recurring donations to charities via Return & Earn; Victoria’s first 8 months generated over $62.8m in refunds, with community partners baked in

Does the scheme create jobs or support local recycling industries?

Yes. Collection networks, logistics, processing, and remanufacturing create local jobs. Nationally, several thousand new jobs have been created. 

Will more refund points or collection sites be introduced?

Generally, yes, expansions typically come with more refund points and better access (e.g., RVMs, depots, bag-drops). NSW already lists 600+ sites, and states continue to add locations as volumes grow. Boomerang Alliance is campaigning for more convenient refund points so everyone can take part.

How is the scheme regulated to make sure it works fairly?

Each state legislates its scheme and appoints a coordinator who may also manage the collection network or there is a separate network operator (eg, NSW, Vic, Tas). EPAs oversee approvals, audits, pricing reviews and fraud prevention. Annual statutory reports detail performance, finances and risk controls (e.g., NSW report).

What happens to the containers after they are collected?

They’re sorted, compacted and sold to recyclers; most become new bottles/cans or other products. CDS improves quality due to less contamination compared to kerbside) which is crucial for closed-loop, bottle-to-bottle outcomes. Every scheme is mandated by law to recycle the containers so less ends up landfilled as is the risk with kerbside. 

How does Australia’s scheme compare to other countries?

We now have schemes in every state/territory, but average return rates trail leaders like Germany and the Nordics, which use higher deposits and denser networks. That’s why many advocates want a 20c deposit and more access points. Boomerang Alliance is advocating for this increase to help Australia catch up with the best-performing global schemes.

Why were some containers excluded before, and why are they being added now?

Schemes began with the most litter-prone “on-the-go” formats. Wine/spirits and other categories are now being added as infrastructure scales up and markets for the material strengthen. Plain milk has typically been excluded due to low litter rates and at-home consumption.

How is the container refund scheme different from the Vic dedicated kerbside glass bin? 

CDS targets drink containers and pays you a refund; kerbside collects many materials but doesn’t pay per item. CDS material is typically cleaner and higher value, helping close the loop into new beverage containers.  Many Vic councils want the refund scheme to handle the glass containers. 

Are all states and territories going to expand their schemes?

All jurisdictions now have a scheme (Tasmania launched 1 May 2025). Most are in various stages of expanding eligible containers and increasing access points. Eventually they should all have the same eligibility rules. 

Will other containers, like milk, be included? And bottle tops? 

Plain milk (including plant-based) is currently excluded in most states, though flavoured milk under 1L is often eligible, policy reviews may revisit this. For bottle tops: follow your local guidance (in NSW, leave caps on; they’re recycled with the bottle). Boomerang Alliance is actively advocating for bottle tops to be included as eligible items in future expansions of the scheme.

Are recycling companies supporting container refund expansion? 

Yes. They want more of the bottles and cans so they can expand their contribution to the circular economy.  

With all States and Territories have introduced a Container Refund Scheme, it's time for the longer established schemes to improve their performance. The new schemes such as Tasmania can follow in due course.

The goal of the container refund schemes is to reduce litter and waste and increase recycling of eligible beverage containers. As we speak, on average across all established schemes, the return rate is (65%) with South Australia a little higher but now reducing at (74%). That means that about one third of containers used are still being littered or landfilled.

In the best container refund schemes in Europe the return rate is well over 90%, a rate we should be able to achieve in Australia.

To achieve this return rate and to improve the schemes around the country, the Boomerang Alliance is calling for;

• An increase to the container refund to 20 cents, to provide more incentives to return containers
• Make the return of containers more convenient by including collection points at shopping centres and retail precincts
• Increase the containers collected by the scheme to include wine and spirit bottles (already included in QLD), other glass containers, other plastic containers such as milk cartons and large juice and require all bottle tops to be tethered to their bottles
• Include reusable drink containers as eligible for collection under the scheme

For more information on our 20 cent campaign and CRS improvements

The Boomerang Alliance has signed on to the joint environmental groups call for an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty. The joint statement released today (18 July 2025), supports the agreed high ambition goals the Albanese Government has committed to. Those goals include restraining the production of problematic plastics and managing a shift to a circular economy for plastics.

'The key for an effective global treaty is to ensure that any plastics placed into the market will be reused, remanufactured or recycled, without waste and without polluting our lands or oceans.' said

'In this task the Albanese Government needs to think globally and act locally. Acting means addressing Australia's woeful plastic packaging record. The vast majority of plastic packaging sold in this country is single-use and is still ending up in landfill or littered in the ocean.'

'Industry, environment groups and the concerned public have all called on the Government to reform packaging laws. That call supports a mandatory stewardship scheme for packaging to make producers fully responsible for the product they place into the Australian market.'

'Australia can take the lead in the Asia-Pacific region by demonstrating that all our packaging will be managed sustainably, with any products used recovered in practice. This is the only way that the plastic pollution crisis will be solved in our region.'

'Supporting a global plastic treaty is one thing, acting effectively to solve the problem is another.'

The Boomerang Alliance welcomes the release of the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) Victoria Twelve Month Review by our allies at the Total Environment Centre (TEC), which provides a clear-eyed assessment of Victoria’s container deposit scheme in its first year of operation.

While it’s encouraging to see one billion (or about 30%) containers returned via the new network in the first 12 months, and a growing awareness among Victorians, the report makes it clear that there’s still a long way to go for CDS Victoria to reach its potential.

Structural Flaws Undermining Access

The heavy reliance on over-the-counter (OTC) return points—particularly in the Visy North and Return-it East zones—continues to compromise convenience and equity of access. These return points often have limited opening hours and capacity, making them unsuitable for handling large volumes and everyday use by the public. As TEC rightly highlights, unless this issue is addressed with more automated options like reverse vending machines (RVMs), parts of the state will remain underserved and recovery rates will suffer.

Transparency Still Lacking

Another ongoing concern is the lack of publicly available data on zone-specific performance. Other states have set a much stronger precedent for transparency, and the Victorian Government must now follow suit. Clear, consistent reporting—including a breakdown of container returns by zone and container type—is essential to maintaining public confidence in the scheme and ensuring it’s delivering real environmental outcomes.  After all, Victorians are paying for it and using their time to participate.

Missed Opportunity for National Alignment

With all states now operating container deposit schemes, Victoria has the opportunity to align with national best practice—but risks falling behind. The absence of a formal recovery target, slow action on expanding the range of eligible containers (such as wine and spirit bottles), and no movement on increasing the refund amount to 20c all reflect a lack of ambition.

What Needs to Happen Next

Boomerang Alliance supports the TEC recommendations, including:

• Immediate transition away from low-performing OTC points towards more RVMs and depots
• Setting a formal container recovery target of at least 85%
• Expanding the scope of eligible containers to include glass wine and spirit bottles
• Increasing the refund to 20c to boost return rates and incentivise broader participation
• Releasing a comprehensive and public annual report with key data metrics
• An independent review in 2026 to assess the performance of the three-zone operator model

CDS Vic has taken important first steps, but to become a truly effective and equitable circular economy initiative, the scheme must now evolve. The coming year is a critical window for the Victorian Government to show leadership and make the adjustments needed to improve access, increase transparency, and accelerate container recovery.

We look forward to continuing to work with TEC and other allies to push for the necessary reforms and ensure that CDS Victoria delivers the outcomes our communities and environment deserve.

Read the full report here 

The recent fines imposed on the producers of Glad Kitchen Bags are welcome but don't address the fact that 'ocean plastic' is a misnomer and often an example of greenwash in itself. Glad Kitchen bags producers had falsely claimed that 50% of their product was sourced from ocean plastics when they were not. The courts imposed an $8 million fine. 

Ocean bound plastics is a term given to any littered plastics collected within 50 kms of a coastline. It is not, as the term suggests, just plastics recovered from the ocean. Its littered plastic that has a risk of eventually entering the ocean. It is a good thing that these plastics are being collected, recycled and reused, and that there is a market for it. However, manufacturers need to be honest about where these plastics have been sourced from. There is an OBP Certification system that can help keep them honest.

Theses littered plastics are often degraded and contaminated and completely unsuitable to be used in food grade products. Ocean bound plastics should be collected and down-cycled in other plastic products.

Ocean plastic pollution is a major global problem and the best course of action is to avoid waste and litter in the first place. That means reducing  the manufacture of unnecessary plastics, designing plastics for reuse or recycling and then having system in place that ensure that any plastics thrown away will be recovered and reused.

For the plastics already littered in and around our oceans and waterways, it's important that we have markets that can use collected and recovered plastics. Around the Australian and our regional neighbours coastlines are plastics that have been littered and end up causing harm to the environment and wildlife. Having a recycled market for these plastics provides an incentive to collect rather than simply adding to landfill. For many of our regional neighbours, landfill does not even exist as an option. They need a recycling market that can pay them for what they collect.

The 2026 AFC Women's Football Asian Cup will be held in Australia from 1-21 March 2026. The championship is a chance to showcase the quality of womens football across Asia, whilst showing the world-class facilities and practices Australia can offer. All matches are scheduled for three cities-Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast.

In 2024, the Paris Olympics and the Euro Football Championship in Germany provided reusable cups and containers to spectators.The Australian Open also offered reusable cups and containers this year. Reusable food ware can be collected after use, washed and used again for future events. Reusable systems can save organisers money, reduce greenhouse emissions and water use and eliminate plastic waste and litter. 

'Reuse is becoming standard practice for major sporting events and festivals around the world and it is a practice being welcomed by the public.'

said Toby Hutcheon, Campaign Manager of Boomerang Alliance

'If they have not already done so, Football Australia needs to step up and make sure that all stadiums hosting the AFC Women's Asian Cup are able to provide spectators with reusable cups and containers. Collection and washing facilities need to be in place at the two Sydney Stadiums, two Perth stadiums and the Gold Coast Stadium. There are only 365 days to go.'

Most Australian stadiums are looking at reuse options, but Governments have been silent on introducing regulations and supporting stadiums to make the switch. It's no accident that both the Olympics and Euros provided reusables. Both France and Germany have introduced laws to promote reuse. Something no Australian Government has done.

The Boomerang Alliance is urging all Australian Governments to introduce new laws to make reuse at stadiums and major events common practice. It just makes sense.

For More info: [email protected] 

The Boomerang Alliance believes in Australia’s potential to lead the world in sustainability. Right now, we’re at a critical crossroads: single-use plastics are flooding our environment, contributing to climate change, and increasing cost-of-living pressures. It’s time for a bold, national shift to reusable packaging by 2030.

That’s why we’re launching our ‘Reuse Australia Program’ with the ‘Year of Reuse’ to supercharge the transition away from single-use plastics. And we need your support to make it happen.

Our vision is simple: an Australia where single-use is not only undesirable but entirely unacceptable. Our Plastic Free Places Program has proved that it’s possible.  Together, we can build a future where reusables are the norm, waste is reduced, and resources are kept in circulation.

For more information click here. 

The Boomerang Alliance is making 2025 the year of Reuse. Reusable cups, containers and other items have significant benefits compared to single-use items.  They can reduce GHG emissions, water and material use and eliminate unnecessary waste. The switch to reuse will require a big change to our habits so we are starting with cups and containers, primarily used away from home. Away-from-home use usually means that single-use products are thrown away and end up in landfills or are littered.

What we will be campaigning for:

• A binding 30% reuse target for packaging
• A Reuse Strategy included in every government’s plastic reduction policy
• National regulations to require all stadiums and major events to provide reusable cups and containers to patrons
• All cafes and food outlets to also offer reusable cups for takeaway purposes and never provide disposables for dine-in
• All retailers to only provide reusable shopping bags, that have met a reuse standard
• Supermarkets to scale up reuse items in-store and returnable containers for deliveries
• The inclusion of reusable bottles as eligible under State container refund schemes

You can check out our Choosing to Reuse in Australia report (here)

Reform of packaging after so many years of failure by government and business is an urgent task and the Boomerang Alliance is fully focused on an outcome that delivers a circular economy via avoidance, reduction, recycling and reuse supported by regulated product stewardship.[1]

Ministerial meetings have so far been unable to provide this essential, macro solution to the waste, litter and plastic pollution caused by the packaging sector, retailers and consumer behaviour.  Three settings in the policy landscape have retarded progress:

• Commonwealth ministerial procrastination despite repeated statements supporting reform and acknowledging that national action would be most effective and efficient, with the likely failure to meet the 2025 deadline
• A lack of commitment by the federal environment department to significant change, leading only to small steps that defer major regulatory change and plans
• An ongoing interest by the Commonwealth and some states in perpetuating the Australian Packaging Covenant (APCO) which has failed to meet targets and is underlain by weak compliance measures

The Boomerang Alliance is determined to overcome these barriers so that Australians and their environment can experience the required protection from pollution and avoid the costs of disposing waste.  Making producers responsible for the costs of packaging they place on the market is the most effective means to solve packaging problems, and it will relieve cost of living pressures on households who currently have to pay for single use packaging collection, recovery and litter reductions through their council rates.

Without more decisive national action, more progressive states should take unilateral action. This would be an appropriate response given our recent YouGOV poll that showed (and consistently across all jurisdictions):

• 85% of Australians expressed concern about plastic waste pollution in Australia.
• 73% of Australians want new packaging laws that shift the costs of collecting and recycling packaging waste from taxpayers to producers
• The fast tracking of soft plastic collections is a top priority for Australians, with 88% supporting the reinstatement of soft plastic collections, funded by packaging producers.[2]

Small steps at recent Environment Ministers Meeting (10/12/24)[3]

National Circular Economy Framework

The Boomerang Alliance welcomes broad support for a national circular economy framework to transition the packaging industry to a more sustainable and less wasteful future. However, it remains an advisory document only and it should now be regulated at federal and state levels to ensure a consistent and clear national approach.

Strengthening the National Waste Plan Action Plan

A recurring commitment.  We ask - what are the detailed implementation plans and how will the targets be achieved?

Packaging Design Guidance[4]

On the face of it, a welcomed initiative, but packaging design guidance is just more greenwash, unless it is more than ‘guidance’ and includes requirements that all packaging will be recovered in practice. Over 84% of packaging is designed to be recyclable now, but less than 20% of plastic packaging is actually recycled. This is due to inadequate collection and recovery infrastructure, not just poor design standards.

Harmonise Kerbside Collections ‘in principle’

Harmonising kerbside collection was agreed some years ago but has failed to materialise. The roadmap could be a positive step but there is no indication as to how the barriers will be overcome.

National roadmap: Harmonising action on problematic plastics

All States and Territories have phase out policies for problematic and unnecessary plastics, and the commitment to reduce variations on 24 items[5], without reversing any measures that have been taken, is welcome.  We note the Commonwealth is absent from this process, despite having made commitments on some key items in 2021.[6]

Expanding eligible containers in Container Refund Schemes

The ministerial meeting did not resolve this issue and it has now been left to key states to collaborate on the first tranche for wine and spirits in glass bottles.  We encourage NSW, SA, NT, Vic, WA and ACT to act (Qld has already included these containers).

The future of APCO

As noted above, its continued existence is a barrier to major reform. We note the recent ministerial meeting did not endorse APCO’s 2030 Strategic Plan[7] with its downgraded targets and delayed timeframes.  Any future replacement arrangement for product stewardship must have strict accountability to the Commonwealth and state ministers and the community.

[1] https://www.boomerangalliance.org.au/national_packaging_solution

[2] Total sample size was 1783 Australians voters (18+). Fieldwork was undertaken between 21 Nov - 04 Dec.

[3] The Queensland Government refused to endorse any of these

[4] See Design for Kerbside Recyclability Grading Framework: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/packaging/reforming-packaging-regulation

[5] Items yet to be clarified.

[6] https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-plastics-plan-2021.pdf

[7] https://documents.packagingcovenant.org.au/public-documents/2030%20Strategic%20Plan

As we wrap up another transformative year, we want to take a moment to share our journey with you. Together, we've fought hard against plastic pollution, rallied for stronger policies, and built a movement that brings us closer to a cleaner, more sustainable future. None of this would have been possible without the support and dedication of our incredible community.

So let’s take a look at what we’ve achieved with your help: 

Over the next year, we have a unique opportunity to drive meaningful change in Australia’s packaging laws—but we need your voice to make it happen. Help us create change today. 

The Boomerang Alliance and the Australian Marine Conservation Society audit the major supermarkets' plastic packaging use each year.  Our audit is helped by thousands of supporters who act as secret shoppers checking what is happening in their local supermarkets. We use their data in our report.

Our 2024 Supermarket Report has just been released, please see here. The report reveals that, whilst there have been some improvements, our supermarkets are still very slow to change their plastic habits. Plastic-wrapped fruit and vegetables are still cheaper than loose produce 73% of the time. There are too few options for customers to access reusable containers, and there is too much emphasis on recycling of packaging rather than reducing or avoiding it.

We ranked the major supermarkets with Woolworths coming out on top with a ranking of 38%. From our point of view, all supermarkets should be doing a whole lot better and don't compare with the best supermarkets in Europe. As reported above, recycling labels continue to be a problem and often mislead consumers.

The Commonwealth Government has just released its long-awaited proposed Packaging Reform Discussion paper. They recognise that the voluntary arrangements in place for over 25 years have failed. We are nowhere near meeting any recycling or recovery targets. 

The government package proposes three options:

• A continuation of the current (co-regulatory) voluntary arrangements (albeit with strengthened arrangements), 
• mandating requirements that include bans on problem packaging and
•  an EPR (product stewardship) scheme where producers will be responsible for meeting packaging targets
• The Boomerang Alliance supports option 3- Extended producer responsibility. This needs to include mandatory targets for packaging reduction, reuse as well as recycling. This approach should be augmented with bans on problematic packaging and standards that ensure all packaging is recovered in practice.

An example of EPR is the container refund scheme, where the beverage industry is responsible for the collection and recycling of cans and bottles. South Australia has had a scheme for over 40 years but for the rest of Australia, the CRS has tripled recycling and slashed can and bottle litter.

The big omission in the Commonwealth paper is a lack of immediate proposals on soft plastics. Since the collapse of the REDcycle scheme -two years ago-virtually all soft plastics have gone to waste or are being littered. According to CUA Rubbish Report 2023, soft plastics are now the most littered category of plastics in Australia and represent over 34% of all litter collected.

The Boomerang Alliance is calling for an industry-funded product stewardship scheme for soft plastics to be fast-tracked now. This scheme should include both kerbside and in-store soft plastics collection, with a return for recycling.

Thousands of households have been stockpiling their plastics for the last two years and we are calling on the major supermarkets to organise in-store collections now for their customers to return soft plastics that can go straight to recycling.

For more information head to cutthewrap.org.au