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