The Boomerang Alliance released a scorecard below on key party recycling and plastic pollution policies and we call for a greater effort on plastic pollution.
While some good progress has been made on growing recycling by the ALP, Liberals and Greens – there are big gaps on plastic pollution reduction from the major parties. We need a comprehensive plastic pollution program backed up by effective and urgent action plans and funding.
Every day that passes, as more and more plastic gets into the ocean, the longer the pollution inheritance for future generations. We are seeking action across a range of fronts within 6 months of the new government taking office. The full suite of tools from bans, alternative products, financial incentives, new collection systems and community and business mobilisation need to be used. There is no time to waste.
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| Support Recycling and 'Buy Recycled' Program | $60 million for a Recycling Fund, will set government targets for a 'buy recycled' procurement. National Mandated Sustainable Public Procurement standards. | $100 million for a recycling industry fund and $20 million to research plastic recycling. No procurement commitment. | Support proper investment in recycling and a ‘buy recycled’ program so that all packaging has on average 30% recycled content by 2025. |
| Phase out single-use plastic takeaway items | Supports a national ban on lightweight plastic bags and all microbeads by 2021; and will work for harmonised container deposit schemes. 'Open to' extending a phase-out to other single use plastics, subject to consultation. Advanced Manufacturing Future Fund to work directly with manufacturers looking to develop solutions to single use packaging. | They have no election policy view on a phase-out of single use plastics. | Support a national ban on plastic bags, container refund scheme and microbeads. They support a phase-out of single use plastic takeaway items by 2025. |
| Strengthen Product Stewardship Act with mandatory packaging targets | No mandatory targets but committed to 'charting a course' for the 2025 targets on recycling or composting plastic packaging and recycled content for all packaging. | Support all packaging being reusable, compostable or recyclable by 2025. No mandated targets. | Support a strong Product Stewardship Act with mandatory reuse, composting or recycling targets. |
| Support clean up and global/Pacific Neighbours |
Support community clean ups and will establish a $200 million Urban Rivers and Corridors Program to restore waterways, in part this will include litter clean ups.
Labor have also announced a $15 million fund to assist our neighbours in the Pacific region to clean up the Pacific Ocean.
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Support community clean ups and have announced a $100 million Environment Restoration Fund to assist communities restore and clean up their local environments.
Announced a $16 million Pacific Ocean Litter Project under the Foreign Aid budget.
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Support community clean ups.
Policies support research into plastic pollution and assistance for international clean-up of marine litter.
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| Plastic Pollution Reduction Strategy to address other single use plastics in society | Will appoint National Waste Commissioner to work on expansion of product stewardship schemes, on a range of products. | No comment. | Support a PPRS approach. Plan to introduce a law to clean up beaches and oceans, including reducing plastic use and waste and supporting increased resource recovery. |
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Read Coalition's full policy |
Read Greens' full policy |
