The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is seeking feedback on packaging reforms. Interested parties can have their say this month, with consultation closing on October 28.
The packaging reforms will impact the hospitality industry’s takeaway packaging materials, including takeaway containers and coffee cups. The reform aims to reduce the negative impacts of packaging on the environment.
In 2021–22, 6.98 million tonnes of packaging was placed on the Australian market. The most prevalent packaging was paper and cardboard, making up about half of all packaging. Next was plastic, at 18.3 per cent, followed by glass, wood, and metal.
The report states that the linear economy model (take, make, and dispose) as opposed to a circular one is adversely impacting the environment, human health, and the economy. These impacts are the results of packaging in landfill leaking into the environment and harming wildlife and ecosystems, and the inefficient use of natural resources.
Under a circular economy, packaging would be designed to reduce waste, be recyclable, and used packaging would be collected and reused in packaging or other products.
The department is seeking feedback on regulation from groups and individuals across the packaging system, including producers, brand owners, packaging importers and retailers, and waste collection and resource recovery businesses, as well as state and local governments, small businesses, consumers and advocacy groups.
The government has provided three reform options:
- Option 1: Strengthening administration of the co-regulatory arrangement;
- Option 2: National mandatory requirements for packaging circularity;
- Option 3: An extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging.
The government’s consultation paper outlines the benefits and risks of each option.
The Boomerang Alliance, a national partnership of 55 environmental groups, is supporting the third reform option of a mandatory extended producer responsibility product stewardship model. This model will require packaging producers to be legally responsible for the packaging they distribute on the market, including mandatory targets to reduce, reuse and recycle packaging.
The alliance believes the extended producer responsibility model is the only one that will bring Australia in line with best global practice.
The detailed consultation paper is available here. Feedback can be submitted through the government’s consultation portal by Monday 28th October 2024.
Laura Box
