Mandatory packaging standards welcomed

A government move toward mandatory packaging design and targets has been described as a watershed moment in Australia’s relationship with packaging sustainability.

Chris Foley, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation Chief Executive Officer said the strict new government rules aimed at cutting waste and boosting recycling would provide a boost to achieving a circular economy for packaging.

“Good packaging design is essential to ensure better environmental outcomes at end of life. It is simply not acceptable to put packaging onto the market that is destined to end up in landfill because of poor, unsustainable choices made at the design stage,” Foley said.

Following a meeting of national environment ministers on 9 June, Minister Tanya Plibersek announced mandatory packaging design standards and targets, including for recycled content and to address the use of harmful chemicals in food packaging.

Plibersek said environment ministers expect the companies responsible for producing packaging to take responsibility for their waste but it’s clear that voluntary targets and design guidelines aren’t working. Three million tonnes of packaging is sent to landfill each year – equivalent to about 200 billion chip packets.

“We need to dramatically reduce packaging waste, and the harmful chemicals that destroy our environment. We see packaging in the guts of dead birds, floating in our oceans, destroying nature as it takes generations to degrade,” Plibersek said.

“Put simply, we’re making too much, using too much, and too much is ending up in landfill.

“Until now, governments have ignored calls to step in and set mandatory targets. While some in the industry have stepped up to voluntarily reduce their impact, it’s just not enough. We’re changing that.”

At the same environment minister’s meeting, it was also agreed to send the textile and clothing sector a clear message that if they don’t take responsibility for their waste by the middle of 2024, Australian governments will regulate, as they are now doing for packaging.

A national roadmap will also be developed to improve harmonisation of kerbside collection, for ministers to consider in 2024.

As part of the Review of the 2025 National Packaging Targets delivered to environment ministers by APCO in 2022, APCO called for the establishment of clear standards requiring business to design for packaging reduction, reuse and recycling, along with effective and accountable extended producer responsibility for materials not accepted at kerbside.

Foley said it’s fantastic to see environment ministers commit to strong, decisive action, including mandatory packaging design, and taking up some of the recommendations from APCO’s Review of the 2025 Targets.

“APCO’s more than 2300 members have made significant improvements in the past five years, but it’s clear that stronger regulation is needed to address free riders and accelerate progress,” he said.

“We are excited to work together closely with industry and government in the coming months to develop these standards. By fostering greater collaboration across the system and working hand in hand with important stakeholders, we can further reduce the environmental impacts of packaging and deliver greater community and economic benefits.”

World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia said the new government rules will have a major impact on Australia’s plastic pollution crisis.

“This is a major step forward in Australia’s war on plastic waste,” said Kate Noble, WWF-Australia’s No Plastics in Nature Policy Manager.

“It’s a commitment that will be welcomed by Australians who’ve been so disappointed by the collapse of our soft plastic recycling scheme.”

Research conducted by Ipsos for WWF and the Plastic Free Foundation found that 86 per cent of Australians want manufacturers and retailers to be responsible for reducing, reusing and recycling their plastic packaging.

“It’s heartening to see governments coming together to finally take action on this issue,” said Noble.

“WWF has been calling for major reform to reduce the amount of plastic we use and to ensure what we do need is designed for reuse and recycling. Moving from voluntary targets and guidelines into clear rules and responsibilities is a really important step.

“Importantly, these rules will also apply to all packaging materials, not just plastic, which should help ensure that we’re not creating more issues by simply shifting the problem elsewhere.”