The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) has become the official Supporting Association of the ANZPAC Plastics Pact and will be working closely with other businesses, governments and NGOs to move towards a circular economy for plastics.
In Australia, only 18 per cent of all plastic packaging is currently recovered for future use, while in New Zealand, 41 per cent of recyclable plastic containers are sent to landfill. A similar situation is happening in the Pacific Islands, where over 300,000 tonnes of waste plastic is generated every year.
With all of this plastic waste ending up in landfill, a new way for addressing the issue was needed, which is where the ANZPAC Plastics Pact came in. Launched on 1 January 2021, the Pact is a collaborative platform for the circular economy for plastic.
The ANZPAC Plastics Pact is part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s international Plastics Pact network, a globally aligned response to plastic waste and pollution that enables vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action.
Each Plastics Pact brings together business, policymakers and NGOs around the world, which through shared ambition, combined expertise and collaboration, create regional and national solutions to plastic waste and pollution.
The ANZPAC Plastics Pact will:
- Coordinate and align stakeholders from industry, government, academia, NGOs and industry associations to work towards the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s vision for a circular economy for plastic;
- Work collaboratively towards national and regional Plastics Pact 2025 targets;
- Build a clearly defined roadmap for how the region will reach them;
- Measure and communicate progress through public annual reporting;
- Co-design and implement pioneer initiatives, activities and solutions across the region; and
- Share knowledge and experiences, and learn from regional, national and global experts.
To find out more about the ANZPAC Plastics Pact, click here.
