Australia used 4,189,600 tonnes of plastic products and packaging in 2024-25, according to the latest Australian plastics flows and fates report from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
The figure exceeds the previous record set during the Covid-19 pandemic, with plastic consumption now equivalent to about 80,000 tonnes a week.
The report also shows Australia generates 1.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste each year, or about 38kg every second.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said the data does not capture the amount of plastic entering the environment and is calling for future editions of the annual report to include plastic pollution data.
AMCS plastics campaigns manager Cip Hamilton said reducing plastic production was necessary to address pollution.
“The only way to end plastic pollution is to cut back on how much plastic is generated.”
Hamilton said state and territory bans had reduced the use of some single-use plastic items, but other types of plastic bags had increased.
“Some problematic single-use items such as lightweight plastic shopping bags have declined following state bans, but the use of thicker plastic shopping bags and plastic produce bags has shot up,” Hamilton said.
“State and territory bans have been a great start and can work, but item-by-item bans will always be one step behind.”
The AMCS is calling for national packaging laws that mandate reductions, establish design standards and make companies responsible for the packaging they use.
Hamilton also criticised the Federal Government’s decision earlier this month to move away from its commitment to mandatory national packaging laws.
Earlier this week, Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt urged Australians to avoid single-use products, according to AMCS.
Hamilton said consumers could not always avoid packaging, citing nominations received through the organisation’s Unpackit packaging awards, including plastic netting around avocados and individually wrapped dumbbells.
The DCCEEW report tracks plastic use, recycling and disposal, but does not measure plastic pollution in waterways or the ocean.
