With the re-elected ALP government getting back to work this week, environmental groups are calling for quick action on the development of mandatory regulation to stop packaging waste and plastic pollution.
Last week the Albanese government promised to introduce rules to produce less waste in the first place, in line with an approach for a new regulatory scheme agreed by state and federal environment ministers.
“There is very wide support for taking tough action with industry, producers, recyclers and the Boomerang Alliance jointly agreeing on the introduction of a mandatory national Product Stewardship Scheme for Packaging by 2026 that applies targets and producer responsibility across the life cycle, including for soft plastics,” said Jeff Angel, director of Boomerang Alliance.
The 2024 government consultation on the various options found a big majority in support of this with over ‘80% of respondents preferred Commonwealth regulation of packaging and 65% supported Option 3, an EPR scheme with mandatory requirements’.*
The Boomerang Alliance also commissioned a YOUGov survey (December 2024) that found:
· 85% of Australians are concerned about plastic pollution
· 88% support a soft plastics collection service, funded by producers
· 73% support producers paying for packaging collection and recovery cost
Angel said, “There is no time to waste. The sooner we can reduce the exposure of people and the environment to plastic pollution and start being the circular economy that avoids waste, the better for everyone now and into the future.”
* Reforming Packaging Regulations Feedback Report (DCCEEW), March 2025
