Sustainability

Huskee’s reusable cup system, Borrow, is now the default for coffee at Carriageworks Farmers Market, replacing single-use takeaway cups across three Sydney vendors.

By combining packaging innovation with in-house automation expertise, Opal has engineered a paper-based punnet and custom de-nester, making fibre a viable alternative to plastic at national retail scale.

BioPak and Everest are rolling out FSC-certified paper ice cream cups and an integrated spoon-in-lid design across Australia, replacing plastic packaging for the 110ml serve.

Amcor’s 5.5 litre SuperLift Extra and 5.8 litre SuperFlex industrial containers, made at its Pamplona, Spain facility, are UN certified and contain 50 per cent post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic.

Amcor has invested in a new production line at its Flexibles site in Lugo di Vicenza, Italy, expanding production of high-barrier recycle-ready films used in flexible packaging.

Visy is introducing an Australian-made Paper Bubble wrap, designed for storing, moving or shipping items and which can be recycled through Australian kerbside recycling bins.

Queensland is trialling paper bottles for selected wines and spirits at Suncorp Stadium during the 2025‑26 concert season, including shows by Lady Gaga, ACDC, Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Ed Sheeran.

EPA Victoria has warned companies that fail to demonstrate how they are reducing packaging waste risk significant financial penalties, as it intensifies enforcement of reporting obligations.

Opal Packaging Plus has partnered with Phantm to develop a future-ready packaging data asset designed to strengthen reporting and compliance through improved packaging data management.

Viva Energy Australia has secured international certification at its Geelong refinery to produce advanced recycled plastics, strengthening Australia’s circular supply chain for food-grade packaging.

The INC has elected Ambassador Julio Cordano of Chile as its new chair, as the process to develop a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution enters its next phase.

Now that a new chair has been elected to lead the Global Plastics Treaty process, attention is turning to whether negotiations can be reset to unlock progress. A growing body of independent research suggests procedural reform is key.

Amcor and French organic snack producer Alter Eco have introduced a recyclable, paper-based and reduced-weight packaging solution for Alter Eco’s 200-gram chocolate bars.

Amcor has joined a major city-scale reusable packaging pilot launching in Ottawa in 2026, as global brands and retailers test whether reuse systems can operate at scale alongside existing recycling pathways.

Four recycling projects in Victoria are progressing with funding already secured under the Recycling Modernisation Fund, as a new funding round opens to support additional plastics recycling projects.

Bettercup will deliver offsite washing services for thousands of cups and dishes to replace single-use items at selected outlets at Garden Square during the Australian Open.