National packaging / Soft Plastics - Update
National Packing Reforms
The Department of Climate Change Energy the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has released its consultation paper on proposals to strengthen the national packaging regulations. The department is seeking feedback on 3 options:
Option 1 – Strengthen administration of the current co-regulatory arrangement (i.e. the Australian Packaging Covenant supported by state & territory regulations)
Option 2 – National mandatory requirements for packaging
Option 3 – An extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging.
What you can do:
Read the consultation paper and make a submission by answering their survey: https://consult.dcceew.gov.au/reform-of-packaging-regulation
Send me your suggestions for inclusion in the Circular Plastics Illawarra submission
Support the Boomerang Alliance campaign – the environment group is advocating for Option 3 and a national producer-funded recycling scheme for soft plastics: https://www.cutthewrap.org.au/openletter
Submissions close on 28 October.
Soft plastics recycling updates
We’re continuing to see progress towards a national scheme for soft plastics recycling:
Collection:
The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) is rolling out more kerbside collection pilots to inform development of the industry-funded National Plastics Recycling Scheme (NPRS) for soft plastics. See more here: https://www.afgc.org.au/industry-resources/soft-plastic-recycling
The Queensland Government is funding additional collection pilots and also exploring options for local recycling: https://www.foodprocessing.com.au/content/sustainability/news/qld-soft-plastics-recycling-trial-1068133349
The Soft Plastics Taskforce, made up of the 3 major supermarkets (Woolworths, Coles & ALDI) is continuing to arrange for recycling of the REDcycle stockpile. The Taskforce is also running collection pilots in supermarkets in Melbourne and along the mid to north coast of NSW. See Woolworths’ media release here: https://cdn0.woolworths.media/content/content/redcycle-faqs.pdf
The Curby ‘bag in bin’ kerbside collection program is now operating in Tamworth, Newcastle, Central Coast and Mosman. More details here: https://www.curbyit.com/softplastics/
Shellharbour Council has approved a soft plastics collection trial (details to be announced)
Recycling:
Industry and government are continuing to co-invest in more mechanical and chemical recycling facilities for soft plastics. For a good wrap-up see this article from PKN News: https://www.packagingnews.com.au/sustainability/soft-plastics-how-are-we-tracking
IQ Renew’s Soft Plastic Engineers Commodity (SPEC) plant located in Taree, NSW, has capacity to process 15,000 tonnes of soft plastics, which makes it the largest dedicated facility for soft plastics recycling in Australia: https://iqrenew.com/spec-facility/