Curtin MP Kate Chaney has joined fellow independent MP Dr Sophie Scamps in calling for major reforms to Australia’s packaging regulations, arguing that plastic producers should bear greater responsibility for the pollution and waste created by their products.
The two teal MPs have released a joint policy paper describing Australia’s current packaging system as “failing”. At present, businesses can voluntarily participate in the Australian Packaging Covenant, administered by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, while state and territory governments are responsible for introducing their own rules under the National Environmental Protection Measure.
The voluntary model has failed to meet key environmental targets. The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation acknowledged last year that Australia would not achieve its goal of recycling 70 per cent of plastic packaging by 2025. Chaney and Scamps argue that the existing system places too much responsibility on households to sort, recycle and pay for the disposal of packaging waste, rather than holding manufacturers accountable.
Their central proposal is a nationally harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. Under this model, producers would be required to help fund and manage the environmental impact of the packaging they place on the market. The MPs also want harmful industrial chemicals to be phased out of plastics and greater investment directed towards research and innovation.
The proposed scheme would be established under the existing Waste Reduction Act. It would introduce binding national targets for reducing waste, increasing reuse and expanding recycled content. It would also create a producer-funded national system for collecting and recycling soft plastics.
The scheme would replace the current voluntary, co-regulatory approach and be overseen by either an existing national authority or a newly created regulator. Chaney and Scamps have urged the federal government to complete the regulatory changes by the end of the year.
Chaney said the government already had the legal authority needed to act and should move quickly to shift costs away from households.
“For too long, households have been left to pay for a mess they didn’t make – $70 to $95 a year in rates and levies just to manage packaging waste,” she said.
“A polluter-pays scheme would cost the average household 25 cents a week and finally put the responsibility where it belongs.”
The proposal comes as a separate Greens bill to establish an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging is being examined by the Senate’s Environment and Communications Legislation Committee. The committee is expected to report on August 6.
Chaney is also promoting public awareness of plastic pollution through a free screening of ocean advocate and filmmaker Kal Glanznig’s documentary, The Plastic Country. The screening will be held at Windsor Cinema on July 22 at 6pm.
A panel discussion will follow, featuring Glanznig, Plastic Free July founder Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and University of Western Australia Professor Michaela Lucas. Tickets are available here.