Single-use plastics are to be phased out, and green bins for food and organic waste rolled out under the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s (DPIE) comprehensive plastics plan and waste strategy.
Minister for the Environment, Matt Kean said DPIE’s NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 and NSW Plastics Action Plan aimed to protect the environment and promote recycling.
“We must reduce the plastics ending up in the environment because we are on track to see more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050,” Mr Kean said.
“The single-use items we are phasing-out will stop an estimated 2.7 billion items of plastic litter from ending up in our environment and waterways over the next 20 years,” he said.
“We can’t keep sending our scraps to languish in landfill when there are huge opportunities to turn our trash into treasure.”
Mr Kean said that under the Plan, every household in NSW would have access to a separate bin for their food and organic waste for the first time.
The Minister said the bins would help the State achieve its goal of zero emissions from organics in landfill by 2030 and grow the economy by extracting more resources, like biogas, from waste.
“In addition, we will lead by example and help stimulate new markets for sustainable products by adopting an ‘if not, why not’ approach to the use of recycled materials in government procurement,” he said.
Mr Kean said exemptions to the plastics bans would be available for members of the community who relied on particular single-use plastics for disability or health needs.
He said DPIE would also rollout a State-wide education campaign to provide households with clear information on the new waste programs and how to properly dispose of their food and organic waste.
Mr Kean said consultation on, and the introduction of, necessary legislation and regulations to deliver the Plan and Strategy would commence in the coming months.
DPIE’s 43-page Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link and its 13-page Action Plan at this link.
