The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) has launched the nation’s first National Plastics Plan, declaring war on cigarette butts, committing to plastic free beaches, and planning an end to polystyrene consumer packaging.
Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley said it was time to change the way Australia produced and consumed plastics, and for States, industry and consumers to work together for sustainable change.
“We know the problems, we know that there are good ideas out there, but this is the first national strategy, one that attacks the issue from all sides and which sets clear targets over the next decade,” Ms Ley said.
“Australians consume one million tonnes of single use plastic each year and it is simply unsustainable,” she said.
“From plastic bottles to polystyrene packaging and plastic consumer goods, we are creating mountains of pain for the environment and wasting potential assets that can be used to make new products.”
Ms Ley said some of the actions presented in DAWE’s Plan included a plastic free beaches initiative; new labelling guidelines to help consumers; ending polystyrene consumer packaging; greater consistency for kerbside bin collections; establishing a task force to address the plastics in littered cigarette butts; phasing in microplastic filters in washing machines; ensuring 100 per cent of all packaging was reusable, recyclable or compostable; as well as a plastics summit to focus on sustainable design.
“We want to work with companies, bring consumers with us and call out those companies which make false environmental claims about their products,” the Minister said.
The Department’s 12-page National Plastics Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.
