In June 2023, Australia’s environment ministers met in Sydney to plan for a nature-positive future. New legislation, slated for consultation in late 2023 tackles critical environmental challenges including shifting Australia towards a safer, more circular economy that minimises waste and pollution.
With just 12% of plastics recycled in Australia in the 2020-21 period, the new scheme will aim to ensure
packaging is designed to minimise waste and be recovered, reused, recycled, or reprocessed.
Ministers have agreed the waste and recycling reform will consider cross-jurisdictional collaboration, mandated obligations for packaging design based on international best practice and removal of contaminants, like PFAS “forever chemicals”, like PFAS, known as “forever chemicals”, from fibre-based food packaging. The action plan includes a guide on how to test for total organic fluorine (TOF), how to report on PFAS, and considerations for selecting packaging with alternative additives or barriers (including chemical alternatives and physical barrier approaches).
To prepare for packaging reform, businesses should start to prepare now. Putting packaging sustainability on the agenda can safeguard against any impact to future profitability, whilst leading to a reduction of waste even sooner. That’s great for your business, and the environment.
