In early March 2021, the Australian government unveiled the National Plastics Plan [1], vowing to reduce the effects of plastics on the environment in the country.
Basically, the Plan is designed to achieve three goals, including:
Ø reduce plastic waste and increase recycling rates;
Ø find alternatives to the plastics that are not needed; and
Ø reduce the amount of plastics impacting the environment
According to the Plan, actions will be taken on five fronts, including prevention, recycling, consumer education, addressing plastics in oceans and waterways, and research.
As for prevention, the Australian government specified that it will address the plastics problem at the source by reducing the use of “problematic and unnecessary plastics”. For instance, plastic products with additive fragmentable technology that do not meet relevant compostable standards will be phased out by July 2022.
To advance recycling initiatives, Australia has brought in a slate of legislations to ensure that the country takes responsibility for its plastic waste, and is committed to ensuring that its annual recycling capacity will more than double by 2025. The government will also urge industry to take greater responsibility for the materials it produces.
Efforts will also be made to intensify community education, increase investment in relevant research and reduce littered plastics and microplastics leaking into the ocean and waterways.
All stakeholders, including government, industry and community, are expected to be deeply engaged in the Plan to enable the country to meet the plastic challenge.
