The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) has welcomed the NSW Government’s continued leadership on plastic reduction, product design and container recycling, while raising concerns about the lack of progress on national reforms.
WMRR Chief Executive Officer Gayle Sloan said the Plastic Reduction and Container Recycling Bill, tabled in New South Wales this week, represents a step forward in improving product design, strengthening stewardship and reducing problematic materials.
“NSW continues to demonstrate leadership through practical reforms that support a circular economy and improve outcomes for the waste and resource recovery sector,” Sloan said. “However, this progress also highlights a clear gap at the national level.”
Sloan said that despite commitments made in 2023 to regulate packaging design and introduce mandatory product stewardship, the Federal Government is yet to deliver the reforms needed to support the full packaging supply chain, including the waste and resource recovery industry.
“With Environment Ministers meeting this Friday in Canberra, the sector is calling for decisive national action on packaging reform that was committed to almost three years ago,” she said. “Industry has been clear – what we need is certainty, regulation, functioning markets and investment.”
WMRR warned that continued delays risk undermining existing infrastructure, eroding industry confidence and stalling Australia’s broader circular economy ambitions.
“Our industry has been left trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear – working with materials that were never designed to be recycled, without the regulatory backing needed to address the problem at its source,” Sloan said.
Despite some onshore investment, Australia still lacks the policy settings required to support it – particularly mandatory recycled content targets and clear design and labelling standards.
“To drive demand for locally collected recycled materials, action must start at the beginning of the plastics supply chain,” she said. “Mandatory product stewardship and strong design regulation, including requirements for Australian recycled content, are essential if we are serious about reducing waste, improving recycling outcomes and building a resilient domestic market.”
WMRR reaffirmed its commitment to working with all levels of government but stressed that the time for planning has passed.
“We are one country with a common market – national, mandatory action is essential,” Sloan said. “The sector stands ready to partner with government, but we need action, and we need it now.”