On the eve of the state and federal environment ministers meeting (10 December), a new YouGov poll just released shows strong demand from Australians for government to act against the rising tide of packaging waste.
The online survey was conducted from 21 November to 4 December among 1783 Australians of voting age (18+) and, according to You Gov, is representative of all Australians by age, gender, education, location and past vote.
Key findings of the survey:
1. 85% of Australians expressed concern about plastic waste pollution in Australia.
2. 73% of Australians demand new packaging laws that shift the costs of collecting and recycling packaging waste from taxpayers to producers
3. The fast tracking of soft plastic collections is a top priority for Australians, with 88% supporting the reinstatement of soft plastic collections, funded by packaging producers.
Commenting on the survey results, Jeff Angel, director of the Boomerang Alliance of 55 green NGOs, said: “Unless the ministers act, they will be seen to be ignoring the tide of public opinion wanting reform of packaging laws to reduce waste, litter and the cost burden of council waste levies on ordinary ratepayers.”
Angel said it’s clear that Australia needs to move to a “forceful regulated scheme that enacts producer responsibility for funding and supporting packaging reductions, redesign, use of recycled content and a comprehensive collection system.”
He emphasised that this should not be delayed until after the Federal Election.
Angel noted that the Commonwealth Government had committed to have reforms in place by 2025 but is now “on the verge of breaking a key environmental promise”.
“Every piece of excess or polluting packaging will remind voters that the government hasn’t enacted significant change to the plastic poisoning our environment and ourselves,’’ he said.
The Boomerang Alliance has developed a stewardship model packaging framework including guidelines for a best-practice scheme to inform the proposed Commonwealth packaging scheme. The scheme includes guidelines and principles for packaging and circular economy arrangements. www.cutthewrap.org.au/resources
