Australia to introduce regulations for waste management and harmful chemicals

On 9 June 2023, the Australian government announced that because of a historic agreement reached at a national summit of environment ministers, strict new government regulations governing packaging will soon be implemented to reduce waste and increase recycling. With the aid of these new regulations, packaging waste may be reduced while also being utilised in places where it can be recovered, reused, repurposed, or reprocessed. To limit the use of toxic chemicals in food packaging, the regulations will include required package design criteria and objectives, as well as requirements for recycled material. 

Manufacturers must now meet new design requirements and must prioritize waste reduction from the start of the packaging process. These guidelines will cover several factors, including the use of recycled materials. In addition, consumer health and environmental protection laws will be introduced to ensure the safe and sustainable use of chemicals in food packaging. 

Voluntary targets set by environment ministers in 2018 to be completed by 2025. The targets set in 2018 and the completion status of the targets can be seen in the table below. In addition, single-use plastic packaging, which is harmful and unnecessary, should no longer be used by 2025.   

The pledge follows a report from the Australian Packaging Organization (APCO) published on April 20, which concluded the nation was not on target to meet its public packaging targets by 2025 and called for clearer guidance.