The Australian Government is planning to ensure that 100% of packaging in the country will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 or earlier as part of the 2025 national packaging targets.
Image: Australia plans to have 100% recyclable packaging by 2025. Photo: courtesy of andhu at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Australia Minister for the Environment Melissa Price joined leaders from packaging, retail, logistics, manufacturing, recycling and waste management businesses in a commitment to better manage packaging waste.
The national packaging targets also include 70% of the country’s plastic packaging will be recycled or composted by 2025; 30% average recycled content to be included across all packaging by 2025.
Plans also include phasing out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging through design, innovation or introduction of alternatives.
Minister Price also launched the Australasian Recycling Label as a tool to achieve the 2025 National Packaging Targets.
Planet Ark, PREP Design and the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) developed the new labelling system to help consumers better understand how to recycle packaging.
The new evidence-based system is designed to combat confusion about recycling and decrease the levels of contamination in the waste stream with over 200 recycling labels currently being utilized in Australian packaging.
Minister Price said: “The Australasian Recycling Label provides people with easy to understand recycling information when they need it most, in those few seconds when they are deciding what bin the package goes in. The label removes confusion and reduces waste.”
Over 50 Australian businesses have so far committed to the program, with the label now being used by brands such as Woolworths, Officeworks, Nestlé, Blackmores, Australia Post, Unilever and Plantic.
The APCO members have committed to the design, manufacture and use of packaging to ensure recyclable packaging. The Australasian Recycling Label will now help people correctly dispose of that packaging.
APCO will lead the collaborative effort to deliver on the 2025 commitment and, along with Planet Ark and PREP Design, will also play a key role in the delivery of the Australasian Recycling Label.
APCO is working with governments and industry to deliver a range of sustainable design, recycling, waste to landfill reduction and circular economy projects.