The New South Wales government has dropped two reuse measures from its Plastics Plan 2.0, abandoning a requirement for cafes to offer mugs or glasses to dine-in customers and a mandate for large foodservice businesses to offer reusable takeaway cups from 2030. Requirements to accept customers' own clean reusable cups from January 2028 and for single-use takeaway coffee cups to be recyclable from 2028 remain in place. The NSW EPA said on 28 October 2026 it would not enforce the new reuse-scheme obligation under the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021, drawing criticism from three environment groups.
Why this mattersA reversal of a mandated reuse-system obligation for foodservice packaging removes a near-term demand driver for reusable cup systems and keeps disposable recyclable cups as the compliance default.
- NSW government announced the reversal on 28 October 2026, days after Parliament passed the reforms.
- Cafes will no longer be required to offer mugs or glasses to dine-in customers from 2028.
- Large foodservice businesses will no longer be required to offer reusable takeaway cups through reuse systems from 2030.
- NSW EPA will not enforce new section 34C of the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021.
- Retained: requirement to accept customers' clean reusable cups from January 2028, and recyclability requirement for single-use takeaway coffee cups from 2028.
- Boomerang Alliance, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and Clean Up Australia jointly criticised the decision on 28 October 2026.
- NSW EPA confirmed implementation of the government's decision not to proceed with mandatory reusable cup schemes for cafes and retailers
- From 2030 businesses must use recyclable takeaway cups, with no reusable cup provision requirement
Australia's Environment Ministers have again identified packaging reform as an urgent priority but stopped short of setting firm deadlines, prompting criticism from waste industry groups. WMRR and the Boomerang Alliance, a coalition of 56 NGOs, said the new Circular Economy Roadmap repeats years-old commitments and called instead for a mandatory national extended producer responsibility scheme covering collection, recycling and recycled-content targets for packaging.
Why this mattersContinued policy delay leaves Australian packaging producers and brand owners without clarity on future mandatory EPR obligations, complicating investment and compliance planning.
- Australia's Environment Ministers issued a new Circular Economy Roadmap after their latest meeting without firm deadlines for packaging reform.
- WMRR said the roadmap largely repeats ambitions from Australia's four-year-old Circular Economy Framework.
- Boomerang Alliance, representing 56 NGOs, called for mandatory extended producer responsibility for packaging, including collection, recycling, recycled-content and reuse targets.
- Boomerang Alliance separately called for an immediate producer-funded collection service for soft plastics.
- NSW is proceeding separately with mandatory battery stewardship and plans to finalise mandatory solar panel regulation by the end of 2026.
Australia's environment ministers agreed on 18 September 2026 that packaging reform is an urgent priority, naming soft plastics, battery stewardship and solar panels as initial focus areas under the Circular Economy Roadmap. The communique sets no timetable, no mandatory extended producer responsibility scheme and no recycled-content or collection targets, with officials to report back at a future, undated meeting. Industry reaction split, with Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia welcoming the focus while Boomerang Alliance and WMRR criticised the lack of concrete commitments.
Why this mattersContinued delay to mandatory EPR or design rules leaves Australian packaging producers and recyclers without regulatory certainty for investment planning.
- The Environment Ministers Meeting communique of 18 September 2026 names soft plastics, battery stewardship and solar panels as initial harmonisation priorities under the National Competition Policy.
- The communique sets no timetable, no mandatory extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging and no collection, recycling, recycled-content or reuse targets.
- No date is set for the next Environment Ministers Meeting, at which officials are to report back.
- Ministers agreed packaging must be significantly reduced and designed for recycling, with design standards forming part of reform.
- The federal government confirmed earlier in September 2026 that it will not introduce a new Commonwealth packaging scheme this term.
- NSW has implemented mandatory battery stewardship and intends to finalise mandatory solar panel regulation by the end of 2026, according to WMRR.
A cross-sector open letter coordinated by One Planet Consulting and backed by Boomerang Alliance, Australian Industry Group and others has asked federal and state ministers to use the Environment Ministers Meeting on 18 September 2026 to confirm principles and a national pathway for regulated extended producer responsibility schemes. It sets out eight actions, including mandatory national EPR for priority products under the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020, the National EPA as regulator, and schemes potentially beginning from mid-2027. The scope covers packaging, plastics, batteries, mattresses, tyres, flooring, clothing and solar photovoltaic products, and the letter remains open for further signatures.
Why this mattersA mandatory national EPR framework would move packaging end-of-life costs onto producers and importers and replace the present patchwork of voluntary and state arrangements.
- The letter asks ministers to reflect eight actions in the communique of the Environment Ministers Meeting on 18 September 2026
- It calls on the federal government to use the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020 to establish mandatory national EPR schemes for priority products
- It identifies the National EPA as the appropriate regulator for EPR schemes, producer responsibility organisations and obligated producers
- It says schemes could begin from mid-2027, with impact statements and tenders initiated within the next three to six months
- Signatories include One Planet Consulting, Boomerang Alliance, Australian Industry Group, Charitable Reuse Australia, GECA and the Municipal Association of Victoria
- The scope spans packaging, plastics, batteries, mattresses, tyres, flooring, clothing and solar photovoltaic products, with more than 20 international EPR systems cited as precedent
