WMRR

Australian waste groups criticise delay on packaging reform

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.

Relevant to you? Yes No