The Boomerang Alliance has welcomed the tabling of a federal Greens bill for a national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme for Packaging, as further evidence of the deep frustration felt by all stakeholders about the lack of concrete action on packaging waste and the circular economy. 

“Over the last 25 years the co-regulatory scheme – effectively a voluntary scheme – aimed at reducing packaging waste and litter – has failed to deliver. Despite agreed 2025 targets, less than 20% of recyclable plastic packaging is recycled; less than 8% of plastic packaging contains recycled materials; there is no reuse strategy; and greenwash has proliferated. The Boomerang Alliance and a consortium of industry stakeholders that include APCO, ACOR, SPSA, WMRR and other peak groups have called for packaging reforms to be enacted in 2026 based upon producer responsibility and mandated targets for sustainable packaging,” said Jeff Angel, Director of the Boomerang Alliance of 56 NGOs. 

“The recycling industry has already warned the Commonwealth of a potential collapse of the plastic recycling industry without a mandatory EPR scheme and the fuel supply crisis also throws the need for a circular economy into stark light.” 

“The recent agreement by the country’s Environment Ministers to enact an Inter Governmental Agreement on the circular economy for packaging to ensure a national approach must advance quickly.” 

“In the Boomerang Alliance view this should include: 

• A legislated EPR scheme for Packaging that covers the whole life cycle of the products 

• Industry responsibility to deliver mandated targets to avoid/reduce, reuse, recycle and recycled content 

• Establishment of an industry-funded national soft plastics collection service • An EPR scheme based upon a circular economy approach for waste elimination and highest resource value,” Mr Angel said.