Photo: Items we collected on Clean Up Australia Day on the Sunshine Coast

The Australian Federal Government is finally hearing our voices and stepping up to make a difference. They've announced their first National Plastics Plan that sets clear targets over the next 10 years to reduce unnecessary plastics and improve our recycling processes.

The 5 main actions inside the 2021 National Plastics Plan:

1. Prevention

Addressing plastics at the source! This includes phasing out products that claim to be 'compostable or biodegradable' but do not meet the relevant standards, eliminating polystyrene packaging fill, takeaway containers, and PVC packaging labels.

They also want to implement a plastic-free beaches initiative, work towards better product packaging, and shift to higher-value (easier to recycle) plastics. Their goal is to phase out unnecessary plastics and for 100% of packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.

2. Recycling 

The government has implemented a waste export ban, they are investing in Australia's own recycling industry, and identifying processes to help recycling in remote areas.

3. Consumer Education

They'll work with industry to boost the use of the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL), knuckle down on greenwashing, create an app that helps consumers understand if a product is recyclable (we are sooo excited about this one), and improve the container deposit scheme!

4. Oceans & Waterways

This is a big one, they will participate in a new global agreement to prevent marine pollution, implement microplastic filters for washing machines, develop initiatives to reduce cigarette butt litter, prevent plastics in stormwater drains and so much more! Read more here.

5. Research

They are investing in new technologies that track how plastic flows through our economy and ways to recycle it.

Who else is excited about this plan?! We know the Aus Government still has to step up in other areas to fight climate change, however it gives us hope to see them acknowledge plastic in a major way!

Send this to a fellow planet lover!

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Sources: 

1. environment.gov.au/