AFGC backs Government Plans to Increase Recycling
The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) welcomes the Federal Government’s Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020 announced today that will increase onshore recycling, increase the availability of recycled packaging and create local jobs.
Australian Food and Grocery Council Acting CEO, Dr Geoffrey Annison said that the sector overwhelmingly supports the leadership shown by the Federal Government to address the key issues outlined in the Bill.
“Our sector welcomes this Bill as a significant leap in the right direction to reduce waste, increase access to high quality packaging with high levels of recycled content for Australia’s manufacturers and expand domestic recycling industries.
“The Bill balances the needs and responsibilities of all industry sectors to collaborate and improve their management of end-of-life material recovery and recycling. It also provides industry with greater certainty to underpin investment confidence for industry.
“By all sectors of industry collaborating, packaging previously exported for processing and remanufacturing will soon be value-added onshore increasing the availability of high-quality recycled packaging that complies with stringent food safety regulations. Increasing the availability of local recycled packaging not only creates local jobs in many industry sectors, it also assists brand owners deliver the National Packaging Targets and creates a circular economy,” Dr Annison said.
The Australian food and grocery sector remains committed to the 2025 National Packaging Targets,
- Make all packaging 100 per cent recyclable, re-usable or compostable;
- 70 per cent of plastic packaging is recycled or compostable;
- 50 per cent average recycled content in packaging;
- Problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics packaging phased out.
“With Federal and State Government support of industry commitments and investments in recycling infrastructure, the current shortage of high quality food grade packaging containing recycled content can become an issue of the past as we move towards a circular economy, where packaging is valued as a resource, trust is restored in the recycling system and local employment is strengthened.”
AFGC member companies continue to collaborate with all stakeholders represented in the packaging supply-chain with commitments, collaborations and investments and will continue to work closely with the Government to ensure the National Waste Policy Action Plans are delivered.
“While Australia’s food, beverage and grocery manufacturing sector has been making advancements in this space with private investments and initiatives, this Bill helps to bring clarity and confidence to the sector – we congratulate the Federal Government,” said Dr Annison.