Community and industry feedback is being sought by the NSW government on new proposals to tackle plastic waste.
An action plan has been developed – NSW Plastics: The Way Forward – outlining strategies to reduce the impact of problematic plastics and promote more reusable and recyclable alternatives. The goal is to reduce plastic waste by 30% by 2025.
In 2022-23, NSW generated around 891,000 tonnes of plastic waste – almost 110 kilos per person. Only 14% was recycled.
Certain single-use plastics – including straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, unlidded bowls, cotton buds, as well as cups made from expanded polystyrene foam – have been phased out in NSW in recent years, resulting in a 77% reduction in the number of banned single-use plastics found in litter.
“But there are still too many takeaway food containers and plastic drink bottle lids strewn across our environment,” minister for the environment Penny Sharpe said.
Response to a discussion paper earlier in the year showed strong support for more action on plastic waste. That input has been fed into the action plan, which proposes:
- phasing out items where non-plastic alternatives already exist, like plastic lollipop sticks, pizza savers and plastic food tags for bread, bakery and pantry items
- introducing design standards for single-use plastic cups, food containers and their lids to ensure they are easily recyclable
- phasing out the supply of unnecessary plastic barrier bags
- bringing NSW into line with other states and phasing out the release of helium balloons as well as plastic balloon sticks, clips and ties
- requiring food service venues to accept reusable cups for hot and cold takeaway beverages
- phasing out food packaging made of foamed plastic, as in WA, including food trays, loose-fill packaging, and moulded or cut packaging.
If legislated, the proposals will bring NSW into line with other jurisdictions which have moved ahead of the state in regards to plastic waste management.
Overseen by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, the eight-week consultation period – which runs until 4 November – is open to businesses, industry, environmental groups, community members, and scientific and regulatory organisations.
“We’ve listened to the concerns of businesses and industry, as well as environment and community groups,” Sharpe said. “And now we’d like their feedback on the specific initiatives proposed in NSW Plastics: The Way Forward so we can take further action.”
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For years I have been lobbying various MPs about this problem. But I have been tackling it from the other end – the recycling and processing end.
I have in the past suggested that abandoned and mothballed government-owned bulk grain silo storage facilities dotted along our rail lines be repurposed and turned into recycling plants all across the state. These facilities built back in the 1960s are massive steel structures and are ideal for the purpose of receiving plastic waste, processing it and despatching the recycled bulk raw material to manufacturers via rail. All that is needed is a source of heat and water (hydrothermal processing) to break down plastic bottles made from PET into a viable resource. The end product can then be used to make everything from clothing to carpets and can even be used to make more efficient and lightweight engineering and building materials.
So, doesn’t it make sense to switch other plastic products, used to hold/store food, over to PET as well so they too can be more easily recycled in these facilities?
As for these massive repurposed silos located in country areas, which are located on the outskirts of dozens of small towns, hundreds of more local jobs will be created in the regions making the switch a win-win for everyone.
(PET is short for polyethylene terephthalate commonly referred to as “polyester”.)