Plastic Waste

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Clean Up Australia has just released their 2022 National Rubbish Report. It reports that plastics account for 63% of the rubbish items removed from our parks, schools, bushland, creeks, beaches and roadways, indicating a 17% increase from 2021. Soft plastics rose by 7%, hard plastics by 5% and polystyrene by 5% compared to 2021, with single-use plastics such as plastic bottles, takeaway containers, food packaging and lids making up 25% of all reported rubbish.

The Clean Up Australia Report is a snapshot of the rubbish items volunteers have removed across 1,075 surveyed locations in Australia during 2022. Breaking down by location, 46% of all reported rubbish found nationally was in waterways including beaches, rivers and dive sites, followed by parks (14%) and bushland (13%). Plastic litter dominated all locations, with most found in school grounds (79%), bushland (74%) and parks (60%).

The report highlights the problems with our current approach to recycling. We need to do much more to REDUCE the amount of plastics that is available in our society. 

Woolworths

In welcome news, Woolworths is to phase out reusable shopping bags in Queensland and the ACT by the end of June. Woolworths have already phased out these bags in South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia. 

Paper bags will still be available to Woolworths customers who forget their own bags. It is pleasing to see that the price of these bags is 25 cents compared to 15 cents for the plastic bags. Hopefully, the increased price will also help persuade customers to remember to bring their own bags.

Coles

On the other hand, I was disappointed to read that Coles have abandoned their trial of reusable produce bags. I use reusable produce bags all the time when shopping for fruit and vegetables. Just as we have got used to shopping with reusable shopping bags, it is easy to use reusable produce bags. 

Coles have replaced the reusable produce bags with compostable bags. It is stated that these bags can be composted in home compost bins. However, I remain suspicious that this is the case. Generally, compostable bags can only be composted in industrial composters because of the higher temperatures that can be achieved. The ACT Government has considered banning plastic produce bags but has held off until FOGO is implemented in the ACT to allow food scraps in compostable bags to be placed in the green bins. This would result in compostable bags going into industrial composters.

Reducing Plastic Waste

Reducing the amount of plastic waste requires multiple approaches. Governments need to legislate to ban single use plastics. Each State Government is making slow progress on this. For example, the ACT Government has not implemented all of the bans they identified when they first starting banning single use plastics. I look forward to further announcements from the ACT Government in the coming months on what is to be banned from 1 July 2023.

Reducing plastic waste also requires action by retailers and manufacturers. The action being undertaken by Woolworths and Coles, described above, are examples of actions required by retailers and manufacturers. Much more action is required, starting with them taking responsibility for the materials used in their packaging. 

Finally, it also up to individuals to take action by using reusable produce bags, shopping at bulk food stalls and farmers markets using their own packaging containers. When buying online, buy from online shops that send their goods in packaging other than plastic. 

Cleanup Australia Day is on Sunday March 5, 2023



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