Australia desperately needs supply chain regulation

As the peak association for the waste and resource recovery (WARR) industry in Australia, the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia, with over 2,300 active members nationally, can rightly state that we are at the front line of dealing with Australia’s unsustainable level of consumption and production. In reality, we have not seen any new action, and there has been limited new funding since 2021 to meet the national 2030 WARR targets.

Regrettably ‘waste’ and the cost of managing it, continues to be treated as a cost, and preferably a cost that someone else meets. The lack of real progress towards creating both an economy and environment where we use less for longer, and where genuine accountability for what is produced is placed on those that design and produce, is again being kicked down the road with little decisive, timebound actions from the most recent Environment Minister’s Meeting.

And whilst Australia has had some good news this week, with the national recycling rate increasing slightly to 66% in the most recent National Waste Data Report, let’s be clear that, despite what some believe, we cannot ‘recycle’ our way out of this climate challenge.

Australia desperately needs supply chain regulation, not rhetoric and lazy policy announcements. In addition to sustainable design requirements, we need to fast-track improved durability; eliminate hazardous chemicals; and use domestic recycled materials. Systems for re-use and repair are also essential if we are genuine about creating a net zero resource efficient economy that government claims to aspire to.

The obvious answer is a strong regulation not dissimilar to the European Union’s Waste Directives coupled with product stewardship regulation in Australia. This will be integral in not only lifting recovery rates to 80% in the next five years, but also improving design and establishing repair and re-use systems that are accessible and impactful.

Our next opportunity is the proposed review of the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020, which I hope everyone will think about contributing to. There is widespread agreement among many stakeholders that the Act must be strengthened through an effective regulatory framework.