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NSW Plastics Action Plan

Background to NSW Plastics Action Plan

What has happened so far

Cleaning Up Our Act: Redirecting the Future of Plastic in NSWThe discussion paper was open for submissions from 8 March to 8 May 2020.

In March 2020 we commenced consultation with the community, industry and key stakeholders on the Cleaning Up Our Act: Redirecting the Future of Plastic in NSW Discussion Paper.

The discussion paper asked for feedback on targets to:

  • phase out of key single-use plastics in NSW
  • triple the proportion of plastic we recycle in NSW across all sectors and streams by 2030
  • reduce plastic litter items by 25% by 2025
  • make NSW a leader in national and international research on plastics.

What we heard

Cleaning up our act - The future for waste and resource recovery in NSW (PDF 850Kb)There was generally strong support for the priorities we set out in the discussion paper, particularly in relation to the phasing out of single-use plastics.

We received over 16,000 submissions during the consultation period. Your feedback on the proposed targets and priority directions has helped to guide the actions in the NSW Plastics Action Plan. We also received some great constructive feedback from stakeholders and have incorporated these views into the action plan.

Where possible, we have tried to address issues such as national consistency, achievability of goals, the availability of alternative products, and the need to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders.

Recycling station
The NSW Return and Earn scheme is the largest litter reduction initiative in the country, successfully targeting one of the biggest source of litter, plastic bottles.