YouGov research released today and conducted for the Australian Marine Conservation Society reveals a majority of Australians want the Federal Government to implement mandatory plastic waste and recycling laws to replace voluntary targets.
The Greens have campaigned for decades to overhaul Australia's waste and recycling laws, and in May introduced a Bill proposing a national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging. This followed an extensive Senate Inquiry into the matter that reported in 2025.
In line with many overseas jurisdictions the EPR scheme introduced by the Bill would place a direct and legally binding obligation on producers, importers or distributors of packaging for the end-of-life management of the packaging they place onto the Australian market. It would also see Australia's National Packaging Targets made mandatory and legally binding.
The Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste Bill) 2026 has been sent to inquiry and will hold its first public hearing in Sydney today.
As stated by Greens spokesperson for waste and recycling, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:
"Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing human health and the planet - and like most environmental problems, it is also a wicked political problem.
"Australia is not winning the war on waste, and the scourge of plastic continues to pollute our bodies, oceans and our environment.
"Across the past decade, the Greens have initiated and chaired three Senate inquiries to interrogate this critical matter of public interest. The deep frustration regarding the lack of government action to regulate the big plastic producers and make them responsible for the mess they make is palpable.
"To end the plastic waste crisis, we need to change the system that creates it - Australia desperately needs legislation and regulation that addresses plastic waste at the design stage instead of waiting for these harmful pollutants to be created, only to then work out how to manage and repurpose them.
"Successive federal governments have chosen to put the responsibility of waste reduction and recycling at the feet of consumers, rather than hold to account the big producers, brands, and retailers of plastic packaging and other waste that is polluting our planet.
"With both the packaging and recycling industry now backing a mandatory EPR scheme there are no more excuses for delay.
"In the absence of federal government leadership and action the Greens have introduced a Bill that would overhaul Australia's waste and recycling laws by establishing a national EPR scheme for packaging, and making Australia's National Packaging Targets mandatory and legally binding."
