This National Recycling Week is an opportunity for all Australians to consider how we can waste less, reuse more, and ultimately, keep more waste out of landfill.
The Albanese Government has a clear goal of doubling Australia's circularity by 2035, and reducing waste and improving reuse and repair is critical to achieving this.
The latest data shows that the total amount of waste Australians recycled and reused has increased by 5.6 per cent nationally - a 2.8 per cent increase per person.
Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt said National Recycling Week is a great reminder for all of us to familiarise ourselves with local recycling guidelines and challenge ourselves to continue to improve our recycling habits.
"We can all take the time to consider how we can reuse, regift, repair or recycle our waste and help our environment," Minister Watt said.
"Since the Albanese Government launched Australia's Circular Economy Framework last December, we've seen strong momentum across governments, industry and communities.
"We're working with state and territory governments to drive this - including cutting waste, boosting resource recovery, and reforming packaging regulations, particularly for soft plastics, to create a more sustainable future.
"We're also increasing Australia's recycling capacity by more than 1.4 million tonnes per year through our Government's Recycling Modernisation Fund.
"The Albanese Government has invested $200 million towards the Fund, and in total it has now attracted $1 billion of investment in recycling infrastructure, with contributions from states, territories and industry.
"More than 60 new and upgraded recycling infrastructure projects have now been completed under the Fund, with more than 60 more projects in the pipeline.
"These new projects are turning crushed glass into asphalt for transport projects, reusing plastic bottles for the next generation of food packaging, and taking old tyres and adding them to bitumen for our roads.
"From households, to businesses, to governments - we can all contribute to a cleaner, greener and more circular future."
