Page 43 - Plastics News December 2020

Australia signs agreement to boost recycling Politicians and business leaders call for non-food
infrastructure in Tasmania plastic sachets ban in UK
he Government of Australia has reached an A$16m
T($11.7m) funding agreement to boost Tasmania's
recycling infrastructure. Environment Federal Minister
Sussan Ley and Tasmania Environment and Parks
Minister Roger Jaensch signed A$11m ($8m) joint
funding agreement between the Commonwealth and

P oliticians, business leaders and environmental
campaigners have come together to urge the UK
Government and the EU to ban non-food plastic
sachets. Organised by campaign group A Plastics Planet,
around 40 representatives have written an open letter
online to include plastic sachets in the single-use
plastics ban. The letter has received support from 22 UK
State Government. Additionally, minister Ley said cross-party politicians, including former environment
another A$5.5m ($4m) under the Morrison advisor to Theresa May, Lord Randall of Uxbridge, and
Government's $190m Recycling Modernisation Fund
former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.
(RMF) will be used to further develop the state's plastic
Additionally, European Parliament members including
recycling. Waste Reduction and Environmental
Margrete Auken, Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, Eleonora Evi,
Management Assistant Minister Trevor Evans said:
and Ivan Vilibor Sincic are supporting the letter. Iceland
“Tasmanians need to know that their waste is a
Foods' managing director Richard Walker, University
valuable product, not a problem that needs to be
College London professor Julia Stegemann from and Dr
solved or put into the ground. “Our Recycling
Modernisation Fund recognises that and will make sure Paul Butler from University of Exeter also joined to
that Tasmania reaps the benefits.” In July this year, the support. A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland
Government of Australia announced an A$190m was quoted by media sources as saying: “We've seen
($132m) commitment to a new RMF to boost recycling governments across the world crow about bans on
in the country and transform the waste industry. The single-use plastics, but the sample sachet is a huge
investment is expected to generate jobs and reduce piece of the pollution puzzle which every one of them is
pressure on the environment. It will also help grow the missing.“The hundreds of billions of sample sachets
state's resource recovery sector and create a circular pumped out by the personal and home care industries
economy. Ley said: “The Australian Government is each year are used to drive instant sales but will pollute
investing in infrastructure to drive a $1bn
the planet for centuries. With solutions readily
transformation of our waste and recycling capability.
available there is no excuse for inaction. Any ban on
“Investing in the latest recycling technology just
single-use plastics must cover sample sachets to stamp
makes sense as Australia moves towards becoming a
them out once and for all.” The experts in their letter
circular economy in which we shift the focus from
warned of having a trillion sachets by 2030. With 122
'take, make, use and dispose' to a more circular
billion plastic sachets every year, personal care
approach where we maintain the value of resources for
industry is one of the leading contributors.
as long as possible.”
DECEMBER 2020 43 Plastics News