Page 28 - Plastics News December 2021

FEATURE

recycling uptake, particularly among Angel said the report was a “shocking being transparent but that must mean
soft plastics. About 4% of soft plastics, indictment” of the voluntary nature they join with us to craft an effective
commonly used for food packaging, of Australia’s recycling targets and regulatory response now, rather than
were being recycled in Australia despite mandatory targets were needed to reach wait till 2025.”
it being the most lethal consumer plastic the 70% plastic-packaging recycling goal. Apco chief executive Brooke Donnelly
for ocean wildlife. ‘’The bright spots on banning single-use said the report showed that if Australia
“There’s simply not enough demand for plastic items and accelerating recovery was to achieve its 2025 national packaging
recycled plastic because virgin plastic is of drink containers under container targets, “we all need to do more and the
cheaper and easier to obtain,” Cucow deposit schemes are the direct result of time to act is now”.
said. legislation, not APC action,” he said.
“We have seen fantastic progress so
“It’s time for the Australian government “The report repeats more of the same far towards the targets, but … the gaps
to level the playing field with a levy on mantra about voluntary action to develop identified in the report require significant
virgin plastic and mandated targets for more plans, encourage investment and attention and we need to see a wholesale
recycled content. collective action. These are just words. collaborative effort from actors across
Government needs to step in to stop the supply chain,” she said.
“It’s also high time all the big product
manufacturers took responsibility for the waste, protect the environment and “It’s absolutely critical that businesses
the environmental devastation their get the packaging industry on the path to across every industry sector engage
packaging is causing … Australia is quick results. “The packaging covenant with this report and discuss within their
drowning in a sea of plastic.” has missed too many goals and should organisations how they will work to
not be given another chance. We’ll give
Boomerang Alliance director Jeff them credit for admitting failure and address these gaps.”

Informal Sector Helps recovery facilities in cities.Further, the of last resort are uplifted and moved
The informal sector plays an important collection and recycling of waste in to formal work.Segregation of waste
role in the management of plastics. India is mostly governed by energy and at source is an important factor that
The recycling rate of plastics in India is economic linkages, thus leading to non- can help improve material recovery and
expected to be around 60 per cent, though collection of low-value plastics like low recycling rates. Once waste is primarily
94 per cent of plastics that we use are of density-poly ethylene (LDPE) bags or sorted at source into dry, wet and
thermoset category and can be recycled. even multilayer plastic packagings. Thus, hazardous categories, it provides ample
It is important that ULBs integrate collection of such low-value items will opportunity to recover plastics from dry
these informal sector workers, increase have to be supported through financial waste at material-recovery facilities. Thus,
their capacities through training and models which are sustainable (like the citizen participation and engagement in
workshops and provide more material Extended Producer Responsibility or managing plastics are equally important.
deposit refund schemes) to make their With waste management hierarchy
collection and recycling feasible.This in minds, citizens should be engaged
will not only help cities manage waste through NGOs, formulated self-help
efficiently but will also uplift their social groups of informal workers and market
and economic fabric. ULBs should associations to reduce waste as much as
also link these informal sector workers possible. People should be asked to use
through government schemes for health reusable items and initiate models which
insurance and life policies to provide a allow up-cycling of waste items for better
sense of safety and security among these use. This will help reduce plastic waste
workers. from urban local bodies, as well as curb

ULBs should link these informal workers the value for waste among the citizens.
into formal chains through waste Once waste is segregated, it will help
management concessionaires, self-help cities bring in entrepreneurs who can
groups or non-government organisations help citizens manage discarded plastics
(NGOs) and assure that these workers as a resource.

28 PLASTICS NEWS DECEMBER 2021