The Victorian government has offered over $13 million to 22 regional councils in light of recent stoppages to kerbside recycling. This follows Planet Ark’s recent position statement on the challenges and opportunities facing the Australian recycling industry due to China’s recycling import restrictions. The funding only covers councils in the short term, with the goal of getting them to renegotiate contracts with new or existing waste service providers. Planet Ark supports this measure and hopes that it will be followed by longer-term strategies that encourage more domestic recycling and manufacturing using recycled materials. Planet Ark is also working with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation and PREP Design to make the Australiasian Recycling Label, which gives consumers simple information on how to recycle what they buy. These goals aren’t pipe dreams either - there are already companies which process kerbside recycling onshore. Combined with government mandates for recycled content in products, Australia could both create jobs and promote a more circular economy.

Positive Action

Follow our Golden Rules of Recycling to cut back on recycling contamination at home Encourage your preferred manufacturers and supermarkets to use the Australasian Recycling Label
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Positive Environment News has been compiled using publicly available information. Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.