The NSW Government has launched the paper ‘NSW Plastics: Next Steps’, seeking feedback on how NSW can take further action to tackle problematic or unnecessary plastics.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority is seeking feedback from the community and stakeholders on the proposals in the paper to address items that:
- are frequently littered.
- release microplastics into the environment.
- contain harmful chemical additives.
- are currently or are proposed to be regulated in other states and territories.
You can find a copy of the paper ‘NSW Plastics: Next Steps’ and further information including how to provide feedback at https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au/plastics-paper. On that page, you will find translations of the paper in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Korean and Vietnamese.
Consultation is open until 4 February 2024
NSW generates 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year, and only 12% of it is recycled. Plastic is an important part of many products we rely on – from life-saving medical supplies to consumer goods like clothing and electronics – but not all plastic and plastic items are needed.
In 2022 there was a ban on the supply of some problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics, but more needs to be done.
We encourage you to provide your feedback on the proposals in the paper and any other items you think should be considered for future phase outs. We look forward to hearing your views and working with you to create a future with less plastic, together.