Many Western Australians are concerned about the environmental impacts of plastic waste. Plastic waste affects marine life through ingestion and entanglement, is commonly littered and contaminates waste treatment facilities. Plastic waste can also impact terrestrial animals and can enter the human food chain, posing a risk to public health.
To address this problem the State Government is taking steps to reduce plastic pollution. So far we have banned the supply of lightweight plastic bags in 2018, instructed government agencies to stop buying all avoidable single-use plastic items such as plastic cups, straws, plates and cutlery and have begun work on the introduction of a container deposit scheme in 2020. Australian environment ministers are also working with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation towards a target of 100 per cent of Australian packaging to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025 or earlier.
We can do more and this paper invites you to let us know your view on additional measures to reduce single-use plastic.
