The Future of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme in Australia

This article was contributed by AWEN Packaging Consulting.

This week, our Director Renata Daudt had the privilege of participating in one of the most high-profile sustainability conversations of the year: the Recycling Roundtable, hosted by Tory Maguire, Managing Director at Nine, in partnership with Visy’s Chairman Anthony Pratt.

The roundtable brought together the Hon. Senator Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water, alongside the CEOs of some of Australia’s largest manufacturers and brand owners, including:

• Martin Brown from Nestlé
• Nick Bangs from Unilever
• George Zoghbi from Arnott’s Group
• Amanda Sellers from Asahi Beverages
• Laura Keith from PepsiCo
• Lisa Rippon Lee from The Coca-Cola Company
• Geoff Erby from Refresco
• Malcolm Carseldine from Lactalis Group
• John McLean from Bundaberg Brewed Drinks
• Justin Merrel from Lion Beverages
• Jerome Drolet from Kraft Heiz Company
• Mark de Wit from Visy

Recycling in Crisis: Why Action Can’t Wait

One of the main messages echoed across the room was clear: Australia’s recycling system is under pressure, and national reform is urgently needed.

Industry leaders expressed strong concern about the growing contamination rates in kerbside recycling, which are significantly undermining the effectiveness of the system. Contamination drives up processing costs and keeps recycled content expensive and hard to secure, particularly for plastics.

As stated in the roundtable the Visy CEO Mark De Wit is calling for a fourth household bin to be introduced nationally, used specifically for glass, since he main contaminantes in the paper recycling stream is soft plastic and glass. This would reduce contamination, improve material recovery, and lower downstream costs for brand owners.

More Collection Points, Better Systems

Another key area of concern was the limited number of Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) collection points. Although the CDS has been instrumental in improving recovery for beverage containers, many regions still lack accessible and convenient drop-off locations. Expanding CDS infrastructure could lead to a significant boost in participation rates and volume recovered.

Some participants also raised the potential need for penalties or stricter rules for households that consistently misuse kerbside bins, contributing to contamination and non-recyclable waste streams.

A National Solution Must Come First

A strong consensus emerged around the need for a nationally harmonised kerbside recycling system. Australia’s current patchwork of state-based recycling rules is not only confusing for consumers—it also makes it difficult for businesses to invest confidently in sustainable packaging design and recovery infrastructure.

Before introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging—a policy tool where producers are responsible for the lifecycle impacts of their products—we need to ensure that every household in Australia has access to consistent, reliable, and standardised recycling services.

As Renata noted at the roundtable, packaging design can only be truly circular if the systems to recover it are in place. The burden cannot lie solely with brand owners; system-wide alignment is essential.

Leading by Innovation: Visy’s Progress in Recycled Content

Despite the challenges, the roundtable also celebrated some inspiring progress in innovation and manufacturing. Visy shared exciting updates on their ability to now produce:

• PET bottles containing up to 70% recycled content
• Aluminium cans made with 83% recycled content

These are major milestones for Australian manufacturing and offer a clear path forward for companies looking to increase their use of recycled materials without compromising performance.

These innovations also support domestic circular economies, reducing our reliance on virgin materials and the carbon footprint associated with imported packaging substrates.

Moving Forward: Collaboration is Key

The Visy Recycling Roundtable demonstrated that when government, industry, and material recovery operators come together, meaningful conversations—and solutions—can emerge.

There was a shared understanding that packaging policy must be pragmatic and collaborative, and that the circular economy cannot be achieved in silos.

At AWEN Consulting, we are proud to contribute to these national conversations, helping clients navigate APCO requirements, EPR preparedness, material selection, and sustainable packaging innovation.

Senator Murray Watt actively listened to the concerns and recommendations raised during the roundtable and committed to bringing these insights back to the Federal Government as part of the ongoing development of the National Packaging Regulation.

What’s next?

Renata’s participation in the roundtable reaffirms our belief that sustainability is a shared responsibility, and that building the infrastructure for effective, equitable recycling in Australia will require policy reform, investment in infrastructure, and ongoing collaboration between all stakeholders in the packaging value chain.

We thank Visy and Nine for the opportunity to be part of such a timely and relevant conversation, and we look forward to continuing to support businesses in making packaging decisions that are not only compliant—but truly circular.

Need help preparing for EPR, improving packaging recyclability, or understanding policy impacts on your business?

Let’s talk—AWEN Consulting is here to help you build your sustainable packaging strategy.

---

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.