This bill is currently before Parliament.
Government & democracy
Packaging manufacturers, importers and distributors would become responsible for their packaging from production through to reuse or disposal.
Peter Whish-Wilson (Australian Greens) said plastic use in Australia had more than doubled since 2000 while the recycling rate stayed unchanged. He said 2023-24 data showed about 14% of plastic was recovered and the remaining 86% was mainly sent to landfill. He warned plastic use could more than double again by 2050. He argued voluntary rules had failed and Australia needed one binding national system that made packaging businesses responsible for their waste.
Australia relied on voluntary or co-regulated packaging programs, but they repeatedly missed the National Packaging Targets, while the 2022 collapse of the REDcycle soft-plastics scheme exposed the risks of weak end-of-life arrangements and left recyclers facing growing pressure. After environment ministers agreed to reform packaging regulation in 2022, the Commonwealth took responsibility in November 2023 and consulted in October 2024, but delays continued; Senator Whish-Wilson Peter introduced this private bill in May 2026 to require a uniform scheme and make producers responsible for packaging waste.
The evidence pack contains no criticism from an opposing speaker or party. It records only Peter Whish-Wilson's Australian Greens speech supporting the bill before the debate was adjourned.
Senator Whish-Wilson Peter introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Greens.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
86 days
Updated 07 Aug 2026.
Meaning
Packaging manufacturers, importers and distributors would become responsible for their packaging from production through to reuse or disposal. The national scheme would start three months after the law begins.
Packaging producers would have to reduce packaging and new plastic use. Problem materials and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging would be banned or phased out.
Packaging sold or used in Australia would need to be reusable, recyclable or able to break down into compost by 2030.
Plastic packaging producers would face a 2030 target requiring 70% of plastic packaging to be recycled or composted.
Packaging producers would need at least 50% recycled material in all packaging by 2030. At least 30% must come from Australian recycling.
Shoppers would receive clear labels explaining packaging's environmental effects and how to dispose of it correctly.
The public would get regular reports on whether the scheme is working. The first review is due within three years, then reviews occur within each following five-year period.
responsible person, of a product (which, to avoid doubt, includes packaging), means a person who manufactures, imports or distributes the product for commercial purposes. scheme commencement day means the day after the end of the period of 3 months beginning on the day this section commences.Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) introduced text
(b) to ensure reductions in the use of packaging and virgin plastics; (c) to ensure materials and additives that impede recycling are, where appropriate, prohibited in, or phased out of, the manufacture of packaging; (d) to ensure packaging is manufactured in accordance with best‑practice standards relating to the eco‑design of the packaging; (e) to increase resource recovery and recycling rates and support the growth of the domestic Australian recycling industry, including by ensuring the following minimum targets in relation to packaging made, used or sold in Australia are met by 2030: (Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) introduced text
(e) to increase resource recovery and recycling rates and support the growth of the domestic Australian recycling industry, including by ensuring the following minimum targets in relation to packaging made, used or sold in Australia are met by 2030: (i) all packaging (whether or not plastic) must be reusable, recyclable or compostable;Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) introduced text
(e) to increase resource recovery and recycling rates and support the growth of the domestic Australian recycling industry, including by ensuring the following minimum targets in relation to packaging made, used or sold in Australia are met by 2030: (i) all packaging (whether or not plastic) must be reusable, recyclable or compostable; (ii) 70% of all plastic packaging must be recycled or composted;Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) introduced text
(e) to increase resource recovery and recycling rates and support the growth of the domestic Australian recycling industry, including by ensuring the following minimum targets in relation to packaging made, used or sold in Australia are met by 2030: (i) all packaging (whether or not plastic) must be reusable, recyclable or compostable; (ii) 70% of all plastic packaging must be recycled or composted; (iii) all packaging (whether or not plastic) must include at least 50% recycled content, including at least 30% Australian recycled content;Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) introduced text
(f) to ensure the labelling of packaged products include clear and accurate information about the environmental impacts and correct disposal of the packaging of the products; (g) to provide financial incentives for responsible persons of packaging to reduce packaging, and improve the eco‑design, of their packaging, such as by requiring the responsible persons to pay eco‑modulated fees calculated on the basis of the recyclability or manufactured quantity of their packaging; (h) to support ongoing consumer education and awareness of matters related to the scheme.Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) introduced text
8 Periodic review of extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging (1) The Minister must cause periodic reviews to be conducted of the operation of the extended producer responsibility scheme. (2) The first review must be completed before the end of 3 years starting on the day the scheme takes effect. (3) Each later review must be completed before the end of 5 years after the completion of the previous review. (4) The persons conducting each review must give the Minister a written report of the review. (5) The Minister must cause a copy of the report of each review to be tabled inExtended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) introduced text
Context
Australia relied on voluntary or co-regulated packaging programs, but they repeatedly missed the National Packaging Targets, while the 2022 collapse of the REDcycle soft-plastics scheme exposed the risks of weak end-of-life arrangements and left recyclers facing growing pressure. After environment ministers agreed to reform packaging regulation in 2022, the Commonwealth took responsibility in November 2023 and consulted in October 2024, but delays continued; Senator Whish-Wilson Peter introduced this private bill in May 2026 to require a uniform scheme and make producers responsible for packaging waste.
REDcycle scheme collapses
The popular soft-plastics collection scheme collapsed, leaving waste behind and highlighting the risks of relying on voluntary arrangements.
ABC News ↗Environment ministers agree to reform packaging regulation
Australia’s environment ministers agreed that packaging should be regulated in line with circular economy principles so it could be recovered, reused, recycled and reprocessed safely.
Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) explanatory memorandum ↗Commonwealth takes responsibility for packaging standards
Environment ministers agreed that the Australian Government would assume responsibility as the new regulator of packaging standards.
Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) explanatory memorandum ↗Government consults on packaging reform
The consultation examined preferred reform options, and its feedback was later used to shape the objectives of this bill.
Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) explanatory memorandum ↗Federal delays threaten domestic recyclers
The explanatory memorandum says continued inaction on packaging reform had become a direct and imminent threat to the viability of Australian domestic recyclers.
Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) explanatory memorandum ↗Senator Whish-Wilson Peter introduces the bill
Senator Whish-Wilson Peter introduced the private bill in the Senate to establish a mandatory national packaging responsibility scheme and make packaging targets binding.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Referred to Committee (14/05/2026): Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report due 06/08/2026
Report due 06 Aug 2026
APH bill page notesKey criticism
The evidence pack contains no criticism from an opposing speaker or party. It records only Peter Whish-Wilson's Australian Greens speech supporting the bill before the debate was adjourned.
Whish-Wilson argued that past voluntary arrangements had failed. He also said packaging, grocery and recycling organisations increasingly supported national binding rules.
Overlapping schemes and competition
If responsibilities are split across overlapping schemes, businesses could face duplicate levies, fragmented data systems and competing reporting requirements. The ACCC also found that exclusive processing contracts could restrict rival stewardship providers, prompting safeguards for transparency, independent oversight and market access.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Peter Whish-Wilson says the Greens support the bill because it would create a mandatory national packaging responsibility scheme and make recycling targets binding, while criticising the government for failing to lead on long overdue reform.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“The Greens are introducing this bill somewhat reluctantly—but also out of necessity in the absence of Commonwealth Government leadership and action. This Bill, titled the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste Bill) 2026, provides for the Government of the Commonwealth to establish a uniform national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging no later than 3 months after this Bill receives the Royal Assent. This EPR scheme would place a direct and legally binding obligation on producers, importers or distributors of packaging for the end-of-life management of the packaging they place onto the Australian market. The EPR scheme introduced by this Bill would also see Australia's National Packaging Targets made mandatory and legally binding.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Report due 06 Aug 2026
Referred to Committee (14 May 2026): Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report due 6 Aug 2026
APH bill page notes