In a submission to a review of the laws, which closed on Friday, WWF-Australia said the states’ and territories’ failure to enforce the law had resulted in “a system characterised by free-riders, where brands can choose to voluntarily meet APCO targets or be governed by regulations that aren’t enforced”.
The organisation’s plastics campaigner, Katinka Day, said there needed to be penalties for companies that were not part of APCO.
“We cannot feel confident that Australia’s packaging targets will be met unless they are made mandatory to all companies putting packaging on the market,” she said.
A submission by the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR), representing 2,000 members including some state and local governments, said the review came at a “pivotal point” in Australia’s journey towards a circular economy.