Non-Packaging Plastics Stewardship

National Non-Packaging Agricultural Plastics Stewardship Scheme

This scheme is one of 20 funded under the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund and a key initiative of the National Waste Policy Action Plan. The project aims to develop an agricultural plastics stewardship scheme outline for non-packaging plastic waste, facilitating and incentivising a viable market to recycle agricultural plastics. It will not however establish a product stewardship scheme for the agricultural (& horticultural) sector. EPR Enviro are engaged by lead consultants, RMCG, as plastics and product stewardship experts for the project. EPR Enviro have audited existing and projected Australian mechanical & advanced recyclers; analysed the potential barriers and opportunities for key scheme stakeholders; designed and implemented field trials and will be involved in the final analysis and scheme design. A comprehensive review and field visit of collection sites (Quebec Province) with the Canadian Agricultural EPR scheme CleanFarms was undertaken in 2022.

When the project concludes in March 2023, a set of recommendations will be submitted to the Federal Government, with full system modelling and a proposed scheme design.