Australia plans to make recycled plastic packaging mandatory as beaches drown in trash

An environmental group and indigenous rangers who have removed tonnes of rubbish from remote beaches in Australia’s north are calling on the federal government to do more to stop plastic production.

Marcus Mungal Lacey, general manager and ranger of Gumurr Marthakal, was dismayed to see winds blowing trash onto the beaches of his remote home on Elcho Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land.

“Plastic, rubber, foam, big buoys, bumpers, tires, we even found a plastic leg, it was a little scary,” he said.

“Of the turtles that we found dead on the beach, we see the plastic inside the intestine, it’s the same with fish, and the birds have swallowed lighters, strings and especially bottle lids of beverage.”

Marcus Mungula Lacey says residents would like more efforts to reduce plastic production.(ABC News: Jane Bardon)

He is particularly concerned that fish are consuming increasing amounts of microplastics.

“Any human being who relies on a natural source of food from the coastline is going to be affected by this,” Mr Lacey said.

He wants the Commonwealth to do more to prevent plastic pollution.

“The sad thing is this is going to continue,” he said.

“All government departments should be looking at what is happening on our shores.”

Rangers were heartened to receive help from environmental group Sea Shepherd, with volunteers collecting seven tonnes of plastic in a week.

“A big thank you to the Sea Shepherd crew who came to help us, because it’s a big job for our nine rangers, and it’s a long beach,” said ranger coordinator William Campbell.

Sea Shepherd debris campaigner Grahame Lloyd organizes several of these cleanups each year with ranger groups from the NT and Queensland.

“The beaches are totally littered with plastic, and this amounts to an average of one to two tonnes per kilometer,” he said.

“About 25 percent is fishing gear, 25 percent is water bottles and the rest is consumer plastic.”

Sea Shepherd litter campaigner Grahame Lloyd said he would like to see new taxes on virgin plastic production.(ABC News: Dane Hirst)

A large part of the waste comes from Asia.

“But this is a global problem, created by Western companies,” Mr Lloyd said.

“We export our waste to a lot of these countries, they just come back.”

Sea Shepherd volunteers came from across Australia to help the Gumurr Marthakal Rangers clean up the beaches of Elcho Island.(Provided: Sea Shepherd)

The United Nations estimates that the 11 million tonnes of plastic dumped into the sea each year will triple within two decades.

Sea Shepherd wants the federal government to consider new taxes aimed at reducing the amount of plastic produced.

“If we had a tax on virgin plastic, making recycled plastics cheaper than virgin plastics, we would see plastic producers around the world offering more reusable options,” Mr Lloyd said.

He does not believe such a tax would make Australian products uncompetitive.

“We could make sure that all products coming into this country are of a certain quality, so that there are no cheaper, non-environmentally friendly products,” he said.

European Union countries already tax virgin plastic.

Spain levies a 45% tax on each kilo of non-reusable plastic produced.

Rod Campbell, a researcher at the Australia Institute think tank, has recommended Australia follow the UK’s lead by taxing all plastic produced or imported that does not contain at least 30% recycled material.

“They impose a direct tax on the manufacturing and importation of plastic at a rate of about A$400 per tonne, and in the first year this tax raised about A$500 million, which is a huge sum. significant amount that could be devoted to plastic waste issues,” he said.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said in a statement she had worked with state governments on new rules “to ensure all packaging in Australia is designed to be reused or recycled” which “will include …mandatory targets…for recycled content.”

The United Nations estimates that 11 million tonnes of plastic are released into our oceans each year.(Provided: Sea Shepherd)

The Australian Food and Grocery Council declined to comment.

Australia’s plastics industry manufacturers, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organization and the Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association did not respond to requests for an interview.

Mr. Lacey said he hoped his group’s work would inspire other people to care.

“We have one ocean and one land, and we must continue to inspire the next generation to ensure that our world remains intact and that we take care of it properly,” he said.

“And it starts with you, one person.”