25 signatures reached
To: State Environment Ministers, Federal Government (Dept of Env & Energy)
End Australia's Recycling Crisis - Sign & Share!
(image: ABC News - Matthew Roberts)
On 27 April 2018, State environment ministers will meet, and waste is on the agenda. We want politicians to:
1) Allocate funding immediately to upgrading onshore recycling infrastructure to deal with the new demands of waste now that China is no longer receiving Australia's recycling waste,
2) Release incentives for localised waste management enterprises for every state (this will create new jobs, and new ways of recycling waste),
3) Pass new bills to support industry to phase out petroleum-based plastics and swap to plant-based plastics that break down (compost) outside of industrial facilities, or only to packaging materials that can be sorted and recycled in our recycling centres.
4) Create new policy for all government departments and local councils to only procure and use equipment made from recycled materials in recreational infrastructure (park benches, play ground equipment, bins and more), so as to stimulate the market for equipment made from recycled materials.
Why is this important?
Now is the time for Aussies to contact our politicians and tell them that we are very concerned about the fact that since 1 January, China has refused to take our recyclable waste - this accounts for 30% of Australia’s recyclables.
The Aussie government has not put in the recycling infrastructure to support waste processing on-shore but now we are at a crisis. Recyclable waste is being stockpiled in warehouses. Little media and press is covering this story.
Australian's love recycling, and are deeply concerned about the impact this waste will have on our environment and communities. We want to make the most of it, and create new jobs and ways of recycling, here in Australia. For a united voice to be heard, we need every Australian to sign and share this petition, and contact your local politicians.