New regulations on the packaging industry are designed to help reach national waste reduction targets.abc.net.au/news/waste-rules-will-be-imposed-on-the-packaging-industry/102464220Australia's packaging industry will be forced to clean up its act under mandatory waste-busting regulations that will also deal with harmful chemicals used to contain food.
There will also be regulations to address the use of harmful chemicals in food packaging that can include the long-lived PFAS family — toxic substances that do not break down and build up in the food chain and human bodies. "More than 70 per cent of the environmental impacts of an item are locked in at the design stage, before anyone ever purchases a product and well before reuse or disposal is considered."The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation recently admitted it would not meet four voluntary targets, including shifting to 100 per cent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025.