On May 14, 2026, the Australian Senate referred the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026 to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry. The Bill aims to establish a nationally consistent, legally mandatory packaging EPR scheme. It would replace the current voluntary guidelines with statutory obligations, including reuse, recycling, composting, recycled-content requirements, and eco-design, covering the entire packaging supply chain. If ultimately passed, the Bill would place the legal and financial responsibilities for end-of-life packaging management onto producers, importers, and distributors. The Bill is currently at the committee inquiry stage.
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