Australia is a TOP contributor to plastic waste, ranking as the second-highest generator of single-use plastic person person globally…. consuming around 147kg per person annually, with most ending up in landfills or leaking into the environment, harming marine life.
- *Photo Source: Australia Marine Conservation Society
The crisis stems from hard-to-recycle materials, confusing labels, and a lack of producer responsibility, leading to significant plastic leakage into oceans and landfills, prompting calls for mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and strong government regulations to force systemic changes.
The single-use plastics problem has reached new point… were AMCS (Australia Marine Conservation Society ) has a campaign:
We’re on a nationwide search to uncover the best and worst packaging in Australia, and we need your help.
Packaging is everywhere, but not all packaging is created equal. Some packaging protects products efficiently and is designed for reuse. Others are over the top, excessive, unable to be recycled, or just downright wasteful. We’re inviting people from around the country to share examples of packaging – the good, the bad, and the unnecessary.
What is ‘good’ packaging?
Good packaging is designed with the environment and practicality in mind. It protects products efficiently, uses minimal material, and is easy to reuse and refill – with systems in place to collect and process it at the end of its life.
Features of good packaging include:
- Designed for reuse and refill, and for recycling at the end of its life
- Uses materials that are widely accepted in local recycling systems
- Avoids unnecessary layers, mixed materials, or components that can’t be recovered
- Is made from recycled and responsibly sourced materials
- Supports waste avoidance through refillable or returnable systems
- Helps prevent pollution and harm to ocean and wildlife by reducing the amount of disposable packaging produced.
Ultimately, good packaging helps prevent waste before it’s created, reduces the risk of litter and marine pollution, and supports the transition toward a circular economy.
What is ‘bad’ packaging?
Bad packaging is excessive, confusing, or difficult to dispose of responsibly. It often uses multiple or non-recyclable materials, making it hard or impossible to recycle — even when it looks like it should be.
Common examples of bad packaging include:
- Mixed materials that serve no purpose and can’t be separated (e.g. foil-lined pouches, plastic-coated paper)
- Excessive packaging around small or low-risk products
- Single-use plastics that can be avoided or have reusable alternatives
- Misleading or vague environmental claims (e.g. ‘eco’, ‘green’ or ‘compostable’ without evidence)
- Packaging that can easily end up as litter or marine pollution
- Designs that shift the responsibility onto consumers, rather than producers.
In short, bad packaging is wasteful, misleading, or unnecessary — and doesn’t support Australia’s move toward a circular economy.
- We thank Wastebusters, Aotearoa New Zealand, for its support in developing this project which is inspired by the success of their original NZ Unpackit Awards.
For more, visit UnpackIt
Do you agree with AMCS that plastics – especially single-use plastics – are a problem ?
