Plastic has become an integral part of modern life and our economies. However, plastic products are typically designed for single use and then quickly discarded. As a highly developed country, Australia generates a significant amount of plastic waste each year. With limited recycling infrastructure and rates, much of this waste ends up polluting the environment or stacked in landfills. The impact on the climate, oceans, and wildlife has grown increasingly severe.
Current State Of Australia Recycled Plastics
Only around 12% of plastics used in Australia Recycled Plastics are currently recycled each year. The remaining 88% either end up in landfills or polluting the environment. This plastic recycling rate is significantly lower than other developed nations such as Germany (64%) and the Netherlands (57%). Low domestic demand for recycled plastics and a lack of organized collection infrastructure have hampered Australia’s recycling efforts. Most plastic waste is still collected through mixed kerbside bins and sent directly to landfills or incineration without being sorted and processed for recycling. This makes it difficult to extract high quality recycled plastic suitable for new products.
Growing Stockpile Of Australia Recycled Plastics In Landfills
With limited recycling currently taking place, Australia’s landfills have accumulated a massive stockpile of plastic waste over recent decades. Estimates suggest over 8 million tons of plastic garbage sits buried underground in Australian landfills. As plastic does not biodegrade, this waste will remain intact for centuries polluting soil and groundwater with toxic chemicals. With more plastic continuing to enter landfills each year, the problem will only grow larger. Concerns over reaching available landfill space have also increased as major cities like Sydney struggle with overflowing dumps.
Australia Recycled Plastics: Threat To Marine Environment And Wildlife
A large amount of Australia’s plastic waste eventually makes its way into oceans, polluting waterways and harming marine wildlife. Studies show the country loses around 2000 tons of plastic garbage to the ocean environment annually. Entanglement and ingestion of plastic debris has led to injuries and deaths of marine mammals, birds, turtles and fish. Iconic Australian species like sea lions, penguins, sharks and dugongs are particularly at risk. Areas like the Great Barrier Reef are also threatened due to plastic pollution damaging fragile coral ecosystems. If no action is taken, Australian oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050 according to some alarming projections.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Plastic Waste
The ways Australia currently manages its plastic waste also contributes significantly to climate change. Decomposition of plastic in landfills produces greenhouse gases like methane, which has a global warming potential 28–36 times higher than carbon dioxide. Methane emissions from Australian landfills are estimated at over 5 million tons of CO2 equivalent annually. Incineration of plastics also releases harmful emissions including dioxins as well as large amounts of CO2. Both disposal methods undermine Australia’s commitment toreducing emissions under the Paris Agreement. Expanding recycling would help mitigate these climate impacts.
Reusing And Recycling Strategies
To tackle this growing plastic waste problem, Australia needs a multi-pronged strategy focused on reducing consumption, reusing more, and expanding recycling infrastructure nationwide. An important first step is phasing out problematic single-use plastic items through legislative bans, as the EU has implemented. Reusable alternatives made from more sustainable materials should be encouraged. Improving kerbside collection services to include all types of plastics through separate collection bins could increase recycling rates drastically. Modern waste sorting facilities also need investing to efficiently process recyclables.
Partnering with local manufacturers willing to use recycled plastic content in new products will help stimulate domestic demand for recyclables. Public education campaigns need boosting awareness around proper sorting and disposal of plastic waste. Extended producer responsibility regulations may require companies to manage post-consumer plastic of the products they put on the . If implemented comprehensively, these measures could transition Australia towards a circular plastics economy keeping materials in use for longer and out of the environment.
Australia’s current approach to plastic waste management is unsustainable and damaging the climate, wildlife and public health. Urgent changes are needed to moderate plastic consumption while maximizing reuse and recycling rates nationwide. Ambitious yet practical schemes employing all sections of society can help address this pressing crisis. With political will and cooperation across industries, Australia has an opportunity to become a global leader in developing long-term plastic waste solutions aligned with environmental priorities. Concerted action now can mitigate growing plastic pollution impacts for the benefit of future generations.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it