ABCL Submission on Packaging Regulatory Reform
The ABCL has made a submission to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) in response to the proposed reform of the NEPM Used Packaging legislation.
Representing the non-alcoholic beverages industry, the submission draws on extensive experience with container deposit schemes (CDS) and highlights key considerations to ensure the success of a new extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme. These include exemption of CDS containers from EPR fees, priority access to CDS materials for industry, the adoption of nationally harmonised kerbside standards, and support for a “caps on” directive to boost recovery rates.
The ABCL strongly recommends a not-for-profit EPR model to ensure transparency, maximise recovery outcomes, and reflect true industry costs.