Video Conference with the Hon Sussan Ley MP, Federal Minister for the Environment

Australia generated 75.8m tonnes of solid waste in 2018-19, which was a 10% increase over the last two years (since 2016-17). Over half of all waste was sent for recycling (38.5m tonnes), while 27% was sent to landfill for disposal (20.5m tonnes).

Minister Ley spoke about the work in her portfolio including Australia’s circular economy & other initiatives to drive innovation and growth whilst protecting our environment.

She also said that “Up to 190,000 tonnes of soft plastic packaging per year, the equivalent of almost 200 billion chocolate wrappers will be recycled & reprocessed under just one of the proposals funded through the Morrison Government’s National Product Stewardship Investment Fund.”

“Plastic litter takes hundreds of years to breakdown in the environment & when it does, it turns into harmful microplastics which have a disastrous effect on the environment & the marine environment,”Minister Ley said.