Plastic Tax Proposed to Tackle Australia’s ‘Waste Tsunami’

A new proposal for a per tonne tax on businesses that manufacture plastic packaging has been proposed in Australia.

In order to take on what is called a “growing tsunami” of waste that is too much for recycling alone, a $1,300 per tonne tax has been proposed by an Australian Institute. The proposed tax would affect 1.12 million tonnes of “virgin plastic” annually and could raise up to $1.5 billion at the current demand.

Nina Gbor, waste program director, calls for “drastic” action to reduce the country’s use of plastic.

“Australia’s plastic consumption is increasing, not falling. The government needed to act yesterday,” Gbor said.

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