Australians addicted to toxic plastics

If you are a regular visitor to your local beach then you've probably noticed more and more detritus.

Australia’s use of plastics has hit a record 4.2 million tonnes a year; and the oceans are paying the price.

Australians, it seems, prefer convenience over a pristine environment, figures provided by the Australian Marine Conservation Society suggest.

Australia uses a record 80,000 tonnes of plastic a week - the equivalent weight of one-and-a-half Sydney Harbour Bridges, and generates 1.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste every year – about 38kg every second.

In fact, Australians sets an unwanted record of using 4,189,600 tonnes of plastic products and packaging in 2024-25, according to the latest Australian plastics flows and fates report, surpassing the previous high set during the Covid-19 pandemic.

AMCS is calling for future reports, now released annually, to include data on plastic pollution – as was previously reported in the 2019-20 plastic flows report.

AMCS Plastics Campaigns Manager Cip Hamilton said: “If you left the tap on and flooded the bathroom, the first thing you’d do is try to cut the water supply. Instead, the government's approach to managing plastic is to just keep mopping while the tap gets turned up and up.

"The only way to end plastic pollution is to cut back on how much plastic is generated.

“The federal and state environment ministers all agreed packaging reform was needed in 2022, again in 2023, and again last Friday. Ministers can agree and agree all they like, but agreement is not stopping a single piece of plastic from reaching our ocean. We need action.

“Some problematic single-use items such as lightweight plastic shopping bags have declined following state bans, but the use of thicker plastic shopping bags and plastic produce bags has shot up. 

"State and territory bans have been a great start and can work, but item-by-item bans will always be one step behind, playing endless whack-a-mole against a rising tide of plastic overproduction.

"This is precisely why we need strong national packaging laws that mandate reductions, set design standards and make companies responsible for the packaging they use.

“Our homes, our waterways, our beaches, and our ocean are drowning under a flood of plastic. Plastic entangles, starves, smothers and poisons marine life. Across Australia, sea turtle hatchlings have hundreds of pieces of plastic in their guts, seals and dolphins are being strangled, and our beloved corals are being suffocated."

Image: Colleen Hughson via BeachPatrol

Europe set to ban single-use plastic toiletries in hotels

The European Commission is considering banning single-use plastic items in hotels.

The European Union body is talking about banning all miniature shampoo, lotion and shower gel bottles as part of new proposed rules on packaging and waste control, Travel Mole reports.

Hotels will be required to provide larger reusable pump-pack dispensers or do away with free toiletries.

“About 40% of all plastics and 50% of paper in the EU are used for packaging, according to a recent European Commission report.

“Without action, the EU would see a further 19% increase in packaging waste by 2030,” it says.

Several companies have already discontinued hotel single-use plastic items but the EU plan would mandate it across the the continent.

The proposal is set to be considered by the European Parliament soon.

The new rules will be aimed at limiting overpackaging, and ensure clear labels are on each product to support correct recycling procedures.

"For the industry, they will create new business opportunities, especially for smaller companies, decrease the need for virgin materials, boosting Europe's recycling capacity as well as making Europe less dependent on primary resources and external suppliers," the report says.

"They will put the packaging sector on track for climate neutrality by 2050."

It is a move that is part of the wider European Green Deal's Circular Economy Action Plan, which aims to make sustainable products the norm and all packaging recyclable by 2030.

The proposed ban would, of course, not affect the UK, which is no longer a member of the European Union.

Image: Jessica Lee, Scopio.

Global drinks giant aims to say farewell to plastic

Global drinks giant Bacardi has announced it plans to cut plastics in its gifts packs this Christmas and for all gift packs to be 100% plastics free by 2023. 

The company owns brands including Bacardi, Grey Goose, Patron, Dewar's, Martini and Bombay Sapphire.

All gift packs in family-owned company’s range are on track to being 100% plastic free over the next two years and this holiday season its range of gift packs will contain 50% less plastic than last year.

Bacardi is removing a total of 147 tonnes of single-use plastic used annually in its gift packs through innovative new designs, which remove the need for plastic, and by replacing plastic inserts or trays with sustainable alternatives. 

The company has set 2030 as the goal for being 100% plastic free.

“As a family-owned company for nearly 160 years, we have crafted exceptional drinks enjoyed by generations of consumers,” said Rodolfo Nervi, vice-president Global Safety, Quality & Sustainability (that's quite a title Rodolfo) for Bacardi. 

“We have achieved this long success by always looking to the future and doing the right thing for our consumers, our customers and our company.  

"We want to be the most environmentally responsible global drinks company and we will only achieve this ambition by constantly exploring and investing in new innovations, like sustainable alternatives to plastic;  which will help us meet our environmental goals.”

Other goals, which are in addition to the company’s commitment to be plastic-free in a decade, include: 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions; 25% cut in water consumption; 100% key raw materials and packaging sourced sustainably; 100% of product packaging to be recyclable; 40% recycled content of product packaging materials. 

More details at www.bacardilimited.com/corporate-responsibility/environment/