Environmental Legislation Amendment (Plastic Reduction and Container Recycling) Bill 2026

I contribute to debate on the Environmental Legislation Amendment (Plastic Reduction and Container Recycling) Bill 2026. Although there are some different views, I and many other members support the bill, which aims to address the environmental impacts of plastics and the impending shortage of landfill space in New South Wales. The bill would enhance the container deposit scheme, which diverts eligible bottles and cans from landfill. It would also give effect to certain actions in the Plastics Plan 2.0, specifically by expanding the ban on helium balloons and implementing re-usable cup requirements for takeaway businesses.

The bill follows the introduction of the New South Wales container deposit scheme in 2017 and the Plastics Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021, as well as legislation passed in the Parliament that introduced obligations around recycling food and organics waste, and product stewardship. Before I go on, let me not be churlish—let me recognise the great strides and advances from the Coalition in government at the time. I was very pleased to see those things come about. In a world where we consume without rest, we need to think about what happens to the products we consume after use. The second reading speech on the bill acknowledges:

… plastic items remain the least recycled and most littered material in the State, and producers must begin to consider end-of-life impacts when they design and manufacture their products.

I came to understand the extent of our society's plastics problem as a younger man when I frequently travelled to Bali to surf. I found a country drowning in plastic. I started a very small charity called Clean Seas, working with some expatriates and members of the local community to try to address the issue. There have been big strides, but tides of rubbish continue to wash up on the shores of Bali and beyond each year. Indeed, that is the problem: Plastics are frequently not confined to the areas where they were lost to the environment. They travel. We are now becoming well versed in the end-of life impacts of plastics as we grapple with the reality that microplastics are in everything from bottled water to the human placenta.

A 2019 University of Newcastle study found that, on average, people could be ingesting approximately five grams of plastic every week—equivalent to the weight of a credit card. That was cited in this place by the then Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Matt Kean, but attribution was not given to those who did that study. I have worked for a number of years with Dr Thava Palanisami, co-lead of that project, and I believe it is vital that we keep investing in research that looks at the impacts of microplastics on our health and environment, as well as safe alternatives to replace plastic products. Indeed, that study finding was a real wake-up call that reverberated around the world and was widely cited.

It is also critical we as a society figure out how to consume less. If we truly want to reduce our reliance on landfill and better manage the associated costs, as well as securing improved environmental outcomes—including lower emissions and less leachate and environmental contamination—we must move beyond recycling and even re-use. We must move higher up the waste hierarchy to avoid waste. Of course, avoiding all waste is not possible or practical. But for certain waste, including many plastic items, it is achievable. The bill's re-usable cup regime supports waste avoidance by requiring takeaway businesses to accept re-usable cups provided by customers, prohibit charges for bring-your-own cups and offer re-use scheme cup options.

The Government has foreshadowed its intent to introduce exemptions to address concerns, including hygiene and the impact on small businesses. Lake Macquarie City Council is a very progressive council, and I am very pleased to maintain a good working relationship with the staff. I know that the Deputy Speaker would share a similar sentiment that we have some very good progressive councils in our area. Lake Macquarie City Council staff, who support the bill's intent, have raised with me certain measures that would aid its effective implementation. Those measures include simple sector-specific guidance, including on hygiene, logistics and acceptable re-use models; targeted support, such as pilot programs or grants to reduce the cost and complexity of adopting re-use schemes; and appropriate transition periods for businesses to adapt to the reforms.

The bill's key focus is obviously limited to certain pervasive plastic waste, including helium balloons and single-use cups. The focus of the Plastics Plan 2.0 is broader and provides for the phasing out of other plastic waste, such as microbeads, umbrella bags, pizza savers, bread tags and fruit and vegetable stickers, to name a few. However, like many others, I would like to see it gather pace and go further. The plastics plan and this bill are important steps, but the Government cannot stop here. It should continue to look into opportunities to promote the phasing out of plastic products, whether through consumer behaviour-change initiatives, industry support or regulation. If not, I doubt we have a real shot at reducing plastic waste to the extent needed by 2030, which is when Greater Sydney is due to run out of landfill capacity. I would personally like to see the Government address the scourge that is nylon line trimmer. We accept that while keeping our lawns tidy, the line trimmer will break into small pieces and break down into microplastics. I have a giant seven kilogram bag of it sitting in my locker on level 10.

Ms Trish Doyle: When do you have time to trim lawns?

Mr GREG PIPER: I do not trim them; I pick up everyone else's waste. Once someone sees it, they will never be able to unsee it. It is going to nag at them. When they go for a walk and see a piece of line trimmer, they will realise they should not pick it up, because if they pick it up and throw it on the ground again, they will have littered. We know that line trimmers come off; it is an acceptable part of trimming grass. We know tens of thousands of kilometres of it is spread around every season, and it is mainly distributed by places like Bunnings. Most of it is turned into microplastics but some parts that stay a little bigger can be seen. Every time someone sees a big piece, just remember that about another metre of it has been turned into microplastics, and we accept that as part of having a nice lawn.

I have been working with Thava Palanisami on this and hopefully we will get there. The reason I am raising this specific type of plastic waste is because it is emblematic of a broader issue: We just do not know where all the plastic we consume goes, but we are happy to rely on plastic products despite knowing the damage they cause to our personal and environmental wellbeing. It demonstrates that our work here is not done. Therefore, I support the bill. I will continue to support legislation that tackles our society's waste and plastics problem head-on. I am happy to work with governments of any stripe to do that, because this is not about us today; it is about our future.