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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 2185 asked in the Legislative Council on 4 June 2019 by Hon Colin Holt

Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment; Disability Services; Electoral Affairs
Parliament: 40 Session: 1


Question

Food packaging supplier, iKonPack, have created a recyclable meat tray that is available nationally. Recyclability of meat trays or soft food trays differ across councils and the makers of these meat trays have been told that their product is no longer accepted in recycling bins in City of Cockburn, so I ask:
(a) given that iKonPack meat trays are widely accepted in many recycling facilities here and interstate, please explain why the City of Cockburn find them unacceptable for recycling;
(b) will the Minister please provide some clarification on whether the issue is bio-contamination or if it is the PE sealant layer of the PET trays that is unacceptable; and
(c) how is the State Government working with recycling facilities to enable the recycling of these meat trays?

Answered on 6 August 2019

(a) – (b) Local governments provide waste services and work with their contracted waste service providers to determine what materials are accepted. The State Government has not restricted the materials that can be accepted in the recycling bins in the City of Cockburn.

 

(c) Environment Ministers committed to a national target of 100 per cent of Australian packaging being recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025 or earlier. Jurisdictions are working with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) to deliver this target. APCO is delivering the Australasian Recycling Label, a nation-wide labelling scheme to help consumers better understand how to recycle products effectively.

 

The State Government provides funding for improved waste management processing through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account in line with the objectives of the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account Strategy 2030.

 

I am pleased to advise that $1.83 million of the recent funding round of the Community Industry and Engagement program, from a total of $2.29 million, was allocated for infrastructure to support the sorting and processing of materials collected for recycling priority wastes, including plastics, into marketable end products.