Topics
Australia
April 6, 2026
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) submits comment to Parliament of Australia consultation on the effects of microplastics, “toxics,” and “forever chemicals” (PFAS) on human health from fetal development through adulthood; FPF-involved research projects AURORA and CUSP highly relevant
Reading time: 3 minutes
February 18, 2025
During the third inquiry hearing of the Australian Senate Select Committee on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), drinking water experts and affected community members advocated for broader PFAS ban, upgraded water treatment facilities, investigation into PFAS sources, serious consideration of health impacts
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 22, 2024
Australian Government proposes packaging regulation reform; options are, (i) strengthening existing frameworks, (ii) imposing mandatory national standards, or (iii) implementing an extended producer responsibility scheme; aims to ban problematic chemicals and materials; public feedback until October 28, 2024; Australian state of New South Wales also consulting on a plastics plan until November 4, 2024
Reading time: 5 minutes
September 13, 2023
Study performs migration testing on 79 plastic baby food pouches; finds four bisphenols, five phthalic acid diesters in targeted analysis and 26 more in suspect screening including 23 non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); NIAS adipic acid - diethylene glycol exceeds the threshold of toxicological concern in 40% of the pouches
Reading time: 2 minutes
August 25, 2023
Australian environment ministers agree to “address the use of harmful chemicals in food packaging,” create packaging design standards and targets, harmonize curbside recycling programs; details forthcoming
Reading time: 3 minutes
July 1, 2021
New Zealand Ministry for the Environment announces plan to ban many hard-to-recycle and single-use plastic items by mid-2025; includes food packaging made from polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and some degradable plastics, plus all drink stirrers, single-use tableware, and fruit labels; Western Australia moves Plan for Plastics ahead 4 years, banning most single-use plasticware by end of 2021; New South Wales to eliminate most single-use plasticware within a year
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 27, 2021
Sixty stakeholders in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands form ANZPAC, join the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact initiative; 11th plastic pact overall, second regional pact and first in Oceania; 2025 goals include: 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable, 25% increase in plastic packaging collected and recycled by each country in the region
Reading time: 1 minute
April 20, 2021
Australian government announces National Plastic Plan; outlines approaches to plastic recycling, replacing unnecessary plastics, reducing plastics’ impact on the environment; proposes investments in prevention, recycling, consumer education, research, and development
Reading time: 1 minute
