Oceania

Australia Sets Batteries, Solar Panels and Soft Plastics as Waste-Reform Priorities

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Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of an archival contextual row of green recycling bins with yellow lids awaiting collection along a residential street in South Australia; it does not depict the 2026 waste-reform meeting, rendered in warm ochre and slate-blue pastel strokes.

Australia’s federal, state and territory environment ministers agreed to prioritize national reforms for batteries, end-of-life solar panels, packaging and soft plastics through a new Circular Economy Roadmap. They will explore stronger packaging regulation under National Competition Policy and nationally consistent approaches to battery and solar-panel stewardship. Possible harmonized plastic restrictions include expanded-polystyrene food trays, loose plastic packing, plastic confetti, balloon accessories, fragmenting plastics and heavyweight shopping bags. Environment Minister Murray Watt said Australia aims to double economic circularity by 2035 and is investing more than A$200 million through the Recycling Modernisation Fund with states, territories and industry.

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