On Friday 26 June, Pact Group appeared before a Senate Inquiry examining proposed laws for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging in Australia.

The Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026 introduced by Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, would place a direct and legally binding obligation on producers, importers or distributors of packaging for the end-of-life management of the packaging they place onto the Australian market. The proposed EPR scheme would also see Australia’s National Packaging Targets made mandatory and legally binding.

Below is Pact’s statement to the Senate Committee:

Pact Group is one of Australia’s largest and oldest plastic packaging and recycling companies. We manufacture packaging for food, beverages, dairy and household products.

We make reusable crates and garment hangers, and we operate eight large scale plastic recycling facilities across Australia and New Zealand.

Our vision is to lead the circular economy, and we work with our customers and the industry — from global brands to small Australian dairies — to design packaging that is 100% recyclable and increasingly made with recycled plastic.

But the transition toward more sustainable packaging is not moving fast enough. In the past 12 months, Pact produced more than 189,000 tonnes of plastic packaging and other products, yet only 16 per cent was made using recycled plastic.

That’s not because the technology doesn’t exist. It’s because there are no regulatory requirements and so the market demand for recycled materials is not strong enough. Some progressive brand owners are choosing more sustainable packaging, but many are not because there is no incentive to change.

The current voluntary approach with achievable packaging targets, is not delivering the scale of change Australia needs.

That’s why Pact supports the intent of this Bill and supports the urgent introduction of National Packaging Regulations, with a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility scheme.

Done properly, EPR can improve packaging design, increase recycling rates, create demand for Australian recycled content, create jobs and give industry the confidence to invest in local recycling and manufacturing capacity.

This is not just a sustainability reform. It is an opportunity to build our sovereign capability with a circular and self-reliant packaging and recycling industry in Australia.

We urge the Committee to support national action on packaging regulation and to ensure any scheme rewards design for recyclability, the use of recycled content, and investment in Australian recycling infrastructure.

You can read Pact’s submission to the Inquiry HERE