National product stewardship plan to take shape with Local Government at the table

Environment Ministers have agreed to work together – and with local government – on a nationally harmonised approach to product stewardship, with options for a roadmap to be developed and considered mid-2026.

Companies that use packaging currently have no responsibility for the packaging they put into the market, and local councils and landfills are overwhelmed by rising volumes of material that could be recycled.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) welcomes the commitment as a first step, noting that councils and ALGA have long been pushing for this reform. ALGA’s long-standing position is clear; product stewardship must be nationally consistent and nationally regulated, so producers, not councils and ratepayers, carry responsibility for the end-of-life impacts of their products. With pressures on local waste and recycling services escalating, ALGA says action is now urgent.

ALGA President Mayor Matt Burnett said the organisation welcomed the opportunity to have a seat at the table in developing the national roadmap, with councils’ operational experience and community impacts reflected in the design from the outset.

“Councils are on the frontline of waste and recycling services and are dealing with increasing volumes, complexity and costs associated with problematic products entering household and public-place waste streams,” Mayor Burnett said.

“Councils and communities are effectively subsidising the end-of-life costs of many products through rates and local waste charges. This agreement to shape a nationally consistent approach to product stewardship is critical to stop cost shifting and make sure producers and brands take proper responsibility for the products they sell.”

Mayor Burnett said national stewardship settings must deliver practical, enforceable outcomes on the ground—reducing waste, improving recovery, and giving councils and industry confidence to invest in collection systems and end markets.

“The Federal Government has the levers to deliver a fair, transparent and enforceable product stewardship system,” he said. “We need national consistency so councils, industry and the community aren’t dealing with different rules in different jurisdictions, and we need a clear, timebound pathway to get there.”