Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets
The 2025 National Packaging Targets (the 2025 Targets) are supported by Australian industry and government to deliver a sustainable approach to packaging. They apply to all packaging that is made, used, and sold in Australia. The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is the organisation charged by government to facilitate the delivery of the 2025 Targets, to be achieved by 31 December 2025.
  The 2025 Targets are:
100% REUSABLE, RECYCLABLE OR COMPOSTABLE PACKAGING
The first step to achieving a circular economy for packaging is to ensure each item of packaging is able to be reused, recycled or composted.
Current progress towards this Target is strong and APCO is currently undertaking detailed analysis to identify further opportunities for elimination, reduction or redesign.
Figure 1: Progress towards the 100% Recoverability Target as of 2020-21.
70% OF PLASTIC PACKAGING BEING RECYCLED OR COMPOSTED
Plastic packaging has some of the lowest recovery rates of any material. This Target seeks to significantly improve the volume of plastic packaging that is successfully recycled or composted.
Figure 1: Progress towards the 70% Plastic Recovery Target as of 2020-21.
50% OF AVERAGE RECYCLED CONTENT INCLUDED IN PACKAGING
Recycling isn’t truly complete until packaging is successfully recovered and used again as recycled content, at its highest potential value for as long as possible. Australia is making significant progress towards this Target. In March 2020, the recycled content target was revised from 30% to 50%. APCO released a series of material-specific sub-targets relating to the uptake of recycled content in packaging.
Figure 1: Progress towards the 50% Recycled Content Target as of 2020-21.
THE PHASE OUT OF PROBLEMATIC AND UNNECESSARY SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PACKAGING
Phasing out problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging is essential to shift our economy and community away from single-use disposable plastic packaging to more durable reusable and recyclable packaging. By tackling these problematic items, we will also reduce packaging consumption, litter and waste, improve the economics of recycling, increase employment, lift recycling rates and help to boost recycled content in packaging.
A range of plastic items have been identified as priority items for phase-out. While some of these items may generally be considered packaging, items such as straws and stirrers, cutlery, plates, cups and bowls are frequently combined with packaging and therefore cannot be excluded from the discussion or approach.
Figure 1: Progress towards the Phase-out Target as of 2020-21.