TWEED SHIRE COUNCILS MOTION FOR THE 2023 NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

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By SARAH WATERS

THE harmful effects of plastic circulating throughout the community will be brought to the attention of the federal government.

Tweed Shire Council has put forward a motion for the 2023 National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA) which outlines the urgent need to address plastic production.

The NGA, held in Canberra from June 13 - 16, gives local councils across Australia an opportunity to discuss ideas that will contribute to new federal policies designed to support local councils into the future.

Council’s proposal calls on the federal government to put a levy on manufactures which produce fossil-fuel based plastic - particularly for single-use plastic - and to establish mandatory recycling targets.

Councillor Nola Firth, who moved the motion, said despite initiatives happening in the Tweed Shire to reduce plastic waste the government had to address the source of the problem.

“We have a zero-waste policy here in the Tweed and expect everyone to recycle hard plastics via their yellow bin,” Cr Firth said.

“We hold Tweed Shire Council events without using single-use plastic and require low-use of single plastic in events on council land.

“But, the aim of the motion is to decrease the amount of plastic being actually produced and used by putting a levy on production of fossil fuel based plastic.

“Much of our plastic ends up in the environment - including in our precious Tweed bushland and beaches,” she said.

If implemented, the levy would be used for research on how to create effective recycling facilities for soft and single-use plastic, so it is more economically viable and contributes to a circular economy.

A circular economy focuses on continuously recycling plastic, so it isn’t used once and discarded, to prevent more plastic from been produced.

Director of Green Heroes Sarah Jantos, who founded the awardwinning conservation group in Fingal Head, said during her 16 years as a wildlife rescuer she has witnessed the most visible impacts of plastic on wildlife - ingestion, suffocation, and entanglement in waste and marine debris.

“The number of rescues are sadly on the increase,” Ms Jantos said.

“We have also noticed a local increase in the number of deceased turtles washing up on shore in recent months.”

Ms Janot said plastic pollution not only threatens the health of marine species, it threatens human health, food and safety and compromises coastal tourism.

“The phrase reduce reuse recycle is still a great motto - although, ideally I would change it to stop, reuse, recycle.

“Government should be much firmer on singleuse plastic bans and initiatives,” she said.

Australia has set targets for 70 per cent of plastic

Board Members – Application for Appointment

Gundurimba Flood Refuge Reserve Land Manager

Applications are sought for appointment as Board members of the above mentioned Statutory Land Manager of Reserve No. 38468 at Gundurimba notifed on 22-Oct1904 for Refuge In Time Of Flood. The term of appointment will be for a period not exceeding 5 years. term of appointment will expire on 27-Sep-2028.

Successful applicants will be responsible for the care, control and management of the reserves in a voluntary capacity.

Application for membership can be made via portal.crownland.nsw.gov.au

All applications are required to be lodged by 15 May 2023.

For further information: Joe Endean on (02) 6642 9204 or on reservemanager.crownland.nsw.gov.au packaging to be recycled or composted by 2025 and hopes to phase out unnecessary single-use plastic packaging in the same time frame.

Its shortcomings have been previously highlighted in a report from the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) which found only 16 per cent of plastic packaging had been recycled or composted in 20192020.

The report showed only 36 per cent of plastic will be recovered by 2025 with current infrastructure.

A Spokesperson from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) said in 2020-21, approximately 1.29 million tonnes of plastic was produced in Australia from virgin resins (made from fossil fuels).

“While there isn’t a levy on the production of virgin plastics in Australia, all environment ministers agreed in October 2022 to work with the private

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sector to design out waste and pollution, keep materials in use and foster markets to achieve a circular economy by 2030,” The Spokesperson said.

“Under the Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) the Australian, state and territory governments have made significant investments, with industry, in new recycling capacity capable of better sorting and processing materials, including soft plastics.”

To date, 15 projects that will process soft plastics have been announced.

The government committed $60 million under the Recycling Modernisation Fund to focus on solutions for hard-to-recycle plastics, including advanced recycling technologies to address the low plastics recycling rates.

Tweed Mayor Chris Cherry and councillors Nola Firth, James Owen and Rhiannon Brinsmead will attend the NGA in Canberra to present the motion on plastic waste and are confident it will be accepted and taken seriously considered.

THE PROBLEM WITH PLASTIC

Single-use plastic accounts for the majority of plastic thrown away worldwide.

According to a report by The Minderoo Foundation, it is the most likely of all plastics to end up in the ocean and it is estimated that five to 13 million metric tons of it enters the ocean each year.

Single-use plastics will eventually only break down into tiny plastic particles or ‘microplastics’ which cause great harm to the environment with marine life often consuming the plastic particles. Microplastic have been found in plankton, whales, commercial seafood and drinking water. At an individual level, everyone can help by not using single-use plastic bags, straws and bottles as well as recycling and disposing of waste properly.