Australians seek national packaging reform as recycling support reaches new heights

Australians seek national packaging reform as recycling support reaches new heights

New research from Cleanaway reveals near-universal public backing for packaging reform and onshore sustainability, as Australians' recycling commitment hits a record high - with soft plastics the number one pain point.

Australia's largest waste management and resource recovery company Cleanaway, has today released the findings of its 2026 Recycling Behaviours Report tracking consumer support and awareness for sustainability programs – and the changes they want to see for a better system.

Now in its fifth year, the report conducted in partnership with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), surveyed 1,000 Australians and found 94 per cent support a circular economy for packaging in Australia, 92 per cent back national rules for recycled content in plastic packaging, and 89 per cent believe there should be stronger rules for manufacturers and brands to help reduce waste.

Nowhere is the gap between ambition and infrastructure more visible than in soft plastics. Nearly two-thirds of Australians (64 per cent) say they have felt misled by soft plastics packaging that appears recyclable but isn't, while one in two (49 per cent) admit to having put soft plastics in their kerbside recycling bin hoping it would be recycled. Known as ‘wishcycling’ this is a well-intentioned behaviour that risks contaminating the broader recycling stream.

Support for a circular economy that keeps materials in use through recovery, recycling and reuse is now near-universal (99 per cent, up from 95 per cent in 2024). The commitment Australians are asking for is straightforward: a system that turns plastic back into plastic - whether it be soft plastic or the rigid (hard) plastics accepted through current kerbside recycling bins. That could be achieved through measures such as setting minimum requirements of recycled content in packaging, reduced reliance on virgin materials and clear accountability for the brands that put packaging into market. Such reforms would unlock investment in domestic recycling infrastructure, create local jobs, and strengthens closing the loop between what Australians put in their bins and what ends up back on shelves.

Cleanaway is already moving to meet this demand. In partnership with Viva Energy, Cleanaway are progressing plans for Australia’s first large-scale advanced soft plastics recycling facility, Cycleback Plastics. The joint venture would see soft plastics collected at scale through Cleanaway’s existing waste infrastructure and converted into food-grade recycled polypropylene at Viva Energy’s Geelong refinery, closing the loop between waste and new packaging.

The project moved from pre-feasibility into its engineering phase in April 2025 however, final investment decisions for the project are contingent on mandatory product stewardship and recycled content levels in soft plastics to be legislated federally.  These regulations are currently being drafted by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) in consultation with industry as part of the Packaging Reform with further details on implementation expected later this year.

The report found the majority (94 per cent) want one national plan with consistent plastics recycling rules across all states, and while the Federal Government remains the most-named leader for delivering a circular economy (32 per cent), more than one in five (22 per cent) see brands and manufacturers as having a key role to play - reflecting a growing expectation that creating packaging and managing what happens to it should go hand in hand.

Cleanaway is ready to work with government to meet the growing desire of Australians for a solution, understanding the importance of continued partnership between industry and community.  Jeroen Wassenaar, Head of Innovation at Cleanaway said the findings are a promising signal of where Australia stands on recycling and where it needs to go next.

“What's so encouraging about this year's findings is just how engaged Australians are. More than four in five (83 per cent) want national consistency in recycling standards. They believe in recycling, they believe in a circular economy, and they're ready to play their part. The opportunity now is for industry, policy makers and manufacturers to keep working together to match that momentum with reforms that reflect this ambition.

“Plastics and packaging are front and centre of this conversation, and rightly so. They represent both the most visible gap in our recycling system today and the clearest opportunity for change. Cleanaway is pleased to be working alongside Viva Energy and its Circular Plastic Australia joint venture partners on a national plastics solution that responds directly to what Australians have told us they want - a credible, accessible pathway to keep plastics out of landfill and back into new packaging.

“We value the work already underway with the Federal Government on packaging reform and look forward to continuing that partnership. With further government support for policy settings that back domestic recycling, protect Australian jobs and give industry the confidence to invest, together we can deliver the infrastructure the country needs.”

Beyond packaging, the 2026 Recycling Behaviours Report tracks where Australians are turning intent into action and where the system is still catching up. Across general recycling, Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) and battery disposal, the data points to a similar story: public willingness is high, and consistent infrastructure and clear rules are the next piece to build out together.

When it comes to FOGO, the data tells the clearest story of access shaping outcomes. Three in ten Australians (30 per cent) now have a separate FOGO bin, and of those, three quarters (74 per cent) actively use it. Even among those without access, 86 per cent of Australians believe the national rollout of FOGO services will help reduce waste to landfill and 82 per cent believe FOGO recycling will help reduce greenhouse gases. Where households don't yet have access, 57 per cent cite the lack of kerbside services as the primary barrier - a clear signal that uneven rollout, not unwillingness, is what's holding FOGO back.

However, even where mandates are in place, such as in New South Wales, gaps in processing infrastructure can limit service viability, underscoring the value of FOGO expansion being matched by continued investment in the full end-to-end system.

Correct battery and rechargeable device disposal is showing early signs of going backwards despite more awareness campaigns being delivered than ever before. Industry estimates between 10,000 and 12,000 battery-related fire incidents occur each year across collection trucks, transfer stations, landfills and recycling facilities, putting workers, infrastructure and communities at risk. Seven in ten Australians (71 per cent) know batteries cannot go in kerbside bins and 52 per cent now find battery recycling easy, but that progress is being undone by a growing blind spot around the rechargeable devices that increasingly power everyday life. One in five Australians (20 per cent) would put an electric toothbrush in general rubbish, and 18 per cent would do the same with headphones - items that contain batteries driving the fire risk.

The 2026 Recycling Behaviours Report shows that the public appetite for reform is no longer in question. What matters now is how policy, industry and infrastructure come together to meet it. Every stakeholder in the value chain has a role to play, from recycling correctly to achieve better resource recovery, to facilities that process recycling and manufacturers who use recycled material in new products. We have the will, we have the capability, and Cleanaway looks forward to building on the momentum Australians have shown.

ENDS 

About Cleanaway

Cleanaway Waste Management Limited is Australia’s leading sustainable waste management, industrial and environmental services company. Our team of over 10,000 professionals operates across more than 350 locations in Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. We manage Australia’s largest waste and industrial services fleet, with over 6,400 vehicles, and are supported by an extensive network of recycling facilities, transfer stations, engineered landfills, liquid treatment plants and refineries. Alongside our customers, communities, governments, regulators and industry partners, we are committed to delivering on our purpose: making a sustainable future possible together.

About the Clean Energy Finance Corporation

The CEFC is Australia’s specialist climate investor, helping cut emissions in the race towards net zero by 2050. We invest in the latest technologies to generate, store, manage and transmit clean energy. Our discounted asset finance programs help put more Australians on the path to sustainability, in their homes and on the road. CEFC capital is also backing the net zero transformation of our natural capital, infrastructure, property and resources sectors, while providing critical capital for the emerging climate tech businesses of tomorrow. With access to more than $33 billion from the Australian Government, the CEFC invests with commercial rigour and is governed by an independent board.

For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:

Georgia Gogoll [email protected].

Priya Shah  [email protected]

Recycling Behaviours Report Key Findings

Packaging reform

• 94% support a circular economy for packaging in Australia
• 92% back national rules for recycled content in plastic packaging
• 91% want recycled content to be a requirement across all packaging
• 89% believe there should be stronger rules for manufacturers and brands to help reduce waste
• 85% would prefer to buy from brands that use plastic packaging made from recycled content
• 83% say companies should pay for the cost of recycling the plastic packaging used in their products
• 50% are seeking out products with minimal packaging when shopping (up from 43% in 2024)

Soft plastics

• 94% of Australians would use a new soft plastics recycling scheme if one launched tomorrow
• 87% say Australia should prioritise a national soft plastics solution
• 93% support introducing a national kerbside collection for soft plastics
• 89% would be confident soft plastics were being recycled if government initiated a formal scheme
• 64% have felt misled by soft plastics packaging that appears recyclable but isn’t
• 61% of households recycle or intend to recycle their soft plastics
• 49% have incorrectly put soft plastics in their kerbside recycling bin in hope it would be recycled
• 39% of those using a soft plastics scheme can’t name the scheme they’re using
• 33% describe Australia’s current approach to soft plastics recycling as “confusing”

Circular economy

• 99% of Australians say it is important to implement a circular economy in Australia (up from 95% in 2024)
• 54% of Gen Z rate establishing a circular economy as very important
• 86% agree recycling is a valuable contributor to developing a circular economy in Australia
• 94% favour creating one national plan with consistent plastics recycling rules across all states
• 88% are in favour of increasing fines for companies that do not meet recycling rules
• 32% see the Federal Government as most responsible for implementing a circular economy (down from 40% in 2024)
• 22% place primary responsibility for the circular economy with brands and manufacturers
• 21% place primary responsibility with Australian consumers
• 25% rank education as the top priority for making a circular economy happen

General recycling attitudes & behaviours

• 91% agree recycling is important
• 86% rate themselves as a good or very good recycler (up from 81% in 2024)
• 83% believe there should be national consistency in recycling standards
• 77% say recycling correctly is easy (up from 65% in 2024)
• 54% would recycle more if they had a bigger recycling bin
• 50% are seeking out products with minimal packaging when shopping (up from 43% in 2024)
• 25% still find recycling confusing

Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO)

• 30% of Australians have a separate FOGO bin
• 74% of Australians with a FOGO bin use it
• 86% believe the rollout of FOGO services across Australia will help reduce waste to landfill
• 82% believe FOGO recycling will help reduce greenhouse gases
• 79% of FOGO bin users believe their waste is composted after collection
• 71% of FOGO bin users say it reduces waste going to landfill
• 57% of non-users cite lack of access to kerbside services as the primary barrier
• 40% of all Australians say compostable bin liners would make FOGO easier
• 33% have never seen the certified compostable logo; 21% don’t know what it means

• 22% of FOGO bin holders who never use their bin say they simply don’t know how to use it

   

Batteries & rechargeable devices

• 52% now find battery recycling easy (up from 41% two years ago)
• 71% know batteries and rechargeable devices cannot be placed in kerbside bins (down from 77% in 2024)
• 86% of 62-80 year olds correctly answer that batteries can’t go in kerbside bins
• 59% of Gen Z and 60% of Millennials know the rules - the lowest of any age group
• 76% of Australians outside capital cities answer correctly vs 68% in cities
• 20% would incorrectly put an electric toothbrush in general rubbish 18% would incorrectly put headphones in general rubbish 47% would take batteries to a drop-off because it’s the right thing to do
• 57% of those who would take items to a drop-off do so because it’s dangerous to dispose of them other ways
• 37% don’t take batteries to drop-offs because they don’t know where to go
• 37% cite inconvenience as a barrier
• 14% say they didn’t know they were supposed to take batteries to a specialised location at all