Australians have lost confidence in all levels of governments to support recycling efforts.
A new survey from Planet Ark found well under half of those surveyed believed governments, in all jurisdictions, adequately supported recycling improvements.
Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling said 43 percent of those surveyed agreed that the Federal Government was doing enough to increase recycling rates nationally, while 44 and 46 percent, respectively, agreed their State Government or local council was doing enough.
Ms Gilling said, in contrast, almost three in four Australians believed they were doing enough to increase recycling rates in their own home.
“As one of the highest producers of waste per capita globally, Australia faces an urgent need to transform its waste and consumption habits,” she said.
Ms Gilling said municipal solid waste remained a significant contributor to overall waste levels, especially in key material streams such as clothing and other textiles, packaging, and food waste.
“Councils, workplaces, schools, and individuals need to improve recycling knowledge and build better recycling practices.”
She said there was also a need for waste reduction through other activities such as refusing or reducing consumption and repairing and reusing what people already had.