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An outdoor public garbage bin with dual compartment for general and recycling waste in Melbourne, Australia. Credit: doublelee via Shutterstock.

The new mandatory guidelines for packaging design will adhere to global standards of excellence, ensuring the elimination of hazardous chemicals and contaminants. 

In a landmark decision, Australia’s federal and state governments have come together to impose mandatory packaging rules on manufacturers and retailers. 

This move comes after years of voluntary efforts by the industry, which have proven ineffective in reducing waste. Conservationists have welcomed this historic agreement, seeing it as a significant step forward in addressing the waste crisis.  

 The environment ministers’ meeting in Sydney on 9 June resulted in a communique outlining the new regulatory scheme. The goal is to transition the country towards a circular economy that minimises waste and maximises resource recovery. 

Under the agreement, packaging design will be subject to compulsory rules based on international best practices. The scheme also promises to regulate harmful chemicals and contaminants. 

Assembly Member Jacqui Irwin has proposed Assembly Bill 1207 in the California State Assembly to prevent cannabis product packaging from appealing to children. 

California and the rest of the US are experiencing an explosion of children being rushed to emergency departments due to accidental ingestion or overconsumption of psychoactive cannabis products that often mimic some of their favourite brands of candy, soda or snacks. 

The proposed law comes in response to the increased number of paediatric exposures to cannabis since the passage of Proposition 64. 

Irwin emphasised that these exposures are often a result of attractive features on the packaging that specifically target children.

Greenpeace International has announced that various organisations have signed an open letter to the UN to stop the fossil fuel industry from undermining the Global Plastics Treaty. 

The letter was signed by approximately 174 civil society groups, scientists and other experts from across the globe, including ethologist, anthropologist and UN messenger of peace Jane Goodall. 

It was addressed to the UN Environment Programme’s executive director Inger Andersen and executive secretary for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, Mathur-Filipp. 

Greenpeace UK Global Plastics campaigner Louise Edge said: “The Global Plastics Treaty is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to solve the plastics crisis. 

The legislation, signed by health minister Stephen Donnelly, aims to inform consumers about the calorie content, alcohol grammes, cancer and liver disease risks and the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. 

This move is designed to provide consumers with a better understanding of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption, enabling them to make informed decisions. 

The law includes a three-year lead-in time to ensure a smooth transition, allowing businesses to prepare for the change adequately. 

During this period, alcoholic drink providers will be required to update their product packaging to display the necessary information and warnings. 

A prominent label will be used, directing consumers to Ireland’s ‘Health Service Executive’ website for further details. 

A ministerial statement has been signed by the UK government and 52 members of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) to end plastic pollution by 2040.The HAC is a coalition of more than 50 governments. 

The joint statement calls for the inclusion of mandatory provisions in the global plastic pollution treaty, which is currently under negotiation. 

It also calls for the reduction of production and consumption of primary plastic polymers to sustainable levels and to restrict and remove avoidable or problematic plastics, chemicals and products. 

In addition, the statement demanded to end the release of plastics into nature. 

The statement builds on the UK government’s commitment to create an ambitious, international legally binding treaty that will expedite its commitment to protect at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030.