Tracker · Australia
Packaging Regulation in Australia
Every packaging rule in Australia that we have sourced so far: EPR, taxes, bans, recycled-content and reuse targets, labelling and deposit return, with dates, rates and the official text.
In short
As of 13 October 2026
As of 13 October 2026, Strategic Packaging Insights tracks 2 packaging rules in Australia: 0 in force and 0 adopted but not yet applying. We have not yet recorded a packaging EPR scheme in force in Australia.
Key facts
Packaging rules in Australia at a glance
- Latest change: Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026 (Parliament of Australia (Senate), 14 May 2026).
- By type: 1 EPR and 1 Plan or strategy.
In force now in Australia
We have not yet recorded a rule in force for Australia. Adopted and proposed rules are listed below.
Adopted and proposed
Rules that are not yet applying. The status changes when a rule takes effect or is withdrawn.
Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026
SPI summary Bill to establish a mandatory national packaging EPR scheme, referred to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on 14 May 2026 with a reporting date of 6 August 2026.
From the source “Date referred: 14 May 2026 … Reporting date: 6 August 2026”
Materials: All packaging
Parliament of Australia (Senate) · Parliament of Australia: Senate inquiry page
Source consulted 13 Oct 2026 · History (3)
- Changed: rate note
- Verified
- Added
EPRProposedProposed, not lawSourced
Timeline of packaging rules in Australia
| Adopted | Rule | Type | Status | Applies from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 May 2026 | Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026 | EPR | Proposed | — |
| 31 Dec 2025 | 2025 National Packaging Targets | Plan or strategy | Expired | — |
How Australia compares
| Jurisdiction | Rules | In force | EPR | Taxes | Bans | Next deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Austria | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Brazil | 1 | 1 | Yes | 0 | 0 | — |
| Canada | 6 | 6 | Yes | 0 | 2 | — |
| Chile | 1 | 1 | Yes | 0 | 0 | — |
| China | 3 | 3 | — | 0 | 1 | — |
| Colombia | 2 | 2 | Yes | 0 | 1 | — |
| European Union | 18 | 6 | — | 1 | 1 | 12 Aug 2028 |
| France | 3 | 3 | — | 0 | 1 | — |
| Germany | 2 | 2 | Yes | 0 | 0 | — |
| India | 4 | 4 | Yes | 0 | 1 | — |
| Indonesia | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ireland | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Japan | 2 | 2 | Yes | 0 | 0 | — |
| Kenya | 2 | 2 | Yes | 0 | 1 | — |
| New Zealand | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 1 | — |
| Philippines | 1 | 1 | Yes | 0 | 0 | — |
| Poland | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Portugal | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| South Africa | 1 | 1 | Yes | 0 | 0 | — |
| Spain | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | 0 | — |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 1 | — |
| United Kingdom | 7 | 5 | Yes | 1 | 2 | 1 Oct 2027 |
| United States | 13 | 11 | Yes | 0 | 3 | — |
| Vietnam | 1 | 1 | Yes | 0 | 0 | — |
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About the SPI Regulation Tracker
- Purpose
- To show packaging teams which rules on packaging and packaging waste apply where, from when, and at what rate, with the official text one click away.
- Coverage
- 79 rules in 25 jurisdictions: extended producer responsibility, packaging taxes, bans, recycled-content and reuse targets, labelling, deposit return, design and reporting rules. Coverage is growing and is not complete for any jurisdiction.
- Data sources
- Official journals and gazettes, legislatures, ministries, regulators and the bodies that run each scheme. Each rule names its source, links to it and quotes it.
- SPI Methodology
- An analyst finds the rule in its source, records the facts (authority, dates, rate, materials) and copies a short quote. The SPI summary and SPI note are our reading of the source and are labelled. A second SPI team member then re-checks the rule against the source; it is then marked Verified. Any later change to the facts sends it back to Sourced and is logged in its history.
- Limitations
- Not legal advice. 33 of 79 rules have had a second check so far. Rates and dates can change after the date a source was consulted, and secondary legislation, guidance and local rules may not be listed. Always rely on the official text.
- Access
- Free to read and to download as CSV, with weekly change alerts by e-mail. For a mapping of the rules to your own products and markets, request a briefing.
- Corrections
- Found an error or a missing rule? Write to sales@strategicpackaginginsights.com with the rule ID and the source. Corrections are logged in the rule history.
Questions
Does Australia have packaging EPR?
We have not yet recorded a packaging EPR scheme in force in Australia as of 13 October 2026. Adopted and proposed measures, if any, are listed below.
Is there a packaging tax in Australia?
We have not yet recorded a packaging tax or levy in force in Australia as of 13 October 2026.
What are the rows in this tracker based on?
Each rule links to the source it was taken from, usually the legal text in an official journal or gazette or the page of the ministry, regulator or agency that runs it, with a short quote from that source. 33 of the 79 rules have also been re-checked against the source by a second SPI team member and are marked Verified; the others are marked Sourced. Always confirm against the linked text before relying on a rule.
What is the difference between the source quote and the SPI summary?
The quote is copied from the official source. The SPI summary and any SPI note are our own reading of it, written in plain language, and are labelled as such.
What do the statuses mean?
Enacted rules are law: in force (applies now), adopted (passed, but obligations start later), expired or withdrawn. Proposed rules are formal proposals or drafts that are not yet law.
Is this legal advice?
No. The tracker summarises official texts so you can see what applies and when. Always check the linked legal text, or ask us for a compliance briefing for your products and markets.
How current is a row, and what changed?
Each rule shows the date its source was consulted and a history of every change made to it since it was added. Rules are added and changed as the SPI team finds them, and a weekly source check re-opens the sources behind open points such as pending implementing acts, court cases and fee announcements.
Ask the SPI team
Which rules apply to your packs?
Tell us your products, materials and markets. An analyst maps the obligations, fees and deadlines that apply, with every source.
Prefer email? Write to sales@strategicpackaginginsights.com.
- Q1
Which packaging rules apply to us in each market we sell in?
We map each market's EPR, tax, ban, recycled-content, labelling and deposit rules against your materials and formats, and show which are in force, adopted or only proposed.
- Q2
What could EPR fees and plastic taxes cost us next year?
We apply published fee tables and tax rates to your tonnages and recycled content, and show the result as scenarios with every rate sourced.
- Q3
Can you tell us when a rule changes?
Yes. The free tracker alerts cover rule changes by country; a monitoring retainer adds monthly notes on what the changes mean for your portfolio.