kaging Impacts Decision Regulation Impact Statement (DRIS), has been prepared for the nation’s environmental ministers, and the Australian Beverages Council together with the Australian Food and Grocery Council, Australian National Retailers Association, Brewers Association of Australia & New Zealand and the National Packaging Covenant Industry Association are calling for access to it due to the potential impact that it will have on manufacturers, retailers and consumers.Spokesperson for the associations, Denita Wawn of the Brewers Association, said that environmental ministers agreed on 29 April 2014 that the report would be made public after they had sufficient time to assess it. Wawn says that considering the ministers have now had almost three months to consider the report, the specifics of its contents should be made public.
Wawn says that media speculation including suggestions by The Daily Telegraph that the scheme could cost consumers up to $8 Billion over 20 years, further heightens the need for consumers to be informed before a policy decision is made.
The associations believe that the cost of a national container deposit scheme could cost consumers up to 20 cents extra for every drink bottle verus an industry backed solution.
According to the associations, the Industry’s National Recycling Action Plan would have no cost to taxpayers with beverage, food and retail industries committing to generate $285 million of programs and initiatives across the country to increase the recycling of packaging and to reduce litter.
