Key messages

•  Prioritising the delivery of a circular economy through relevant standards, guidelines and procurement can reduce costs for business, support new industries and jobs and enable the efficient use of natural resources.

•  The transition to a circular economy means everyone who imports, produces, designs, constructs, sells and disposes of a product will share responsibility over its lifecycle.

•  Transitioning also involves developing the necessary resource recovery infrastructure to re-circulate recovered resources.

•  A consistent national approach to sustainable waste policies that encompasses all aspects of the waste value chain would accelerate Australia's transition to a circular economy.

•  Product development and innovation for using recycled materials as an industry resource is a significant opportunity for Australia, domestically and globally.