Can Recycling and Upcycling Help Solve Australia’s Plastic Waste Problem?

In 2022, the UN Environment Assembly adopted an historic resolution to create a global treaty to end plastic pollution. Yet, after several rounds of negotiations, the world is still waiting for an agreement. 

What’s clear is that we can’t simply recycle our way out of the plastic waste crisis. Many experts now argue that the only real solution is to ban new plastic production. But because plastic is cheap, durable and convenient, outlawing it entirely is unlikely to happen anytime soon. 

Here in Australia, the government has set ambitious recycling targets—70% of plastic packaging to be recycled or composted by this year. Yet in 2022–2023, only 19% was successfully recycled, a drop from the previous year. Meanwhile, NSW has legislated an end to landfill by 2030. The message is clear: throwing things into the recycling bin is not enough if those materials never get reused. That’s why reuse, upcycling, and circular economy solutions are more important than ever. 

Why Dezinery Exists 

At Dezinery, we believe the future of plastic waste isn’t in downcycling—where materials are turned into lower quality items that eventually pollute again. Instead, we’re committed to connecting Australians with high-quality recycled plastic products designed to last. 

Our curated collections highlight sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives made by local suppliers who care about transparency—the what, where, and how of the recycled content in their creations. By choosing thoughtfully designed, durable products, consumers can defy the trajectory and help strengthen Australia’s plastic recycling system, reduce waste, and contribute to a circular economy. 

If there’s no global agreement on reducing production, and landfill is being phased out, then something has to change. We believe that change starts with consumers making smarter choices—choosing recycled and upcycled products that reduce plastic waste while supporting Australian makers. 

Explore our collection today at Dezinery.com.au and be part of the solution: less waste, more sustainable, eco-friendly, and beautifully designed products that give plastic a second life.