About us - PNEB - Newspaper and Magazine Recycling

History

Formation of the PNEB

A public attitude poll in 1990 showed that 73% of Australians believed that the environment was the most important public issue, placing it ahead of education, jobs and the economy.

At the same time a kerbside recycling scheme was established in Sydney, which then spread to other major centres. These schemes allowed paper and other recyclable materials to be removed from household waste streams and diverted from landfill.

In 1992, the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) endorsed a National Kerbside Recycling Strategy which included a range of voluntary recycling targets for the major packaging industries. Australia became one of the first countries to have a national voluntary recycling plan giving commitments at all levels of industry.

To show their support for these schemes, the Publishers National Environment Bureau together with their strategic partner, newsprint manufacturer Fletcher Challenge (now Norske Skog Australasia) set up their own industry plan along the lines of an Industry Waste Reduction Agreement – Newsprint. In general this Agreement was based on the principles of:

a national approach;
voluntary actions;
market driven; and
no commingling of paper.