The Publishers National Environment Bureau was formed in 1990 as an association of the major publishers of newspapers and magazines in Australia. The formation was prompted by a change in community attitudes to the environment. 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. Essentially the PNEB was established to help Governments and the community to make sensible decisions on recycling old newspapers and magazines.

Part of this environmental awareness was a recognition that resources are finite, if we are to pass the planet on to our children in good shape then we had better do something now. In the case of the print media, recycling old newspapers, magazines and other printed material became a concept that was widely supported. It became important to recycle old paper and to not let this valuable used paper go to landfill.

This community concern was an issue for governments. At both State and Federal level. The issue became how to manage the process of recycling all products in Australia not just recycling paper. The result was an Industry Commission Enquiry that held hearings all over Australia and reported on it's findings in 1991. The PNEB was a contributor to those hearings.

Links:
PNEB Website