Australia is set to ban the export of plastic, paper and glass in a bid to help clean up the world's oceans.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, along with the nation's state premiers, agreed today to a timetable for some domestic waste exports.

"It's our waste and it's our responsibility," Mr Morrison said during a press conference with other heads of state at the Cairns Convention Centre in Cairns today.

He said most Australians believe any discarded plastic, paper and glass is recycled, however, only about 12 per cent of it is.

Australia exported about 4.4 million tonnes of recyclable waste last year. Most landed in six Asian countries, with one third of it plastic, paper and cardboard.

The total cost of all exports was about $2.8 billion.