Australia will work towards banning recyclable waste being exported overseas, after a meeting of state, territory and federal leaders in Cairns.

Key points: Political leaders commit to phasing out exports of recyclable waste

Political leaders commit to phasing out exports of recyclable waste Last year, Australia exported 4.5 million tonnes of waste, costing states and territories billions

Last year, Australia exported 4.5 million tonnes of waste, costing states and territories billions Scott Morrison says it's "our waste, our responsibility"

The ban will not be immediate, with all levels of governments giving their environment ministers the role of figuring out a timeframe for plastics, paper, metals and glass to be taken out of the broader waste system.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison put his counterparts on notice last week, warning they had to do more to deal with rising amounts of recyclable waste ending up in landfill or being shipped offshore.

Last financial year, Australia exported close to 4.5 million tonnes of waste overseas — mainly to Asian nations — at a cost of about $2.8 billion to state and territory budgets.

Australia only recycles 12 per cent of plastics, with the rest going into landfill.

In recent months, countries such as China, Malaysia and Indonesia have moved to ban developed countries sending contaminated rubbish in their direction.

"It's our waste, and it's our responsibility," Mr Morrison said in a post-meeting press conference.

"That's why I think setting a clear path forward as leaders — that we don't want to see this going into the ocean, that we don't want to see this go into waterways, and we'll do everything in our remit to achieve that goal — is a very important outcome."

Scott Morrison has demanded states and territories lift their game on plastic recycling. ( ABC News: Kathryn Diss )

The agreement included a commitment to examine how Australia could build its capacity to generate "high-value recycled commodities."

"We want to see waste not as a problem but as another person's treasure opportunity," Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said.

"And try and find as many jobs as possible in how we deal with this and the challenge the Prime Minister has set us."

The move was welcomed by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), which was also represented at COAG.

"We've got households right across the nation who do their best to make sure that they sort their waste out at home, put it in the right bin and their confidence of late has been dented when they've found out that their recycling is not being recycled as well as they'd hoped," ALGA president David O'Loughlin said.

"So we hope that this measure puts it firmly on the environment ministers' and the states and ourselves as well as the national government that we need to do better."

Political leaders from across the country have pledged to tackle plastic waste. ( ABC News: Kathryn Diss )

Announcement ahead of Pacific visit

The announcement comes ahead of the Prime Minister heading to the Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu.

Pacific nations have borne the brunt of the effects of climate change, as well as pollution from developed nations such as Australia washing up on their usually pristine coastlines.

Australia has copped criticism from its Pacific neighbours for not doing enough to combat climate change.

Political insiders expect this recycling announcement could form part of Mr Morrison's efforts to portray his nation as contributing to the environmental health of the region.

"It's certainly relevant to the discussion we have Pacific island leaders," Mr Morrison said.

COAG agreements extend to education

The COAG leaders also agreed to work together on a new vocational education strategy after the Prime Minister warned the system was "letting us down".

"We can do better in this space and I'm very confident we will," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.

"We have to change the way TAFE and vocational education and non-university pathways are viewed. This is a first-class option, not anything less than that."

COAG also endorsed the final stage of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children and agreed to make mental health and suicide prevention a national priority.