Mike Ritchie to speak at Queensland ASBG seminar

Waste Crisis: Recycling, Infrastructure and QLDs Levy Impacts, 12 April 2019 – Lidcombe

Waste infrastructure in NSW is facing unprecedented pressures with QLD’s levy, AWTs shut down and tighter new controls being implemented on recycling.  This seminar will address:

• QLD’s Levy impact – NSW’s waste re-entering the local market – where will it go?
  
• C&D Recycling new Standards and their implementation
  
• Waste infrastructure in NSW ? Does Sydney area have enough to cope?
  
• Recycled product market crisis ? NSW and Victorian Government action
  
• Dealing with contamination and finding the markets – where are they?
  

Queensland’s waste levy is designed to make it uneconomic for 1.3 million tonnes of NSW wastes going north. Most of this waste is C&D and contaminated soils, so where will this waste go when the QLD levy kicks in?  Has NSW, especially the Sydney region, enough recycling and landfill capacity to absorb this 1.3 million tonnes?  NSW Standards for managing C&D waste and other waste laws commence, will also have impacts.  Additionally, closure of NSW’s AWTs injects another 0.5 million tonnes into NSW’s waste into landfills.  How much time is left before new landfills must be located, or are their alternatives?

NSW Government established a Taskforce to deal with China’s National Sword and its impact on recycling.  Five key of initiatives have been introduced including the draft circular economy policy.  Sustainability Victoria has also launched a number of initiatives to deal with the current recycling crisis. Can these measures act quickly enough to manage the lack of end markets and the lower costs provided to traditionally sorted recyclate?  How well are the revised contracts for kerbside recycling working or are many bogged down?  This seminar will explore the extent of the issue and consider a number of possible solutions.

A cooperative process is essential to build a circular economy, involving all players and stakeholders in the recycling system, generators and purchasers of recycled products.  A beverage manufacturer’s perspective provides insight of the issues involved in being an end market for recycled materials.

In answering the above the seminar provides talks to mainly refresh what are the rules, but also to identify issues and potential means in which to solve them.

• Justin Koek, Director National Sword, EPA
  NSW Government’s set of measures to assist with China’s Sword’s impact and an update on other current waste matters
• Shannon Smyth, Manager, Resource Recovery Strategies, Sustainability Victoria
  Current state of play of recycling in Victoria – Plans and initiatives
• David Gamble, Technical Director and Principle, GHD
  NSW putrescible waste infrastructure – coping with the perfect storm
• Gavin Shapiro, Senior Associate, Hones Lawyers
  A legal perspective on the impacts on recycling contracts and legal liabilities faced by Local Government and recyclers
• Justin Merrell, Group Environmental Director, Lion Co
  A beverage manufacturer’s perspective on packaging, recycling and the circular economy
• SUEZ
  A major waste company’s views on current issues and forward directions
• Mike Ritchie, CEO, MRA Consulting Group
  Removal of food and organics from waste to landfill – prospects and issues
• Andrew Doig, CEO, ASBG
  A business perspective on NSW waste infrastructure, CoR, markets and the recent Fire safety in Waste Facilities document

Companies that are brand owners, councils, waste contractors, businesses that recycle wastes, waste equipment suppliers will be affected in various ways in the short and long term.

This seminar is sponsored by Hones Lawyers and supported by GHD and MRA Consulting Group.