Infrastructure

Australia’s National Plastics Plan 2021 was released a year ago. Sadly, it looks like most of its targets will be missed. Nevertheless, the Plan provides a strong foundation for tackling plastic waste in Australia.

Australia generates 61.5 MT of “core” waste. Of this, 20.5 MT is sent to landfill.

Sydney has three options to avoid a looming waste crisis – boost recycling by increasing the waste levy to $200, build new landfills, or allow more energy recovery projects, says Mike Ritchie of MRA Consulting Group.

Australia generates 2.4 million tonnes of plastic every year. It comes in all shapes and polymers. Car parts, sofas, drink containers, medical equipment, pallet wrap and single use packaging. You name a product in the economy and sure enough it will have plastic in it or in its supply chain.

It always surprises me when governments announce waste/recycling policies which bear little resemblance to what is actually needed. But I blame myself.

“We can achieve a Circular Economy by 2025” was the proposition in a debate run by the Young Professionals of WMRR. I chaired the “No” side. “No chance” we said (and won).

Tasmania’s Parliament just passed the Waste and Resource Recovery Bill 2021, introducing a landfill levy and with it, bringing the state into line with other Australian jurisdictions.

Our current economic model is pretty much a linear one: take (extract) - make (stuff) - waste (landfill). It treats resources as infinite and assumes the environment can absorb the waste. It is therefore unsustainable in the long run.

People often ask “Is MRA doing any Circular Economy work?”. The answer is “Plenty”.

The NSW Government has created a $10 million fund to reduce landfilling of solar panels and battery systems. Phase 1 of the Circular Solar grants program (trial phase) awarded $1.1 million in funding for eligible trial projects.

For more than ten years, MRA has been arguing for an “Organics Revolution” in Australia to remove organics from landfill.

The NSW EPA announced Round 9 of the Organics Collection Household stream grant program which aims to divert food and garden waste from landfill and redirect it to organics processing facilities.