Policy

Waste contracts are generally the most valuable contracts that a Council signs. Mike Ritchie explains how to get them right.

Almost two years on from a landmark pledge by state and federal environment ministers to take decisive action on packaging waste, Australia is still waiting for meaningful reform.

Waste in Australia (total generation and per capita) continues to grow, driving up GHG emissions and exhausting landfill space. To decouple waste generation from economic growth, Circular Economy is the key.

A three degrees increase in global temperature will have unprecedented impact on our planet, way of life and the very system our societies have been built upon.

Packaging recycling in Australia has some way to go. Both in terms of meeting the national 2025 Waste Targets and in terms of reducing the use of dangerous chemicals and composite materials that pollute and hinder recycling. Government intervention was supposed to help. This has not happened yet.

NSW has some way to go to hit the 2030 National Waste Targets. To do so, it needs a lot of new waste infrastructure. Mike Ritchie takes a look at the types and number of facilities needed.

In 2018 we set National Packaging Targets with a 2025 horizon. 2025 is upon us. How have we fared?

Isn’t it amazing that the media can so consistently fail to join the dots on climate change?

CDS effectiveness should be measured as the net increase in eligible container capture OVER and ABOVE what would have happened anyway under yellow bin and MRF collection systems. 

Which product stewardship schemes are most effective? Not many!

All waste, and most recycling, becomes a resource only when money is spent converting it.

In contrast to most States, Tasmania could achieve the National Waste Targets by 2030