Coffs Waste 2024, MRA’s take

The 2024 Coffs Waste Conference has come and gone. Here are MRA’s key takeaways:

1. EPA will release landfill levy discussion paper soon. Recyclers need this to be able to build viable businesses.
2. Ditto NSW infrastructure plan. Investors need this to have any security of investment.
3. EPR still struggling- based on hard working voluntary schemes. With no regulatory backing voluntary schemes suffer from economic reality, cost avoidance and free riders. Many called on the Federal Government to intervene to make them mandatory. More schemes coming but will struggle for effectiveness. 
4. Mandatory schemes
   • Oil and CDS working well  (>60 % recovery rates).
   • Voluntary < 16% and average recovery even lower).
   • But lots of energetic people involved and still lots of positivity that it is worth pushing.
5. EfW stalled in NSW. Awaiting Regional Development decision on Parkes. Veolia progressing approval at Woodlawn.
6. Education– We need to focus and expand state-wide education on FOGO contamination and yellow bin contamination.
   • Contamination challenges commercial viability, market availability and export capability. We must reduce green/yellow bin contamination rates.
7. We need local councils to collect illegal dumping and litter data. Without it we cannot work out whether it is getting better or worse.
8. There is huge interest in infrastructure investment opportunities in the waste sector. Certainty of Government policy is a precondition.
9. PFAS regulation is worrying many- eg QLD Dept Envt setting a compost limit of 3ppb. Considerable frustration with EPA’s anlong the lines of “ there are no prohibitions on PFAS in compostables, frying pans, clothing, food containers etc but EPAs are setting limits on downstream compost products and landfill leachate. Ban it in the economy first”. Many fear another MWOO. Several experts think the fears of PFAS itself are overblown because the US EPA findings are equivocal.
10. Best practice local government service contracts eg FOGO, now include
    • contamination pricing,
    • buy back provisions,
    • output quality standards,
    • education contributions,
    • change in law.

11. NSW and Australia have no chance of hitting the Targets with current policy settings.
12. Circular Economy is an exciting space but there is a lack of policy clarity re objectives, targets, regulations etc. Many interesting “on the ground” projects being undertaken.
13. FOGO is continuing to roll out.
    • Average contamination 2.2% nationally but some councils suffering at > 15%.
    • Concerted effort required. 
    • Changing red bin frequency or size while introducing FOGO bins needs to be managed carefully. It may be prudent to change red bin later as a secondary decision (see Penrith and IWC experiences).
14. While National Packaging reform is still some time away, Soft Plastic recovery is being pushed hard by AFGC and the Soft Plastic Task Force. Watch this space. 
15. QLD has included wine and spirits into CDS. It is going well.
    • Other States considering.
    • Much discussion about the need to increase the rebate from 10c to 20c at least.
16. Carbon price still around $30/t and insufficient to drive much additional landfill gas capture. Some discussion that the Safeguard Mechanism will start to drive up ACCU prices as liable entities are required to reduce emissions by 1.9% per year. But too early to tell.
17. Interesting new panel on the value of consultants. The main point – they can save clients money compared to employing staff for one-off jobs or jobs requiring specific expertise. (But you knew that!)
18. Planning– there is massive frustration about the NSW planning process. Too slow and too uncertain.
19. Similarly, many attendees said the EPA was a lot better in consultation but needed to act.
    • It needed to take the policy and regulatory actions required to achieve the targets.
    • To enforce fairly (not just licenced operators) and quickly close down illegal operators.
    • Reference points 1 and 2 above as priorities.

These were some of the main themes. But there are many more.

It is an exciting and rapidly reforming sector. It has plenty to contribute to resource efficiency, circular economy, jobs growth and emissions reductions. The sector is full of intelligent, energetic and motivated people. 

Tweet

MRA was involved in a number of sessions, presenting, participating in panels and chairing streams. We also sponsored the Final Buffet. Subjects covered by MRA staff included policy, education, FOGO, plastic waste, waste planning and circular economy. The table below provides further detail.

If you need further information, please contact us at info@mraconsulting.com.au