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The goal of creating a Circular Economy is slipping through our fingers
Infrastructure
29 February 2024

The goal of creating a Circular Economy is slipping through our fingers

State and Commonwealth Government action is necessary for the National Waste Action Plan to succeed and achieve the 2030 targets

Achieving our waste targets
Circular Economy
2 December 2022

Achieving our waste targets

By: Mike Ritchie, MRA Consulting Group In 2019, Australia’s environment ministers and the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) agreed to the National Waste Policy and Action Plan (NWPAP). For the first time, all Governments were committing to collective action on recycling, waste management and the creation of a more Circular Economy. Our governments finally agreed […]

Kerbside FOGO needs a national standard
FOGO
5 October 2022

Kerbside FOGO needs a national standard

As Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) collections are more widely introduced by councils, a uniform approach is required nationally.

Getting the most out of the FOGO revolution
FOGO
14 July 2022

Getting the most out of the FOGO revolution

Perth, Adelaide, all of Victoria and now all NSW households will have FOGO (Food Organics, Garden Organics) collections by 2030.

QLD provides the roadmap for Organics
FOGO
21 June 2022

QLD provides the roadmap for Organics

Resource recovery in Queensland has lagged other States for a long time because they have had no landfill levy and that has stifled investment.

Recovered fines and recovered soil rules in NSW
Circular Economy
20 April 2022

Recovered fines and recovered soil rules in NSW

NSW EPA has released the new draft Recovered Fines and Recovered Soils Resource Recovery Orders/Exemptions (RRO/E). The good news first.

Organics collection mandates NSW – overcoming ‘barriers’
FOGO
11 April 2022

Organics collection mandates NSW – overcoming ‘barriers’

The NSW EPA recently provided the Waste Advisory Group NSW with an update on the implementation of the Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 and the Waste Delivery Plan.

What should we do with plastics?
EfW
5 April 2022

What should we do with plastics?

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.

Things everyone should know about waste and the Circular Economy
Circular Economy
22 March 2022

Things everyone should know about waste and the Circular Economy

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

Freeing Trevor to drive the circular bus
Circular Economy
16 March 2022

Freeing Trevor to drive the circular bus

“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).

MRA’s cheat sheet on the Circular Economy
Circular Economy
19 October 2021

MRA’s cheat sheet on the Circular Economy

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.

Actions for a circular economy
Policy
16 September 2019

Actions for a circular economy

Following up on his earlier Circular Economy article, Mike Ritchie reviews the European Union Circular Economy Action Plan report of 54 actions and adjusts those actions to propose an equivalent action list for Australia.

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