Diversion

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

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

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.

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).

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.

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.

A circular economy is necessary to minimise landfill, increase resources recovery and protect our natural environment. A strong local reprocessing sector will also generate new jobs, support the economy and safeguard Australia from international developments such as China's National Sword. Mike Ritchie outlines the key drivers for a strong Circular Economy in Australia.

The NSW EPA has opened round 6 of its Organics Collection grants under the $105.5M Organics Infrastructure Fund of the NSW Government Waste Less Recycle More initiative (WLRM).

The goal of Halve Waste is to reduce the waste to landfill by 50% by 2020. A major step in achieving this is the target to reduce waste landfilled at AWMC to 75,000 tonnes per year by 2018 financial year end. We’re at the half-way point and this looks like being achieved.

The NSW EPA has opened round 2 of its $3M Organics Market Development grants under the NSW Government Waste Less Recycle More initiative (WLRM). The new grants support activities that will improve the demand for recycled organics.