Waste

When is waste “waste”?
Policy
27 November 2020

When is waste “waste”?

Waste is ‘waste’ by definition of the fact it is discarded. The generator has to pay someone to get rid of it. Ιt will only become a ‘resource’ when it is separated, sorted, cleaned-up and is available as an input to another process.

Landfill levies drive Australian recycling and resource recovery
Policy
23 November 2020

Landfill levies drive Australian recycling and resource recovery

Landfill levies may be blunt instruments but they have also shown their effectiveness in Australia. Waste generators have a binary decision to make. Recycle or landfill. More often than not, it comes down to price. To meet our 80% diversion from landfill target, we need to make the answer to that question simple and ever present.

The role of landfills in a circular economy
Circular Economy
2 November 2020

The role of landfills in a circular economy

Waste is like a river that flows downhill to the cheapest price. Landfills are like big vacuum cleaners - they suck up waste and resources indiscriminately. If we continue to supply cheaply priced landfills, then that is where our waste will go. There will always be a place for well-run landfills. But if we want to create a circular economy, then the first and most obvious thing we need to do, is stop the one-way flow into landfills.

Budget 2020 – $250 million boost for Australia’s recycling infrastructure
Policy
13 October 2020

Budget 2020 – $250 million boost for Australia’s recycling infrastructure

The 2020-21 budget is out and for the first time, the Commonwealth identified the waste sector as one of the 6 (yes 6 only) sectors for focussed job creation. MRA's Mike Ritchie reviewed the budget noting some important points.

Key points on COAG export bans
Circular Economy
29 September 2020

Key points on COAG export bans

One of the most interesting Coffs Waste sessions this year was the COAG panel discussion addressing the forthcoming export bans on glass, plastics, paper and tyres where Minister Trevor Evans made a number of interesting key points.

National Waste Action Plan 2019
Circular Economy
27 July 2020

National Waste Action Plan 2019

The National Waste Action Plan 2019 was agreed by Federal, State and Local governments setting national targets and actions for reducing waste to landfill. To achieve this, industry, waste generators and local government need the right market signals and regulations to drive the necessary investment.

Open letter to Minister Kean on NSW waste reform
Circular Economy
25 May 2020

Open letter to Minister Kean on NSW waste reform

MRA managing director Mike Ritchie recently sent Minister Kean an open letter recognising the State's successes in waste management and identifying key concerns and potential solutions for supporting resource recovery post COVID-19.

Waste management facilities are not the same as shopping centres
Planning & Approvals
13 May 2020

Waste management facilities are not the same as shopping centres

The Federal ban on exports of recyclables requires that over 100 new processing facilities be built to process the 1.3MT of recyclables that we previously exported. Getting approval for waste facilities can be hard, expensive and time consuming. Esther Hughes provides a few pointers for making the process as painless as possible.

NSW Fast Track Planning Approvals
NSW
1 May 2020

NSW Fast Track Planning Approvals

Getting a planning approval for a waste facility is a long and excruciating process, especially in NSW. Now, the NSW Government is trying to combat the economic downturn brought about by COVID-19 by cutting down red-tape to speed up the planning process and stimulate the construction industry.

2 years to get an approval – tell him he’s dreaming!
NSW
16 April 2020

2 years to get an approval – tell him he’s dreaming!

Everyone working in waste and recycling knows that getting a planning approval for a waste facility is a long and excruciating process, especially in NSW. Mike Ritchie looks at why this is the case and puts forward 3 ideas for NSW to get its mojo back.

Gasification: Are smaller distributed WtE systems the solution for municipal solid waste in urban Australia?
EfW
21 February 2020

Gasification: Are smaller distributed WtE systems the solution for municipal solid waste in urban Australia?

Could smaller scale be a viable and preferred alternative for metropolitan Australia instead of larger scale incinerators and challenge the misconception of WtE facilities being “big hungry beasts”?

MRA submission to the inquiry into Australia’s Waste Management and Recycling Industries
Policy
11 February 2020

MRA submission to the inquiry into Australia’s Waste Management and Recycling Industries

MRA believes there are huge jobs, resource and carbon opportunities in recycling and waste management. In its submission to the Inquiry into Australia’s Waste Management and Recycling Industries, MRA has identified some of the key requirements for capturing these opportunities.

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