Developing a National Waste Policy

1
Presentation from public consultation meetings
held 21 April 1 May 2009
2
Overview

• November 2008 Australian environment ministers
  agreed to develop a national waste policy to
  provide a coherent, efficient and environmentally
  responsible approach to waste management in
  Australia
• The Australian Government is leading the process
• A taskforce has been formed in the Department of
  the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to
  consult widely and develop a draft national waste
  policy

3
The last statement of national waste policy

• 1992 National Strategy for Ecologically
  Sustainable Development (ESD) agreed by Council
  of Australian Governments (COAG)
• Included national approach to waste minimisation
  and management
• To improve the efficiency with which resources
  are used and reduce the impact on the environment
  of waste disposal, and to improve the management
  of hazardous wastes, avoid their generation and
  address clean-up issues.

4
Since 1992

• All Australian governments have introduced a
  range of legislative and policy instruments for
  waste management and resource recovery which work
  towards COAGs objectives
• The evolution of policies, legislation and
  programs across jurisdictions over the last
  decade or more has resulted in a diversity of
  approaches across Australia

5
State and territory role(Please note, further
state/territory specific information can be found
at the end of this presentation)

• All States and Territories have waste strategies
  and legislation to protect the environment and
  conserve natural resources
• A wide variety of measures have been adopted

6
The 1992 COAG agreement still stands but ..

• A lot has changed institutionally, socially,
  economically and in our environment
• Sustainability needs increasing
• Climate change
• Water scarcity and quality
• Energy conservation
• Seamless National Economy (COAG 2008)
• Time to consider where next with national waste
  policy

7
Waste generation is increasing

• Waste generation up by 28 2002/03 to 2006/07 -
  from 32 to 41 million tonnes
• Even with the significant increase in recycling -
  49 of the waste we generate is diverted into
  resource recovery activities
• (2008 Hyder Report)

8

• Is this level of generation acceptable - how do
  we decide?
• How can (and should) we address this level of
  waste generation?

9
Recycling and disposal rates per waste sector in
2006-07 (kilo tonnes)
From Waste and Recycling in Australia, Hyder
Consulting, 2008 (p. 3)
10
Predicted growth in generated waste by sector to
2020
From Waste and Recycling in Australia, Hyder
Consulting, 2008
11
Contribution of waste to economy
12
Local government role(Please note, further
state/territory specific information can be found
at the end of this presentation)

• Important role as
• direct service provider
• purchaser of waste services
• contributor to aggregated approaches to waste
  management

13
Australian Government role

• Commonwealth has responsibilities for
• international agreements
• specific legislation
• participation in national activities through the
  Environment Protection Heritage Council (EPHC)

14
National action so far

• Commonwealth activities under international
  agreements and specific legislation
• Regulatory action by all jurisdictions through
  national environment protection measures (NEPMs)
  under the NEPC Act
• Activities by all jurisdictions under the banner
  of the EPHC
• Voluntary action by business and community
  organisations

15
Solutions where and how to intervene?

• How can Australia better capture the value in
  waste?
• What mix of incentives and regulation are needed
  for the waste management and resource recovery
  sectors
• How can this stimulate innovation, jobs and
  deliver good environmental outcomes?

16
What do we want to achieve?

• A policy that will
• clearly articulate the objectives of waste
  management and the respective roles of
  governments
• set out the basis for collaboration between
  jurisdictions
• provide the basis for effective and efficient
  approaches to domestic waste issues

17
What do we want to achieve?

• A policy that will
• ensure that waste management remains aligned with
  Australias international obligations, including
  the Basel Convention on the Control of
  Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
• complement the Commonwealths approach to climate
  change and sustainability

18
Potential benefits

• Stimulate economic activity and innovation from
  our growing waste stream
• Create jobs
• Improved sustainable management of our resources
  and materials
• Greater transparency and certainty for business
  and the community
• Simplified waste management approaches across
  Australia

19
Potential benefits

• Reduced regulatory and cost burden on business
• Greater awareness of waste related issues and
  potential solutions
• Pursuit of collaborative action to reduce
  greenhouse gas emissions and save energy and
  water
• Capacity to monitor performance of key waste and
  resource recovery indicators at a national level

20
Policy development timeline
21
How can you contribute?

• Share your ideas, insights, knowledge and
  information at this session.
• Make a submission on the national waste policy by
  13 May 2009.
• The consultation paper poses a range of questions
  to help frame the issues
• Send submissions or refer queries to
  wastepolicy_at_environment.gov.au
• More information is available at
  www.environment.gov.au/wastepolicy

22
State, territory and local government roles
23
State role in Victoria

• This diagram summarise the roles and of the state
  government agencies involved in waste management
  in Victoria.

24
Local government role in Victoria

• Local governments play an important role in waste
  management in Victoria in the following ways
• As service providers (either directly or via
  contractors)
• As landfill operators (most often in rural and
  regional Victoria)
• As contributors to best practice approaches to
  waste management via Regional Waste Management
  Groups (rural and regional Victoria) or the
  Metropolitan Waste Management Group (in
  Melbourne).

25
State role in NSW

• The role of the NSW government is to ensure a
  healthy and clean environment by reducing impacts
  on the community and the environment of waste and
  waste related activities and ensuring the
  efficient and effective use of resources (energy,
  water, materials).
• NSW does this through a comprehensive regulatory
  framework and through innovative tools and
  programs that aim to mitigate impacts from waste
  disposal, minimise resource use, increase
  resource recovery and ensure the appropriate
  disposal of harmful waste.
• Regulatory measures include
• State-wide planning controls
• Licensing of waste and resource recovery premises
  and facilities
• Providing clear guidelines on waste
  classifications and exemptions to assist with
  resource recovery
• Tracking of hazardous waste
• Collection of a waste and environment levy on
  waste going to landfill in the regulated areas
• Collection and reporting of waste related data
• Prosecution of littering and illegal dumping

26
State role in NSW

• NSW also runs a broad range of waste-related
  programs, which are aimed at achieving the
  targets in the states Waste Avoidance and
  Resource Recovery Strategy.
• Examples of programs include
• Improving resource recovery infrastructure
• Gathering information to guide priority setting
  and investment
• Trials of new approaches and recycled content
  materials
• Working with industries on product stewardship
  initiatives
• Grants for Councils on litter and illegal dumping
  and a suite of other programs for Councils
• Providing chemical clean-out services for
  households
• Support for businesses to tackle waste
• Government leading by example through its
  Sustainability Policy and Waste Reduction and
  Purchasing Policy
• Sustainable Schools program
• Aboriginal clean up grants

27
Local government role in NSW

• Local Government is primary interface between
  community (households, businesses) regarding
  waste management services.
• Local Government very influential regarding
  behaviour change, effective waste management /
  recycling practice.
• Local Government has a great deal of purchasing
  power which can impact waste and sustainability
  outcomes.
• Local Government deals with a wide variety of
  types of wastes, not just domestic organic (food
  and garden), inert, packaging, e-waste,
  hazardous, home administered clinical, public
  place, commercial, industrial, illegally dumped
  waste.

28
Local government role in NSW

• Local Government operates to best of ability at
  end of pipe, with a limited ability to
  influence volumes and types of waste that come
  into the system.
• Local Government is firmly committed to the
  principles of Extended Producer Responsibility
  (EPR).
• Its not just about recycling
• Local Government waste management is increasingly
  being used to raise revenue through levies, which
  should be applied back to waste / environmental
  initiatives.

Supportive of a national waste policy, one that
delivers
29
State role in WA

• Waste Authority role
• Department of Environment and Conservation role
• The Waste Strategy
• Better landfill
• More recycling
• Fostering alternative waste treatment

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State role in WA

• Tools available
• Funding Strategic Waste Initiative Scheme
  Community Grants Scheme Regional Funding
  Program
• Partnerships, education, information
• Landfill levy
• Regulation in some areas
• Tools we lack
• Regulatory tools for product stewardship
• Look to the national level for this

31
Local government role in WA

• All Australian governments have introduced a
  range of legislative and policy instruments for
  waste management and resource recovery which work
  towards COAGs objectives

32
State role in SA

• ZeroWaste SA provides leadership to define policy
  settings for waste-resource recovery
• State Waste Strategy 2005-2010
• Mid term review against Strategy
• Draft 2010-2015 strategy being prepared
• Five key strategies
• Foster sustainable behaviour
• Avoiding waste to landfill
• Establish effective recovery systems
• Enact policies
• Encourage cooperation
• Regulatory (operational and policy) focus by EPA
• Draft Environment Protection Policy
• Specific reform work for resource recovery sector
• Waste to urban fill refuse derived fuel waste
  to soil enhancer stockpile management
• Regulatory function state and national
  requirements (ie NEPMs)

33
State role in QLD

• The Queensland Department of Environment and
  Resource Management is the lead Government
  department for waste management in Queensland.
• Current waste management framework
• Environmental Protection Act 1994
• Environmental Protection Regulation 2008
• Environmental Protection (Waste Management)
  Policy 2000
• Environmental Protection (Waste Management)
  Regulation 2000

34
State role in QLD

• Where is Queensland up to?
• Public discussion paper released in October 2007
• Consultation summary released in April 2008
• Annual publication of State of Waste and
  Recycling Report
• National Packaging Covenant program funding and
  enforcement of NEPM provisions, including Public
  Place Recycling
• Internal and external stakeholder working groups
  established to begin work on definitions
• Department of Public Works Whole-of-Government
  Recycling Policy for Buildings and Civil
  Infrastructure
• Considerations include
• New waste strategy
• Strengthening the regulatory framework, including
  increased regulation and enforcement
• Mechanisms to address data gaps
• Improved management of priority wastes
• No waste levy is proposed for Queensland at this
  stage

35
Territory role in ACT

• TAMS manages waste operations in the ACT
• DECCEW manages the policy aspects of waste
  management.
• Recycling has increased from 42 in 1996 to 74
  in 2008, primarily from households, and the
  construction sector.
• Waste to landfill has decreased from 252,000
  tonnes in 1996 to 207,000 tonnes in 2007/2008.
• No Waste by 2010 is due for renewal.
• Opportunities exist in
• commercial and industrial sectors
• Organic material
• E-waste