To confront and mitigate the effects of climate change, every state and territory in Australia is enacting new plans and legislation targeting waste reduction, recycling and other sustainability practices.
ACT
In 2023 the ACT government launched the Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan to build a circular economy in Canberra. The Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for the plan found significant benefits for the environment, emissions reduction, waste management industry, and food rescue organisations, as the regulations extend the lifespan of the ACT’s landfill.
Key Proposals:
• Regulations to promote environmental sustainability and emissions reduction.
• Regulations to aid the industry by extending landfill lifespan.
• Propose food waste reduction plans/regulations for food businesses and introduce new processing requirements to separate and recycle food waste.
NT
As of 2019 Darwin city banned the use of single use plastics at all events on council land. The NT Government has announced their intent to ban many single use plastics across the territory by 2025.
Banned Single-Use Plastics:
• Disposable cups (coffee and lids)
• Cutlery
• Disposable crockery
• Takeaway containers
• Straws
• Balloons
NSW
The New South Wales Government introduced the Environment Protection Legislation Amendment (Stronger Regulation and Penalties) Bill 2024 to enhance environmental protections and strengthen the state’s natural resource and public health safeguards.
The Bill overhauls environment protection laws and aims to expand the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) capabilities for investigation and enforcement while imposing stronger penalties for environmental offences.
Key Points:
• The Bill substantially increases maximum penalties for environmental offences, particularly those involving asbestos.
• Introduces powers for the EPA to recall products potentially contaminated with harmful substances.
• Establishes a process to warn the public about poor environmental performers and substandard practices.
• The EPA gains stronger investigation powers, including the ability to issue preliminary investigation notices.
• The Land and Environment Court can ban serial and serious offenders from obtaining environmental protection licenses.
• Ensures proper waste assessment, classification, and disposal.
• New penalties and offenses target small-scale illegal dumping, with higher penalties for sensitive land areas.
QLD
The Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023 (WRROLA Act) came into effect on 2 June 2023 and supports Queensland’s commitment to reduce waste going to landfill while boosting the recycling and resource recovery industry.
• Introduces the circular economy concept to promote waste avoidance and minimise waste impact on the environment and human health.
• Prohibits the outdoor release of lighter-than-air balloons starting 1 September 2023, excluding hot air and research balloons.
• Sets an end date of 1 January 2026 for the exemption of single-use plastics integrated into products, expanding the existing ban.
• Grants the chief executive power to request landfill operators show cause for not suspending or amending resource recovery areas.
• Changes the review period for the state’s waste management strategy and waste reduction plans from three to five years.
SA
South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2020-2025 sets ambitious targets in alignment with its vision to achieve Zero Landfill Waste by 2030.
Key objectives include:
• A targeted 5% reduction in per capita waste generation by 2025 compared to the baseline of 2020.
Targets In Metropolitan Areas:
• A 75% diversion rate for municipal solid waste.
• A 90% diversion rate for commercial and industrial waste.
• A 95% diversion rate for construction and demolition waste.
Targets in Non-Metropolitan Areas:
• Regional Waste Management Plans have been established for all South Australian regional local government areas and/or regional city clusters.
TAS
The Tasmanian government has introduced a Landfill Levy that follows a staggered increase over four years, beginning at $20 per tonne and rising to approximately $60 in two-year intervals.
The levy rate is expressed in Government Fee Units, started at 12 Fee Units from July 2022, 24 Fee Units from July 2024 to June 2026, and 36 Fee Units from July 2026. The fee unit value for 2023-24 is $1.78.
VIC
Victoria is currently four years into its 10-year plan of Building a Circular Economy. The Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021 forms the legislative backbone of the plan and allows for the following:
• Regulation of the waste and recycling sector to enhance recycling practices.
• Mandating the implementation of a four-stream waste and recycling system for Victorian households by 2027, including separate glass service, and by 2030, incorporating food organics and garden organics.
• Anticipating mandatory waste material sorting by businesses in the future.
• Granting powers for data collection and reporting.
• Establishes a comprehensive, consistent, and enforceable framework for supervising and promoting the provision of waste, recycling, and resource recovery services throughout Victoria.
WA
To support Western Australia’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030, a statewide industry ban on e-waste disposal to landfill will be implemented in 2024.
This aims to increase the recovery of valuable materials from electrical items and protect the environment from hazardous e-waste and battery- related fires.
