Recycling policy in Australia?

Question

Please provide this topic to me before friday.Thank You:)

Answer 1

Here's a starting place.

Answer 2

Waste and recycling

Productivity Commission inquiry into waste managementIn late 2005 the Productivity Commission launched an inquiry into waste generation and resource efficiency. They called for submissions and undertook a series of public inquiries. ALGA participated in both processes. The ALGA submission covered some broad areas for concern, while the State Associations provided more detailed submissions.

In May 2006, the Productivity Commission released their draft report Waste Management which invites further comment and will be followed up with another series of public hearings. ALGA will continue to input into this inquiry.

drumMUSTERThe drumMUSTER program has been operating since 1 February 1999 and is a joint initiative between the National Association for Crop Production and Animal Health (Avcare), together with the National Farmers' Federation (NFF), the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and the Veterinary Manufacturers and Distributors Association (VMDA). As at 1 June 2002, 378 Councils across Australia are participating in the program. Of these, 88 have been identified as high priority councils (because of the high number of drum sales in the LGA). Ninety-eight per cent of high priority councils have signed up to drumMUSTER and are regularly running collections. ALGA continues to be involved in the drumMUSTER Advisory Committee which meets 4 times per year.

National Packaging CovenantAustralian and state governments have extended the National Packaging Covenant for a further five years following a meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council in July 2005. The National Environment Protection Measure for Used Packaging Materials has been streamlined to support the Covenant and to ensure voluntary action is backed by legislation and obligations are met. Changes to the NPC affecting local government and industry signatories include:

Increase in the national packaging recycling rate from 48 per cent to 65 per cent by 2010.

No further increase in packaging waste disposal to landfill by the end of 2010.

The local governments who were signatories to the last Covenant have not yet had time to determine if they will sign the updated Covenant.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) opposes the National Packaging Covenant (the Covenant) in its current form. This opposition arises from the failure of the Covenant to require the packaging industry to take enough downstream responsibility for packaging waste.

Notwithstanding the specific concern over the Covenant as it stands, it should be noted that ALGA supports any waste minimisation initiative that involves all three spheres of Government, together with a voluntary approach by industry.

The concerns with the Covenant, as determined and resolved by the Australian Local Government Association early in 1999 and subsequently reaffirmed, are as follows:

The Covenant definition of product stewardship is based on a principle of "shared responsibility" which is directly at odds with Local Government's view that the packaging industry should take responsibility for the waste it produces

The Covenant does not commit industry to paying a fair price (ie. at least a cost recovery price) for recyclables, requiring only payment of market prices

The Covenant is totally reliant on kerbside collection as the means of recycling, and fails to explore other proven initiatives such as industry run collections/drop-offs and container deposit legislation

In March 1999, the Australian Local Government Association resolved, on behalf of member State and Territory Associations, to refuse to sign the Covenant until the covenant is amended in terms acceptable to Local Government. On 14 May 1999, this position was reaffirmed and the required changes to the NPC were itemised. It was resolved (in part) as follows:

The ALGA reaffirms its position that the Covenant in draft form is unacceptable to Local Government and as such will not be signed

That ALGA believes there must be an included statement that industry must accept responsibility for the materials created throughout the lifecycle of the product

The packaging industry must commit to the waste hierarchy as set out below:

Most preferred:

Avoid

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Recover (eg energy)

Least preferred:

Treat

Dispose

The principle of waste minimisation must be explicitly included in the Covenant as a fundamental goal

The Covenant must accept that Local Government is not part of the packaging chain but may use its infrastructure for the recovery of materials

That the Covenant term "shared responsibilities" must be replaced by "industry lifecycle responsibility"

That the Covenant should provide for the development of a variety of collection systems rather than just kerbside collection, including collection depots, surcharges and Container Deposit Legislation

The packaging industry must agree to meet the real cost of recyclable material collection

The majority position not to sign or support the National Packaging Covenant has been reaffirmed by ALGA, noting however that the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Local Government Association of Queensland have signed the National Packaging Covenant.

Link to the National Packaging Covenant homepage.

Meinhardt Report (393 kb PDF): A Report on the covenant's operation from a council perspective by Meinhardt Infrastructure and Environment Pty Ltd