Recycling policy ramps up around the nation

In the last two years, since the initiation of moves by the federal government to move back into national policy on waste and recycling, the various state and territory jurisdictions have themselves lifted their focus up a notch also. It’s an interesting reflection on the positive influence an interested federal government can have on state and territory policy activity and the important role national government can play in co-ordinating state- and territory-based action.

It seems timely, therefore, to take stock of what is happening in the states and territories and what the future might hold for activities of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council of Commonwealth, state and territory Ministers. This article looks not at all states but at least what is happening in those states and a territory where policy action is most apparent.

Western Australia

WA was one of the last states to have a state strategy but one of the first to initiate its review of the issues. The new Draft Waste Strategy was issued in its first edition in September 2009. A round of consultation and feedback saw a second Draft Strategy document issued in March 2010 followed by a workshop submission and analysis report. Since then, it is fair to say that very little has progressed to finalise the Strategy as a document to guide government policy and programs. A change of Environment Minister has seen a number of announcements around grants funding but no final policy within which to design a better approach to waste reduction and recycling investment.

South Australia

Long regarded as the leaders in waste minimisation and resource recovery, the existence of a dedicated state agency, Zero Waste SA, has given the state a clear edge over other states in implementing forward-looking policy and developing greater sophistication in policy performance monitoring. ZWSA has also been prepared to invest in innovative initiatives, trying new ideas and doing a reasonable job at data collection. In September last year, Minister Paul Caica released a Draft State Waste Strategy 2010-2015. Submissions closed in October but it’s not yet clear what the government wants to do with the outcome of this review. The previously announced Waste EPP in some respects pre-empted the policy review by taking the lead nationally in aiming for all waste to be subject to resource recovery processes before going to landfill. This national leading policy will surely be adopted by other states in due course.

Victoria

Victoria’s Towards Zero Waste Strategy was first launched by Minister Thwaites in 2005. While the Strategy itself had not undergone wholesale review, the government has worked hard to develop new initiatives to promote resource recovery and recycling. Last year saw the Brumby Government boost landfill levies to incentivise diversion from landfill and this year, the new Bailleau government increased them even further. Two new funding programs focusing on Waste Avoidance and New Investment in Recycling were launched and the first round of funding allocations has yet to be announced. The funding programs are focused on the right things but we have yet to see the quality of initiatives that they might stimulate. In the meantime, it is likely the new government will review this program approach as it seeks to find savings across government.

New South Wales

After a long period of inaction on the waste and recycling front, the arrival of (now former) Minister Frank Sartor saw a welter of new interest in these issues. The Minister commissioned the Richardson Review of Waste Strategy and Policy in NSW in response to widespread industry unease over the government’s lack of focus and the perceived ‘revenue raising’ focus of the government’s highest landfill fees in the nation. Although the original Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2003 has not been updated, Sartor successfully launched a new Waste Strategy Implementation Plan on the eve of the state election. The Plan contemplated new funding programs for recycling but just as these were being formulated, the Labor government was swept from office and the direction of the current government is not yet clear. The Environment Department is now an Office within the Premier’s Department and the future of the Implementation Plan is not yet clear. The Office has, however, commissioned the Centre for International Economics to investigate the potential adverse impacts of rising landfill levies on the disposal costs of recycling residues, a cost some in the recycling industry say is stifling investment and impeding improved recycling outcomes.

Queensland

The last state to implement a Strategy has recently launched its new Waste Avoidance and Resource Efficiency Strategy following a lengthy consultation process throughout 2009 and 2010. A draft Waste Reduction and Recycling Bill has been circulated for comment also. The focus picks up on approaches in SA and Victoria and contemplates a starting waste levy of $35 per tonne for disposal to landfill. Negotiations are underway to design a potential alternative levy for recycling residual wastes to avoid adverse impacts on the recycling industry in the first two years of the new Strategy, slated for comment on 1 December this year, reflecting the fact that the levy will not be phased in to allow time for industry to adjust, as was the case in Victoria. The state has shown much promise in moving from laggard to leader, however. There is much positive anticipation in the resource recovery and recycling industry that Queensland has an opportunity to leapfrog the policy outcomes in other states and achieve real reform.

Northern Territory

The headline from this jurisdiction is the passing of legislation to implement a container deposit levy similar to the existing system in South Australia. This will put pressure on other states as this issue continues to percolate its way through the nervous deliberations of the Ministerial Council on the issue. The best outcome would probably be the implementation of a nationally consistent scheme, if it is to occur at all. Views are divided but the election of new governments in Victoria and NSW may tip the balance in favour of a national scheme.