Poll results support red-bin recycling

A NSW poll has shown strong public support for red-bin recycling, affirming the state government’s recent move to secure the future of the alternative waste treatment (AWT) industry.

The February poll conducted by ReachTEL found:

• 92.8% of 1546 representative respondents agreed that reducing waste and recycling to create new products and uses is important.
• 87.3% support increasing recycling and reducing landfill by processing food and garden material from rubbish bins into useful products.
• 78.6% support the use of organic material for farm use and land rehabilitation (having been told that the material comes from rubbish bins).
• 12.7% were aware of the NSW Government’s decision to stop further use of this recycled material.
• In terms of concerns about stopping this practice: 34.6% were concerned about increased landfill and less recycling; 16.7% about more pollution in the environment;15.3% about the government walking away from recycling; 12.8% about increased household recycling costs; and 8.2% about job losses.
   

Australian Council of Recycling CEO Pete Shmigel said, “The community overwhelmingly supports the treatment and recovery of household residual material and it’s diversion from landfill, as had been the practice by AWT operators in NSW for 18 years prior to a pre-emptive government decision to delete the practice.”

He added, “It’s pointless to send valuable material to landfill and to miss out on the benefits to farms, mine sites, the environment and jobs. Hundreds of millions have been invested to bring NSW into line with international AWT practice, and that investment should be allowed to continue to produce an environmental and economic return.”

Shmigel commented that media reports and the latest communication from the NSW Minister for the Environment, assuring regulatory certainty for the AWT sector, were encouraging. “The next step after the NSW election is for the government and the NSW Environment Protection Authority to collaborate with industry on the details of dollars, deadlines and delivery of a revived AWT sector.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Ghen