ASBG submission on NSW's 20 Year Waste Strategy focuses on the current generally NSW policy led legislation and policy actions which are filling NSW landfills faster than ever. The need for new waste infrastructure is critical especially landfills which offer a safety valve if diversion approaches fail to perform. Energy from Waste plants are also considered an important component to better managing NSW's wastes into the future. ASBG also supports greatly expanded recycling, but the end markets for such products must be first identified. Two key areas that will make a difference is downcycling and reduction of contamination to meet export market requirements. While recycling back to a raw material is to be encouraged, such actions have in the medium term limited application in NSW. Recycling also has an environmental limit; when the recycling requires more natural resources than to make it, such collected material is far better off being downcycled including incineration or perhaps landfilled. ASBG also reviewed the Waste Levy and found only 19% is dedicated to waste management. Since business and industry contribute 65% of the levy, a similar percentage of grant moneys should be allocated back in proportion to the levy paid if real landfill diversion is the goal.
 ASBG's Submission on NSW's 20 Year Waste Strategy 2019 | 1109 kB |
