Waste Management Strategy for Queensland January 1996 ISBN

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2 Contents Introduction 2 Objective What is waste? Scope Principles Strategy outline 1 Cradle to grave waste management framework Legislative framework 1.2 Co-ordination 1.3 Information collection and analysis 1.4 Education and information dissemination 2 Polluter and user pays principles Removing unacceptable disposal methods 2.2 Compliance/enforcement 2.3 Disposal charges 3 Waste prevention Enhancing waste prevention 3.2 Understanding the waste stream 3.3 Overcoming resistance to waste prevention 3.4 Cleaner production 4 Recycling Promoting demand for waste material 4.2 Barriers to recycling 4.3 Overcoming resistance to recycling 4.4 Increasing supply of secondary materials 5 Industrial wastes Identifying wastes of concern 5.2 Waste producer responsibilities 5.3 Off-site transportation 5.4 Facilities for off-site disposal and storage 5.5 Tracking waste disposal 5.6 Mining wastes 5.7 Agricultural wastes 5.8 Clinical wastes 5.9 Building and demolition waste 6 Domestic waste Waste collection, sorting and disposal 6.2 Siting, design and operation of domestic disposal facilities 6.3 Litter 6.4 Food and garden waste 6.5 Household chemical wastes and containers 6.6 Domestic sewage and nightsoil 7 Government as a waste generator Managing the State s waste 7.2 Use of purchasing power 8 Review 35 2

3 Introduction Effective management of wastes is a fundamental requirement of ecologically sustainable development. Informed communities demand environmentally responsible measures to manage wastes. This Waste Management Strategy sets out to deal comprehensively with waste issues in Queensland. It identifies the most effective options for dealing with specific needs and problems. Objective The primary objective of this Waste Management Strategy is to provide a framework within which waste can be managed effectively to minimise or avoid adverse impacts on the environment, while at the same time allowing economic development and improvement in the quality of life of all Queenslanders. This objective encompasses the objectives of the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development improving well-being and welfare by following a path of economic development that provides for inter-generational equity and protection of ecological systems. Secondary objectives, where consistent with the primary objective of reducing adverse environmental effects, are: promotion of more efficient use and conservation of resources, particularly non-renewable resources; reduction in the need for waste treatment facilities; reduction in inspection and enforcement costs; greater cost efficiency within industry by reducing the volume of raw materials and lowering disposal costs; and consistency/compatibility with National and International strategies and regulations. This Strategy covers two basic components essential to effective waste management: waste minimisation which seeks to reduce by prevention and recycling options, the volumes and toxicity of wastes which ultimately must be destroyed or disposed of; and waste containment which seeks to handle, treat and finally dispose of wastes without adversely affecting the environment or public health. The Strategy also addresses equity in the allocation of waste disposal costs so that those benefiting from activities which lead to waste generation pay the costs associated with the disposal of the wastes. What is waste? Waste may be discharged to air or water or may be deposited onto land. Waste is defined as: any gas, liquid, solid or energy or a combination of wastes that is surplus to, or unwanted from, any industrial, commercial, domestic or other activity, whether or not of value. A waste is not necessarily useless. Waste from one activity may have a value to someone else. For example, vegetable scraps may be of no further use to a flat dweller but might be converted to valuable compost for a farmer while waste oil may have value as fuel. 3

4 Unfortunately, one person s waste cannot always be recognised easily as another s resource, particularly since the value of a waste may change with technology or even lifestyle. A waste strategy must therefore establish procedures for managing any surplus material whether or not it has a value when reused. As the value of a waste changes, so too may the procedures for effective management of that waste change. Scope This Strategy provides a framework for waste management in Queensland, irrespective of the nature of the waste and the disposal route. All government agencies with responsibility for any aspect of waste management will implement the Strategy wherever applicable. The principles of waste management should be applied to all waste streams whether they are domestic, industrial, commercial, mining or agricultural. The Strategy considers all sources of waste, whether local in impact or with global effects such as greenhouse effect or ozone depletion. It recognises that small volume emissions from households may cumulatively be far more damaging than even a large industrial discharge. However, with respect to waste containment, the emphasis of this Strategy is on those areas with the greatest environmental problems and weakest management regimes. Several areas, particularly industrial waste management, are examined in detail because of the potential environmental hazard from these wastes and because the existing waste management framework is limited. Waste discharges to air, land and water and land contamination are given less attention because these issues are being dealt with systematically under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and the Contaminated Land Act Similarly, energy issues are given limited attention because they are dealt with in Government s Energy Policy Statements (February and April 1995) and the Greenhouse Response Strategy While the disposal of radioactive waste is controlled through the radiation safety and control legislation (Radioactive Substances Act 1958). The Strategy recognises that sound waste management relies on having efficient and effective organisational arrangements and on the active participation of all key interest groups. The importance of information exchange is emphasised. The Strategy calls on not just the usual regulatory tools of government, but also financial instruments designed to get the economic signals to waste generators right, and to better implement the user pays and polluter pays principles. User pays means that all identifiable costs of a waste generator, treater or user that are involved in the use of a resource or service, whether publicly or privately provided, and in the receipt, transportation, treatment and disposal of wastes are included in the market price of goods and services. Polluter pays means that waste generators, waste treaters or product users must take responsibility for the costs of avoiding environmental damage resulting from their activities and for the costs of repairing any current or future environmental degradation. 4

5 Principles This Strategy is based on the following principles: waste management must be fully integrated, dealing with waste management from the point of generation to final disposal; the principles of polluter pays and user pays should be applied where possible to promote responsible waste management; waste generators and product designers have responsibility for the fate of their wastes and products until correct waste management or disposal is assured; and waste management should be based on a waste management hierarchy of: - prevention (incorporating waste avoidance and waste reduction), - recycling (incorporating reuse, reprocessing and waste utilisation), - treatment, and - disposal as a last resort. Strategy outline This Strategy is divided into seven areas. The first two deal with issues which affect all aspects of waste management; that is, the need for an integrated, cradle to grave approach. This involves a comprehensive legislative framework (Objective 1.1), effective co-ordination among all parties (Objective 1.2), information collection and dissemination (Objectives 1.3 and 1.4), removing environmentally unacceptable waste disposal methods (Objective 2.1) and ensuring effective compliance (Objective 2.2). Applying the polluter and user pays principles will ensure that the correct economic signals are given so that ecologically sustainable development is possible. This would encourage full cost pricing for waste disposal (Objective 2.3). The third and fourth sections of the Strategy outline a waste minimisation strategy. This involves waste prevention, which is the preferred approach for managing all waste streams including domestic waste and gaseous emissions. Measures to encourage the adoption of waste prevention technologies and practices are identified (Objectives ). These include education and financial incentives. Where waste prevention is not possible, recycling is encouraged. to promote recycling are recommended. Proposals to expand the range of options to use secondary materials (the primary barrier to greater recycling) are identified (Objectives ). The desirability of continuing and improving collection programs is recognised (Objective 4.4). The fifth and sixth parts of the Strategy outline waste treatment and disposal procedures for major waste streams. Once minimisation options have been exhausted, containment must be adopted to reduce adverse environmental impacts. Effective industrial and commercial waste management, including responsible transportation of waste, is particularly important. The Strategy proposes methods to manage such wastes, encompassing handling at the generating site, treatment and disposal (Objectives ). The tracking of waste transportation to ensure it is disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner is crucial to avoiding illegal dumping of wastes and to providing the incentive for investors to provide more waste treatment and disposal facilities, particularly in regional Queensland (Objective 5.5). Strategies for dealing with several specific elements of the industrial waste stream are included (Objectives ). 5

6 Management of domestic solid waste is considered with emphasis on collecting and sorting procedures (Objective 6.1) and on the need to improve the management of sanitary landfills and disposal facilities (Objective 6.2). Management strategies for some specific domestic wastes are included (Objectives ). The role of the State as a waste generator is recognised. The Queensland Government will lead by example in managing its waste (Objective 7.1). As a major buyer of goods and services, the Government can use its market power to promote effective waste management (Objective 7.2). Finally, the Strategy will be reviewed to determine its effectiveness and need for modification (Objective 8). 6

7 1 Cradle to grave waste management framework The establishment of a comprehensive, integrated framework for environmentally sound waste management is essential for ecologically sustainable development. This requires having effective management systems at the point of waste generation, during handling or transport and finally at the site of disposal. The overall framework must be broad, encompassing this cradle to grave approach. Objective 1.1: Legislative framework To provide for a legislative framework for integrated waste management. Waste management legislation is intended to be integrated with existing environmental protection legislation and co-ordinated with other legislation affecting waste management and chemical control. Legislation should provide for controls to avoid or minimise environmental damage and to maximise overall community benefits. Legislation will be founded on the principles of this Strategy of: integrated cradle to grave waste management; producer responsibility for ensuring that all parties have available avenues for environmentally sound waste management of any product or waste; polluter pays and user pays ; and a waste management hierarchy which stresses prevention ahead of disposal. Legislation will be preventive and exercise influence over materials and processes which may produce wastes and over situations where wastes might be generated needlessly. Legislation covering waste management will need to be reviewed to ensure a consistent Queensland-wide approach. The introduction of such a statutory framework for waste management will be achieved through Environmental Protection Policies and Regulations under the Environmental Protection Act 1994, although alternative arrangements may be needed in some cases. Existing legislation which impacts on particular aspects of waste management such as the Contaminated Land Act 1991 and the Radioactive Substances Act 1958 will be reviewed to achieve consistency with the Strategy. Where administrative arrangements are changed, care will be taken to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibility. As far as possible, a co-regulatory approach will be adopted, giving to industry and other waste generators flexibility in their selection of waste management procedures. While voluntary mechanisms are generally preferred, the legislative framework should ensure that mandatory controls can be introduced where voluntary mechanisms fail or prove to be inequitable. 7

8 * Use the Environmental Protection Act to provide a statutory framework for integrated waste management in Queensland, particularly through the introduction of an Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management). * The Queensland Government will review existing legislation to ensure consistency with the requirements of the Strategy. * The Queensland Government will use all available regulatory tools, including the Environmental Protection Act, to promote waste minimisation and sound waste management, where voluntary mechanisms are not effective. Objective 1.2 Co-ordination To achieve cost-effective and environmentally responsible waste management and a consistent approach by responsible agencies. Effective waste management requires that all parties work together in a co-ordinated and co-operative manner. The Department of Environment and Heritage is the lead agency for waste management with responsibility for ensuring co-ordination of all waste management functions within the State. The key roles of local government as a service provider (through landfill and sewage infrastructure) and as a regulator (through licensing and monitoring of industrial activity having local impact) will be enhanced. Co-operation among all interested sectors is important and will involve all spheres of government. Regional co-operation to set up and run schemes for collecting, recycling, treating and disposing of wastes will be encouraged. Existing regional local government structures will be encouraged to take a leading role in facilitating effective regional waste management. Co-ordinated and long-term planning at the local level will be promoted by use of waste management plans. The private sector s role is also recognised. * The Queensland Government will maintain a Waste Management Consultative Committee to provide a continuing forum for liaison among industry, the community, and State and local government. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will work with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) to establish a Local Government Waste Management Working Group representing urban and rural local governments. The task of this group will be to identify waste management problems and evaluate options for handling these concerns. * Regional committees for waste management will be established involving, wherever possible, existing regional organisations. * The Department of Environment and Heritage working with the LGAQ will review the need for mechanisms to jointly co-ordinate local government waste management activities depending on the success of the Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management), the Local Government Waste Management Working Group, and regional co-operative initiatives. 8

9 Objective 1.3: Information collection and analysis To ensure that the Queensland Government, local government, industry and the community have access to information needed to make decisions about generating, handling, treating and disposing of wastes. A prerequisite to effective waste management is accurate information. Information collected needs to cover the location of waste generation, the volume and nature of waste generated, the nature of the industry, the usual method of waste disposal and transportation routes. As far as possible, information about waste generated from point and diffuse sources should be obtained. Information about the potential for waste prevention and recycling is also important. The Queensland Government will continue to collect and analyse waste generation, transport and disposal data. Ambient (environmental) monitoring and State of the Environment reporting will be a part of such information collection. Agencies collecting and using data will, as far as possible, have compatible information processing systems. Data collection methods and reporting formats should be consistent with national and, if possible, with international practice. Because of costs for industry and government, data collection for the sake of collection is to be avoided. Action * The Queensland Government will develop an Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) to include a framework for reporting on waste generation, waste prevention, recycling, storage, transport, treatment and disposal. Objective 1.4: Education and information dissemination To ensure that the community and industry have access to information necessary for understanding waste management issues and for appropriate waste handling. Industry and the community need to be informed of waste minimisation options and of waste management procedures. These will include waste prevention practices, the impact of consumer choice through packaging reduction or product redesign, recycling options, best waste treatment and acceptable disposal practice. Technical and general information must be easily accessible. It is recognised that information exchange is a two-way process. Active participation in national and international programs for information exchange on waste management will be encouraged, with emphasis on waste prevention and cleaner production options. Methods of drawing public attention to best waste management practices will be implemented. These might include award schemes for best waste management practices including issues such as eco-design and packaging, waste prevention, recycling, and waste containment practices. Accurate and informative product information is needed if consumers are to be able to make informed choices and be able to dispose of a product appropriately. Product information needs to include information on the hazards of the product, the extent of recycled content, and appropriate disposal methods. To achieve this, national and international co-operation is required to improve product labelling and other relevant sales information. 9

10 * The Queensland Government in consultation with industry, local government and community groups will develop an education campaign to inform industry and the public of the need for and the benefits of effective waste management, particularly for waste minimisation options. * In co-operation with industry associations, the Queensland Government will establish an industry award scheme to promote major industrial waste management achievements in the private and public sectors. This will promote waste minimisation initiatives and outstanding waste containment practices. * The Queensland Government will seek to have the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) prepare a national position paper on product labelling which would advise purchasers of appropriate disposal procedures. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will facilitate access to the diversity of data bases on best available waste minimisation and treatment technologies. 10

11 2 Polluter and user pays principles Application of the polluter and user pays principles requires that those who undertake a waste generating activity should pay the costs of producing, containing, handling and disposal of that waste. Disposal charges should incorporate direct and indirect costs, capital and operating costs, and costs of preventing or cleaning up environmental degradation. Objective 2.1: Removing unacceptable disposal methods Establish waste management standards to avoid or minimise adverse environmental effects of waste treatment and disposal. Where waste prevention or recycling is not possible, environmentally acceptable treatment and disposal of all wastes are necessary. This applies to all waste disposal routes including air, water, sewer, off-site treatment and disposal at landfills or reprocessing facilities. Establishing emission standards, effective environmental licensing, and controls over siting and design of waste generation and waste treatment facilities form part of this process. Water and air emission standards and licence conditions on landfills or sewage treatment works need to be reviewed to ensure they do not unintentionally encourage direct discharge to the environment at the expense of waste avoidance or recycling. Standards set must be consistent with the objective of ecologically sustainable development. As far as possible, waste management criteria will be based on agreed national standards and strategies. Typically, these will be established under the Environmental Protection Act and Environmental Protection Policies. The role of non-licensed discharges, such as stormwater and urban run off in polluting waterways should not be underestimated and measures to protect important natural waterways and beaches are included. The financial assurance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act will be used where needed. * The Queensland Government will ensure that waste management standards are sufficient to protect public health and the environment. This includes air and water emission criteria, siting requirements for waste management facilities and reporting needs. * The Queensland Government will require waste disposal outlets to be appropriately licensed and controlled. * The Queensland Government will develop the means to introduce a financial assurance scheme should it be considered necessary to provide for the cost of clean-up resulting from inappropriate waste handling or treatment where the cost cannot be recovered from the polluter or other associated party. 11

12 Objective 2.2: Compliance/enforcement To ensure compliance with appropriate standards and procedures for treatment and disposal of wastes. Effective waste management requires compliance with the waste management controls and standards established under the Environmental Protection Act. This will involve a program of monitoring and inspection and the setting of penalties sufficient to act as a deterrent to would-be offenders. There needs to be timely and thorough follow-up of incidents of inappropriate waste disposal or waste handling as well as checks to ensure compliance with legislative requirements such as auditing, monitoring and site inspections. The role of industry groups in greater self-monitoring needs to be encouraged. Similarly, the role of community groups in environmental management and monitoring should be recognised and encouraged. * The Queensland Government will use the Environmental Protection Act and related legislation to ensure appropriate penalties are imposed for unlawful dumping of waste, including, in certain circumstances, the option of jail terms. * The Queensland Government will amend the Sewerage and Water Supply Act 1949 to allow for higher penalties for breaches of trade waste agreements and illegal discharges to sewers, commensurate with the Environmental Protection Act, and to better define obligations and offences. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will undertake an education campaign to advise industry and the community of the waste management regime and their obligations. 12

13 Objective 2.3: Disposal charges To encourage the setting of waste management charges which reflect the full cost of waste management. Charges which do not reflect the true cost for waste disposal impede effective waste management. By removing artificially low charges, the real costs of waste disposal will be borne by waste generators, providing an incentive to minimise waste generation. Charges for waste treatment or disposal through waste treatment facilities such as sewerage systems or landfills should be set at levels reflecting the true cost of treating and disposing of that waste. Charges for disposal to a sewer or landfill need to reflect the cost of handling the waste including capital and operating costs. Charging policies which reflect the difficulty in treating or disposing of the particular waste, not just the volume, need to be introduced. Where possible charging policies should encourage waste minimisation at both the commercial and domestic level. It needs to be recognised, however, that disposal charges should not be set at levels so high that they are an incentive to illegal dumping. Charging schedules need to be set on a case by case basis. There are many hidden indirect costs of waste disposal which should be borne by waste generators, not by the community. Such costs include subsidies for recycling schemes and waste prevention initiatives and the total costs of administering waste management regimes. Where such costs can be quantified, they should be included as part of disposal charges. Waste levies are regarded as one way of incorporating such costs and are used in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Wherever practical charging policies should reflect on the actual amount of waste generated (either volume or weight) and the difficulty of treating the waste stream and as such the potential for new technologies to improve charging regimes needs examination. Costs associated with water supply, energy or land acquisition may influence processes selected and waste generation rates. Sometimes charging structures encourage use of raw materials and discourage recycling. Public authorities and other service providers should ensure their charging structures encourage waste minimisation. Public and private investment will need to be optimally balanced between disposal and minimisation/prevention options to achieve the long-term goals of waste reduction. * Licence fees and charges under the Environmental Protection Act for the emission of wastes to water, air or land will reflect the real costs of minimising the environmental risk of that discharge and act as an incentive to reduce emissions. * In co-operation with local government, the Department of Environment and Heritage will prepare guidelines on waste disposal pricing, to help local governments determine the full cost of waste management and to set environmentally responsible charges. * Queensland Government agencies will review charging structures to ensure they do not inadvertently discourage waste minimisation. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will hold a forum with all interested parties to foster the introduction of schemes which permit variable charging as an incentive to waste minimisation. 13

14 3 Waste prevention Waste prevention is the preferred approach to waste management and involves either avoiding generating waste entirely or reducing the quantity produced. The use of cleaner production methods, energy efficient design and reduced packaging are examples of waste prevention. Because barriers to such waste prevention exist, specific strategies are needed to encourage waste prevention, in addition to the basic framework of integrated waste management. Objective 3.1: Enhancing waste prevention To research, develop and adopt waste prevention technologies. Appropriate technologies are not always readily available. New technology may also be needed. New processes require extensive information and research, followed by pilot programs, testing, and commercial development. Such programs are costly, and approaches which direct adequate financial resources to research and development will be needed. Ideally, these approaches should involve joint action across government, industry and research institutions. Government agencies will be approached to include waste minimisation issues in their evaluation criteria when assessing requests for research and development support. New technologies for waste prevention are being developed in many countries. The Queensland Government will co-operate with international and national efforts to develop and introduce new waste prevention technologies. Where financially viable technologies for preventing waste exist, their introduction will be encouraged. Advice, assistance and information on options for waste prevention will be provided where possible. Education and advisory activities are important but, where justified on the basis of environmental or health benefit, specific controls under environmental or planning legislation will be introduced. * The Queensland Government through schemes such as the Queensland Grants for Industrial Research and Development (QGRAD) will encourage industry to participate in waste minimisation research and development and to contribute to its funding. * The Department of Environment and Heritage and industry will consider offering an annual prize for demonstrating the outcome of research with the greatest benefit for waste prevention and for industry that shows the greatest reduction in waste emissions. * The Department of Environment and Heritage in co-operation with industry associations will develop codes of practice for specific waste prevention and reduction technologies. 14

15 Objective 3.2: Understanding the waste stream To ensure that waste generators are aware of the nature, volume and source of wastes and understand the environmental impact of their wastes. Individual waste generators need to have a thorough understanding of the nature of wastes generated. Waste cannot be managed or prevented without knowledge of the nature and quantity of waste produced. Management needs to be aware of waste generation rates so that commercial decisions can be made. In many or most instances, greater understanding of the waste stream leads to cost savings by industry. The development of waste management plans and waste audits will be encouraged to foster better understanding. The content of waste audits and waste management plans will be specified in the Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management). Industry co-operation in developing selfauditing procedures is also important. Waste generators and those producing items or consumer products which enter the waste stream also need to have an understanding of the nature and fate of the wastes for which they are responsible. Full life cycle analysis of new products will be undertaken with the development of waste management plans to assist industry to manage product development so that waste prevention objectives can be achieved. * The Department of Environment and Heritage together with local governments will work with industry and with other interested parties to define the intent and content of waste audits and waste management plans in the Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) and to develop guidelines for preparing waste audits and waste management plans. * Under the Environmental Protection Act, the Department of Environment and Heritage will require waste management plans and/or waste audits as part of environmental management programs. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will review the impact of introducing requirements for full life cycle analysis of new products with significant waste disposal requirements. Objective 3.3: Overcoming resistance to waste prevention To encourage the community and industry to adopt waste prevention methods. Establishing goals or targets is one means of encouraging waste prevention and resource recovery. Industry associations will be encouraged to develop specific sector targets for waste minimisation, incorporating cleaner production and recycling options, consistent with nationally agreed goals. Priority areas for industry targets will be those processes or products which generate wastes which are very high in volume or which are known to cause environmental degradation following treatment or disposal. Success in reaching targets will be monitored. 15

16 Ideally, the choices made by government, industry and individuals should follow the waste hierarchy of avoidance, reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery, treatment and as a final option, disposal. This can be done through purchasing choice as well as through selection of waste minimisation and waste management practices. The community should be made more aware of waste management problems arising from excess packaging or poor disposal practices. Where needed various economic and regulatory instruments will be investigated as a means of promoting waste prevention or controlling use of environmentally damaging products, particularly those products for which no acceptable disposal avenue is available. Industry Waste Reduction Agreements, provided for under the proposed Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management), are the preferred means of introducing such controls. * Industry associations will be encouraged to develop specific sector targets for waste minimisation, incorporating cleaner production and recycling options, consistent with nationally agreed goals. * The proposed Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) will provide for Industry Waste Reduction Agreements. * The Queensland Government will raise community awareness of waste management problems resulting from excess packaging and poor disposal practices. Objective 3.4: Cleaner production To encourage the best, financially viable waste management and waste prevention technologies to be incorporated in the design of industrial plants which generate waste. A cost-effective means of achieving cleaner production is to design new plants so that they incorporate waste prevention technology. This should extend to all wastes whether discharged to air, water or sewer or alternatively sent off-site. Appropriate technology should be identified before construction to minimise unnecessary cost. Planning legislation and the Environmental Protection Act will be used to achieve an outcome which balances financial costs and environmental outcomes. Action * The Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) will specify circumstances where waste management plans outlining cleaner production options need to be prepared. 16

17 4 Recycling Recycling is the second level of the waste management hierarchy and should be practised whenever waste prevention is not possible, provided that any such recycling is cost effective, taking into consideration environmental benefits, financial costs and community wishes. As is the case with waste prevention, some specific strategies are required to ensure the optimum level of recycling. The effectiveness of recycling schemes depends on demand for returned material and an adequate supply of recyclable waste. At present in Queensland, the demand for returned material is limited for many products and represents a major barrier to effective recycling. Objective 4.1: Promoting demand for waste material To encourage Queensland industry to use recycled waste as a substitute for raw material or for the manufacture of new products. If recycling is to be viable, industries able to use secondary or recyclable materials must be identified. The fundamental approach in recycling must be to foster an environment in which development and the commercialisation of recycled products are encouraged. Co-operative action with industry is fundamental and governments should help provide incentives to develop technology which can use waste and to ensure its introduction in Queensland. In , the Queensland Government implemented the Recycling Industry Incentive Scheme to increase the demand for recycled material. This provides for one-off start-up grants for business ventures (including expansion of existing businesses) using recycled materials or producing equipment for new recycling processes. Funding of up to $1.5 million has been allocated over three years. Promoting purchasing policies which favour products made from secondary materials is another mechanism for increasing demand for recyclable products. * The Queensland Government will continue to provide assistance for establishing recycling industries through schemes such as the Recycling Industry Incentive Scheme. Particular attention will be paid to establishing viable recycling industries in regional centres. * The Queensland Government will promote research and development into recycling of materials through schemes such as the Queensland Grants for Industrial Research and Development (QGRAD). * The Department of Environment and Heritage will work with industry associations to establish guidelines for industry practice which encourage voluntary selection of products with recycled content. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will operate a Waste Exchange Register. 17

18 Objective 4.2: Barriers to recycling To remove any unnecessary barriers to recycling which might be caused by government policy, regulations, or product standards. Recycling is often hindered by barriers such as unnecessary standards or regulations. These have the unintended effect of reducing recycling, either by giving cost advantages to use of virgin resources or by prohibiting reuse of certain materials. For example, regulations limit the use of recycled materials in building and in food packaging. While in many cases such limitations are justified, a review of unnecessary impediments is warranted. This process is already under way through ANZECC. Industry product and performance standards may often have the same effect and each should be reviewed. The relative cost of virgin raw materials, when compared to recycled product, continues to be a cause of concern, and it is desirable that recycled materials are not disadvantaged through sales tax regimes. Care must be taken that any attempt to adjust for perceived disadvantages do not lead to unexpected distortions which reduce recycling of Australian sourced materials. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will review, in consultation with industry, Queensland Government regulations and product standards which affect the choice between new and used materials, and remove unnecessary impediments to recycling. * The Queensland Government, in consultation with the Commonwealth, will review all charges, subsidies and taxes which might inappropriately disadvantage products with recycled content and ensure real cost pricing of raw materials and energy supply. Objective 4.3: Overcoming resistance to recycling To overcome any unjustifiable community and industry resistance to use of recycled products. Where technologies to recycle materials exist but are not fully used, incentives should be used to encourage their use. Providing information to industry about the availability of wastes suitable for recycling is necessary and waste exchange registers can be effective in this regard. Industry waste reduction targets and agreements, such as those used in other Australian States, may also have advantages and these should be reviewed for potential application in Queensland. Provision for Industry Waste Reduction Agreements will be established under the Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) and these will be an effective and flexible tool for promoting waste prevention, whether through use of targets, minimum content standards or product design standards. Community resistance to the use of products based on or containing recycled material is declining but is still relevant for some products such as recycled waste oils. 18

19 * The Department of Environment and Heritage will encourage industry and local governments to establish targets for recycling specific wastes. * The Queensland Government will include in the proposed Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) provision for Industry Waste Reduction Agreements for targeted materials including options for greater recycling and for waste avoidance. * The Department of Environment and Heritage will prepare a register of products with recycled content. Objective 4.4: Increasing supply of secondary materials To improve waste recovery programs. In recent years many effective waste recovery schemes have been established. For most recyclable domestic wastes this involves kerbside collection in a dedicated container, preferably on the same day as the general garbage service. Where kerbside collection is not practical, alternatives such as drop-off centres are often available. Such collection schemes are well established in a number of locations and, for most local government areas, their absence is no longer the primary limitation to recycling wastes such as paper, glass and metals. However, continued help to establish and maintain such programs is important and efforts should be made to increase the number and effective use of households participating in the programs. The range of wastes collected for recycling can be extended, particularly to green wastes which form a large part of the domestic waste stream. The Queensland Government in co-operation with industry operates the Queensland Recycling Grants Scheme to help local government establish recycling schemes. This is supported by industry through the Queensland Recycling Advisory Council. The Queensland Government augmented the grants scheme recently by providing an extra $200,000 a year for three years to promote local composting schemes. Distance to markets remains a problem for regional centres and needs innovative solutions. The greatest scope for achieving cost reductions seems to lie in the area of more efficient procedures for handling bulk materials. Kerbside collection of domestic quantities of waste oils, batteries, tyres and some plastics is not practical. Incentives such as deposit schemes, mandatory recovery schemes, or schemes which incorporate disposal charges into the cost of products operate overseas with mixed success. Deposit schemes have many advantages for hazardous or problem wastes but can be costly for industry and government. Prohibiting the disposal of waste loads with excessive quantities of recyclable materials is used elsewhere in Australia and the advantages of such methods will be reviewed. However, in most cases, non-legislative options are preferred and experience elsewhere will be investigated. Statutory approaches should be available and used where justified in terms of expected environmental outcomes. 19

20 Poor waste separation is a major barrier to collection and reuse of many materials. This problem can often be overcome if industry and the community have sufficient incentives to separate wastes for reuse. * The Queensland Government will maintain its commitment to establishing accessible recycling schemes, by continuing to operate the Recycling Grants Scheme, augmented to assist local composting schemes, or similar programs. * The Queensland Government will extend the Recycling Grants Scheme to include improved materials handling, especially in regional centres. * The Queensland Government will assess legislative schemes adopted in other States for promoting the return and recycling of wastes. * In co-operation with government agencies and industry, the Department of Environment and Heritage will develop guidelines so that the design of new and the refurbishment of existing commercial buildings incorporate facilities to collect, extract, store and load recyclable materials. * Where large quantities of homogeneous waste, for example tyres, that are suitable for recycling in the future are buried in landfill, landfill operators will be encouraged to segregate the waste type and mark the location of burial, for future excavation and use. 20

21 5 Industrial wastes Because of potential hazards, the containment of generated industrial wastes is a major focus of this Strategy. The term industrial waste is used here to include all waste from manufacturing, commercial premises, mining sites, service industries and agricultural industries. Objective 5.1: Identifying wastes of concern To identify waste management procedures for different industrial wastes. Industrial wastes vary widely in their hazardous properties. Consequently, the nature of controls to be applied to manage such wastes will differ greatly. The most effective approach is to identify those wastes of particular concern and to select control mechanisms to be applied to that waste type. Wastes identified as requiring specific controls include chemical wastes, most liquid industrial wastes and solid commercial wastes such as asbestos, tyres, and biomedical wastes. Schedule 8 of the Environmental Protection (Interim) Regulation 1995 identifies industrial wastes which should be subject to specific controls including a waste tracking manifest. This list includes all those wastes to be subject to a national tracking system under ANZECC guidelines. In addition, certain wastes such as tyres are included as requiring a modified degree of control. Action * Through Regulations under the Environmental Protection Act, prescribe those industrial wastes which should be subject to statutory controls over handling, transport, treatment and disposal, and prescribe the extent to which such controls will apply. Objective 5.2: Waste producer responsibilities To avoid or minimise environmental damage and adverse off-site impacts from processes which generate wastes. An important element of this Strategy is the prevention of waste generation. However, once a waste generating process is operating, adverse environmental impacts from that waste must be avoided or minimised. Because the largest volumes of industrial waste are disposed of directly to air, water, land or sewer from the site of generation, careful on-site waste management is necessary to prevent environmental contamination. Local governments in recent years have been addressing trade waste discharges to sewers because of their potential adverse impact on the operation and performance of sewage treatment plants. To assist local governments in their dealings with waste producers, the Water Resources Commission of the Department of Primary Industries developed a Model Trade Waste Policy to provide a framework on which individual local governments can base their trade waste controls. Governments play a key role in identifying and monitoring sites where waste is generated, in collecting information and in establishing standards of operation to protect health and the environment. Any additional obligations put on industry must be cost-effective and, where possible, integrated with existing systems of regulating waste generating activities. 21

22 The principle of producer responsibility for waste disposal requires that the waste generator selects the most appropriate disposal route for each waste type. Where waste is sent off-site for treatment or disposal, the identification, packaging and labelling of wastes and selection of a disposal site in accordance with statutory requirements or guidelines will continue to be the responsibility of the waste generator. * Where significant quantities of prescribed industrial wastes are generated, the processes generating such waste will be defined as environmentally relevant activities under the Environmental Protection Act. * Introduce, in the proposed Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) under the Environmental Protection Act, a requirement for annual reporting of the nature and quantity of prescribed industrial waste generated in Queensland. This would include details of all emissions to air, water, land, sewer or off-site transportation. * Include provisions under the proposed Environmental Protection Policy (Waste Management) to allow for waste management plans or waste audits as part of an Environmental Management Program to be required from operators of premises at which regulated wastes are generated or handled. * The Queensland Government will help local governments adopt the Model Trade Waste Policy prepared by the Department of Primary Industries and will provide advice to waste generators on the appropriate disposal route for each waste type. Objective 5.3: Off-site transportation To manage the off-site transportation of industrial and other hazardous wastes to minimise the risk of environmental contamination. The transportation of industrial wastes by road, railway and pipeline is a potential source of environmental contamination. Off-site transportation of wastes initially requires that vehicles and containers are designed to avoid accidental release to the environment. Transporters must understand waste management procedures and use suitable disposal locations. To achieve this, standards for the design and operation of vehicles must be introduced and waste transporters trained. Co-operation is necessary with industry and Queensland Government departments such as those handling transport of dangerous goods. Functions should not be duplicated. Requirements for safe handling and transportation of dangerous goods (particularly the Australian Code for Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail and relevant Australian standards for vehicles) must be complied with for all off-site movements of wastes which are dangerous goods. * The Queensland Government will identify the off-site transportation of regulated waste as an Environmentally Relevant Activity under the Environmental Protection Act. * Conditions imposed on any waste transporter will reflect any requirements placed on waste transportation by local governments as part of an approved industrial waste management plan for their area. 22