Waste strategy
Waste management in Australia is in transition. We are starting to accept that our current rate of consumption of natural resources is not acceptable and we need to be more efficient in managing and recovering our resources in a way that minimises environmental and public health impacts and maximises the value returned from the materials recovered.
Council’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Strategy builds on our past achievements and sets out how the waste and resource recovery needs of the Cairns region will be met from 2018-2027, providing a strategic direction for moving Cairns toward a future where landfills are the last option.
At the heart of the strategy is the need to change our perception of waste. We all need to start viewing waste as a potential resource and think about how we can use it more efficiently.
Our five objectives focus on addressing the current resource recovery and waste management challenges and opportunities in the Cairns region, as follows:
- Provide education and awareness empowering our community to embrace waste avoidance, reduction and reuse
- Reduce waste where Council and community take responsibility for reducing their own waste and using resources effectively
- Maximise resource recovery to reduce landfill disposal through resource recovery opportunities
- Secure our future needs where our capacity and capability to manage future waste is secured
- Advocacy and collaboration to lead strategic alliances and partnerships to support best practices in waste management
Queensland:
- Queensland’s Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy (PDF, 2 MB), underpinned by a waste disposal levy.
- The Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 contains a suite of measures to reduce waste generation and landfill disposal and encourage recycling. (Amendment Act 2019, Commenced 1 July 2019). View the QLD Government’s Waste Legislation Page for further information.
- QLD Energy from Waste Policy (Department of Environment and Science, 2020).
Federal:
- The 2018 National Waste Policy provides a framework for collective action by businesses, governments, communities and individuals until 2030.
- National Waste Reports, produced 2010, view the latest 2018 report.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics Data on National Waste Exports, view the May 2020 ABS report data.
- View the Federal Government’s 2018-19 Australian Plastics Recycling Survey which captures the consumption and recycling of plastics in Australia during the 2018–19.
- The Australian Government administers two pieces of legislation for product stewardship: the Product Stewardship Act 2011 and the Product Stewardship (Oil) Act 2000(amended & compiled 2018).
Other:
- Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.
- Container Refund Scheme Strategy & Annual Reports – View further information about Queensland’s Container Refund Program. Or download the Container Exchange Annual Report.
Last Updated: 5 January 2024
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