Queensland’s Waste Reform

Presented by Department of Environment

and Resource Management

Rethinking waste in Queensland businesses

Everyone produces waste in their daily lives. As the population grows, so has waste generation. Much of Queensland’s waste is sent straight to landfill, meaning valuable resources are not being recovered.

Many businesses already have effective waste management and recycling practices. For them, nothing will change. But some need to rethink what they are doing.

Waste management is changing

Waste reforms are being introduced that will change the way Queensland manages commercial, industrial, construction and demolition waste. The Queensland Government wants to:

• reduce waste

• increase recycling rates

• boost industry investment in recycling and resource recovery

• develop markets for recycled materials

• encourage ‘green’ jobs in recycling and reprocessing industries.

What does it mean for business?

The Queensland Government’s waste reforms include a strategy that sets new directions for waste and resource recovery, support programs to help business and local government, and a levy on landfill operators for industrial waste sent to them for disposal.

The levy sends a price signal to the waste generator to change behaviour. If waste generators choose to avoid generating waste, or to recycle the waste they do generate, they can avoid paying the levy.

When will the waste reforms commence?

The new legislation will commence on 1 December 2011. Supporting programs for business will commence prior to the levy switch-on.