Inquiry into Recycling and Waste Management

Mr Phil Carbins
Chair
Australian Landfill Owners Association

Dear Mr Carbins

Inquiry into Recycling and Waste Management

On 6 March 2019 the Legislative Council resolved that the Environment and Planning Committee inquire into, consider and provide an urgent interim report, as the committee deems necessary, on the current circumstances in municipal and industrial recycling and waste management, and provide a final report, by Tuesday, 13 August 2019, on the crisis in Victoria’s recycling and waste management system, partly resulting from the China waste importation ban, including, but not limited to:

1. the responsibility of the Victorian government to establish and maintain a coherent, efficient and environmentally responsible approach to solid waste management across the state, including assistance to local councils;
2. whether the China National Sword policy was anticipated and responded to properly;
3. identifying short and long-term solutions to the recycling and waste management system crisis, taking into account:
   1. the need to avoid dangerous stockpiling and ensure recyclable waste is actually being recycle
   2. the cleaning and sorting capabilities and the processing capabilities in Victoria and the potential to expand the local recycling industry
   3. how to better enable the use of recycled materials in local manufacturing;
   4. the existing business model and economic challenges facing the existing industry;
   5. the quantifiable benefits, including job creation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, of pursuing elements of a circular economy in Victoria;\
   6. the existing Sustainability Fund and how it can be used to fund solutions to the waste crisis;
4. strategies to reduce waste generation and better manage all waste such as soft plastics, compostable paper and pulp, and commercial waste, including, but not limited to:
   1. product stewardship;
   2. container deposit schemes;
   3. banning single-use plastics;
   4. government procurement policies
5. relevant reviews, inquiries and reports into the waste and recycling industry in other Australian jurisdictions and internationally;
6. any other related matters.

The Committee has identified your organisation as a key stakeholder in the inquiry and invites you to express views on any aspects of this Inquiry in a submission. All submissions are treated as public documents unless confidentiality is requested and granted by the Committee. Should you wish to give evidence in a public hearing, please indicate so in your submission for the Committee’s consideration.

Submissions should be sent to: recyclinginquiry@parliament.vic.gov.au.  Submissions close on Friday, 10 May 2019 and can address any aspect of the Terms of Reference that you consider appropriate.

For further information, including a copy of the guidelines for making a written submission, please check the Committee’s website: www.parliament.vic.gov.au/epc, or contact the Secretary on (03) 8682 2817 or at michael.baker@parliament.vic.gov.au.

Yours sincerely

MICHAEL BAKER
SECRETARY