POSITIVE NEWS ABOUT C&D
WASTE IN NATIONAL WASTE REPORT
The Federal Government has released its first comprehensive national assessment of trends in waste and resource recovery.
The National Waste Report 2010 details trends in waste and resource recovery and is the first step in providing baseline data to inform policy and will help guide future action by the States, Territories and the Commonwealth in the implementation of the National Waste Policy accepted by all environment ministers in November 2009.
“The policy and this report represent a fundamental shift in our approach to waste and complement broader government policies on climate change and sustainability,” Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said. “We want to reduce the generation of waste and encourage a culture of recovery where waste becomes a valuable resource.”
The National Waste Report 2010 revealed that over 43 million tonnes of waste were generated in Australia in 2006-07. Per capita, Australia generated around 2.08 tonnes of waste in 2006-07, of which 1.08 tonnes was recycled. It valued the recycling and waste sector at between $7 billion and $11.5 billion. In 2006-07, over 22 million tonnes or 52 per cent of Australia’s waste was recycled. Of this, 42 per cent was from the construction and demolition waste stream, 36 per cent from the commercial and industrial waste stream and 22 per cent from the municipal waste stream.
The National Waste Report will be updated every three years. A copy of the 2010 report can be downloaded from the Environment Protection and Heritage Council website: www.ephc.gov.au/taxonomy/term/89.
Source: Statement by the Hon Peter Garrett, Federal Minister for Environment Protection