New landfill levies will boost recycling and ease landfill burden

Environment Victoria has welcomed moves by the Brumby government to increase landfill levies and called on all parties in the Parliament to support the new levy schedule.

The proposed changes to the landfill levy were introduced in Parliament this morning. The levy for dumping a tonne of waste at a metropolitan waste facility will rise from current rates of $9 per tonne to $30 per tonne next financial year, with further increases in following years. This will bring Victoria closer to the landfill levy in other states such as New South Wales.

Environment Victoria CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said today:

“This is a welcome move that will help Victorians achieve higher rates of recycling and keep valuable materials out of landfill. This in turn reduces greenhouse emissions and creates jobs in resource recovery and recycling.”

“For too long the cost of dumping waste in Victoria has not reflected the costs for the environment and the community. The new levies address this and provide a welcome shot in the arm for recycling businesses that have been struggling as a result of the low landfill levy and weak commodity prices.”

Ms O’Shannasy said that recycling had grown from next to nothing 20 years ago to the current rate of 62% of solid waste but that nearly 4 million tonnes of material are still going to landfill each year.

“Increasing the landfill levy is the most significant policy plank required to increase recycling rates and reduce volumes going to landfill. Importantly all revenue raised as a result of the levy increase will be used to support waste reduction and sustainability programs.”

“We’re urging all parties in the Parliament to support the proposed changes so that the new levies can take effect from 1 July and we can get on with the job of increasing recycling and reducing landfill.”