WA households get three bins under new waste strategy

The WA Government has released its Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 to guide the state in becoming a sustainable, low-waste circular economy.

The new waste strategy aims to reduce waste going to landfill and create jobs for Western Australians by slashing waste generation by 20% and increasing material recovery to 75% by 2030.

Explaining the strategy, Premier Mark McGowan said, “By reducing the waste we send to landfill, we can generate significant economic opportunities for Western Australians — recycling 10,000 tonnes of waste creates three times more jobs than sending the same amount of waste to landfill.”

A cornerstone of the waste strategy is the supply of a third kerbside bin for Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) to all Perth and Peel households by 2025. Under the three-bin FOGO system, food scraps and garden organics will be separated from other waste categories and re-used to create high-quality compost. Implementing this system will ensure WA can meet the targets set out in the strategy: a reduction in waste going to landfill and increased recovery of household waste to be re-used and recycled.

McGowan said, “By rolling out the three-bin system across all metropolitan local governments, we will ensure more value is recovered from household waste. Many WA households have welcomed the system with open arms, and my government will work with local governments to build on that success.”

The strategy follows the McGowan government’s ban on single-use plastic bags and pledge to introduce a container deposit scheme in 2020, as well as a commitment to use more than 25,000 tonnes of recycled construction and demolition waste as road base under the Roads to Reuse program. A strategic review of WA’s waste and recycling infrastructure will also be conducted by 2020 to guide future development.

In support of the strategy, Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said, “The time to act on waste is now, and recognising that waste is a shared responsibility is the first step. We know the community are very supportive of better waste and recycling practices.”

Historically, Western Australia has generated the highest volume of waste per capita in the nation and has had among the lowest rates of waste recovery. To address WA’s waste problem, clear new targets and a comprehensive strategy from government are required. The Premier stated, “Western Australia has some of the highest rates of waste generation in the nation. This has to change. The waste strategy will help protect our unique natural environment and ensures we can become a cleaner, more environmentally sustainable state.”

The McGowan government will work with local governments to adopt the three-bin FOGO system and ensure successful rollout. The Southern Metropolitan Regional Council trialled the FOGO system across 7000 households in 2017, receiving strong support from locals. The City of Melville plans to roll out the scheme in June 2019.

Find the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 on the Waste Authority’s website: http://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au/about/waste-strategy.

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