For industry reform to succeed, access to quality data is essential. It provides the building blocks for developing stronger policies and regulations, changing community and commercial behaviour, and attracting private sector participation and investment.
At the moment, government and industry decision-makers are unable to make informed choices about the waste and recycling sector because data collection and processing is inconsistent. This limits the identification of waste management needs and the opportunities for appropriate system development.
The data is collected and analysed by industry and governments using a variety of regulatory, legislative and commercial initiatives (both voluntary and mandatory). Each organisation, state and territory applies its own standards and definitions.
This patchwork approach makes the data inconsistent, limited and opaque, creating knowledge gaps.69 The use of the data and how it is analysed to make informed decisions is limited in scope and reach, leading to narrow responses to community and industry waste management needs.
As a result, there is a lack of clarity about how waste moves around Australia, how kerbside recycling collections are processed and reused, and how high-value recycled commodities are moved and exported.
If the waste sector is to change, the consistency, timeliness and clarity of data must improve.