Quality data is important
Providing access to consistent, complete, reliable and clear information will lead to more robust decisions around waste and recycling infrastructure and reform. It will help government and industry decision-makers to:
• Produce more relevant and effective policies and programs by tracking actual sector performance against targets and highlighting trends.
• Continually improve policies because they can monitor policy effectiveness, assess compliance and monitor the environmental effects.
• Support sector growth by analysing emerging trends and challenges, leading to informed choices about research and development needs, commercial capital investment and waste infrastructure planning.
• Look for new market opportunities by identifying where the materials produced by the waste sector can be meaningfully incorporated into complementary sectors such as agricultural production.
• Encourage industry efficiency by identifying underperforming areas and providing a clear view of volume and flows of materials through the system, leading to more efficient operations and better targeted waste collection and processing services.
• Change community, commercial, operator and contractor behaviour by highlighting the value of waste and showing the financial and environmental cost of devaluing it, resulting in more waste-aware attitudes in the sector and more informed end markets.
9.2 Recommendation Encourage market development through government and industry partnerships to accelerate and extend the implementation of the National Waste Policy's data actions and bring national consistency to the household waste collection and landfill levy system. Proposed sponsor: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | |||
When this should impact: |
| Where this should impact: |
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| 9.2.1 Support coordinated policy through an integrated whole-of-life waste data strategy for priority resources. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |
| Enable nationally consistent reporting of waste data by developing a common approach to standards and definitions. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |
| Improve decision-making and investor confidence by implementing an integrated data strategy that leverages agreed definitions. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Supported by: State and territory waste departments, local governments |
| 9.2.2 Create a high-quality recycling system with lower processing costs by developing common benchmarks for each material stream, consolidating services and targeting infrastructure investment. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Supported by: State and territory waste departments, local governments |
| Support efficient resource recovery by prioritising investment in separation and processing infrastructure by material volumes. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Supported by: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |
| Create clarity for consumers and industry by implementing common benchmarks between states and territories for the collection, transportation and sorting of each material stream. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Supported by: State and territory waste departments, local governments |
| Reduce contamination of material streams through correct disposal and improved source separation by standardising household bins for each material type within states and territories. Proposed lead: State and territory waste departments Supported by: Local governments |
| Reduce congestion, amenity and road safety impacts by consolidating services to minimise transport congestion impacts. Proposed lead: Local governments |
| 9.2.3. Increase landfill diversion by developing a waste levy pricing strategy and national levy protocols. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Supported by: State and territory environment departments, state and territory treasuries |
| Address cross-border waste issues by developing national levy protocols that define which wastes should be levied, levy liabilities, levy administration and maximum transportation limits. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Supported by: State and territory environment departments, state and territory treasuries |
| Increase resource recovery by introducing a national levy pricing strategy to minimise interstate levy differences. Proposed lead: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Supported by: State and territory environment departments, state and territory treasuries |
Measuring progress
| National waste reporting Implement agreed national data and reporting improvements, harmonised data classifications and definitions for reporting, and sharing arrangements across jurisdictions | ||
Governance | Target: 100% | Timeframe: |
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| Waste Levy A nationally consistent waste levy | ||
Affordability | Target: 100% | Timeframe: |
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| Minimum substitution rates Minimum rates of substitution for non-virgin materials across the ten major commodities in the infrastructure sector | ||
Environment | Target: 100% | Timeframe: |
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