The Waste Authority considered a draft Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) Rollout Plan 2022-23, developed with support from the FOGO Reference Group. The FOGO Rollout Plan retains themes from previous plans and builds on work undertaken to date. The Rollout Plan supports market development for FOGO derived products, matches FOGO processing capacity with projected collection and supports the planning and implementation of FOGO services. The FOGO Rollout Plan report for 2021-22 was also considered by the Waste Authority. Both documents will soon be available on the Waste Authority’s website.
The Waste Authority received an update on the development of the Guideline: Better Practice Organics Recycling by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. The Guideline sets out information for the organics recycling industry for the control of emissions and discharges from organics recycling that is regulated under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act).
A draft Construction and Demolition (C&D) Rollout Plan was considered by the Waste Authority. The C&D Rollout Plan, developed with support from the C&D Reference Group, signals key priority actions to address C&D recycling in Western Australia. To support the C&D Rollout Plan, specific working groups will be established to assist with scoping and shaping identified projects, in line with the Waste Strategy’s recognition that waste management is a shared responsibility. The C&D Rollout Plan will be reviewed annually by the C&D Reference Group and the Waste Authority. The C&D Rollout Plan will soon be available on the Waste Authority’s website.
The Chair of the Waste Authority’s Program Risk and Performance Committee (PRPC), Kaylene Gulich, provided an update to members on the key outcomes of the recent meeting held on 3 May 2022. The PRPC provides oversight and guidance to the Waste Authority on risk management, program evaluation and financial reporting.
A draft Waste and Recycling in Western Australia 2020-21 report was noted by the Waste Authority. The report presents data and trends in waste recovery and disposal in Western Australia during the 2020-21 financial year and assesses the State’s progress towards meeting targets set out in the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 (Waste Strategy). Two Power BI reports will allow online users to query underlying data sources in various ways to meet their needs. The report will be available on the Waste Authority website, along with the Power BI reports following its noting by the Minister for Environment.
An update on the National and State Recycling Infrastructure Modernisation funding was noted by the Waste Authority. Implementation of the Australian export ban of certain waste products has commenced through the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020. The timetable for implementing waste export bans commenced with waste glass from 1 January 2021, mixed plastics from 1 July 2021 and tyres from 1 December 2021, and will extend to single polymers from 1 July 2022 and paper and cardboard from 1 July 2024.
Delays to supply chains and difficulties accessing required expertise caused by COVID-19 at a global scale have impacted on delivery timeframes. The Waste Authority noted that exemptions have been sought by some industry proponents through the Commonwealth Minister for Environment.
An update on the Food Waste for Healthy Soils funding program was noted by members. As part of the National Soil Strategy, the Australian Government announced a Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund. The fund includes $57 million to support the diversion of nutrient rich household and commercial organic waste from landfill to soils building new or enhancing existing organic waste processing infrastructure.
Applications received under an expression of interest process to support Western Australian projects were considered by the Minister for Environment and have been submitted to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment for consideration. The Waste Authority noted that increased processing capacity is complementary to the FOGO Rollout Plan.
The Waste Authority noted an update on local government waste plans, required under the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007. Local governments in the Perth and Peel region and in major regional centres are required to prepare a waste plan outlining how they will manage waste services to achieve consistency with the Waste Strategy. Of the 44 waste plans submitted, 35 have been endorsed by the Director General of the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation as being consistent with the Waste Strategy. Two further plans are currently being assessed and seven plans have not been endorsed.
The next meeting of the Waste Authority will be confirmed following the finalisation of the Waste Authority appointments process. Current membership terms end on 8 July 2022.