Queensland Government invests $2.1 billion in recycling programs

December 13, 2021

Karen Sweaney

The Queensland Government is investing $2.1 billion in recycling to fast-track the State’s transition to a zero-waste society with the waste package including a $1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund.

Queensland Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the fund will support increased household recycling, help build new resource recovery infrastructure, and create more jobs in more industries and noted that the package will “better protect our parks, waterways and the Great Barrier Reef from plastic pollution.

“We have set ambitious targets for recycling because we want to see 80% of all waste streams diverted from landfill by 2030.

“Our recovery rate currently sits at 54%, so the next decade will be critical to our success.”

Minister Scanlon said the fund will offer co-investment opportunities for councils and industry to leverage this new money to help transform Queensland’s approach to waste management and resource recovery.

“The Government will invest in waste avoidance and behaviour change initiatives, recycling and remanufacturing facilities, collection infrastructure such as green bins, organics processing and other initiatives to unlock jobs in recycling and reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill,” Minister Scanlon said.

Australian Marine Conservation Society plastics expert Shane Cucow said the funding injection would be critical in lowering ocean plastic pollution.

Cucow added “we are pleased to see the state government rising to the challenge of reducing plastic pollution in Queensland, protecting our incredible ocean heritage.

“Queensland has one of the lowest plastics recycling rates in the country, with only 8% of plastic packaging recovered for recycling in the 2019/20 financial year.

“That means more than 90% of plastic packaging in Queensland is being buried, burnt or flowing out into our oceans, killing our wildlife.

“This funding will help to build the missing recycling infrastructure that has been sorely missing in the Sunshine state.

Cucow called on the Queensland Government to ensure the funds were used to deliver modern recycling facilities and kerbside compost collection, to deal with rising plastics consumption.

“We are seeing the use of compostable plastic cutlery, cups and garbage bags rising dramatically, yet most of these plastics won’t break down in home compost, requiring industrial composting facilities to fully decompose.

“If they blow into our waterways or wash into our oceans, they can still take years to break down, entangling and suffocating turtles, whales and seabirds.

“We call on the Queensland government to commit to delivering kerbside collection of food and organics for every household, along with the industrial composting facilities needed to process compostable plastics.

The massive funding injection follows a review of existing waste levy arrangements.

The Queensland Government has been consulting with the Local Government Association of Queensland and the Council of Mayors (South East Queensland) to determine a pathway that both protects households while also increasing recycling rates and reducing the amount of waste going into landfill.

This pathway includes a commitment to continue the advance payments to councils at 105% for another financial year before those payments begin to taper as industry gears up to help Queenslanders divert more rubbish away from the red lid bin.

Minister Scanlon advised “the advance payments will taper off over 10 years, reducing to a final 20 per cent in ongoing payments to cover rubbish that we expect will still have to go to landfill.

“As the funding tapers off, councils will also be given access to other funding streams to help foster new waste industries in their local communities through the Recycling and Jobs Fund.

”The Fund is designed to maximise co-investment from industry, local councils and the Commonwealth, and will deliver strategic investment in diverse and innovative resource recovery technologies and markets to generate lasting economic benefits for the state.

“The waste levy only applies to rubbish sent to landfill and by prioritising waste avoidance and resource recovery efforts, over time, we expect to see a permanent reduction in landfill disposal.

“We know the levy works – since it was introduced, we have seen interstate waste decrease by more than 60% and 75% of construction and demolition waste being recycled.

“With the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in front of us, today’s announcement is the first step in ensuring we showcase Queensland as a clean and sustainable global destination.”

Future waste reforms will see:

1. $1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund to be invested over the next 10 years

2. $1 billion in annual MSW rebate which is broken down as follows:

Annual Payments to councils will remain at 105% in 2022-23
From 1st July 2023, annual payments will gradually taper from 105% to 20% over 10 years for 19 councils (metro zone councils and seven of the largest regional zone councils).
Annual payments will be maintained at 100% for the remaining eligible councils.

3.From 2022-23, an increase in the annual levy rate by $10 per tonne in 12 Southeast Queensland council areas until 2027–28, then in line with CPI, ensuring it is comparable to NSW to maintain disincentives to interstate waste dumping.

4.From 2022-23, an increase in the annual levy rate by CPI in the remaining 27 regional council areas in the levy zone.

5.38 council areas currently outside the levy zone will remain outside the levy zone.

6.Removing the Clean Earth exception in 2023-24, in line with arrangements in other states/territories.

Queensland’s Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy and levy arrangements will be reviewed again in 2025.

For more information go to www.qld.gov.au/waste-disposal-levy