Councils Rubbish Waste Targets

Tuesday, 31 August 2004 10:00

Councils from the Western, Southern and Northern Sydney regions (listed below) have applied to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for approval to put out joint tenders for waste management, but have failed to require the target of 66% diversion from landfill by 2014.

"These Councils are saying yes to more landfills, more waste and more broken promises," said Jeff Angel, TEC Director. "They must be required to comply with resource recovery targets to ensure a sustainable future."

"Residents are doing their part by recycling. Now it's up to Councils pull their weight. New technologies can recover up to 75% of waste for recycling and compost, but it'll be 0% if Councils lock-in waste to landfill."

"The Northern Sydney councils made no mention of the target in the ACCC submission and were clearly seeking to undermine it. The Western Councils made no commitment, while the Southern Councils were very vague about their intentions. All wanted to landfill hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste every year, into the next decade."

Total Environment Centre has written to the 22 Councils seeking assurance that tenders will stipulate resource recovery targets that comply with the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy. The Strategy, developed in consultation with the Councils and the community, requires resource recovery of 66% of municipal waste by 2014. TEC made submissions to the ACCC opposing the Councils' proposals.

Sydney disposes 4 million tonnes per annum to landfill. If no action is taken to divert more waste, this figure will climb to 8.5 million tpa by 2020.

Councils seeking permission for joint tenders, but lacking resource recovery targets:

Botany Bay Council
Council of Camden
Campbelltown City Council
Canterbury City Council
Hornsby Shire Council
Hunters Hill Municipal Council
Kogarah Council Lane Cove Council
Marrickville Council
Mosman Municipal Council
North Sydney Council
Randwick City Council
Rockdale City Council
City of Ryde
Sutherland Shire Council
Waverly Council Warringah Council
Willoughby City Council
Wingecarribee Shire Council
Wollondilly Shire Council
Woollahra Council
 

For further information

Contact
:
Jane Castle or Jeff Angel
Phone
:
61 2 9299 5680
Email
:
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WWW
:
http://www.tec.org.au/