LANDFILLERS DO THE DIRTY

Thursday, 06 August 2009 19:45

“If the owners are successful a myriad of small but potentially toxic tips will be excluded from the emissions trading scheme,” said Sarah Van Erp, Waste Minimisation Campaigner at TEC.

“Landfill is already responsible for millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.  Once you throw waste into a dump it leaks methane, a potent greenhouse gas for many years.”

Van Erp said the move is a blatant attempt to exempt small landfill sites from being responsible for reducing their emissions.

“It’s being done for vested interest reasons and is not a helpful climate change policy.  The result could be waste going to hundreds of smaller, uncovered sites.”

Analysis used by the landfillers recommends that only 20-30 km - compared to the current suggested  82 km – is adequate to stop waste displacement between landfills covered and not covered by the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS).

“The CPRS already ignores emissions from legacy waste. We are concerned that weakening the policy on waste displacement will worsen Australia’s greenhouse emissions problem,” said Van Erp.