2018-06-27 SM - Attachment 1 to Item 2 - Directions Paper Transforming Queensland's Recycling & Waste Industry

PART B—Resource recovery, recycling
and waste management strategy
In 2017, the department conducted a review of the             A new norm, which includes changing and volatile
current Queensland Waste Avoidance and Resource               commodities market and international policies that reflect
Productivity Strategy (2014–2024), as required every          a growing concern about the quality of recovered materials
three years under the Act. The current strategy is based      that are received, will impact on the development of the
on a voluntary approach and, while there are stated           new strategy and companion measures.
objectives, targets and priorities, these are not supported
by a coordinated program of work or market-based              One such policy, the China National Sword, has caused
mechanisms for behaviour change.                              significant concern in the industry. In 2013, China
                                                              introduced Operation Green Fence, which placed some
Discussions as part of the statutory review process           import restrictions on low-quality bales of material being
confirmed that Queensland should replace the current           shipped to China.
waste strategy with a new strategy that contains strong
targets, clear market-based incentives and companion          In July 2017, China advised that further quality restrictions
measures to reduce waste and increase resource recovery       were being introduced for low grades of recovered mixed
and recycling.                                                paper, plastics and some metals with quality standards
                                                              of less than 5 per cent contamination being enforced. And
Stakeholder feedback also highlighted the commonly            in January 2018, under the National Sword Policy, China
held view that the current strategy has not provided          tightened these specifications further, reducing the level
an effective platform to drive improved practice nor          of allowable contamination to 0.5 per cent.
incentivised industry investment in new infrastructure
or expansion of existing capacity. A consistent theme         While the National Sword Policy does not ban the import
raised during consultation was that a new waste strategy      of mixed plastics or mixed paper and cardboard, due to
must provide the overall strategic direction for waste        changes over time to sorting equipment and practices,
management in Queensland. It must clearly prioritise          the recent tightening of contamination levels makes
actions and identify companion measures such as               meeting the export quality standards extremely difficult
landfill disposal bans, infrastructure development,            for a number of facilities.
pricing signals and programs to assist in greater resource    Despite the tighter restrictions, the Chinese Government
recovery and landfill diversion.                               is encouraging legitimate quality recycling and allows
The 2018 Queensland Waste Avoidance and Resource              processed (pelletised) single-stream plastics to be imported
Productivity Strategy 2014-2024 Draft review report is        under permit. Several companies have successfully applied
attached to this paper (Appendix 1). Submissions on this      for an import permit while other companies responded
report and the proposals contained in this directions         to the earlier signals from the Chinese Government and
paper are invited to help inform the development of a         sourced other international markets.
new resource recovery and waste management strategy.          The new strategy needs to recognise these changes and
The department will develop this new strategy in              the challenges that they present, while at the same time
consultation with the Stakeholder Advisory Group, the         identifying the local and domestic opportunities that can
waste and resource recovery industry, local government,       be created from the implementation of a future-looking
business and industry, environmental groups and the           and comprehensive approach.
wider community.                                              Clear objectives and targets will be developed to ensure
The new strategy will focus on opportunities for economic     performance and progress can be measured, monitored
and market development and job growth, and the                and evaluated.
readiness and capacity of business and industry and the       New regulatory measures will be developed to support
resource recovery sector to take action to transform.         the goals and objectives of the strategy. These include
The priorities will also reflect current and emerging          landfill disposal bans and product stewardship programs.
national and state priorities and the new strategy will
reflect the need to build harmonisation across states and
territories in key areas.




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