Waste Announcements Backed

Media Release 9/2/2010

Waste Announcements Backed

Tasmania’s peak environment body has welcomed both the Greens and Liberals parties’ recent waste policy announcements.

“The Tasmanian Greens’ commitment to a comprehensive South Australian style container deposit system for Tasmania is a great environmental policy initiative,” said Simon Branigan, policy coordinator for Environment Tasmania.

“It’s been proven in South Australia that a container deposit system and kerbside recycling services can operate together – to not only provide new income streams for councils and sporting clubs, but also to reduce the amount of discarded rubbish that ends up in our water ways and bushland.”[1]

The Liberal Party’s recent waste policy initiative to ban non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags in Tasmania within 2 years was also welcomed.

“Following Coles Bay lead and banning non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags will also help reduce waste in the Tasmanian landscape,” said Mr Branigan.

“Environment groups now look forward to the Labour Party’s pre-election waste policy announcements, considering that both the Tasmanian Greens and Liberal parties have pledged theirs,” he concluded.

Environment Tasmania is the peak body for Tasmanian environment & conservation groups – and represents over 20 Tasmanian environment groups with collective representation of over 5000 Tasmanians.
[1] Hudson, P., in association with Cole Solicitors (March 2000). Container Deposit Legislation: Economic and environmental impacts. Report prepared for the South Australian Environment Protection Authority. Available online at http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/epa/pdfs/cdl_report.pdf. Link checked February 2005.

Simon Branigan, Policy Co-ordinator, Environment Tasmania