Media release – Roger Jaensch, Minister for the Environment, 10 March 2022
Historic day for resource recovery in Tasmania
In a historic day for waste management and resource recovery in Tasmania, the Container Refund Scheme Bill 2021 and the Waste and Resource Recovery Bill 2021 have been passed by the Parliament.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is getting on with our clear plan to reduce litter and build a circular economy in Tasmania.
The Waste and Resource Recovery Bill 2021 establishes a state-wide waste levy that will encourage the diversion of materials from landfill, and drive investment into alternatives to landfill, so more materials will be recovered from the waste streams and turned into new and valuable products.
This is a win for the environment and for jobs, with the levy expected to support the creation of up to 130 new full-time positions in the waste and resource recovery sector once the maximum levy rate is reached.
Importantly, the Bill also establishes a Waste and Resource Recovery Board that will develop a state-wide waste strategy for Tasmania and allocate funds from the levy to implement it.
The Container Refund Scheme Bill 2021 is another long-awaited piece of legislation that will reduce litter in Tasmania by rewarding Tasmanians for directing their used drink containers into recycling, which is a win for the environment and our circular economy.
Under the Scheme, Tasmanians will receive a 10-cent refund for returning eligible drink containers to designated Refund Points around the State.
Tasmanian charities and community groups will also be able to take part by collecting containers, receiving donations, or operating return points and receiving a handling fee.
This ensures that charities and community groups, big and small, have plentiful opportunities to be part of the Scheme, and to benefit from it.
Our Government is committed to reducing waste and growing a circular economy in Tasmania and these Bills will benefit our State for decades to come.
Media release – Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT), 11 March 2022
Local government welcomes resource recovery
The Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) welcomes the Waste and Resource Recovery and Container Refund Scheme bills, both passing Parliament late yesterday.
LGAT President Mayor Christina Holmdahl said the local government sector has been leading the call for a state-wide levy and also the introduction of a Container Refund Scheme.
“As a sector, we have been calling for action on waste and recycling for many years and we are pleased the State Government has hit the right note with its commitment to diverting all funds collected from the levy to waste and resource recovery activities,” Mayor Holmdahl said.
“This approach will ensure resources are applied to supporting industry, councils and the community in developing markets for recycled products and improving resource recovery,” she said.
LGAT also commends the State Government on choosing a split-governance model for Tasmania’s Container Refund Scheme, which separates responsibility for running the scheme from operating the container collection network.
“By separating running the scheme from the network, the State Government can guarantee consumer convenience and therefore high rates of container return.
“The more containers returned means a lower cost scheme for the community and better environmental outcomes,” Mayor Holmdahl said.
These policies are a win for the environment, a win for the economy and a win for our community.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the State Government on improving waste management and seeing the benefits for all Tasmanians and our local environment,” she said.
Media release – Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia, 11 March 2022
A new era for Tasmanian WARR
The passing of the Container Refund Scheme Bill 2021 and the Waste and Resource Recovery Bill 2021 in Parliament on Thursday marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Tasmania’s waste and resource recovery (WARR) industry.
The move is set to bring the state closer to meeting its circular objectives by putting a price on valuable resources to encourage greater landfill diversion, recycling, resource recovery, and remanufacturing, and by embracing a genuine polluters-pay model for beverage containers.
“WMRR congratulates the Tasmanian government for staying the course with the landfill levy and container refund scheme and recognises the Labor Party’s support of these two (2) significant initiatives,” WMRR CEO, Ms Gayle Sloan, said.
“The fact that a common-sense approach has been taken this week in Parliament to progress the landfill levy and CRS is heartening, as it shows that the government is committed to WARR and it acknowledges the numerous benefits of these tools, including reducing waste to landfill that will, in turn, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
“There will be a suite of opportunities that Tasmanians can look forward to through the landfill levy and CRS, from attracting investment that will build the capacity and capability of its WARR infrastructure, which will grow the industry and create a multitude of green jobs, to developing new local remanufacturing industries, to reducing litter and increasing recycling, as well as putting more money in householders’ pockets,” Ms Sloan added.
“It is evident that the government understands that business-as-usual is not an option; we need to find pathways to transition from a linear economy to one that is more circular. Positively, Tasmania can look to its neighbouring jurisdictions to draw lessons on how to design a best practice landfill levy framework and CRS, and we look forward to working closely with the government as it now starts the roll-out process.”
