Submission on Waste to the Federal Parliament’s Environment Committee

The Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA) has provided some industry comments to the Senate’s inquiry into the solid waste industry.

The terms of reference were wide ranging and sought information on the amount of solid waste, how it was managed in landfills, the role of landfill levies, the movement of solid waste across state boundaries, the state of recycling and general economic conditions of the industry.

The VWMA highlighted a diverse industry in Victoria that is efficient, competitive and focused on customer service that works reasonably well within the existing State based regulatory framework.

Their criticisms were directed toward landfill levies that keep rising without a true assessment of their effectiveness and pointing out that levy differentials between states might encourage arbitrage but which wasn’t illegal (this is more common between NSW & QLD, where there is no landfill levy).

The submission also indicated that the VWMA were not in favour of more regulation and that the Federal Government’s role should be to provide national support to the States and encourage a harmonious policy approach.

VinsBins is an active participant of the VWMA and supports this submission.