Environment

Waste Management & Resource Efficiency

Overview

Local government is responsible for the delivery of domestic waste management services including kerbside recycling, green waste collection, waste education, litter abatement and management plus the management of transfer stations and landfills.

Local government also has an important role to play in maximising the rate of resource recovery, as well as reducing the amount of waste going to landfill through its ability to influence communities and local industry.

Regionally based, state wide coordination of waste management and education is overseen by 12 Regional Waste Management Groups (RWMGS), who work collaboratively with local government. The MAV works closely with the RWMGs to help build effective waste management and resource recovery outcomes for the local government sector.

According to Sustainability Victoria data, waste services cost Victorian local government in excess of $317 million in the 2004 05 financial year.

In this period;

• 96% of all Victorian households had kerbside recycling and garbage collections
• On average, each household produced 499.6 kg of garbage per year, a decrease of 40 kg against 2003 04
• Kerbside recycling services averaged 247.5 kg per household per year, an increase of 11.2% over last year.
• Victoria spent almost $207 million on kerbside collection services, $45 million on landfills and transfer stations.
• 1.76 million tonnes of solid waste was generated through the kerbside collection service
• 36.7% of kerbside waste was diverted through recyclables and green organics collections, an increase of 3.2% against 2003-04. The Victorian Government's Towards Zero Waste Strategy aims to divert 45% of municipal waste from landfill by 2008 and 65% by 2013.
• Greater Geelong City Council had the leading landfill diversion rate at 58%.

Initiatives

The MAV, with funding from Sustainability Victoria, is assisting councils to meet the goals of the Sustainability in Action: Towards Zero Waste strategy. The work of the MAV's Adviser – Energy & Waste includes policy development, advocacy and project delivery. Organising appropriate forums for local government is a key part of this position. These have included the Waste Policy Forum and the Extended Producer Responsibility Forum, detailed below.

Any queries or comments relating to Waste Management and Resource Efficiency can be directed to Ben Morris, bmorris@mav.asn.au, Phone: 03 9667 5580.

E-Waste and Product Stewardship Forum
The MAV and Environment Victoria, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Waste Management Group, are holding a forum on electronic waste (e-waste) and product stewardship on 28 April 2009.
Find out more about the E-Waste Forum>

MAV and Association of Victorian Regional Waste Management Groups' Container Deposit and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
The MAV and the Association of Victorian Regional Waste Management Groups convened a forum on 8 November 2007 with the topics of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and container deposit legislation (CDL).

MAV Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Forum

The MAV, in association with Environment Victoria and the Victorian Government, convened a Forum on 14 September 2006 focusing on issues associated with producers taking greater responsibility for the full life cycle of their products.

 Find out more about the EPR Forum>

MAV Waste Policy Forum

The MAV Waste Policy Forum held in October 2005 outlined a vision for waste management in Victoria in 2014, with key requirements needed for the sector to reach these goals.

 Find out more about Waste Policy Forum>

Sustainability in Action: Towards Zero Waste Strategy

This strategy aims to achieve the vision of a low waste Victoria by 2014 through improved resource recovery and waste management. Funding and new programs are also available as part of this strategy.

 Find out more about Sustainability in Action: Towards Zero Waste Strategy>

National Packaging Covenant (NPC)

The MAV is a signatory to the NPC which is a voluntary agreement for all levels of government and the packaging supply chain aimed at minimising the environmental impacts of consumer packaging.

 Find out more about NPC>

Litter Prevention and Management

In 2004 05 littering cost local government $72 million, including maintenance of litter bins and traps, litter clean up activities and prevention. The cost of litter to local government is mostly allocated management (95%) and only a small amount to prevention (5%).

 Find out more about Litter>

Waste Management Resources

Waste Management Resources

This page provides links to relevant state agencies and other organisations, as well as MAV Waste Management papers.

 Visit Waste Management Resources>