The Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts has concluded its inquiry into the management of Australia’s waste streams, recommending future policy should be “set in a sustainability context” and “grounded in rigorous cost-benefit analysis which encompass economic, environmental and social externalities”.

The 142 page report also noted “an overwhelming call for consideration of a national strategy,” with many submissions and witnesses raising concerns about the “escalating problems created by this divergent and inconsistent approach across the country”.

In light of widespread support from both business and government, the committee called for “the establishment of a principles-based national strategic framework for waste”.

It says the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) should draw up a national resource efficiency strategy that “should seek consistent policies between the states and adopt a principles-based approach; including sustainability, the waste hierarchy, extended producer responsibility and user pays cost reflective pricing as guiding principles.”

The committee also recommended the commonwealth and states need to “audit the adequacy of existing resource recovery infrastructure and commit funding or implement policy changes which will address any deficiencies”.

In particular, it noted that despite a range of available alternatives, much organic material is disposed in landfill because it is cheap, although this is “creating an environmental liability for future generations”.

“Without adequate financial incentives, the waste sector will continue to adopt the most cost-effective option, which is often disposal in landfill… one of the key constraints is the non-inclusion of certain environmental and social costs in current waste management pricing structures.”

It said the EPHC should take steps to limit the organic material disposed in landfill, and “options considered should include utilisation of alternative waste technologies and a cap and trade scheme”.

For any organic material that is landfilled, the committee has followed the lead of the WA government and says it wants the EPHC to “establish national minimum environmental standards in relation to emissions from landfill operations including the reduction, capture and use of landfill gas emissions,” with such standards applied to all landfills above an agreed size threshold.

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