NSW/Vic/QLD waste levy rates increasing in July

The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) has announced the waste levy rates for the 2025–2026 financial year, effective from 1 July 2025. These rates have been adjusted in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), reflecting the EPA’s ongoing commitment to promoting resource recovery and reducing landfill dependency.

Updated Waste Levy Rates

For solid waste, the levy rates are as follows:

• Metropolitan Levy Area (MLA): $174.20 per tonne

• Regional Levy Area (RLA): $100.30 per tonne

The MLA encompasses the Sydney metropolitan area, Illawarra, Hunter regions, and parts of the Central and North Coast, while the RLA includes other designated regional areas.

For trackable liquid waste, the levy rates are:

• June–August 2025: $92.60 per tonne

• September 2025–May 2026: $93.30 per tonne

These adjustments are part of the EPA’s strategy to encourage recycling and sustainable waste management practices.

Flood-affected areas granted levy exemptions

In response to recent flooding events, the NSW EPA has granted a three-month exemption for 17 local government areas (LGAs) in the Mid North Coast and Hunter Region. This exemption, effective from 1 July 2025, applies to flood-generated waste such as damaged building materials, furniture, carpet, and garden debris. It does not cover waste from property repairs or pre-existing materials.

The LGAs benefiting from this exemption are Bellingen, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton and Upper Hunter.

This measure aims to alleviate the financial burden on communities during the recovery process (epa.nsw.gov.au).

Ongoing waste levy review

The NSW Government is currently reviewing the waste levy system to enhance its effectiveness in promoting recycling and resource recovery. This review considers adjustments to levy rates and boundaries to ensure the levy continues to serve as an effective incentive for sustainable waste management, while also addressing cost-of-living impacts.

For more detailed information on the rates, exemptions, and the ongoing review, please visit the NSW EPA’s official website.

Queensland levy increases
Levy rates differ by zone, with metro rates rising $10 per tonne annually until 2027. Waste disposed of in Queensland is categorised into several classes, including general waste—such as municipal solid waste, commercial and industrial waste, and construction and demolition waste—and regulated waste, which is divided into Category 1 (hazardous) and Category 2 types. In addition, certain waste streams such as treated timber sawdust, shavings, and earth contaminated with hazardous materials from land listed on the Environmental Management Register or Contaminated Land Register also attract the general waste levy rate.

Queensland’s waste levy is applied across two defined zones:

• Metro zone (Level 1): Includes 12 South East Queensland local government areas.

• Regional zone (Level 2): Comprises the remaining 27 local government areas within the current levy zone.

The levy is designed to reflect the differing waste generation volumes and recycling opportunities across the state’s metro and regional areas.

Levy rates are structured to escalate annually:

• Metro zone rates will increase by $10 per tonne each year until the general levy rate reaches $145 per tonne on 1 July 2027. After that, all rates will be indexed annually according to the indexation rate published on the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation’s website.

• Regional zone rates will increase each financial year in line with the same indexation rate.

A full breakdown of levy requirements, including details for operators within and outside the levy zone, is available online. Additionally, comprehensive guidance on regulated waste classification, including a complete list of regulated wastes, can be accessed through the department’s website.

The Queensland waste levy is a key part of the state’s waste management and resource recovery strategy, aiming to reduce environmental harm, support economic development, and foster innovation in recycling and reuse industries.

Victoria’s waste levies
The 2025–26 levy rates set at $169.79 per tonne for metro municipal waste. The Victorian Government has reaffirmed its waste levy system as a key instrument in reducing waste to landfill and encouraging more sustainable waste management practices.

The waste levy, charged on a per-tonne basis, is designed to incentivise waste generators to reduce the volume of waste they produce and to explore resource recovery options. Higher levy rates apply to waste types that pose greater risks to human health and the environment or are more likely to be mismanaged.

Levy rates are determined by the waste disposal category—such as Category B—and are set annually in accordance with the fee unit values established under the Environment Protection Act 2017. The value of fee and fine units is determined each financial year by the Treasurer of Victoria.

For the financial year 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, the waste levy rates are as follows:

For 2026–27, the levy will be calculated using fee units:

• Metro municipal and industrial waste: 10.26 fee units

• Rural municipal waste: 5.12 fee units

• Rural industrial waste: 9.03 fee units

Operators of landfills must submit a quarterly waste levy statement declaring the amount of waste received, which determines the total levy owed. Rebates may be claimed in cases where waste is removed from the landfill and sent to a licensed resource recovery facility within three months of receipt.

However, rebates cannot be claimed for:

• Priority waste soil, as defined under regulation 46(2)(a) of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021

• Waste removed more than three months after being received.

In addition, municipal waste transferred from resource recovery facilities to landfill is reclassified as industrial waste, unless clear evidence is provided to confirm its municipal origin. Such evidence includes records from the resource recovery facility, as required under the Act.

Municipal waste is defined as waste generated from residential activities, such as household garbage, kerbside collections, hard waste, and park waste.

Further details on submission guidelines, levy classifications, and rebate eligibility are available on the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria website.