Mike Ritchie, Author at Inside Waste

Can we educate the public on the circular economy?

No, we can’t educate them. Education has a place in improving the quality of recycling and of reducing contamination. It improves the capture of materials into the correct bins. It reduces litter and illegal dumping. It is definitely worth doing. Read More

Mike RitchieOctober 24, 2023, 3:44 pmOctober 24, 2023

Features, Online Subscription

Can QLD achieve the National Waste Targets?

In 2019 the Queensland Government along with all States, Federal and Local Governments signed up to the National Waste Action Plan, which set the following National Waste Targets (among others) by 2030:
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Mike RitchieOctober 17, 2023, 9:18 amNovember 14, 2023

Opinion, Pacific Islands, separating, World

How Pacific Island nations are taking the lead in waste reduction

Pacific Island nations are dealing with waste seriously and there are lessons for Australia. We often think of the Pacific Islands as being the first casualties of climate change and sea level rise. And they are. But they are not taking it lying down. Read More

Mike RitchieSeptember 15, 2023, 12:54 pmSeptember 15, 2023

Compost, Latest News, Online Subscription, Recycling, Reuse

Waste myth series: FOGO is too contaminated to recycle

There is an emerging myth (put by a few councils) that FOGO contamination rates make it impossible to recycle. Not true. Average Australia-wide FOGO contamination rates are 2 per cent by weight on average
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Mike RitchieAugust 1, 2023, 9:05 amAugust 9, 2023

Australia, Features, Latest News, Online Subscription, Research & Reports

Can NSW achieve the national waste targets?

By Mike Ritchie NSW is heading away from a circular economy. The latest National Waste Report data shows that not only is NSW’s total waste generation growing but our waste to landfill
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Mike RitchieJune 27, 2023, 10:38 amJuly 11, 2023

Industry News, Opinion

Waste myths series – landfills are bad, recycling is good

Simple answers to complex problems are often wrong. I don’t know who said that, but it certainly applies to the myth that all landfills are bad and all recycling is good. Read More

Mike RitchieJune 22, 2023, 11:27 amJune 27, 2023

Features, Industry News, Online Subscription

Waste myths series – household recycling is just sent to landfill

How many times have we heard that at BBQs, dinners and repeatedly in the media that all household waste is sent to landfill? It is almost complete nonsense, but it survives in the public discourse. It
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Mike RitchieMay 15, 2023, 9:08 amJune 5, 2023

Features

Waste myth: “Landfill levies don’t work”

Waste is like a river that flows downhill to the cheapest price. If the cheapest option is landfill, then that is where it is going. There is a myth perpetrated by some that landfill levies don’t work. Read More

Mike RitchieMay 1, 2023, 1:06 pmMay 5, 2023

Infrastructure plans. MRA consulting. Mike Ritchie

WA shows the way with waste infrastructure plan

MRA Consulting Group congratulates the Western Australian Government on the release of the Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan 2023. Read More

Mike RitchieApril 5, 2023, 2:21 pmApril 6, 2023

Features

Why landfill levies encourage behaviour change

Seventy per cent of the growth in recycling in the past 20 years is explained by the rise in landfill levies. They change behaviour by making recycling a cheaper option than landfill. Read More

Mike RitchieMarch 28, 2023, 10:28 amMarch 30, 2023

Mike Ritchie