A new waste management and resource recovery strategy developed by the Queensland government will be underpinned by a new waste levy commencing on July 1, 2019. The change to a risk-based approach to managing waste was triggered after a review of existing waste regulations.
A new non-profit organisation, Chemical Recycling Europe, has been created with the goal of establishing an industry platform for developing and promoting cutting-edge chemical recycling technologies for polymer waste across Europe.
Recycling contracts in Australia are under threat and a crisis is looming after China implemented its National Sword Policy on January 1, 2018, which restricted the importation of 24 categories of solid waste and limits contamination of those materials to less than 0.5 per cent. The restrictions are already being felt in the sector, with stockpiling beginning and waste collectors across the country trying to find new markets to prevent a disruption of kerbside collection services.
The use of asbestos was banned in Australia in 2004 immediately after the industry recognition of the life-threatening dangers associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Medical conditions resulting from exposure to asbestos can take as long as 10 to 20 years to reveal themselves. Despite this ban, Australians still suffer from the consequences of existing buildings containing asbestos.
