A recent trial by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is expected to support policy changes in Australia that will see more options for recycling ship waste from international boats visiting Australian ports.
The Maritime Recycling Risk Assessment Trial, completed in early 2025, involved 6 Australian ports and various categories of recyclable waste collected from international commercial and cruise ships.
The trial investigated the level of biosecurity risk associated with the types of recyclable materials found on internationally arriving ships, such as plastics and glass. Its aim was to inform ways we can increase the amount of recyclable waste that can be diverted from biosecurity treatment to domestic recycling processes.
Key outcomes of the trial are now informing a broader national maritime waste recycling pilot being led by DAFF.
Australia’s strict biosecurity rules for how waste from international ships is managed in Australian ports results in much of it being treated as biosecurity waste and ending up in landfill. This trial supports our commitment to sustainable shipping and protecting the marine environment.
The Maritime Recycling Risk Assessment Trial on ship waste was funded by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water through the Community Grants Hub.