Waste research to help inform discussions on Container Deposit Scheme

The Queensland Government is conducting research to find out how much recyclable material is still finding its way into the State’s neighbourhood garbage collections.

Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles said the research was being done at council tips and would ultimately assist with investigations into the introduction of a state-based Container Deposit Scheme (CDS).

“We will be working with councils to specially unload some of the garbage trucks before they get to their tips, in order to get a better understanding of what is in the trucks, and the composition of general waste,’ Dr Miles said.

“The process is anonymous, there is no identification of any individual person or household. It does not involve examination of household wheelie bins.

“Researchers will use the data to calculate how much aluminium and glass for example, Queensland could be recycling but currently isn’t,’’ he said.

Dr Miles said waste industry consultants – who had conducted similar research with other jurisdictions including Sydney City Council – had been engaged to commence the project, starting in Queensland next week.

Councils participating in the research project include Cooktown, Cairns, Central Highlands, Rockhampton, Gold Coast, Western Downs and Townsville.

Dr Miles said the information from these “audits’ would help inform discussions on the CDS for Queensland.

“The Palaszczuk Government is also closely watching the CDS discussions in NSW where the Government has committed to introducing a CDS by 2017,’ Dr Miles said.

“If the Queensland Government does decide to introduce a container deposit scheme, it would be desirable that the two schemes are consistent in their key design elements,’ he said.

Dr Miles said an Advisory Group had been established in Queensland to assist in better understanding the issues and design of a scheme.

“Container deposit schemes are popular with the community, encourage recycling and cut waste but before we sign up to one we need to find the model that best fits Queensland,’ he said.

ENDS

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