❓ Mr Taylor asks about the government's plan to address mattress waste in WA. Minister Jacob outlines current recycling efforts and invites further partnerships to improve mattress recycling.
AnsweredQoN 166Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WASTE
MANAGEMENT — MATTRESSES
166. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Minister for Environment:
I understand that each year Western Australians dump
thousands of mattresses, which take up valuable space in landfill. Could the
minister please update the house on what the Liberal–National
government is doing to tackle this important waste problem?
MANAGEMENT — MATTRESSES
166. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Minister for Environment:
I understand that each year Western Australians dump
thousands of mattresses, which take up valuable space in landfill. Could the
minister please update the house on what the Liberal–National
government is doing to tackle this important waste problem?
AnswerView source ↗
This is a very serious issue, as waste is generally, here in
this state. Members may not be aware that around 150 000 mattresses are —
Mr P.B. Watson : We've
read the press release.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
That is good. I might give the member a bit more information as we go along.
Around 150 000 mattresses are discarded in Perth and the Peel region every
year. About 85 per cent of these mattresses still end up in landfill. Just to
put that into perspective, if we took 150 000 mattresses and strung them end to
end, we would have about 300 kilometres worth of mattresses.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am
surprised that members are not interested in the mattress problem. Would you
please keep quiet so that the minister can answer?
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Just to again put that in perspective, 150 000 mattresses —
Mr D.J. Kelly :
Taxpayer money is being wasted on this, you know!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Okay, member. To put that in perspective, 150 000 mattresses would fill 44
Olympic swimming pools. Taxpayers' money and the investment we put in
waste management—this is a very serious issue —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Members opposite might have a problem with that interjection.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
am explaining why this is a serious issue.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean! Minister, please answer the question through the Chair.
Mr A.P. JACOB : The
state government has a waste strategy titled ''Creating the Right
Environment'', which sets out very ambitious targets for diversion from
landfill in this state. To take us back in time a bit, in 2009–10, only
33 per cent of municipal waste was being diverted from landfill. Today it is
around 43 per cent and our goal for 2015 will be to have 50 per cent diverted
from landfill. We aim to divert 65 per cent of municipal solid waste from
landfill by 2020. If we talk about landfill as a volume, mattresses take up a
very significant amount of that area and they have previously been a very
difficult product to recycle.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen!
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
visited the East Metropolitan Regional Council's Hazelmere facility
only last Thursday and I was able to see the project that was done in response
to some expressions of interest this government put out earlier. Around 20 000
of those mattresses are currently being recycled through that facility, which
is fantastic. Mattresses have a large amount of material that can be recovered.
They contain metal, obviously in their springs, wood and also foam.
Several members interjected.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Okay; I will abridge my answer, Mr Speaker!
The principal matter is that we as a government are
continuing this program. We recycle only at about 20 per cent of our mattresses
in this state, and we are keen to see whether there are other partners who can
join with us so that we are not unduly burdening the state taxpayer with this
issue.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr A.P. JACOB : We
invite partners either from local government or the private sector to put in an
expression of interest and see what ideas are out there for us to improve
mattress recycling in Western Australia.
this state. Members may not be aware that around 150 000 mattresses are —
Mr P.B. Watson : We've
read the press release.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
That is good. I might give the member a bit more information as we go along.
Around 150 000 mattresses are discarded in Perth and the Peel region every
year. About 85 per cent of these mattresses still end up in landfill. Just to
put that into perspective, if we took 150 000 mattresses and strung them end to
end, we would have about 300 kilometres worth of mattresses.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am
surprised that members are not interested in the mattress problem. Would you
please keep quiet so that the minister can answer?
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Just to again put that in perspective, 150 000 mattresses —
Mr D.J. Kelly :
Taxpayer money is being wasted on this, you know!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Okay, member. To put that in perspective, 150 000 mattresses would fill 44
Olympic swimming pools. Taxpayers' money and the investment we put in
waste management—this is a very serious issue —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Members opposite might have a problem with that interjection.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
am explaining why this is a serious issue.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean! Minister, please answer the question through the Chair.
Mr A.P. JACOB : The
state government has a waste strategy titled ''Creating the Right
Environment'', which sets out very ambitious targets for diversion from
landfill in this state. To take us back in time a bit, in 2009–10, only
33 per cent of municipal waste was being diverted from landfill. Today it is
around 43 per cent and our goal for 2015 will be to have 50 per cent diverted
from landfill. We aim to divert 65 per cent of municipal solid waste from
landfill by 2020. If we talk about landfill as a volume, mattresses take up a
very significant amount of that area and they have previously been a very
difficult product to recycle.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen!
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
visited the East Metropolitan Regional Council's Hazelmere facility
only last Thursday and I was able to see the project that was done in response
to some expressions of interest this government put out earlier. Around 20 000
of those mattresses are currently being recycled through that facility, which
is fantastic. Mattresses have a large amount of material that can be recovered.
They contain metal, obviously in their springs, wood and also foam.
Several members interjected.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Okay; I will abridge my answer, Mr Speaker!
The principal matter is that we as a government are
continuing this program. We recycle only at about 20 per cent of our mattresses
in this state, and we are keen to see whether there are other partners who can
join with us so that we are not unduly burdening the state taxpayer with this
issue.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr A.P. JACOB : We
invite partners either from local government or the private sector to put in an
expression of interest and see what ideas are out there for us to improve
mattress recycling in Western Australia.
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