❓ Mr Taylor asks the Minister for Environment how the $10 million investment in construction and demolition material recycling will work. The Minister explains the funding program for local governments and the private sector, aiming to reduce landfill and the demand for raw materials.
AnsweredQoN 761Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION MATERIAL —
RECYCLING
761. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Minister for
Environment:
I understand that the minister
recently announced that the Western Australian government will invest $10 million
to support more recycling of construction and demolition material. Can the
minister please explain how this will work?
RECYCLING
761. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the Minister for
Environment:
I understand that the minister
recently announced that the Western Australian government will invest $10 million
to support more recycling of construction and demolition material. Can the
minister please explain how this will work?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Bateman for
the question. By way of background for members of the house, we currently
measure our waste as two completely separate streams. One of those is
construction and demolition waste, or C and D waste. Each year in this state,
we generate around three million tonnes of construction and demolition waste.
However, two million of these three million tonnes, or two-thirds of it,
currently goes to landfill. Indeed, construction and demolition waste makes up
around half of our landfill in this state. It is also the waste stream that has
the lowest level of recycling. That is particularly concerning when we compare
Western Australia with the other states, which have far higher levels of
construction and demolition waste recycling. Indeed, in many ways this waste
stream is often the simplest stream with which to achieve a recycling outcome.
In order to address this, the
government has done two things. Earlier this year we introduced new levy
mechanisms as a disincentive to the landfill option. We have now taken the
funds raised through that levy and reinvested them in a program to incentivise
recycling outcomes. Through this program, metropolitan local governments, the
private sector and departments will be eligible for funding over three years
via two means. The first will be a system of pre-allocation on a per capita
basis to metropolitan local governments that will be able to condition-in or
allow recycled material into their road base, drainage aggregates and a whole
range of recycling outcomes. Beyond that pre-allocated base for local
governments, there will be a second stream that will also be open for
competitive process. Similarly, the pre-allocated basis for local governments
will also be open for competitive process.
Mr F.M. Logan : How
do we know there is no asbestos in there, minister?
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
would love the member for Cockburn to ask me that question; he can get up
straight after I have finished explaining the program.
It is very important to see better use of such materials,
which could indeed —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn, I call you to order for the second time, and the Leader of
the National Party for the first time. Can I have a quick answer, please; we
are running out of time.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
This is important not only for achieving recycling outcomes, but also as —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you. Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB : It
is important not only to drive recycling outcomes, but also, as many members
know, access —
Mr P.C. Tinley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : This will have a significant broader environmental impact,
particularly in the metropolitan area, because access to basic raw materials
such as limestone and fill sand is becoming increasingly scarce, and those
areas to which access is required for these basic raw materials are increasingly
in environmentally sensitive areas. We need to not only drive towards recycling
outcomes, but also lessen the burden there currently is on basic raw materials.
I would like to encourage all metropolitan local governments to make full use
of this program, and to consider —
The
SPEAKER : Sit down, please. Kim, can you go upstairs, please? Somebody has
collapsed in the gallery. Member for Eyre, somebody has collapsed in the
gallery.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you. Minister, sorry about that. Are you finished?
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
will just finish by saying that I encourage local governments and eligible
companies to have a look at this program. We believe it is a strong incentive
that will drive better recycling outcomes. I look forward to updating the
house.
the question. By way of background for members of the house, we currently
measure our waste as two completely separate streams. One of those is
construction and demolition waste, or C and D waste. Each year in this state,
we generate around three million tonnes of construction and demolition waste.
However, two million of these three million tonnes, or two-thirds of it,
currently goes to landfill. Indeed, construction and demolition waste makes up
around half of our landfill in this state. It is also the waste stream that has
the lowest level of recycling. That is particularly concerning when we compare
Western Australia with the other states, which have far higher levels of
construction and demolition waste recycling. Indeed, in many ways this waste
stream is often the simplest stream with which to achieve a recycling outcome.
In order to address this, the
government has done two things. Earlier this year we introduced new levy
mechanisms as a disincentive to the landfill option. We have now taken the
funds raised through that levy and reinvested them in a program to incentivise
recycling outcomes. Through this program, metropolitan local governments, the
private sector and departments will be eligible for funding over three years
via two means. The first will be a system of pre-allocation on a per capita
basis to metropolitan local governments that will be able to condition-in or
allow recycled material into their road base, drainage aggregates and a whole
range of recycling outcomes. Beyond that pre-allocated base for local
governments, there will be a second stream that will also be open for
competitive process. Similarly, the pre-allocated basis for local governments
will also be open for competitive process.
Mr F.M. Logan : How
do we know there is no asbestos in there, minister?
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
would love the member for Cockburn to ask me that question; he can get up
straight after I have finished explaining the program.
It is very important to see better use of such materials,
which could indeed —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn, I call you to order for the second time, and the Leader of
the National Party for the first time. Can I have a quick answer, please; we
are running out of time.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
This is important not only for achieving recycling outcomes, but also as —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you. Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB : It
is important not only to drive recycling outcomes, but also, as many members
know, access —
Mr P.C. Tinley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : This will have a significant broader environmental impact,
particularly in the metropolitan area, because access to basic raw materials
such as limestone and fill sand is becoming increasingly scarce, and those
areas to which access is required for these basic raw materials are increasingly
in environmentally sensitive areas. We need to not only drive towards recycling
outcomes, but also lessen the burden there currently is on basic raw materials.
I would like to encourage all metropolitan local governments to make full use
of this program, and to consider —
The
SPEAKER : Sit down, please. Kim, can you go upstairs, please? Somebody has
collapsed in the gallery. Member for Eyre, somebody has collapsed in the
gallery.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you. Minister, sorry about that. Are you finished?
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
will just finish by saying that I encourage local governments and eligible
companies to have a look at this program. We believe it is a strong incentive
that will drive better recycling outcomes. I look forward to updating the
house.
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