❓ Ms. Freeman questions the effectiveness of the landfill levy as an incentive for recycling, citing the City of Stirling's increased waste fees despite low recycling rates. The Minister responds by highlighting the Better Bins program and its potential to improve recycling rates and uniformity across councils.
AnsweredQoN 718Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RECYCLING —
LANDFILL LEVY
718. Ms J.M. FREEMAN to the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to a recent City of Stirling statement in the local
paper that an eight per cent hike in waste and recycling fees is due to the
state government's increase to the landfill levy, despite the fact—as
the minister knows—that virtually no waste from the City of Stirling
has been recycled for the past year. Given that the landfill levy was
introduced to increase the rate of recycling in WA, what steps has the minister
personally taken to ensure that the levy operates as an incentive rather than a
revenue-raising tool?
LANDFILL LEVY
718. Ms J.M. FREEMAN to the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to a recent City of Stirling statement in the local
paper that an eight per cent hike in waste and recycling fees is due to the
state government's increase to the landfill levy, despite the fact—as
the minister knows—that virtually no waste from the City of Stirling
has been recycled for the past year. Given that the landfill levy was
introduced to increase the rate of recycling in WA, what steps has the minister
personally taken to ensure that the levy operates as an incentive rather than a
revenue-raising tool?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Mirrabooka
for the question.
I think the incidents in the City of
Stirling are well known. I will start by answering the second part of the
question about what exactly we are doing. A big part of what we are doing—in
fact we started it this year—is our Better Bins program. In fact, it is
an element of this government's approach.
Ms
J.M. Freeman : It's not working in the City of Stirling!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Mirrabooka!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Member for Mirrabooka, I will get to that.
Obviously, this government has taken a decision that we will
increase the landfill levy in metropolitan areas to bring it more into
alignment with that of other states because there is a clear indicator that it
is a price driver to drive recycling. Much of that money is then recouped back
through the waste avoidance and resource recovery account. We are using much of
that money in grants and other incentives to councils, and in particular in
this instance to help councils with source separation. To help us better
recycle, we are encouraging councils to go down the road of having three bins—a
green bin for organic or green waste, which can be immediately taken out of
landfill; a yellow-top bin for commingled recyclables; and a red-lidded bin for
residual waste, and options beyond landfill will continue to be available for
that residual waste as well. The City of Stirling historically has had one bin.
It is interesting to note that when I announced the Better Bins program in
January this year, the City of Stirling was quick off the mark to jump on the
news, criticise the program and tell everybody that its recycling program—or
its supposed recycling program—already achieved some astronomical rate.
That was shown perhaps to not be the case. I congratulate the City of Stirling
for the way in which it is now managing that issue. It came back to us and said
that it would be interested in joining the Better Bins program. That is a good
result and I encourage the City of Stirling to do so. Yes, it will be moving
from one bin to three bins soon. We will be, I believe, the first city in this
country not only to achieve those ambitious recycling rates that we have set,
but also to start to go towards uniformity in our collection system across
councils. That is also what the Better Bins program is about.
for the question.
I think the incidents in the City of
Stirling are well known. I will start by answering the second part of the
question about what exactly we are doing. A big part of what we are doing—in
fact we started it this year—is our Better Bins program. In fact, it is
an element of this government's approach.
Ms
J.M. Freeman : It's not working in the City of Stirling!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Mirrabooka!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Member for Mirrabooka, I will get to that.
Obviously, this government has taken a decision that we will
increase the landfill levy in metropolitan areas to bring it more into
alignment with that of other states because there is a clear indicator that it
is a price driver to drive recycling. Much of that money is then recouped back
through the waste avoidance and resource recovery account. We are using much of
that money in grants and other incentives to councils, and in particular in
this instance to help councils with source separation. To help us better
recycle, we are encouraging councils to go down the road of having three bins—a
green bin for organic or green waste, which can be immediately taken out of
landfill; a yellow-top bin for commingled recyclables; and a red-lidded bin for
residual waste, and options beyond landfill will continue to be available for
that residual waste as well. The City of Stirling historically has had one bin.
It is interesting to note that when I announced the Better Bins program in
January this year, the City of Stirling was quick off the mark to jump on the
news, criticise the program and tell everybody that its recycling program—or
its supposed recycling program—already achieved some astronomical rate.
That was shown perhaps to not be the case. I congratulate the City of Stirling
for the way in which it is now managing that issue. It came back to us and said
that it would be interested in joining the Better Bins program. That is a good
result and I encourage the City of Stirling to do so. Yes, it will be moving
from one bin to three bins soon. We will be, I believe, the first city in this
country not only to achieve those ambitious recycling rates that we have set,
but also to start to go towards uniformity in our collection system across
councils. That is also what the Better Bins program is about.
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