Hon Jim Scott questions the government's policy on landfill on the Swan coastal plain. The government clarifies its commitment to reducing landfill waste and promoting sustainable waste management, while assessing landfill expansions on a case-by-case basis.

AnsweredQoN 603Legislative Council
Asked
19 August 2004
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Has the government abandoned the policy to phase out landfill on the Swan coastal plain? (2) If not, does the policy include expansion of existing landfill facilities? (3) What steps has the Government taken to deal with waste that would normally go to landfill? Hon TOM STEPHENS

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - (1) The Government has never had such a policy, but is committed to reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill and promoting more environmentally sustainable methods of waste treatment and disposal. The Government’s policy is to not allow the establishment of any new putrescible landfills on the Swan coastal plain. (2) See the answer to (1). The expansion of existing landfills as assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.
(2) If not, does the policy include expansion of existing landfill facilities? (3) What steps has the Government taken to deal with waste that would normally go to landfill? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - (1) The Government has never had such a policy, but is committed to reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill and promoting more environmentally sustainable methods of waste treatment and disposal. The Government’s policy is to not allow the establishment of any new putrescible landfills on the Swan coastal plain. (2) See the answer to (1). The expansion of existing landfills as assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.
(3) What steps has the Government taken to deal with waste that would normally go to landfill? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - (1) The Government has never had such a policy, but is committed to reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill and promoting more environmentally sustainable methods of waste treatment and disposal. The Government’s policy is to not allow the establishment of any new putrescible landfills on the Swan coastal plain. (2) See the answer to (1). The expansion of existing landfills as assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - (1) The Government has never had such a policy, but is committed to reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill and promoting more environmentally sustainable methods of waste treatment and disposal. The Government’s policy is to not allow the establishment of any new putrescible landfills on the Swan coastal plain. (2) See the answer to (1). The expansion of existing landfills as assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - (1) The Government has never had such a policy, but is committed to reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill and promoting more environmentally sustainable methods of waste treatment and disposal. The Government’s policy is to not allow the establishment of any new putrescible landfills on the Swan coastal plain. (2) See the answer to (1). The expansion of existing landfills as assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.
(1) The Government has never had such a policy, but is committed to reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill and promoting more environmentally sustainable methods of waste treatment and disposal. The Government’s policy is to not allow the establishment of any new putrescible landfills on the Swan coastal plain. (2) See the answer to (1). The expansion of existing landfills as assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.
(2) See the answer to (1). The expansion of existing landfills as assessed on a case-by-case basis. (3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.
(3) The State Government, through the Waste Management Board and the Department of Environmental Protection continues to work with local government, the community and industry to reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal to landfill through programs such as the resource recovery rebate scheme. To facilitate this process, the Government has released the strategic direction for waste management in Western Australia that outlines the Government’s approach to dealing with all wastes in the State.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more