❓ Hon. Sophia Moermond questions the impact of current waste management advice regarding compostable packaging on WA's Plan for Plastics and seeks a solution to prevent compostable packaging from going to landfill. The government acknowledges the issue and is working on a solution.
AnsweredQoN 296Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
WASTE MANAGEMENT — FOOD ORGANICS AND GARDEN
ORGANICS
296. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Environment:
I
refer to advice currently given by the Waste Authority to local governments
that packaging marked as compostable cannot be put into food organics
and garden organics, or FOGO, bins and must be sent to landfill.
(1) How does the advice that compostable packaging
should not be placed in food organics and garden organics bins impact
the targets of Western Australia's Plan for Plastics?
(2) Will the
government be providing a solution to compostable packaging currently being
sent to landfill?
ORGANICS
296. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Environment:
I
refer to advice currently given by the Waste Authority to local governments
that packaging marked as compostable cannot be put into food organics
and garden organics, or FOGO, bins and must be sent to landfill.
(1) How does the advice that compostable packaging
should not be placed in food organics and garden organics bins impact
the targets of Western Australia's Plan for Plastics?
(2) Will the
government be providing a solution to compostable packaging currently being
sent to landfill?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Environment, I provide
the following answer.
(1)–(2) Compostable
and non-compostable packaging can look very similar, and are both present in
waste collections. To avoid contamination of their products, most composting
facilities do not currently accept compostable
packaging. Under the Plan for Plastics, the preferred option is for people to
transition to re-usable products
where possible. These are more sustainable than any single-use option. The
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is working with the
composting industry to develop a transition pathway that will allow compostable
packaging to be composted, without creating contamination risks to the food
organics and garden organics or FOGO waste stream.
some notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Environment, I provide
the following answer.
(1)–(2) Compostable
and non-compostable packaging can look very similar, and are both present in
waste collections. To avoid contamination of their products, most composting
facilities do not currently accept compostable
packaging. Under the Plan for Plastics, the preferred option is for people to
transition to re-usable products
where possible. These are more sustainable than any single-use option. The
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is working with the
composting industry to develop a transition pathway that will allow compostable
packaging to be composted, without creating contamination risks to the food
organics and garden organics or FOGO waste stream.
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