Have you ever stopped to wonder what happens to the waste that you dispose of?
As a country, we’re still very far in terms of adequately disposing of our waste. In fact, nothing has changed between 1996 and 2019 in regard to the amount of waste going into landfills. It’s still at a staggering 21Mt of waste being deposed into landfills year in and year out.
Part of the problem lies with the increase in population and elevated consumption. Add to that, the fact that we do not have domestic Energy from the Waste industry such as you find in many European countries. This brings us to the question of how is waste disposed of in Australia.
Understanding the Waste Management Framework
Before diving into how waste is actually managed in Australia, it’s key to understand that there is a framework that has been adopted from which everything stems from. This framework is known within industry circles as “The 3Rs plus 1”.
And what are these three R’s plus 1? Namely, reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover energy. As it stands there is still a lot to be desired considering that only 40% of core waste is actually being recycled and the rest ends up in landfills. When put on par with other developed countries, we are generating significantly more waste while recycling less.
Landfills are our major go-to option
Australia’s dependence on landfills is notorious. It is our go-to form of waste management. Of the 54.5 million tonnes of waste generated in 2016/17, 21.7 million tonnes went to landfills, while 58% or 31.7 million tonnes was recycled.
Why don’t we recycle more you’re asking? Simply because it is not financially viable under our country’s current policy settings. However, thanks to the introduction of landfill levies in certain states, we’re seeing a shift in the preference for recycling over landfilling.
Recycling programs are increasingly gaining prominence
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the amount of waste that is being diverted from landfills and sent to recycling facilities is on the rise. In 2006/07 there had been a 52% increase in this regard.
Recycling rates vary according to states with South Australia being the leading state with an impressive recycling rate of 78%. New South Wales comes in third with a recycling rate of 59% behind Victoria whose recycling rate is 68%. As a company, Zibla Bins is committed to playing its part in ensuring that waste is properly sorted and recycled.
Zibla Bins is dedicated to eco-friendly waste disposal
As one of Sydney’s premier waste management companies, we’re at the forefront of sustainable waste disposal. Over the years, we have helped reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills thanks to our strict waste disposal policies. With your continued help we’re sure we will continue to improve on these green efforts.
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