The NSW Government recently published its 2015 State of the Environment report, which shows a huge drop in litter and recycling rates steadying.
The report provides an update on the full gamut of NSW’s environmental matters, including waste management, renewables, water and sustainable land management.
In 2012-13, NSW recycled 10.5 million tonnes of all waste categories compared with 5.3 million tonnes in 2002-03, as the population also increased by 867,000 in the 10-year period between 2004 and 2014. In the same period, waste generated per person in the Metropolitan Levy Area (MLA) was 22 per cent higher than in 2002-03, at just over 2,500kg a year, with less than half being recycled. For the rest of the state, waste generated was around 1,500kg per person with around half recycled.
Since 2002-03, there has also been a 73 per cent increase in access to a council organic kerbside collection service and 17 per cent increase in access to a dry recycling kerbside service.
Again 2014 recycling targets of 66 per cent municipal, 63 per cent for commercial and industrial, and 76 per cent for construction and demolition, in 2012-13 NSW achieved 55 per cent, 61 per cent and 69 per cent respectively.
The amount of litter in the state continues its downward trend, with 48 items per 1,000m2 against 80 in 2005-06.
Full details of the report, as well as information separated by topic, is available from the NSW EPA website.
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