National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) State Affiliates provide a detailed overview of industry and policy changes across the country.
NWRIC is the national industry body for commercial waste and recycling operators Australia wide.
It brings together national businesses and affiliated state associations to develop and promote policies and actions to advance waste management and resource recovery in Australia – ensuring a fair, safe and sustainable industry that serves all Australians.
NWRIC state affiliates include the Waste Recycling Industry Queensland (WRIQ), the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW & ACT (WCRA), the Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA), the Waste Recycling Industry of South Australia (WRISA), the Waste Recycling Industry of Western Australia (WRIWA) and the Waste Recycling Industry Northern Territory (WRINT).
WCRA – ACT & New South Wales
NSW Covid-19 update
With NSW in lockdown for much of July 2021, our members have been focussed on getting the job done and to continue servicing the community by providing critical waste management services.
In the NSW Public Health Orders issued on 17th July 2021, workers in the NSW waste industry were declared as authorised workers, therefore exempted to continue working. This was particularly important for those areas such as Fairfield, Bankstown, Canterbury, Blacktown, Cumberland & Liverpool where general workers were not allowed out of their local government areas.
In essence, workers in the waste industry were authorised to travel outside an affected local government area if required for work purposes, but only for the provision of critical waste and resource recovery services, including collection, treatment, and disposal services. Workers living in or are staying in the local government area of Fairfield and who worked outside this area, are required to have a COVID-19 test once every 72 hours (3 days) to be allowed to go to work as an authorised worker.
It is also a tough time for the construction industry which was shut down on 17th July for what we hope is only a two week period. Given the pause of construction activities, the EPA deemed that the provision of skip bin services to household and construction sites as being an unnecessary activity. But all at WCRA are united with the Government to ensure the safety of the community.
Safety of the public and our workers is the highest priority and with greater Sydney in lockdown, the Government very clearly wants all residents to limit their movements and stay at home. Throughout this time, waste management workers continue to provide critical & essential waste services, however no member of the public should be visiting a recycling or waste management facility, as it is not one of the essential reasons for leaving home.
NSW C&D recycling update
The C&D recycling sector has long acknowledged that asbestos is an area of concern for both the community and industry. For many years the industry and NSW EPA have worked together to find a commonsense approach to managing asbestos and to ensure that our recycling activities do not cause harm to either human health or the environment.
However, a major concern for many NSW C&D recycling operators is the unacceptable risk of prosecution and lack of due diligence defence if unavoidable, low levels (unexpected finds) of asbestos is found at their facility or in recycled product delivered to a customer, regardless of the fact that the facility did not willingly or knowingly accept the asbestos contaminated materials and more importantly, followed a strict receival inspection and processing procedure taking all reasonable steps to ensure that there was not asbestos containing material present.
It is important for regulators to note, that this material is generated by the construction and demolition industry, and not the recycling sector, and is being transported by the construction and demolition industry to a recycling facility on the basis that it is waste that they (the transporter and/or the waste generator) deem to be waste that can be lawfully recycled.
The industry will continue to work with NSW EPA to achieve workable solutions to these concerns.
WCRA Executive – Casual Vacancy
The Executive continues to meet each month to discuss a range of issues that affect the industry. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, current meetings are conducted via Zoom.
In coming weeks there will be an opportunity advertised for authorised WCRA Members to nominate for a casual vacancy on the Executive. WCRA’s Members will be directly advised once all formal approvals are in place.
If there are any issues that readers of the WMR eNews want addressed by the Association, please send a short email to tony@wcra.com.au. The senior members of the WCRA Executive are:
- President, Harry Wilson, SMS Municipal Services
- Vice President, Susie McBurney, Remondis Pty Ltd
- Secretary, Jeff Brandstater, Brandster Services
- Treasurer, Greg Turner, JR Richards & Sons
WRIQ – Queensland
There are several WRIQ hosted events coming up in early August that NWRIC and Affiliate members are welcome to join in.
Queensland Recycling Modernisation Fund (QRMF) Grant Information Session and Networking
Hosted by PwC Australia the session will include an overview of the QRMF (see also today’s story Under Review, Securing Qld Resource Recovery Sector, tips and traps applying for grant funding and an update on the WRIQ’s Grant Investigation Project. Light refreshments will be served.
When: Wednesday 4 August 2021, 5-7 pm.
Where: Brisbane (Online access option available for our regions).
Cost: WRIQ Members Ticket: Free. Non-Members Ticket: $30.00
RSVP: Email memberservices@wriq.com.au indicating your ticket type, dietaries, and any questions you might have about the QRMF.
Recycle Mate Artificial Intelligence Community App & Stakeholder Data Hub – Webinar
Recycle Mate is an initiative of the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) with support from the Australian Government’s Environment Restoration Fund program and the NSW EPA. National consultation is currently underway informing stakeholders across the country about the community app and its exciting new features.
NWRIC and State Affiliate members are encouraged to join this webinar to understand the national program and the collaborative opportunities Recycle Mate offers for them and our industry.
When: Thursday 5 August, 10.30 am – 12 pm
Where: Online
RSVP: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Share your views on the benefits and effectiveness of waste and recycling grants
The Waste Recycling Industry Association of Queensland (WRIQ) in partnership with NWRIC and state affiliates have begun a National Review of Grants funded by waste and landfill levies.
WRIQ (on behalf of NWRIC and state affiliates) is inviting anyone from across Australia who has expressed interest in state government grant programs for waste and recycling (and related areas) to complete the survey and share their experiences with government grants, the timeliness of grants, if they are fit for purpose and what could be done to improve the process.
To complete the survey email memberservices@wriq.com.au to for online survey link and fact sheet.
You do not need to be a member of WRIQ or our state affiliates to participate in this study.
For more information about the survey contact Mark Smith Mark.Smith@wriq.com.au