The waste and recycling sector has always been resilient, but resilience should not be mistaken for unlimited capacity, says Brett Lemin, Executive Director of the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association, New South Wales.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: the waste and recycling sector is being stretched in every direction, and the system is starting to show it.
We are being asked to deliver more… higher recovery rates, safer operations, and stronger environmental outcomes, while absorbing rising costs, growing risks, and increasing uncertainty. All while margins are tightening and expectations continue to rise.
And yet, despite all of this, the industry continues to deliver. Because at its core, this is an industry that shows up.
An essential service
Waste and recycling is not optional. It is a daily, essential service that underpins public health, environmental protection, and the functioning of our communities. When it works, it’s invisible. When it doesn’t, the impacts are immediate.
And right now, that reliability is being tested.
Fuel is the most immediate example. While official messaging suggests stability, what operators are experiencing on the ground tells a more complex story of price volatility, supply constraints, and uncertainty that is already influencing operational decisions.
For a sector that relies almost entirely on diesel-powered fleets, this is not just a cost pressure.
It’s a service risk.
If trucks don’t move, waste doesn’t get collected. If machinery cannot operate, material won’t get processed. It’s that simple – the system stops.
That’s why recognition of our sector as a priority fuel user isn’t a request; it’s a necessity.
Carrying risk
At the same time, we are managing risks that originate well beyond our sector.
Battery fires continue to rise across collection vehicles, transfer stations, and processing facilities. The frequency is increasing. The consequences are real. And the cost, both financial and safety-related, is significant.
This is not a problem created by waste operators. It’s the result of product design, consumer behaviour, and gaps in end-of-life systems. And yet, it is our industry that is left to manage the consequences.
To be clear, our sector is not stepping away from this challenge. We are working closely with government, regulators, and emergency services to drive better outcomes, but product stewardship must mean shared responsibility.
Not responsibility at the point of failure.
The infrastructure reality
Looking forward, the most significant challenge remains the one we have been talking about for years, the infrastructure gap. New South Wales is approaching a critical point. Existing landfills are nearing capacity. New infrastructure is difficult to deliver. Planning pathways remain complex and slow.
At the same time, policy ambition continues to increase food organic and garden organic (FOGO) mandates, higher recovery targets, and reduced landfill reliance.
These are the right goals, but they must be supported by the infrastructure to deliver them.
Without that alignment, we risk placing unsustainable pressure on a system that is already working at its limits.
Investing in the future
What gives me confidence is how the industry is responding.
Across our membership, we are seeing continued investment, not just in infrastructure but in people.
Training, safety systems, leadership development, and mental health support are all becoming core priorities.
There is a clear recognition that a sustainable industry is built on a capable and supported workforce.
At the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association (WCRA) NSW, we are proud to be contributing to that through expanded training programs, practical education initiatives, and stronger engagement across all levels of the sector because the future of this industry will not be determined by policy alone; it will be determined by the people delivering it every day.
Collaboration is not optional
If there is one thing this moment makes clear, it is that no single part of the system can solve these challenges alone.
Industry, government, regulators, and the broader supply chain must work together.
We are seeing encouraging signs of that collaboration, particularly in areas such as battery stewardship and safety reform, but there is still more to be done.
Collaboration requires more than intent. It requires alignment. Alignment between policy and delivery, between responsibility and accountability, and between ambition and investment.
Where to from here
This is not a call for less ambition. It is a call for practical alignment.
Recognise waste and recycling as a priority fuel user.
Accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure.
Ensure product stewardship frameworks genuinely distribute responsibility across the supply chain and continue investing in the systems and people that make this industry work.
These are not aspirational ideas; they are necessary ones.
This industry is not just managing waste; it is supporting the broader economy, protecting the environment, and delivering an essential public service every single day.
We are ready to meet the challenges ahead, but the system must be ready to support the industry because when you strip it back, the role of this sector is simple – we keep society functioning.
And that’s something worth getting right.
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