Australia’s waste and recycling industry is doing the heavy lifting to drive down greenhouse gas emissions.
The industry has reduced GHG emissions by 45 per cent over the past 30 years, and is on track towards zero emissions by 2050, according to a new report by Ricardo Energy Environment and Planning.
Commissioned by the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC), the report is being released in recognition of National Recycling Week.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Australia’s Waste and Recycling Sector, is one of three reports released by the council this week, including an analysis of the economic costs of a paper and cardboard waste export ban, and a metal export ban.
NWRIC Chief Executive Officer Rick Ralph said the Ricardo report is the result of a thorough analysis of the sector’s carbon footprint and provides transparency as to its past performance and future trends.
“It independently quantifies and provides confidence that the waste and recycling sector is on track,” Ralph said. “Australia’s waste and recycling sector has seen a 45 per cent reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions over the past 30 years and is on target to reduce these by an additional 60 per cent by 2030.
“NWRIC industry members are committed to sustainability and adopting emissions targets, mainly through decarbonising their energy sources as well as heavily investing in circular economy projects.”
Ricardo modelled historical data from numerous data sources, including the National Greenhouse Accounts and the National Waste Data Report. Data was also verified with supplementary data provided by NWRIC members directly. All historic figures and forecasts are representative of Australia’s entire waste sector.
The report states Australia’s net GHG emissions from all sectors was 465 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (Mt CO2-e) in 2020–21. The waste sector’s emissions accounted for 2.9 per cent (10 Mt CO2-e) for the same period – a decrease from 3.7 per cent in 1989–90.
The reductions to date are mainly due to increases in landfill methane recovery and the decline of total waste disposed as alternative waste treatment options have become operational.
It’s expected GHG emissions will continue to decline due to increases in organics recovery and the separation and recycling of waste streams. Although total volumes of waste generated and disposed across Australia remain steady, the intensity of emissions per tonne of waste recycled will reduce over time. This is attributed to waste and recycling management facilities using decarbonised energy sources and the future of Australia’s grid-connected renewable energy production.
By 2030, GHG emissions from Australia’s waste and recycling industry are projected to reduce to about 4 Mt CO2-e and will likely continue trending down towards zero by 2050, the report states.
Today Australia’s waste and recycling sector recovers 63 per cent of the total waste generated.
Ralph said fast tracking and scaling technical innovations, government support and partnerships with other industries and supply chains will continue to bring an increase in recovery and avoided emissions.
“Members are committed to monitor and identify future opportunities to avoid emissions with a target for a negative net carbon emission balance by 2050,” Ralph said.
NWRIC has released two other reports this week, Economic Cost of Australia’s Paper and Cardboard Waste Export Restrictions, and Economic and Environment Benefits from an Australian Unprocessed Ferrous Scrap Metal Export Ban.
According to the reports, restricting the export of paper and cardboard will result in the loss of an estimated $1.6 billion of waste and recycling industry viability in Australia.
“With an existing strong self-regulated internationally accepted trading platform in place, paper and cardboard should not be regulated nor the market interfered with by Government,” the report states.
Recently NWRIC and the Australian Steel Institute called for a national ban on the export of unprocessed scrap metal to help protect the $1,096 million ferrous scrap metal processing industry in Australia.
Read the reports at: www.nwric.com.au
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