The LGAQ has proposed imposing limits on the distance commercial waste could travel before it was dumped or recycled as a way of dealing with the huge jump in interstate waste being transported across the Queensland border.
The Association suggests amending existing laws to include a “proximity principle”, allowing southern Queensland waste facilities the option of rejecting waste that has been transported more than 150 kms from its source.
The proposal is contained in the LGAQ’s submission to the independent investigation into the cross-border transport of waste to Queensland landfills.
The inquiry, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge, the Hon Peter Lyons QC, follows the ABC 4 Corners program detailing waste industry concerns regarding the interstate movement of waste from NSW to Queensland to avoid paying the NSW waste levy and NSW State Government’s failure to enforce its own “proximity principle”.
The LGAQ has also told the inquiry it would oppose any moves to shift the cost of dealing with the interstate waste issue on to local government.
Queensland councils have few options to dissuade interstate waste movement, particularly where facilities are privately owned.
Some councils have included “out of city limits” gate charges where they manage their own waste disposal sites to discourage interstate waste.