In National Recycling Week, the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) is calling on State and Federal Governments to waste no time driving greater support for local councils and resource recovery industries.
In the wake of the Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) last Friday, LGAQ CEO Greg Hallam AM applauded the ambitious targets set, but warned they won’t be achieved without a greater financial injection for industries and marketplaces.
“The need to manage our own waste and recycling is urgent as we face export bans on some recyclables, but to do this both State and Commonwealth leaders must come to the party,” Mr Hallam said.
“There is a desperate need for greater co-ordination between all tiers of government to develop better local solutions and bolster investment, use of recycled materials in roads and infrastructure, recycled packaging and to support new opportunities in regional markets.”
MEM agreed waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres should be included in the export bans, with glass starting from 1 July 2020.
“Our environment ministers have vowed to make Australia a world leader in waste management and recycling, but currently funding does not support this plan,” Mr Hallam said.
“The Queensland Government must take the lead by committing 100 percent of waste levy proceeds to resource recovery and recycling initiatives and establishing a dedicated $200 million dollar Sustainability Fund to assist local councils.”
LGAQ is committed to a zero waste future and will be joined by 15 Queensland councils on a tour to Melbourne later this month to advance ways of using recycled glass, crumbed rubber and plastic in roads.