Government Must Introduce A Waste Levy In Queensland

Government must Introduce a Waste Levy in Queensland

Queensland desperately needs a State Waste Strategy to improve the state's woeful recycling rate.

"At less than 30% Queensland's recycling rate is the second lowest in Australia," said Toby Hutcheon, Executive Director of Queensland Conservation (QCC).

"A levy on all waste sent to landfill has proved to be the most effective way of raising recycling rates.

"Queensland Conservation supports a waste levy on the condition that it is handed back to local government for the purpose of resource recovery," said Hutcheon.

Putting a price on waste going to landfill is standard practice in other states, but not in Queensland. As a result our recycling rates are low and waste levels high. However, any levy the State Government introduces must be guaranteed by legislation to return at least two thirds of the revenue raised to the local government region in which it was generated.

"If the levy is used to create business opportunities in resource recovery it will reduce waste and create new green jobs.

'A properly constructed waste levy is not a tax but an investment in a cleaner future.' said Hutcheon.

With levies used across NSW, QCC believes that the Government has little choice but to introduce a levy or run the risk of becoming the dumping ground for cross border waste.

Queensland remains the only state with no waste strategy.

Notes
* Resource recovery generates nine times as many jobs as landfill dumps.
* Victoria has just introduced a waste levy that will provide $50 million for resource recovery. This is expected to create over 1200 jobs in that state.

For more information:
Toby Hutcheon
0419 664 503

SOURCE: Queensland Conservation