Government Policy Circular Economy for the Pacific Region
Aotearoa New Zealand
Chapter 9 – Circular economy and bioeconomy
Australia
The National Waste Policy provides a national framework for waste and resource recovery in Australia. It also highlights the importance of working together and outlines the roles and responsibilities for everyone – businesses, governments, communities and individuals.
The policy outlines the five key principles for waste management that will enable Australia to transition to a circular economy. These include:
- Avoid waste
- Improve resource recovery
- Increase use of recycled material and build demand and markets for recycled products
- Better manage material flows to benefit human health, the environment and the economy
- Improve information to support innovation, guide investment and enable informed consumer decisions
The 2019 National Waste Action Plan drives implementation of our seven ambitious targets, including:
- Regulate waste exports
- Reduce total waste generated by 10% per person by 2030
- Recover 80% of all waste by 2030
- Significantly increase the use of recycled content by governments and industry
- Phase out problematic and unnecessary plastics by 2025
- Halve the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030
- Provide data to support better decisions
In October 2022, updates to the plan’s action items were reflected in the National Waste Policy Action Plan Annexure 2022.
Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy (ESPP)
The Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy (ESPP) aims to ensure that government officials purchase goods and services that are environmentally friendly, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainability.
Circular economy principles to be enshrined in national sustainable procurement policy
From 1 July 2024, businesses bidding for Australian government construction services projects above $7.5 million must meet agreed sustainability outcomes, including cutting or repurposing waste and replacing single-use materials with recycled materials.
New South Wales (NSW)
NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy Stage 1 – 2021 – 2027
NSW targets are:
- reduce total waste generated by 10% per person by 2030
- have an 80% average recovery rate from all waste streams by 2030
- significantly increase the use of recycled content by governments and industry
- phase out problematic and unnecessary plastics by 2025
- halve the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030
- reduce litter by 60% by 2030 and plastics litter by 30% by 2025
- triple the plastics recycling rate by 2030
Queensland (QLD)
QLD Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy
Building sustainable roads – Dec 2022
The Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads has identified ways to reduce waste and emissions to deliver sustainable infrastructure by including glass, tyres, reclaimed asphalt, construction and demolition waste into our roads.
Glass – 10% to 20% recycled glass can be used in roads.
DTMR are finding ways to use recycled crushed glass as a substitute for sand and aggregate in road materials. Up to 10% can be used in asphalt bases and up to 20% in gravel bases. DTMR are continuing to investigate the use of recycled glass in concrete, and as bedding and backfill sand around pipes.
Crumb rubber
Used tyres are recycled and processed into crumb rubber, which is blended into bitumen to be used in asphalt and sprayed seals.
Hot-in-place asphalt recycling (HIPAR)
HIPAR removed, rejuvenates and relays existing asphalt in a single pass.
Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP)
Up to 40% RAP can be used in new asphalt. When asphalt is removed from existing roads, it is processed into reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) material which can be incorporated back into new asphalt. RAP provides cost savings, reduces our reliance on raw aggregate and bitumen, and diverts waste from landfill.
Insitu stabilisation
Insitu stabilisation of existing roads is undertaken by pulverising the road and mixing various stabilising agents (including cement, bitumen, fly ash and slag) which provides a strengthened rejuvenated pavement.
Construction and demolition waste
Construction and demolition waste is material recovered from construction and demolition sites such as concrete, brick and glass, and can be used as an alternative to natural aggregates and sand in road bases. DTMR are also investigating the use of this waste in concrete.
Rubblisation
To rehabilitate and recycle existing concrete pavements, rubblisation fractures the existing concrete pavement into small, interconnected pieces before a new road is constructed over the top. DTMR have completed the first rubblisation trial in Queensland.
Fly ash and blast furnace slag
Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fly ash of up to 70% can be achieved. Fly ash and blast furnace slag are industrial wastes from coal fired power plants and steel production that can be used to replace up to 70% of the cement used in pavements. Up to 35% of the cement used in structural concrete can be replaced with fly ash, up to 50% with a combination of fly ash and slag, and 60 – 70% with slag alone.
South Australia (SA)
Supporting the Circular Economy – South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2020-2025
Green Industries SA is an enabler and driver of change, supporting the development of the circular economy through diverse collaborations which improve productivity, resilience, resource efficiency and the environment.
Victoria (VIC)
Recycling Victoria: a new economy – Feb 2020
Recycling Victoria is the Victorian Government’s 10-year policy and action plan for waste and recycling. It outlines our sweeping plan of reform to establish a recycling system that Victorians can rely on. It transforms how our economy uses materials and how our state reuses, repairs and recycles.
Western Australia (WA)
Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 – Western Australia’s Waste Strategy
Avoid – Western Australians generate less waste.
- 2025 – 10% reduction in waste generation per capita
- 2030 – 20% reduction in waste generation per capita
Recover – Western Australians recover more value and resources from waste.
- 2025 – Increase material recovery to 70%
- 2030 – Increase material recovery to 75%
- From 2020 – Recover energy only from residual waste
Protect – Western Australians protect the environment by managing waste responsibly.
- 2030 – No more than 15% of waste generated in Perth and Peel regions is landfilled.
- 2030 – All waste is managed and/or disposed to better practice facilities
Waste Authority business and action plan 2024–25
This sets out how Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (WARR) account moneys are applied to the programs and activities that support the implementation of the waste strategy. It also outlines the specific actions, timelines, lead responsibilities and collaborations that will be progressed to achieve the waste strategy’s objectives.