Introduction
Poor environmental practices have led to a degradation of
the world's water, air and land as well as wasting our precious
natural resources.
Many of the processes and products associated with modern
lifestyles have adverse effects on the environment and it is becoming
increasingly expensive to treat and dispose of excessive waste.
'Waste to resources' is an approach that involves the control
of environmental pollution, waste minimisation and the consideration
of waste products as potential resources before disposal.
The role of the EPA
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is responsible for
administering the Environment Protection Act 1993 (the
Act), which aims to achieve sustainable development by promoting
environmentally sound practices by all South Australians.
As a signatory to the document Agenda 21, adopted at the 1992
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (popularly
known as the Earth Summit), Australia is committed to preventing
environmental degradation and establishing a basis for a sustainable
future.
Further, as a signatory to the Basel Convention, Australia is
committed to the safe and appropriate disposal of hazardous wastes.
Goals
To achieve its waste to resources management goals for South
Australia, the EPA:
- administers the Act including provisions dealing with beverage
container deposits, used packaging materials, and the prevention
of environmental harm;
- has regard to South Australia's Waste Strategy 2005-2010
in dealing with licensing and development matters;
- provides hazardous waste management programs and services
such the Hazardous Household Waste Depot to promote and facilitate
safe and sustainable chemical use;
- drafts guidelines and develops resources to promote and support
best practice; and
- administers the NEPM for Used Packaging Materials that aims
to reduce the volume of packaging sent to landfill.
 Hazardous
waste management
To assist members of the South Australian community manage hazardous
wastes responsibly, the EPA manages waste tracking requirements
applying to listed and liquid wastes, provides advice on the disposal
of hazardous wastes and operates the Hazardous Household Waste
Depot.
Some local councils also provide collection services and/or information
on the disposal of waste materials such as oil, paint, pharmaceuticals
and batteries in conjunction with ZeroWaste
SA.
Industry sponsored programs, such as ChemClear®
and DrumMUSTER,
are able to assist in the disposal of unwanted rural pesticides,
chemicals and empty containers.
Hazardous waste strategy
The EPA Hazardous waste strategy (137KB PDF) has been developed to guide South Australian industry toward improved sustainable hazardous waste management systems. It aims to stimulate a change in the way that members of the industry view and manage hazardous waste, in particular its generation. Also highlighted in the strategy is the need for the adoption of cleaner production principles and a change from end-of-pipe solutions to hazardous waste avoidance.
In combination with other EPA policies, guidelines and procedures, this strategy will enable us to achieve the State Government's commitment to improving waste management within South Australia.
Hazardous Household Waste Depot
The Hazardous Household Waste Depot is a free service operated
by the EPA for householders and hobby farmers (not businesses)
to dispose of hazardous wastes.
>> More including depot location and
types of wastes accepted.
 Container
Deposit Legislation
South Australia has had container deposit legislation (CDL) since
1975; under sections 65-73 of the Environment Protection Act,
a wide range of beverage containers sold in South Australia are
required to carry both a refundable deposit and approved refund
markings.
CDL is very effective in reducing beverage litter as well as
achieving higher resource recovery rates and educating the community
to recycle beverage cans and bottles. CDL enjoys wide public
support (65KB PDF) in South Australia.
The materials commonly used for beverage containers are aluminium,
glass, liquid paperboard, and the plastics polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Recycling these materials
is valuable because it reduces the energy and new raw material
used in the production of new items. Recycled PET is not only
used in manufacture of new PET bottles, but also in polyester
clothing and other items.
The quality of recycled material affects its price in the marketplace.
CDL containers are generally rinsed before return, and then sorted
at collection depots according to material type, so the level
of contamination is much lower than in locations that do not have
CDL schemes. This results in a higher demand, and price, for CDL-sourced
materials compared with the same materials (aluminium, PET, glass)
recovered from general municipal waste streams. Container deposit
systems thus contribute to resource recovery in more than simply
the quantity of material recovered.
The EPA's role
The EPA manages the approval process for manufacturers and distributors
whose beverages are subject to CDL. Refund markings—commonly
referred to as the deposit statement—carried on beverage
containers are also approved by the EPA.
In the CDL approval process, beverage manufacturers and distributors
must demonstrate that they have made funds available to ensure
a satisfactory collection system for their containers. This includes
the payment of refunds to consumers, payments to collection depots,
and the administrative costs associated with the collection arrangements.
For container label and collection depot approval forms, see
licensing.
In January 2003, CDL was expanded to include a wider range of
beverage containers.
>> More including the expansion of beverage
container provisions.
 Used
packaging
The National Packaging Covenant was launched in 1999 by the Australian
and New Zealand Environment & Conservation Council (ANZECC),
local government and representatives of the packaging supply chain
to provide more effective management of used packaging.
The Covenant is a voluntary agreement entered into by governments
and industry participants in the belief that all those who benefit
from the production of packaging should assume some responsibility
for it over its life.
The NEPM for Used Packaging Materials
The Covenant is underpinned by the National Environment Protection
Measure (Used Packaging Materials) (NEPM) to ensure Covenant signatories
are protected from any disadvantage from competitors who do not
sign the Covenant, and that all businesses in Australia assume
responsibility for reducing packaging wastes. In South Australia
the NEPM is being implemented as the Environment Protection
(Used Packaging Materials) Policy 2001 under the Act.
>> More including the Packaging
Covenant, kerbside recycling and the environment protection policy.
Zero Waste SA
Zero
Waste SA (ZWSA) is a South Australian Government agency dedicated
to eliminating the waste that is currently sent to landfill. ZWSA
has worked with the community, local government and the recycling
and waste disposal industries to develop an integrated strategy
to reduce waste, South Australia's Waste Strategy 2005-2010. The
ZWSA website offers information on the Strategy and a variety
of waste-related issues to help South Australians make well informed
decisions on how to manage their waste.
Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy
Comments sought on draft Policy
The EPA has developed a draft Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy (208KB PDF) (EPP) and Explanatory Report in accordance with the requirements of the Act. The EPA seeks your views regarding the draft Policy. Comments are required to be submitted by Friday 20 February 2009.
The draft EPP will provide regulatory underpinning for South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2005-2010. The proposals in the policy will:
- promote the implementation of the waste management hierarchy, improve resource recovery and reduce waste going to landfill,
- help broaden the responsibility for waste management amongst stakeholders,
- provide improved options for regulating illegal dumping and inappropriate stockpiling,
- avoid or minimise the risks of environmental harm from waste management,
- promote consistency and transparency for industry by requiring the Authority to take into account specified guidelines when assessing environmental authorisations and development applications for depots, and
- create opportunities for industry sectors to work with the Authority to achieve certainty regarding expected behaviours and a more “level playing field” by developing prescribed industry codes of practice for the appropriate management of waste.
All submissions received by the EPA during the consultation period will be acknowledged and treated as public documents unless provided in confidence, subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1991, and may be included on the EPA’s website or quoted in EPA reports. Comments may be forwarded by mail, facsimile or email to:
Project Manager,
Waste to Resources Policy
Environment Protection Authority
GPO Box 2607
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Telephone: (08) 8204 2096
Fax: (08) 8124 4675
Email: epainfo@epa.sa.gov.au
Emailed submissions are preferred.
Public information session
A public information session on the draft EPP is being conducted 12 noon – 1:30pm on Monday 8 December 2008 at the Pilgrim Centre, 14 Flinders St, Adelaide.
Resources
Directories
The following directories provide detailed data on waste and
resource management.
Recycling Directory
Zero Waste SA have developed a recycling
directory to support the South Australian community to divert
unwanted materials away from landfills through recycling. By entering
your location and the material you wish to recycle, the directory
will find the nearest recycler to you. You can also find details
about a range of organisations that are involved in supporting
the recycling industry.
Publications
EPA Publications
 You
will need a copy of Acrobat Reader to view the publications. It
is freely available from Adobe. (Click on the graphic on the right).
Household Hazards brochure (377KB)
EPA Board Waste to Resources
Subcommittee Report, October 2007 (290KB PDF).
Legislation and licences
Legislation
Licences
Websites
ChemClear® www.chemclear.com.au
DrumMUSTER www.drummuster.com.au
ZeroWaste SA www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au
This page was last modified 05-11-2008
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