Legislative Council Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Parliamentary Committees Parliamentary Committees Environment, Resources and Development Committee: Waste to Resources ENVIRONMENT, RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: WASTE TO RESOURCES The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO Legislative Council The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (16:16): I move: That the report of the committee on Waste to Resources be noted. The Environment, Resources and Development Committee commenced its inquiry into waste to resources in November 2010. The committee confined its report to the inquiry's terms of reference; that is, a consideration of the Environment Protection Authority's waste to resources policy and standard for the production and use of waste-derived fill. As part of the inquiry seven submissions were received and two witnesses were invited to appear before the committee. The committee also undertook a site visit to Tarac Technologies and Beckwith Park industry and business centre in the Barossa Valley. Consulting with businesses operating within the field provided the committee with greater insight into broader aspects of the waste industry. During the course of the inquiry, ongoing dialogue occurred between key industry stakeholders and government. The committee noted that changes to waste disposal and waste management were implemented in accordance with the schedules in the Environment Protection Policy, which came into effect in December 2012. The committee further noted that the government's planned review process occurred, and the committee was satisfied that the Environment Protection Policy was implemented successfully. At the conclusion of the inquiry the committee made the following key recommendations: the committee recommended that the government, via the Council of Australian Governments, continue to advocate for additional problematic materials to be addressed through the national products stewardship process; the committee also recommended that consultation occur regionally to allow for the variety of challenges faced by distinct regions; the committee further recommended that the government advocate for a national standard for medical waste; and lastly, the committee suggested that providing the public with more information about the disposal of household waste, including items that can and cannot be disposed of via weekly council waste collection, kerbside hard rubbish collection, and organic waste disposal, would further advance the goals of waste to resources management. I commend the report to the house, and thank the committee staff for their assistance during this report. Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.