Waste Management

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Can the minister advise the chamber of South Australia's progress in meeting landfill reduction and recycling targets?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:40): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Sir, under this government, as you know, South Australia has established quite a reputation as the nation's leader in waste management reform and resource recovery, and Zero Waste, which has now transitioned to Green Industries SA, has played a vital role in this.

Current landfill data, I am advised, which has been obtained from the EPA, shows that South Australia reduced waste to landfill by 27 per cent from 2002-03 to February 2015. South Australia has surpassed its 2014 landfill reduction target and, based on current trends, we are well on track to achieving the 35 per cent reduction target by 2020.

Overall, the state's total landfill disposal in 2013-14 represents a per capita waste to landfill rate of about 540-odd kilograms per person. This is the lowest recorded landfill disposal rate per capita in Australia, I am advised. Such results can be attributed to a concerted effort at all levels, including education and community involvement programs, as well as industry partners, including local government, to ensure that everyone takes responsibility for waste and uses it to its highest level.

South Australia's ban on lightweight plastic bags and our container deposit legislation are notable examples that we often hear about at a national level and, indeed, even internationally. There is also a number of agreements at a national level to encourage a voluntary commitment to reduce waste to landfill and to increase recycling rates which we are a party to. It was pleasing that at the recent meeting of environment ministers, states and territories endorsed a new five year strategic plan for the newsprint producer/publisher group. That plan aims to maintain our world-leading rate of recycling in newsprint. All of these measures have contributed to South Australia's outstanding results in recycling activity in recent times.

The 2013-14 recycling activity survey, commissioned by Green Industries SA, shows that 3.59 million tonnes of materials were diverted from landfill and into recycling in 2013-14. This means that our recycling rate has almost doubled since 2003-04. The survey also shows a diversion rate in South Australia of 79.7 per cent, the highest reported rate in the country.

South Australia has also achieved the highest per capita recycling rate in Australia, at 2,134 kilograms per capita. According to the survey report, South Australia's recycling efforts have prevented the equivalent of 1.12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere. That is the equivalent of taking about 250,000-odd passenger cars off the road. This increased recycling activity, beneficial in many ways,also has clear economic benefits for the state. The report estimates that the total 'direct' market value of resource recovered materials for South Australia in 2013-14 was $270 million, or an average of about $75 per tonne of resources recovered.

I take this opportunity to congratulate all South Australians, particular in industry and local government, for their partnership with government and for playing their part in these exceptional results right across the board in our recycling rates.