Australia has always had a unique approach to waste management, and the country is evolving with eco-friendly methods of disposal like recycling in the modern era.
Much like other countries, however, Australia still relies on municipal disposal systems along with landfills, which still remain significant.
Management systems that are effective need to integrate different disposal systems and techniques.
The purpose of this blog is to delve into detail regarding waste management solutions and waste disposal systems in Australia.
Waste and Disposal Explained.
Waste is defined as anything that one holds and considers useless or excessive. Chemical waste, hazardous waste, and organic waste are all classifications of waste.
On the other hand, disposal is considered a waste management practice that seeks to minimise direct engagement with waste materials to make the environment safer.
For further details, be sure not to miss “What is Waste Management.”
Waste Management in Australia
In Australia, waste is handled by different waste management businesses like Evoro. Companies in Australia undertake both global waste business practices as well as the rules from authority bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The industry in Australia is capable of managing industrial waste, hazardous waste – including hazardous chemicals – as well as other general waste types.
Common Waste Types
Australia has a wide range of waste types that can be found and created. These waste types are not unique to Australia, but they do represent the country’s economy and resources.
- Clinical waste
- Liquid Waste
- Biohazardous Waste
- Solid Waste
- Medical Waste
- Food Waste
- Chemical Waste
- Organic Waste
- Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Waste
In Australia, it is relevant to highlight the fact that waste comes in different forms, thus requiring various techniques for disposal. Also, the different forms of waste, such as hazardous waste, can pose serious threats to human life and the planet.
Always call in hazardous waste professionals to deal with dangerous waste.
Waste Management Facts in Australia
Statistics of Australia’s waste present numbers and data that are rather interesting. It is only through analysing these numbers that one can understand the industry.
- Waste Production: Australia is said to produce close to 67 million tonnes of waste every year, meaning it is about 2.7 tonnes per person.
- Recycling Rates: Australia has an average of 58% recycling rate for municipal solid waste which includes paper, glass, plastics, and metals.
- Landfills: Around 21 million tonnes of waste is disposed of in landfills, which clarifies why they account for a piece of the waste management puzzle.
- Plastic waste: Australia generates an estimated 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, a fraction of which gets recycled at an alarming rate of about 9%.
- Electronic waste: E-waste is one of the biggest challenges because Australians throw away more than 540 thousand tonnes of it every year but only about 17% of it is recycled.
- Food waste: An estimated 7.3 million tonnes of food is wasted across the supply chain in Australia, from the production phase to the consumption phase.
- Construction and demolition waste: This industry alone produces 20 million tonnes of waste every year, but there are programs started which try to improve the recycling levels.
Many of these statistics were taken from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Waste and Disposal Practices
Best practices of waste disposal are driven by the Waste management hierarchy.
The waste management hierarchy aims for sustainability to be achieved efficiently without straining the environment. It advocates the use of recycling and reusing over disposal in municipal landfills.
Nonetheless, landfills and dumpsites still remain a significant part of Australia’s waste management system. This is because they are capable of removing waste from people and the environment without danger.
Environmental Waste Management
Practices like recycling, reusing, and minimising waste produced at the onset all fall under environmental waste management.
Always bear in mind the fundamental link between waste and disposals. When we cut the amount of waste produced, we also cut the amount that needs to be disposed of. This approach is efficient in tackling waste and disposal at the production stage.
The most environmentally friendly approach to managing waste is ignoring it altogether. It deals with waste and disposal, while managing the whole manufacturing process. This change encourages the whole economy to shift towards sustainable and efficient alternatives.
Eco-Friendly Waste Practices
Eco-friendly waste initiatives are one of the many efforts that an industry commits to in order to support the development of an eco-friendly economy. These initiatives enable a lower volume of waste and disposals through the facilitation of technological processes.
Funds from the Australian government directed towards environmentally encouraging activities are an example. A new case is the National Packaging Target which sets the goal for packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable within the foreseeable future.
As a broader view, consider that sustainable waste initiatives have to be realistic in their practicality in the long term and short term goals. There has to be industry acceptance for new technology to be developed and promoted; otherwise, it becomes pointless.
In addition, when these ideas and projects are sponsored by the government, it is important to get their public support. Conversely, private businesses can try to find methods to improve their technological industrial systems.
Common Issues with Managing Waste
This indicates the difficulties for waste management particularly associated with disposal and waste problems in Australia. Waste disposal approaches change as they are put into action and used. The implementation of best practice is dependent on those charged with the creation and management of waste accepting it.
Also, it is widely understood that a great many people regard waste simply as that which does not concern them. People care about waste management and disposal as a public service only when something goes wrong.
That is why the public needs help adjusting to new norms of waste management. The waste management teams’ efforts to reach the public’s attention and positive attitude remain a blockade of a major barrier.
In addition, other modifications that stem from recent climate changes and environmental concerns have shown the need for changes in the methods of waste management and disposal. While these changes make systems capable of handling waste better, they also add new issues to the existing ones.
Potential Futures of Waste and Disposal
There is a tendency to believe that in Australia, and other parts of the world to come, expectations in waste and disposal management would focus increasingly on eco-friendliness, sustainability, and greater effectiveness in waste management.
Recently, there seems to be more focus on converting waste to energy, which refers to producing energy, like electricity, from residues. This helps in decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, reduces the emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide.
In addition, there is a marked increase in the building of recycling plants and resource recovery centres for municipal solid waste, which reveals a shift towards creative ways of managing and disposing of waste.
Closing Thoughts
Waste and disposal in Australia looks at various forms of waste services and types in order to effectively manage waste across the country. The sector deals with hazardous waste, garden waste, e waste, and various forms of recycled content. There are many layers of complexity to understand.
