Recycling in Australia
Recycling in Australia is a widespread but not comprehensive part of waste management in Australia. Various paper recycling and appliance recycling services are available.
Household recycling is encouraged through the use of recycling bins. A sampling of the contents of the recycling bin in Victoria shows around 10% of the material should not have been disposed of by bin. These bins are comingled, meaning that often paper, glass and hard plastic all go into the same bin.
Electronic waste collection services were mandated under The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme. The scheme was established in 2011. Australia does not have a national scheme for battery recycling. Container deposit legislation has been established in several states while others are rolling out schemes. Despite some recycling and re-use of lightweight plastic bags they are being phased out.
Clean Up Australia is a national organisation dedicated to addressing environmental issues such as recycling.
In 2014-2015, 58% of all waste produced in Australia was recycled or recovered. In 2016-2017, 46% of Municipal Solid Waste was recycled.
A parliamentary inquiry into the waste and recycling industry in Australia will report on 13 June 2018.
On 1 January 2018, China stopped importing 24 categories of Australian recycling materials, resulting in stockpiling of recyclable materials in Australia. Waste Management Association of Australia president Garth Lamb has advocated for infrastructure projects to use recovered recycled materials rather than raw materials, such as crushed glass replacing sand in roadworks. The ban imposes levels of purity of accepted materials of 0.5% which are unlikely to be met by the industry in Australia.
