Development of a national waste management strategy for primary industries focusing on plastics (hard & soft), animal waste and hard waste such as workshop waste

Summary

Waste is an emerging and significant issue requiring urgent attention. Agriculture, fisheries and forestry produce a large amount and diversity of waste with disposal often involving environmentally harmful practices (including burning, on-farm burying and dumping), landfill and inefficiency of ‘end of first use’ resources. These practices are out of step with current government regulation and/or community expectations.

Pre-farm gate waste considered for this project includes:

Plastics (hard/soft) – used in field production, glasshouse and storing produce (silage)
Animal organic matter – such as manure and mortalities
Hard workshop waste– including machinery.

Significant progress is being made nationally in dealing with urban and industrial waste and working towards a more sustainable circular economy. However, there is limited guidance for agricultural, fisheries and forestry. This project will develop a clear strategy and action plan pre-farm gate waste for these sectors aligning with the National Waste Policy (2018). We will also develop practical resources for industry to apply the waste hierarchy and circular economy frameworks.

We will review current information and undertake extensive consultation to determine the “Now, Where and How”. The resultant waste management strategy and action plan will ensure sectors are well equipped to tackle waste issues sustainably, are aligned with national and state approaches and supported by industry and the community.

The project will build on the scoping study previously undertaken by RMCG. We propose significant efficiencies through concurrent delivery with Project 3.3.

Our quoted budget for the project, independent of potential efficiencies is $242,840 (excluding GST).

Program

Transformative Industry Action

Research organisation

RM Consulting Group Pty Ltd