New waste levy increases cost of dirty business in Qld
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
A new levy on waste and rubbish in Queensland will come into effect today with Council’s paying more to dispose of collected household and business refuse.
The levy imposes a rate of $75 per tonne for general waste, $155 per tonne for Category 1 regulated waste and $105 per tonne for Category 2 regulated waste.
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Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch said 70 per cent of revenue raised from the waste levy will go back to councils, the waste industry, scheme start-up, and environmental programs.
The levy will fund compliance work to reduce the risk of litter and illegal dumping, a school-based education program, a regional recycling transport assistance program and support for the construction industry.
The waste levy will only be paid on waste that is disposed of to landfill, and is designed to incentivise recycling as much as possible.
“Queensland is currently the only mainland state without a waste levy. The levy will reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill, create jobs, and increase investment in industry,” she said.
“There are more jobs in recycling and resource recovery than landfill.
“We know Queenslanders are improving recycling. We’ve already seen the evidence of positive change with the huge success of the container refund scheme, with more than half a billion containers returned so far, and the ban on single-use plastic bags.
“Queensland’s ban on single use plastic bags is just a few days away from celebrating its first birthday, and this ban has made a significant difference to the environment.
"Since the introduction of the plastic bag ban, we have seen at least a 70 per cent reduction in plastic bag litter in the environment, which is incredible.”
More information about the waste levy can be found on the Queensland Government Website.
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