If you manage or control priority waste or reportable priority waste, you have a duty to investigate alternatives to waste disposal.
You manage or control priority waste if you:
- produce or generate it
- collect, consign, transfer or transport it
- receive, handle or store it
- undertake resource recovery or process it
- dispose of it.
You must take all reasonable steps to identify and assess alternatives to waste disposal.
Reasonable steps to find alternatives to landfill
For this duty, taking reasonable steps is:
- considering guidance about alternatives to waste disposal
- considering relevant technology used in resource recovery that's currently available
- consulting expertise on alternatives to waste disposal for that type of priority waste
- considering any permissions that involve supply or reuse of reportable priority waste – for example, A16 – Supply or use of reportable priority waste permit.
Keep a record of the steps you take. This helps show how you are meeting this duty.
Guidance about alternatives to waste disposal
Consider public guidance about the types of waste you work with – for example, from:
- Sustainability Victoria
- Recycling Near You (Planet Ark)
- your local council
- Recycling Victoria.
Also consider any relevant guidance published by us.
Technology used in resource recovery
Consider any relevant technology that can be used in resource recovery.
Ways you can find out about available technology include:
- contacting waste industry associations
- contacting Sustainability Victoria or Recycling Victoria
- attending local waste expos and conferences.
Expertise on alternatives to waste disposal
Consult with experts about alternatives to waste disposal for that type of priority waste.
Consider advice from people or organisations with relevant expertise – for example:
- accredited consigners
- consultants
- environmental engineers
- process engineers, who can review your manufacturing processes to help you create less waste
- your industry association.
Waste management hierarchy
Follow the principle of waste management hierarchy to find options other than landfill.
The waste management hierarchy is an order of preference for managing waste. Disposal of waste to landfill is the least preferred option.
It's better to avoid generating waste than to manage its consequences. Use the hierarchy to consider ways to avoid or minimise creating waste before you look at other options.
Before sending waste to landfill, consider opportunities higher up the hierarchy to:
- avoid creating waste
- reuse waste
- recycle waste
- generate energy or extract valuable materials from waste – refer to Energy from waste guideline
- contain waste.
Avoiding landfill can have financial as well as environmental benefits – for example, reduced costs for raw materials and waste disposal.
When to investigate alternatives to landfill
Look for alternatives whenever your business generates, manages or controls new priority waste or reportable priority waste.
If you often deal with the same type of waste, you only need to look for alternatives to landfill when:
- the composition of the waste changes
- waste disposal becomes more costly
- alternatives to waste disposal become cheaper
- you become aware of new technologies or opportunities
- you're replacing or investing in new plant or equipment.
You should investigate alternatives to waste disposal from time to time, even if none of these triggers occur.
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