Contaminated Waste Solutions
The new QLD waste levy is set to affect many industries, in a way we think will be good for the environment. iEnvi provides contaminated waste solutions to various companies including Councils and Developers across Australia. We often find our clients suddenly have to face a large, unexpected and difficult problem in managing contaminated soil and materials.
This might arise during development or construction, or when contamination is discovered during landscaping, maintenance, or in construction installation of new facilities requiring excavation of soil.
Some waste currently cannot be managed or disposed of within certain states because of limited facilities to do so (i.e. PCB destruction in impacted soil or water).
A new levy will be in enforced onto industries who have been trucking their commercial and contaminated waste interstate to QLD at a previously discounted rate.
Nearly 1 million tonnes of rubbish, in majority generated by big construction companies in Sydney, was trucked in from over the border last financial year, which is nearly one-fifth of QLD’s landfill intake (ABC 2018).
The estimated $50-$70 per tonne levy that will be introduced, and a higher level of regulatory oversight to capture “unscrupulous operators” who have been avoiding paying waste disposal charges in NSW (ABC 2018), will come into effect at an unknown date later this year (tipped to be June 2018). The financial incentive forces commercial budgets to internalise the costs of properly managing their contaminated waste while boosting the rapidly growing recycling and reuse industry in Australia – a fair win for sustainable management.
What does this mean for operations in other states such as NSW and VIC needing to manage their contaminated waste? Basically, with the re-introduced levy in QLD, it may soon be more financially viable for businesses to either treat their contaminated soil for reuse or dispose their waste within the state it is sourced from.
iEnvi hopes all producers of contaminated soil waste will consider more innovative options that are actually a better outcome financially and sustainably, such as solutions to treat and beneficially reuse their waste on or offsite under little known state approval and exemptions.
Businesses need to check with their waste management contractor or internally to ensure their waste is being effectively managed. iEnvi can build a specialised business solution for your unique contaminated waste problem that minimises financial burden and maximises responsible, innovative solutions.
For help in managing your contaminated waste, and finding innovative reuse, remediation or disposal options, please contact us now to discuss.
References:
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ABC 2018, Dumped waste levy recycled by Queensland in a bid to stop rubbish at the border, ABC News, http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-20/dumped-waste-levy-recycled-by-queensland-to-stop-nsw-waste/9566254