Victorian Government Landfill Levy.
I support moves by the Victorian Government to decrease waste in landfills through a landfill levy but proposals for mega in-vessel processing plants to divert green waste from landfill will create other environmental problems and cost ratepayers more.
Ratepayers will pay councils $15 more to have their rubbish removed due to the landfill levy and may have to pay more to make up the price differential between disposal to landfill and disposal to the Alternative Waste Treatment (AWT) facilities. The Metro Plan establishes a price differential between disposal to landfill and disposal to AWTs of between $20 and $51 per tonne depending on the resource recovery performance of the AWTs. This differential includes an assumption of a landfill levy of $10 per tonne. (The metropolitan municipal landfill levy is currently $9 per tonne.)
Using the higher end of the CPRS modelling, the price difference between disposal to new landfill and recycling would be between $6 and $37 per tonne. Using lowest end of the CPRS modelling, the shortfall would be as much as $48 per tonne.
Under the new proposals residents will be encouraged to deposit all their food waste and green waste into the rubbish bin instead of composting at home, because councils need to guarantee a certain percentage of waste volume to the in-vessel processing plants. The processing plants will then convert the rubbish into compost for commercial purposes.
Our community is already paying $10M in developing the business case for these mega in vessel plants and the state government will no doubt commit more of tax payers’ money to offset the predicted $30M set up costs for each facility. In addition, food waste will need to be transported everyday across Victoria to a small number of purpose built facilities instead of being processed locally.
The landfill levy must be returned to local councils. The money should be used to fund education for residents to turn food and green waste into compost for home and community gardens, and to set up council owned, small scale plants so that land fill is reduced, and residents are not paying to have it removed and processed for the use of big agricultural companies.
Showing posts with label waste. Show all posts
Showing posts with label waste. Show all posts
8.4.10
1.3.10
Waste management
At last- sane analysis of the Brumby government’s future plans for waste from Kenneth Davidson (The Age, 1/3/ 2010).
As a local councillor I was being told by the Western Metropolitan Waste Management Group that there were many advantages of moving to a mega ‘in vessel’ composting facility that would cost Brimbank Council in the order of $75.00 to $90.00 per tonne. These included, assisting council with meeting the 65% diversion target in the Government’s Toward Zero Waste strategy by composting the food waste component which currently makes up just over half of the waste stream. Selling an unproven waste treatment scheme to councils was on the top of their agenda as was telling us at the same time that a Container Deposit Scheme which is already proven and works well in many countries is not worth considering.
The State government is spending $10M to develop the business case to set up organics processing plants as a profitable business for SITA. Where is the analysis of funding local councils to help residents compost their food waste and return it to their own backyard veggie patches?..but there isn’t profit to be made in that.
At last- sane analysis of the Brumby government’s future plans for waste from Kenneth Davidson (The Age, 1/3/ 2010).
As a local councillor I was being told by the Western Metropolitan Waste Management Group that there were many advantages of moving to a mega ‘in vessel’ composting facility that would cost Brimbank Council in the order of $75.00 to $90.00 per tonne. These included, assisting council with meeting the 65% diversion target in the Government’s Toward Zero Waste strategy by composting the food waste component which currently makes up just over half of the waste stream. Selling an unproven waste treatment scheme to councils was on the top of their agenda as was telling us at the same time that a Container Deposit Scheme which is already proven and works well in many countries is not worth considering.
The State government is spending $10M to develop the business case to set up organics processing plants as a profitable business for SITA. Where is the analysis of funding local councils to help residents compost their food waste and return it to their own backyard veggie patches?..but there isn’t profit to be made in that.
26.6.09
10c deposit win in Victorian Upper House
In an historic win, Western suburbs MP Colleen Hartland's private member's bill for a 10c deposit on drink bottles, cans and cartons in Victoria has passed in the State Upper House on 24th June 2009.
The State Government quickly moved to blocked debate in the lower house, on a legal technicality.
Colleen Hartland Greens MLC warned "This campaign came from the community. It remains a community supported campaign. 94% of Victorians support a container deposit system, and now the Legislative Council of Victorian Parliament also supports it."
"The government should understand how damaging it is to them to oppose a move which is supported throughout the community."
In an historic win, Western suburbs MP Colleen Hartland's private member's bill for a 10c deposit on drink bottles, cans and cartons in Victoria has passed in the State Upper House on 24th June 2009.
The State Government quickly moved to blocked debate in the lower house, on a legal technicality.
Colleen Hartland Greens MLC warned "This campaign came from the community. It remains a community supported campaign. 94% of Victorians support a container deposit system, and now the Legislative Council of Victorian Parliament also supports it."
"The government should understand how damaging it is to them to oppose a move which is supported throughout the community."
5.6.09
Reborn: national e-waste recycling scheme
Two formidabe NGOs, Environment Victoria and the Total Environment Centre, have launched a new campaign for a national e-waste recycling scheme. REBORN is calling on federal and state environment ministers to give televisions, computers and other old electronics a second life. Visit www.reborn.org.au and tell Peter Garrett you support e-waste recycling.
Two formidabe NGOs, Environment Victoria and the Total Environment Centre, have launched a new campaign for a national e-waste recycling scheme. REBORN is calling on federal and state environment ministers to give televisions, computers and other old electronics a second life. Visit www.reborn.org.au and tell Peter Garrett you support e-waste recycling.
29.5.09
The Solar Suburbs Program
About 2000 households have signed up with clear Solar at the last count. I am so pleased that Brimbank is leading with at least 280 households signed up.
Foundry Towers at Sunshine
A planning permit was issued by VCAT following an appeal against Council's November 2006 decision to approve the development.
The development is for 3 towers, two of these at 9 storeys and one at 8 storeys.There are however a number of conditions on the permit that must be met before works can commence.
Former detective appointed to Brimbank Council investigation
The Victorian Government has appointed a former detective with the Fraud Squad, David Walker, as an Inspector of Municipal Administration to investigate potential breaches of the Local Government Act at Brimbank City Council.
National waste policy to be finalised later this year
A national policy that will clarify the waste management responsibilities of local, state and federal governments is expected to be finalised by November. Container deposit legislation does not seem to appear in this clarification.
About 2000 households have signed up with clear Solar at the last count. I am so pleased that Brimbank is leading with at least 280 households signed up.
Foundry Towers at Sunshine
A planning permit was issued by VCAT following an appeal against Council's November 2006 decision to approve the development.
The development is for 3 towers, two of these at 9 storeys and one at 8 storeys.There are however a number of conditions on the permit that must be met before works can commence.
Former detective appointed to Brimbank Council investigation
The Victorian Government has appointed a former detective with the Fraud Squad, David Walker, as an Inspector of Municipal Administration to investigate potential breaches of the Local Government Act at Brimbank City Council.
National waste policy to be finalised later this year
A national policy that will clarify the waste management responsibilities of local, state and federal governments is expected to be finalised by November. Container deposit legislation does not seem to appear in this clarification.
22.4.09
Container Deposit Meeting
We had a successful local meeting in Sunshine attended by members of local sports clubs, girl guides groups and interested community members. 10cent deposit on all drink bottles, cans & cartons would save councils $15.2 million, by shifting the cost away from councils towards those who create the litter.
A remarkable 94% of Victorians are in favour of container deposit legislation. The scheme proposed by Greens upper house MP Colleen Hartland would be self funding with potential for tremendous economic benefit to taxpayers and local community groups, as well as the obvious environmental benefit.
Brimbank Council would reap countless benefits
• We will end up saving on tip fees because of a lower volume
• We get a guaranteed 10c for every can, bottle or container
• We will got more for our paper that is collected through kerbside because it will not be contaminated by broken glass
• Less litter in our parks and waterways
• There will be an increased value of the recyclate
• Community groups will make money on bottles, cans and cartons and keep our streets clean
• We wont have to pay for expensive public place recycling
• There will be water and greenhouse gas emissions savings
• And we could even make money out of operating Reverse Vending Machines, hubs and depots
Ms Hartland released her report "Turning Rubbish into Community Money: The benefits of a 10c deposit on drink containers in Victoria" on 31 March 2009.
We had a successful local meeting in Sunshine attended by members of local sports clubs, girl guides groups and interested community members. 10cent deposit on all drink bottles, cans & cartons would save councils $15.2 million, by shifting the cost away from councils towards those who create the litter.
A remarkable 94% of Victorians are in favour of container deposit legislation. The scheme proposed by Greens upper house MP Colleen Hartland would be self funding with potential for tremendous economic benefit to taxpayers and local community groups, as well as the obvious environmental benefit.
Brimbank Council would reap countless benefits
• We will end up saving on tip fees because of a lower volume
• We get a guaranteed 10c for every can, bottle or container
• We will got more for our paper that is collected through kerbside because it will not be contaminated by broken glass
• Less litter in our parks and waterways
• There will be an increased value of the recyclate
• Community groups will make money on bottles, cans and cartons and keep our streets clean
• We wont have to pay for expensive public place recycling
• There will be water and greenhouse gas emissions savings
• And we could even make money out of operating Reverse Vending Machines, hubs and depots
Ms Hartland released her report "Turning Rubbish into Community Money: The benefits of a 10c deposit on drink containers in Victoria" on 31 March 2009.
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