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Liberal announce Zero to Landfill policy
Sunday, 24 November 2019
Liberal Nationals announce landmark Zero to Landfill environmental policy
In the largest environmental overhaul in Victoria in decades, a Michael O’Brien-led Liberal Nationals government will end household waste being sent to Victorian landfill by 2035.
This visionary Zero to Landfill policy will bring energy-from-waste technology currently being used in central Paris, Amsterdam, Germany and Singapore to Victoria along with reforms to recycling.
Large scale energy-from-waste facilities will also create a low emission, baseload energy supply to help meet Victoria’s growing energy needs.
Interim targets will see a 33 per cent reduction in household waste to landfill by 2025, a 66 per cent reduction by 2030 and a 100 per cent reduction by 2035.
The Liberal Nationals will also ensure our recycling processing industry upgrades, so that Victorians’ recycling goes to market, instead of going to landfill as it is under Labor.
The Zero to Landfill policy:
• commits $120 million over four years from the states’ Sustainability Fund to create a Zero to Landfill Fund. This Fund will have a Recycling Futures stream to help upgrade recycling facilities and an Energy from Waste stream to deliver energy-from-waste projects in Victoria;
• commits government departments to work with industry to expedite approvals to get Victoria’s waste management and recycling back on track; and
• sets an ambitious target to eliminate household waste going to landfill by 2035.
Earlier this year, the Liberal Nationals announced if elected it would require government agencies such as Parks Victoria and the Victorian Schools Building Authority to prioritise fully recycled plastic products as part of their purchasing policies.
This would take plastic waste and uses it to create recycled plastic products, such as park benches, bollards, walkways and playground material, which can then be enjoyed by the community.
Under the Liberal Nationals, introducing large scale energy-from-waste and upgrading our recycling capability means that Victoria will no longer need to export our waste and recycling to other countries, nor will we be sending our recycling to landfill.
Comments attributable to Leader of the Opposition, Michael O’Brien:
“Victoria desperately needs to reduce the waste we send to landfill and we need new, low emission sources of energy.
“Energy-from-waste technology is the key. It is proven, clean technology in use all around the world. It’s time we brought it to Victoria and the Liberal Nationals will make it happen.
“By investing in energy-from-waste facilities and upgrading recycling technology throughout Victoria, the Liberal Nationals will eliminate household waste going to landfill by 2035.
“This isn’t just a policy for 15 years’ time, this is a policy for today.
“In just five years the Hallam tip will be full. That will mean hundreds of thousands of truck trips taking waste from Melbourne’s south east to the west because Labor has no plan to resolve their waste crisis.
“By delivering energy-from-waste facilities in Victoria, we can reduce what we send to landfill and turn it into reliable, low emission energy.
“This is part of our plan for Victoria’s future. We must take responsibility for our own waste so that our children can live in a state that is cleaner than the one we inherited from our parents.
“It’s time Victoria stepped up and took responsibility for our own waste rather than shipping it to other countries.
“Our plan means less waste going to landfill, better recycling and new clean energy for Victoria.
“An O’Brien Liberal Nationals Government will use proven modern technology to help tackle our environmental challenges and generate clean energy.
“Our plan is about doing the right thing, solving today’s problems and standing up for future generations.”
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