The Queensland Government has announced that it will not adhere to the Federal Government’s waste targets in an effort to protect residents and businesses from increased costs.
Queensland is in the process of updating its Waste Strategy with the goal of increasing recycling and improving waste recovery. But the state government has said it will not include measures likely to hit Queenslanders and small businesses with additional costs.
Queensland Minister for the Environment, Andrew Powell, said that Queensland was committed to preserving the environment and agreed to boosting recycling rates while driving down the amount of waste going to landfill each year.
“The State Government has saved Queenslanders from another hit to the hip pocket from Federal Government environmental targets that will cost them more,” Minister Powell said.
“We will not add to Queenslanders’ cost of living burden by insisting on waste initiatives or targets that will increase family bills.
“We need to work towards improving these targets, while containing costs for residents, business and Government.”
Minister Powell said that Queensland-based trials have shown that the measures put forward by the Federal Government could increase the bill for household waste collection 20-fold during a cost-of-living crisis.
“It’s clear much more work needs to be done on improving the cost efficiency of collection and processing waste streams before targets are unilaterally enforced with Federal environmental targets.
“Additional costs of waste collection from these federal targets would ultimately be borne by Queenslanders.
“The State Government will work closely with industry and local governments on the updated Waste Strategy to ensure their voices are heard particularly with problematic waste streams like batteries.”
