Commodity crisis threat to viability of home recycling

Written by CR Bill Mitchell, President WALGA - 30 March 2009

One of the State's most successful environmental actions of the past decade has not been to save the whales or end old growth logging but the take up of recycling by households.

Since 2001 and despite a significant increase in population, the amount of waste going to landfill has been reduced by 8.5% as a result of communities working with Local Government to separate recyclable and green waste.

Now that system is facing potential crisis as the value of materials extracted through recycling decreases.  For example scrap metal and cardboard, once worth $350 and $120 per tonne are now worth $50 and $40 per tonne.

This collapse in prices poses a serious threat to the viability of recycling in some areas. There are fears that collection fees may rise or services may suffer if markets for recycled products can't be found.

We can all assist in efforts to avoid this potential crisis. As individual consumers we can consider the products we buy in terms of their packaging, maintenance and eventual disposal. We can encourage companies who demonstrate responsibility for their products' environmental impact beyond the point of sale and can support State Government in identifying alternative markets for any recyclable materials that can't be stored.

Many Councils through their membership to Regional Councils have invested in alternative waste treatment plants, which turn household waste into compost. Through diverting this waste from landfill, these plants have stopped the release of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Some Local Governments are also using recycled construction and demolition waste for road construction projects.

But Local Government is only responsible for about one third of the waste stream and the total amount of waste going into landfill continues to rise. Both the commercial and industrial sector and the construction and demolition sector's contributions continue to increase. Whilst construction and demolition may slow with changes to the economic climate, neither sector is currently under scrutiny. And without attention, appropriate incentives or a coordinated approach it is likely that nothing will change.

Whilst the value of recyclable materials on commodity markets may decrease, the value to communities in maintaining their focus on sustainable living continues to increase. As we face the prospect of climate change and the effect of carbon reduction schemes, reducing our impact on the environment will have a marked effect on our quality of life in the future.

Local Government across the State has been focusing on ways in which to minimise the impact of climate change, carrying out energy audits, introducing sustainable street lighting, and seeking minimum sustainability requirements for new housing projects.

WALGA is currently working on green procurement guidelines for Local Government, assisting Councils to think green when purchasing products and services for their day-to-day operations.

We are also in the planning stages of constructing a new building with a six-star green rating, incorporating grey water recycling, low emissions products and power generation from renewable sources.