Why we need to change how we manage waste
The waste landscape around the world is changing. There is now a crackdown on exporting waste both within Australia and overseas, particularly to China.
The end of exporting our resource recovery processing
As of 2018, China has banned all imports of foreign waste
“…China in 2016 imported about 7.3 million tonnes of waste plastic, costing US$3.7 billion, and accounting for around 56 per cent of world imports.”, South China Morning Post, 18 August 2017
Australia has often exported waste to avoid the cost of processing locally
Queensland is currently the only State without landfill levies, which has resulted in illegal dumping of waste from other States. Australia is cracking down on illegal Interstate dumping – with States having to deal with their waste now close to the source.
The Government’s new Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) will also provide new revenue stream to MRFs from mid 2018, an additional incentive to process locally. iQRenew will be reinvesting the revenue from the CDS back into a new local processing facility.
iQRenew – a new local solution to Australia’s growing waste problem
By aggregating Australian east coast MRFs, iQRenew will significantly increase Australia’s ability to deal with recyclable materials. By sorting blue and yellow lid bins into functional components, like plastics and glass sand, material that would usually be sent overseas can now be recycled or re-purposed locally.
How we plan to transform the Australian waste landscape
By amalgamating MRF and recycling services, and at the same time increasing their ability to secondary process these recycling streams, we continue to add value to resource recovery, and maximise the materials able to be recycled.
Our goal is to transform the Australian resource recovery landscape by:
- reducing landfill by maximising the amount of mixed recyclables that are actually recycled;
- in doing so also increasing the value of resource recovery and encouraging recycling habits and practices, both domestically and commercially;
- creating new products from waste, also supporting the circular economy.
