Sydney: Pigsty 2000?
The Waste Crisis Network (WCN) warns that Sydney is at risk of becoming a "pigsty" by the year 2000. The latest issue of the Waste Crisis Quarterly, the network's newsletter, points out that Sydney's waste levels have risen by 2.5% over the past 12 months, despite the $6.7 million spent propping up the state government's Council Recycling Rebate (CRR) Scheme for the last three years.
All of Sydney's 42 local government areas participate in the CRR scheme and provide recycling collection services at great expense to their ratepayers. The WCN points out, however, that there is no chance of achieving the target of 50% reduction in waste by the year 2000 as long as industry is able to escape responsibility for packaging and other products destined to enter the waste stream.
The WCN criticises the state government for failing to demand industry accountability, "preferring instead to promote a recycling scheme that actually relieves industry of responsibility for wasteful products.
"... unscrupulous industry groups, such as those representing packaging interests, are able to use government subsidised recycling schemes as an excuse to produce more rubbish rather than conserve resources."
The WCN argues that packaging items should be covered by "point-of-sale return" legislation with collection schemes funded by the packaging industry itself. Removing packaging from the CRR scheme would free resources to support waste-reducing activities, including composting and community education programs.
The success of local government in waste minimisation, argues the WCN, depends on the willingness of the state government "to enshrine 'industry responsibility' in a comprehensive waste minimisation strategy, supported by legislation requiring 'reduction', 're-use', and 'recycling' — in that order of priority".