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The Waste Less, Recycle More Education Strategy 2016–21 will drive education and behaviour change initiatives to achieve the NSW waste and recycling targets. The strategy – Changing Behaviour Together – outlines clear actions for the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), our program partners and stakeholders and provides a framework for the evaluation of education initiatives.

China’s enforcement of its National Sword policy restricts the types of recycled material China will accept. As China is the largest importer of recyclable products from Australia this policy threatens NSW’s kerbside recycling systems and the options for recycled material currently produced in NSW.

Circular economy is about changing the way we produce, assemble, sell and use products to minimise waste, and to reduce our environmental impact. The circular economy can also be great for business; by maximising the use of our valuable resources, and by contributing to innovation, growth and job creation.

In 2019 the EPA conducted public consultation on the future use of general household waste, including Mixed Waste Organic Outputs (“MWOO” or “the material”) and on a proposed transition funding package to support the industry to transition to sustainable solutions for household waste.

A major research program to assess the benefits and risks of applying the material to land was commissioned by the NSW Government to inform the EPA position.

Consultation on the Phase 2 Alternative Waste Technology transition package was completed in March 2020 with the announcement that the NSW Government will provide $24 million in funding to support local councils and the alternative waste industry to improve kerbside separation of food and garden waste and encourage other better uses of waste.

The research findings and regulatory changes apply to Mixed Waste Organic Outputs (MWOO) produced by processing mixed waste from red-lid bins only, not the source-separated food organics and garden organics from green-lid bins that is used to produce compost.

In 2010 the EPA set out Resource Recovery Orders and Resource Recovery Exemptions that included restrictions on the processing and distribution of Mixed Waste Organic Outputs (MWOO), and prohibited it’s use in urban and domestic situations.

EPA research into waste and recycling practices informs programs aimed at helping and supporting businesses to take positive action to reduce waste to landfill by avoiding, reusing and recycling more.