Victorian Recycling Industries Annual Survey 2013-14
Organic waste recovery in Victoria 2013-14
The Victorian Recycling Industries Annual Survey 2013-14 was conducted between September 2014 and
January 2015 and sought data from sixty eight (68) Victorian reprocessors, excluding fifty four (54) plastic
reprocessors surveyed as part of the 2013-14 National Plastics Recycling Survey. A total of sixty two (62)
reprocessors responded, estimated between them to account for more than 95% by weight of all material
recovered in Victoria.
For more information or to download a copy of the Victorian Recycling Industries Annual Survey 2013-14 report, please
refer to the Sustainability Victoria website www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
The information presented is an extract of the Organic waste recovery figures from the report.
Recovery and trends
Organic recovery in Victoria fell by 5% in 2013-14, totalling 827,000 tonnes after reaching an all-time high of 978,000
tonnes in 2011-12. This represents the lowest amount of organic material recovered since 2009-10.
Of the total Organic material recovered in Victoria, 43% is recovered Garden organics, primarily sourced from
municipal kerbside collections. Wood and timber which accounts for 20% of total organics in 2012-13, saw a decrease
in proportion to only 14% in 2013-14, while Food organics jumped from 3% to 9% of the total Organics.
Composition of organic material recovered for reprocessing (by weight), Victoria 2013-14
Wood & timber
(other than
packaging)
5%
Wood & timber pallets /
packaging
9%
Food
organics
9%
Sawdust &
other forestry
residuals
17%
Other & mixed
organic waste
17%
Garden
organics
43%
The figure below shows how since 2004-05, Organics recovery, although fluctuating, is generally trending upwards.
Nevertheless, in the last two years this category has seen a decrease on the total amount recovered.
Victorian Recycling Industries Annual Survey 2013-14
Organic waste recovered for reprocessing, Victoria 2004-05 to 2013-14
1200
1000
Tonnes ('000)
800
600
400
200
0
2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Note: Figures for 2005–06 have been updated to more accurately reflect tonnes recorded in the Victorian Local Government Data Collection 2005–
06 report.
After a steady upward trend from 2005-06 until 2011-12 of the recovery of Garden Organics, over the past two years
the amount recovered of this material has experienced a decrease of 28%. The 359,000 tonnes recovered of Garden
Organics in 2013-14 is the lowest amount recovered since 2009-10.
Garden organic waste recovered for reprocessing, Victoria 2004-05 to 2013-14
600
500
Tonnes ('000)
400
300
200
100
0
2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Note: Garden organics figures for 2005–06 have been updated to more accurately reflect tonnes recorded in the Victorian Local Government Data
Collection 2005–06 reports.
Victorian Recycling Industries Annual Survey 2013-14
Sources of recyclables
The Municipal sector decreased its overall share of recovered organic material in 2 percentage points while the
Commercial & industrial sector increased from 48% in 2012-13 to 50 % in 2013-14. No garden organics were imported
from interstate or overseas for reprocessing in Victoria in 2013-14.
Source sectors of organic material received for reprocessing (by weight), Victoria 2013–14
Commercial &
Industrial
50%
Municipal
47%
Construction & Demolition
3%
Table Organic waste material recovered in Victoria for reprocessing over the past 10 years, Victoria 2004-05 to 2013-14
Garden
organics
Sawdust /
forestry
residuals
Other
Total organic waste
recovered
Timber
Food organics
2004-05
229
13
310
26
40
618
2005-06
84
26
276
35
29
450
2006-07
196
35
302
144
77
754
2007-08
123
29
311
67
76
605
2008-09
158
13
327
155
150
802
2009-10
163
31
384
127
216
924
2010-11
107
22
421
126
193
870
2011-12
112
31
500
150
185
978
2012-13
129
55
402
157
127
870
2013-14
118
73
359
136
141
827
Tonnes (‘000)
Note: Food organics recovery data does not include any prescribed industrial waste figures such as meat waste generated from rendering
processes or grease traps. Garden organics figures for 2005–06 have been updated to more accurately reflect tonnes recorded in the Victorian
Local Government Data Collection 2005-06 reports.