Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Research Study on
International Recycling Experience
Annex A
A10 CANBERRA (AUSTRALIA)
A10.1 OVERVIEW
A summary description of Canberra and key recycling data is
presented in Table A10.1.
Table A10.1 Overview of Canberra
City background Details
Population
311 000
Density
460/km2
Type of area
Urban
Type of housing
78% detached, 13% semi-detached, 9% apartments
Definition of
MSW
Non-hazardous waste from the domestic, commercial
and industrial sectors; parks and garden waste.
Recycling target
To achieve a waste free society and have no MSW
waste going to landfill by 2010
Recycling
achievement
Approximately 57% of total MSW is recycled (199899)
Principal
recycling drivers



markets for recycled materials (in the 1980s);
good collection facilities;
public awareness and information activities.
Canberra is not representative of New South Wales or, indeed,
Australia in socio-economic terms. The population,
characterised by civil servants, has higher than national
average incomes and higher levels of education and
environmental awareness than the rest of the country. There
is also better coordination between decision makers due to
the structure of local government. In other cities in Australia,
there may be more than one government department working
on this issue, making a coordinated approach to promotion of
recycling activities less easy. The recycling rate in Canberra
is, as a result, higher than most other states in Australia.
A10.2 RECYCLING TRENDS
The data shown in Figure A10.1 represents waste to landfill
and waste recovery activity. There was no accurate record of
landfill disposal prior to the introduction of weighbridges at
landfills in 1993, but these levels are likely to have been at
least as high as those recorded in 1993 to 1994. Only clinical
waste is incinerated in Canberra.
The involvement of the community in the process of policy
setting and programme implementation have been key to the
success of recycling in Canberra. Proposed services have
been trialled and communities surveyed to develop services
that best suit their requirements. Services have been
introduced alongside comprehensive community education.
Figure A10.1 MSW disposed to landfill and recycled
Note: Data for MSW going to
landfill was not available pre
1993.
Figure A10.2 shows the percentages of the principal material
types in MSW that originates from the household sector:
Figure A10.2 Amounts of MSW recycled by type in the
household sector and as a total (1998-9)
Recycling from the household sector accounts for 35 per cent
of recycling from MSW. Demolition waste, from the
industrial and commercial sectors, accounts for nearly half of
the remainder of MSW recycled in Canberra. Subtracting the
figure for demolition waste recycling from the total figure for
recycling of MSW, reduces the total recycling rate from 57
per cent to 29 per cent.
The recycling rate for garden waste has seen the most
dramatic rise, as shown in Figure A10.3.
Figure A10.3 MSW recycling trends by material
recovered
Businesses and waste management operators are encouraged
to provide details annually on recovery for the previous
financial year. In many cases they use weighbridges so that
the information supplied relates to actual tonnages. Firms
accepting materials from local operators also provide details
and these are matched with the former for consistency. For
materials for which weighbridges are not used, (for example,
composting operations) a conversion ratio for volume to
weight is used, based on sample surveys and liaison with the
operators.
A10.3 MSW MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
Operation
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Waste is a business unit
of the Department of Urban Services. ACT manages
contracts and service agreements for a range of waste and
recycling activities. Three year contracts are awarded to the
private sector to deliver waste services. The three main
components are outlined in Box A10.1.
Box A10.1 Key Components of the Recycling Scheme

Kerbside Collection. Provision of a 240 litre recycling
bin to all residents, collected fortnightly by a
contractor (paper and cardboard on one side and glass,
plastics, drink cartons and cans on the other). For
apartments, separate bins are provided for paper and
containers.
 Recycling centres. Recycling centres and regional
recycling centres (12 in total) where large quantities
of paper and cardboard can be dropped off at the
regional centres and large quantities of glass, metal
and plastics can be dropped off at either centre.
Recyclable materials are cleared every week and sent
to recycling processors.
 Organic Waste recycling centres. Three sites for the
public and businesses to drop off their prunings, grass
clippings and leaves. The government engages
contractors at these sites to compost these materials.
In addition, commercial collections are made based on direct
agreement between waste generators and collection
contractors. The volume and frequency depend on the amount
of waste, and nature of the material. For example, kitchen
waste is likely to be collected more frequently than dry inert
materials.
A10.4 COLLECTION MECHANISMS AND
ACCESSIBILITY
All residential premises in Canberra are provided with a
separate collection service. Table A10.2 provides a detailed
summary of the programmes.
A10.4.1 Participation Rate
Participation is estimated to be 97 per cent for the kerbside
collection scheme. The remaining three per cent is thought to
include vacant dwellings.
Type of
Recyclable
Material
Method & Coverage
Domestic: paper
and card, and
containers (glass,
plastic, metal,
cartons)
For houses: kerbside collection introduced in
November/ December 1994.For apartments (6
units): 240 litre bins are provided with paper and
cardboard, and other recyclable material. These are
collected fortnightly. The number of bins and
service frequency can be varied depending on the
generation of material and available space in each
specific location. Where the number of units
exceeds 30 units, then 1.1 cubic metre hoppers are
used with one for paper and the other for containers
Paper and card,
containers; motor
oils; metals, bulky
goods
Four regional recycling centres, with similar
facilities at both landfills. Recycling containers also
provided at a further six shopping centres.
Parks and gardens
Three recycling centres. On-site shredding using
mobile equipment.
Commercial - paper Recycling containers. Limited kitchen waste
and card
collection. Regional recycling centres sites.
Construction waste Direct delivery to one reprocessing centre.
A10.5 COSTS AND REVENUES
Table A10.3 outlines the capital costs of the kerbside
collection scheme. Operational costs are commercially
confidential and therefore not available. Total costs of the
domestic refuse and recycling services, including operational,
capital and administration costs, are estimated to be AUS$75
(£30) per household per annum. This includes a cost of
around AUS$33 per annum per household to finance the
kerbside collection programme. Approximately AUS$60,000
(£23,640)[1] is spent annually on promoting the kerbside
collection.
Table A10.3 Capital Costs for Kerbside Recycling
Number Capital
Approximate Cost
(£)
Total Cost
(£)
100,000 240 litre divided bins
20 each
2 million
100,000 140 litre waste bins
16 each
1.6 million
11
Recycling trucks
98,500 each
1.083 million
1
Materials Recycling
Facility
591,000
591,000
AUS$1 = £0.394
(www.xe.net/ucc/)
The revenue from waste charges does not fully cover the
costs of the recycling activities. Payments made from the
municipality to contractors includes a subsidy for the
production of recyclate. Market prices do not cover the
production costs of recyclate. Land is also provided for
contractors on which to operate, at nominal rents.
The recovery programme has created 140 new jobs in
Canberra in the last six years.
A10.6 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Good market prices for recyclables in the 1980s encouraged
private industry to become involved in recycling and
voluntary approaches were encouraged. Prices dropped
through the 1990s. Strong markets were replaced by public
awareness and demand for waste management options other
than disposal as principal drivers of recycling. The
municipality has matched this demand with good separate
collection facilities that include kerbside collection.
A10.7 LEGAL/REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
There are no statutory requirements to encourage recycling at
present. Table A10.4 outlines pending legal requirements.
Table A10.4 National, County and Municipal Legislation
Geographical Legislation
Area
Details /Purpose
National
National Used Based on the principle of ‘product
Packaging
stewardship’, all supply chain
Covenant
participants accept responsibility for the
environmental impacts associated with
their sphere of activity.
New South
Wales
Waste
Minimisation
and
Management
Act
60% reduction in waste to landfill by
2010. Sets up regional ’waste boards’ to
formulate and implement waste
minimisation policy.Introduce levy on
waste sent to landfill.Increase
environmental controls on landfills.
Canberra
Used
Packaging
Materials
Environment ACT is currently
developing legislation to enact the Used
Packaging Materials National
Environment Protection Measure
(NEPM) in the ACT. It is proposed that
this legislation is broad enough to allow
for regulation of other waste materials
where it is deemed necessary because
voluntary approaches are not achieving
the desired outcome.
A10.8 FISCAL INCENTIVES
A10.8.1 Waste Disposal Costs
There is no incineration of MSW. Landfill charges for MSW
are AUS $25 (£10). They are relatively low, suggesting that,
in the absence of regulatory drivers, public awareness is a key
driver for the high recycling rates. Waste delivered by the
public is charged per vehicle load:



1993 - no charges;
1996 - £1.20 car, £2 trailer/utility;
1999 - same as 1996.
Commercial waste is charged by weight:

1993 charges introduced: approximately £4.33 per
tonne;
 1996 - £8.66 per tonne;
 1999 - £10 per tonne.
A10.8.2 Charging Systems for Waste Management
Residents pay for provision of services through local
authority tax rates.
A10.9 PUBLIC AWARENESS
Public awareness is considered to be exceptionally high in
Canberra, reflected in community attitude surveys and the
high rates of participation in the kerbside collection
programme. Promotion of recycling uses a wide range of
media such as brochures, booklets, annual progress reports,
waste calendars, internet websites and radio advertising.
A10.10 MARKETS FOR END PRODUCTS
Markets exist for most materials (see Table A10.5). The
government is a major purchaser of recycled paper, compost
and aggregates. In addition, construction firms and civil
contractors purchase significant amounts of aggregates and
compost. Recycled products are usually cheaper, and, in
some cases, outperform virgin products (for example,
recycled concrete as sub-base). The use of recyclate may be
used as an opportunity for the business to promote an image
of environmental responsibility. Other products have a broad
range of buyers, including retailers and consumers.
Table A10.5 Examples of Recyclate Use
Material
Newsprint and
magazines
Use
De-inked and recycled as newsprint.
Cardboard and
mixed paper
Turned into cardboard.
Glass containers
Recycled into containers of the same colour.
Aluminium cans
and foil
Smelted back into aluminium.
Steel cans
Tin coating removed and then smelted as steel.
Plastics
Recycled into other plastic products (usually non-
food applications).
Bulky waste
Crushed and separated for smelting back into
ferrous products.
Garden waste
Composted to produce a range of mulch/compost
and soil-conditioning products.
Construction waste. Crushed and graded to form aggregate products for
use in construction and civil works.
Problems in Markets for Recovered Materials
Major issues associated with the marketing of recyclate are:


the limited market outlets;
price variability determined by supply and demand
fluctuations. If there is oversupply, acceptance
specifications tend to be tightened; and
 the removal of barriers that limit the use of recycled
products, for example, modification of technical
specifications or regulations that require ‘new’
materials to be used, such as in road construction and
use of building materials.
A10.11 FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
Future developments in Canberra include:

trials of bio-bins to collect organic waste including
kitchen waste from households;
 trials of organic collections from commercial waste
generators, particularly restaurants and supermarkets;
 development of Resource Recovery Estates[2] and
infrastructure to facilitate recovery levels;
 removal of barriers to uptake of recyclables by:
i. developing recognised specifications for recycled
products that demonstrate performance characteristics;
ii. facilitating demonstration projects using recycled
products;
iii. establishing government purchasing policies
requiring recycled products to be given preference;
iv. promoting and encouraging private business to
adopt similar purchasing policies, for example, there
is a Buy Recycled Business Alliance operating in
Australia;

development of alternative markets by encouraging a
broader range of uses to supplement the recognised
primary markets for each material. This builds on the
Clean Washington Centre concept and an Australian
Market Development Network which has been
established to progress this further. It also involves
targeting of materials where the primary markets are
unable or unwilling to take all of the recovered
material, for example, glass fines.[3] Alternative
markets in this case may be in producing materials
suitable for sand blasting, glass tile manufacture and
swimming pool filters, and
 establishment of further waste legislation.
[1] AUS$ 1 = £ 0.394 (www.xe.net/ucc/)
[2] Resource Recovery Estates are dedicated recycling sites which seek to
relocate waste material processing plants, to encourage efficiency and
economies of scale, and cottage industries to encourage innovation in the
field of returning wastes to resources. Education centres are also planned
to strengthen public awareness.
[3] Glass fines are small pieces of glass (up to 2 cm) that are not currently
accepted by glass recyclers.
[ Previous ] [ Contents ] [ Next ]
Published 26 April 2001
Waste Index
Environmental Protection Index
Defra Home Page