Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 14—Environment 585
14.10 SOLID WASTE RECEIVED AND DISPOSED
OF AT LANDFILL—1996–97
State/Territory
’000 tonnes
NSW 7 170.7
Vic. 5 020.1
Qld 4 428.8
SA 1 334.3
WA 2 429.1
Tas.
n.p.
NT
n.p.
ACT 236.0
Aust. 21 220.5
Source: Waste Management Industry, Australia, 1996–97
(8698.0).
To help combat the amount of waste ending up
in Australia’s waterways, parklands, roads and
coastal environments, the National Clean Up
Australia Day campaign was founded in 1989. The
campaign is the largest community participation
event in the country, attracting more than
500,000 volunteers a year and collecting around
5,000 tonnes of rubbish in 2000. Plastics continue
to be one of the most common waste items
collected, making up 36% of total rubbish
collected in the program in 1999 (graph 14.11).
The durability of plastics in the environment
contributes to the blocking of our waterways and
is a potential hazard for marine and terrestrial
wildlife through ingestion and strangulation.
Recycling
In 1996–97, 1.5 million tonnes of recylables were
owned and sold by waste management
businesses and organisations. Paper and
cardboard, concrete, glass and green waste were
the greatest contributers to recyclable products
(table 14.12). The Australian Capital Territory had
the greatest diversion rate of recyclables (33.1%)
from the municipal waste stream, compared to a
national level of 19.8% (BIEC Audit 1997).
%
40
14.11 MAJOR SOURCES OF RUBBISH, Clean Up Australia Day 1999
30
20
10
0
plastic wood metal paper rubber glass polystyrene misc.
Source: Clean Up Australia 1999 Annual Report.
14.12 RECYCLABLES, Total Recycling Tonnage(a) by Type—1996–97
Tonnes
Contribution to total
Type of recyclable
’000
%
Paper and cardboard 422.3 27.6
Glass 231.0 15.1
Mulch and compost 170.2 11.1
Oils 142.4 9.3
Concrete 352.9 23.1
Plastic 25.2 1.6
Aluminium 7.2 0.5
Ferrous metals 88.3 5.8
Other metals 23.4 1.5
Other recyclables 65.2 4.3
Total 1 528.0 100.0
(a) Recycling tonnage refers to the quantity of recyclables owned and sold by each particular business or organisation.
Source: Waste Management Industry, Australia, 1996–97 (8698.0).