Industry Updates for Queensland's Waste Management and Materials Recovery Sector

WRIQ RCS (and Dust) Webinar, 23 June

Dust containing respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is generated by high-energy processes such as cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, polishing, scabbling and crushing of silica-containing materials. The waste management and recycling sector receive RCS dusts directly from manufacturers, construction and demolition sites and a range of other sources including household bins.

This webinar will cover:

·      RCS (and other dust) health hazards

·      WHS Legislative requirements for managing occupational exposure risks to RCS and other airborne contaminants

·      Background to the development of the Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in the stone benchtop industry Code of Practice 2019 and Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022

The webinar is free for WRIQ members. The flyer with registration details is attached.

WRIQ Business Breakfast on Operational Compliance, 18 August

Register now for the next Business Breakfast investigating environmental operational compliance and safeguards. The session will explore the following issues:

• How to interpret environmental authority conditions?
• Who is the regulator (DES or Council) for which activities?
• What enforcement ‘tools’ are available to the regulator, and what are the rights of operators?
• How to protect against an environmental investigation?

·      What to do if the regulator takes enforcement.

Please register online

NEWS

Landfill Levy Updated for 1 July

The Queensland Government has now applied the latest CPI rates to the levy fees and charges for 2023-2024. Please go to the fees and charges webpage for the new levy fees commencing 1 July 2023. 

Review of Powers and Penalties within EP Act

An independent review into the adequacy of powers and penalties available under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 has been completed and the final report provided to the Minister for the Environment and Great Barrier Reef, Science and Multicultural Affairs. The review was initiated after floods in Ipswich last year exacerbated odour issues coming from waste facilities. The review was conducted by retired Judge Richard Jones and Barrister Susan Hedge.

The review made 18 recommendations which have all been supported, or supported in principle, by the Government. The recommendations aim at better preventing pollution occurring, providing appropriate tools for nuisance matters to take stronger action against polluters and better protect community health and wellbeing. Key recommendations include:

• Greater emphasis should be placed on the concepts of human health, wellbeing, and safety, which will protect the community.
• Amendments to the definitions of environmental nuisance, and material and serious environmental harm to make it clear that certain emissions, such as odour, may also be considered material or serious environmental harm.
• Creating a new offence of contravening the existing general environmental duty.
• This will place an emphasis on prevention by operators rather than reactively waiting for harm to occur to the environment.
• Improved community safeguards while environmental harm is addressed.
• Ensuring environmental authority (EA) conditions remain fit for purpose, and to ensure they remain in force if an EA is cancelled or suspended.

The government will now proceed with relevant legislative steps and consultation to implement the recommendations. The final report and government response can be found here: Independent review of environmental regulator’s powers and penalties | Environment | Department of Environment and Science, Queensland (des.qld.gov.au)

Temporary Authorities are Now Available

Temporary authorities are a new function under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. A temporary authority to conduct an environmentally relevant activity can only be issued under certain emergency situations. These include a declared public health emergency, a declared disaster situation, a biosecurity event under emergency order and several other events. A temporary authority can be granted for a maximum period of 4 months.

For more information on the range of emergency situations and the application requirements please go to Business Queensland and refer to the new temporary authority application form (ESR/2023/6428)

New Industry Development Strategy features Circular Economy

On 19 May the Queensland Government released the Queensland new-industry development strategy (as attached). It identifies the emerging industries associated with decarbonisation. These industries use Queensland’s traditional strengths and existing industries to capitalise on global trends. They’re industries that will create prosperity for Queenslanders.

The six industries identified in the strategy to help seize the opportunities of global decarbonisation are:

• Renewable energy manufacturing and infrastructure development
• Critical mineral processing and manufacturing
• Battery industry development
• Green hydrogen
• Circular economy, including resource recovery and recycling
• Bioeconomy, including biofuels and sustainable aviation fuel.

The Department is developing regionally specific infrastructure and land use plans aligned with the economic and social aspirations of each region. The creation of these plans will complement the work of a newly established Local Economic Opportunities Network, which will work with local communities to assist with economic transition. They will also work with communities to prepare place-based regional transformation strategies to guide the implementation of the $200 million Regional Economic Futures Fund (REFF).

Key Dates for Landfills

Please see attached key dates for all landfills including:

·      Volumetric Surveys - All waste disposal site operators are required to carry out an annual volumetric survey at each levyable waste disposal site within the levy zone. You can find this information under sections 67 and 72Y of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (the Act). During the month of June 2023, operators of levyable waste disposal sites must carry out their annual volumetric surveys. By 31 July 2023, you must enter the results of each volumetric survey into the Queensland Waste Data System (QWDS), and submit your topographical plans, certified as accurate by a surveyor, to the department (DES).

·      Removal of Levy Exemption for Road Planings - From 1 July 2023, the levy exemption for road planings under section 8A(c) – (Exempt Waste of the Act under the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2011 generated by or disposed to landfill in specific local government areas) will end and this waste will be charged at the general waste levy rate. Those waste disposal sites wishing to continue to use road planings as an exempt waste from 1 July 2023 will need to apply to the department to do so. Sites that do not currently hold an exemption for an on-site operational purpose approval will need to apply for a new on-site operational purpose to include road planings effective from 1 July 2023, using the application form Exempt waste (s28) – On-site operational purpose application form. Sites with an existing on-site operational purpose should approach the department to amend an on-site operational purpose to include road planings effective from 1 July 2023. You can do this using the template Request an amendment to exempt waste approval for on-site operational purpose

·      Weighbridge Exemption - Eligible site operators can apply for an exemption from requiring a weighbridge during the transition period which is 1 July 2024 and ending 30 June 2029. Applications for an exemption during the transition period must be submitted to the department before 1 January 2024. To determine if your site or sites are eligible for an exemption, levyable waste disposal sites must have been operating at the commencement of the waste levy on 1 July 2019; and where the operator holds an environmental authority for the disposal of not more than 2,000 tonnes of waste in a year at the site. If this describes your site/s you may apply to the department for an exemption during the transition period, from weigh bridge requirements under section 317 of the Act.

If you need to talk to someone or access additional information about the waste levy you can contact the Levy Services team at WasteLevyApps@des.qld.gov.au

Changes to Clean Earth Status and New Application Forms Available

Please remember that from 1 July 2023, the general levy exemption for clean earth disposed to waste disposal sites is proposed to be removed from the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011. Those waste disposal sites wishing to continue to use clean earth as an exempt waste will need to apply to the department (DES) to do so.

Those waste disposal sites wishing to continue to use clean earth as an exempt waste from 1 July 2023 will need to apply to the department using the new forms to do so.

• Sites that do not currently hold an on-site operational purpose (OSOP) approval will need to apply for a new OSOP approval for clean earth effective from 1 July 2023, using the approved application form.

·      Those sites with an existing OSOP approval should request an amendment to their OSOP approval to include clean earth effective from 1 July 2023, using the new template

The application forms guiding this process have now been updated and are ready for use, please go to Applications and forms | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au).

If you believe your waste disposal site operations will be affected by the removal of the clean earth exemption, please contact the Waste Levy Services team early to discuss your site’s situation and application requirements. You can contact the Levy Services team at  WasteLevyApps@des.qld.gov.au or visit the waste levy web page at www.qld.gov.au/wastedisposallevy

 CONSULATIONS

NHVR Master Code Review

The Master Code was first registered in November 2018 as a general code that applies to the whole of the heavy vehicle industry. It is widely used and still regarded as an authoritative source of information about safety in heavy vehicle transport. This review is an opportunity to build on existing content in the Master Code, with broad input from stakeholders and industry.

You are invited to provide written feedback or comments about the current version of the Master Code and respond to these questions:

• Are the hazards, risks, and controls in the code still comprehensive and relevant?
• Are there new hazards, risks and controls that should be included?
• Are there existing controls that should be updated or altered? 
• Is the code practical, clear and easy to follow?

You can provide feedback up to 31 July 2023, through Master Code Review - Phase 1