SA election: WMRR seeks commitment to waste and resource recovery priorities
4 March 2022
In the lead-up to the South Australian election on Saturday, 19 March 2022, the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) has written to the state’s major political parties, seeking commitments to waste and resource recovery (WARR) priorities that would ensure SA goes from strength to strength in its journey to build a more circular economy.
SA has historically been at the forefront of recycling and resource recovery – its initiatives, programs, and policies have driven consistent growth in resource recovery – and the state government continues to show leadership on this front and in its circularity ambitions.
“WMRR recognises this leadership and is excited about the prospect of further growth and development of the WARR sector to future-proof SA’s environmental, human health, and economic landscape,” WMRR CEO, Ms Gayle Sloan, said.
“As voters head to the polls, we are calling on the major parties to commit to six (6) election priorities that would enable SA to build on its circular ambition and keep materials and resources that end up in the WARR system circulating, ensuring the state meets and exceeds its environmental, human health, and economic objectives.”
These priorities are:
- Committing to, and establishing genuine extended producer responsibility schemes
- Infrastructure development and investment
- Action towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Government-led, mandated sustainable procurement
- Continuation and improvement of the waste levy
- Lead a national, entire supply chain policy response to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
“An integrated WARR system safeguards human and environmental health, while driving jobs and economic growth. In South Australia, the WARR industry is already a significant contributor to the state, providing an annual turnover of more than $1 billion and Gross State Product (GSP) of $1.08 billion, employment for at least 4,800 full-time equivalent persons, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of 1.32 million tCO2-e annually, through recycling activities alone,” Ms Sloan said.
“There is an opportunity for SA to not only continue to be a leader in this space, but to enhance these outcomes that would grow local economies and jobs and ensure sustainable material management, if tangible actions are made in the policy areas that WMRR is calling for commitment to,” Ms Sloan said.
“We wish all parties the very best at the forthcoming election and look forward to continued engagement with the state government as it continues its circular economy journey.”
WMRR’s SA election priorities can be found here.