20 August 2025

WMRR CONGRATULATES RECYCLING VICTORIA ON ISSUING ENERGY-FROM-WASTE CAP LICENCES 

The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) congratulates Recycling Victoria on a significant milestone with the issuing of seven (7) thermal Energy from Waste (EfW) cap licences, representing 2.35 million tonnes per annum of the state’s cap. 

WMRR CEO Gayle Sloan welcomed the announcement, commending the Victorian Government’s commitment to investing in essential infrastructure to drive the transition to a circular economy. 

“Today’s announcement is a critical step forward in reducing Victoria’s reliance on landfill and accelerating the shift to a circular economy,” Ms Sloan said. 

“The reality is that Victorian landfills are filling up. EfW is not a silver bullet, but it is a critical part of the solution – working alongside recycling and reuse. It provides a sustainable alternative to landfill, recovering valuable energy and materials from residual material that cannot be recycled, repaired, or reused.”  

The importance of EfW has also been recognised across other Australian jurisdictions. As the NSW Environment Protection Authority highlighted: “The thermal treatment of waste provides an opportunity to recover embodied energy, offset non-renewable energy use, and avoid methane emissions from landfill.” 

“As we look towards 2030 and the drive for global net zero emissions, we should be capturing energy from our residual wastes, rather than continuing to discard poorly designed products to landfill and generating methane. EfW offers a practical pathway for dealing with end-of-life materials that our industry cannot otherwise recover. In line with the waste management hierarchy, energy recovery must take precedence over landfill,” Ms Sloan said. 

EfW is a proven and safe technology globally, with more than 2,000 plants operating worldwide — including over 1,000 in Japan, 400 in Europe, and 80 in the United States. In Copenhagen, an EfW facility doubles as a tourist attraction with a rooftop ski slope and hiking trail, while in Paris, three (3) EfW facilities located near the city centre help power the capital — including The Louvre. 

WMRR acknowledges that this announcement is the first step in the process, with licence holders now required to secure planning and environmental approvals before construction and operation can commence. 

“WMRR commends Recycling Victoria and the Victorian Government on this important progress and looks forward to continuing to work with them and the community to deliver a truly circular future.”