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

WRIQ’s Fire Safety Breakfast 30 March

Fire is an ongoing risk for our sector.?This breakfast will provide an opportunity to highlight emergency planning, including identifying scenarios, consequences, mitigation options and information needed for an emergency plan. Fires, Fire Prevention and Response will be the focus. This will introduce the key requirements to consider including how they relate to waste facilities and support the production of good Fire Prevention Plans, highlighting requirements of the QFES.

The breakfast will discuss the link between how you manage your waste and resources site effectively, utilising appropriate infrastructure, housekeeping and monitoring/supervision systems, in order that the likelihood of waste fires is reduced and, that if waste fires do occur, they can be dealt with appropriately to prevent harm to human health, the environment and property damage.?Register here.

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WRIQ’s Complying with General Environmental Duty Breakfast 28 April

Please join us for a breakfast discussion considering the general environmental duty in a rapidly changing landscape.?The event will explore, what is the GED, relevant caselaw, how do you demonstrate compliance with the GED (including the proposed industrial chemical changes under the Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022), what impacts do changes in the law have on waste procurement and contracting; and strategies for managing the risk of changes in law in your contracts.??For further info and to register:?https://lnkd.in/gKun_wFG

Managing Psychosocial Hazards Livestream Event 21 March

The release of the Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022 (the Code) along with amendments to the Work Health and Safety Regulation, are important steps in keeping Queensland workplaces safe, healthy and productive.?There is a free of charge, livestream event on 21 March (10-11.15am) to learn more about the Code and what your business needs to do to comply. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.?The event will include information about the most common psychosocial hazards, who has related health and safety duties, what is reasonably practicable in managing these hazards, and other relevant laws that duty holders should be aware of.?Registration link:?https://www.eventbrite.com/e/managing-the-risk-of-psychosocial-hazards-at-work-code-of-practice-2022-tickets-549785672747?

NEWS

Waste Levy Exemptions for Disaster Waste

As part of preparing for the wet season, the Department of Environment and Science has updated guidance on when the waste levy may not apply.

Under the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 waste generated by disasters (e.g., rain and flooding events) is able to be exempt from the waste levy if it is:

• A disaster declared under the Disaster Management Act 2003 (a State-declared disaster);
• Once a disaster is declared the department will generate a declaration for disaster management waste to be exempt waste;
• Serious local event waste that has been notified to the department by the CEO of a local government;
• These are serious situations that are not declared as State-disasters for example flood, storm, explosions, fire, chemical/fuel/oil spill and can still be devastating for local communities;
• Otherwise declared as exempt waste in exceptional circumstances.

For any questions regarding exempt waste, please contact [email protected] or call the department’s 24/7 Pollution Hotline – 1300 130 372.?Visit the Department’s website for more information including current declarations.

WRROLA Bill Submissions

The Waste Reduction and Recycling and other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 (WRROLA) was introduced into Parliament on Wednesday 22 February.?Among the key drivers for this Bill are the Queensland Government’s commitment to remove the clean earth levy exemption by 1 July 2023 and ban the release of lighter-than-air balloons from 1 September 2023.?As well as those commitments, the explanatory notes for the Bill identifies the other policy objectives.

Following introduction, the Bill was referred to the Health and Environment Committee for detailed consideration.?The Committee website provides more details including the Department briefing and 15 submissions on the Bill (including WRIQ’s submission). ?

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?CONSULATIONS

WRIQ’s Insurance and Fire Survey

This survey represents research to quantify fire trends, risk management strategies, current insurance market and product availability.

By completing the survey, you will enable WRIQ to measure existing insurance offerings including their quality, coverage and availability.??This will assist in advocating issues to government concerning the development of new infrastructure, the protection of existing assets, and (insurance-led) constraints for the collection and processing of certain materials/products. It will also support future work into the development of new insurance products for the sector.

The survey closes on 31 March 2023.??You can complete the survey online at

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GW6ZZGZ?or in hard copy – please send requests for a copy of the survey to [email protected].?

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Queensland Releases E-Products Action Plan

A priority of the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy is to improve the management of e-waste in Queensland.?To deliver on this priority a draft E-Products Action Plan has been developed.?Where e-waste cannot be avoided, the goals of the Action Plan are to extend the life of e-products through reuse, repair, refurbishment, and recovery to keep the value of materials in the economy for as long as possible.?The Action Plan sets out to guide and enable people to maximise waste reduction and sustainability outcomes for e-products.

Feedback on the?draft E-Products Action Plan?(PDF, 1 MB)?is being sought via email by 5.00pm Monday 17 April 2023 to?[email protected].?

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E-Product Consultation Paper 3 Now Out

Discussion Paper 3 – Targets and Obligations for Potential E-Stewardship Regulation is out now for review.?Feedback can be provided in writing by COB Fri 17 March 2023 or via a group discussion hosted by the Department on Thursday 16 March 2023 from 2.00 to 3.30pm.

E-Product Consultation Paper 4 Now Out

The final of the e-product discussion papers E-stewardship scheme administrative structure is now out for review.?Feedback can be provided in writing by COB Fri 31 March 2023 or via a group discussion hosted by the department on Monday 27 March 2023 from 2.00 to 3.30pm.

Draft DMO5 Released Today (15 March)

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has released its?draft determination of the Default Market Offer?(DMO) for 2023–24.?Also known as an?electricity price safety net, the DMO protects households and small business customers, on standard retail plans, from unjustifiably high prices in South Australia, New South Wales and south-east Queensland.

The draft determination sets out the approach the AER intends to take to determine the final DMO price which will be released in May. The draft determination is subject to consultation with stakeholder feedback to be factored into the final decision.

At this time, it is estimated that residential customers on standard retail plans could face price increases of around 19.5% to 23.7% depending on their region and whether they have controlled load. Small business customers could face price increases of around 14.7% to 25.4% depending on their region.?The AER invites written?submissions on the draft?DMO determination up to 6 April 2023.?A final decision will be published in May, with changes to apply from 1 July 2023.

Gas Supply and Other Legislation Bill

The Gas Supply Act 2003 (GS Act) and the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (P&G Act) provide the approvals pathway for proponents seeking to transport gas through pipelines.?The Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill 2023 proposes to amend the P&G Act and the GS Act to provide a clear approvals pathway for hydrogen and other prescribed substance pipelines. These changes will complement changes approved nationally by Energy Ministers to bring hydrogen blends, biomethane and other renewable gases within scope of the national gas framework.

Interested stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the proposed amendments to extend existing pipeline provisions to hydrogen. An exposure draft of the Bill and an information paper containing further details is available on the Department of Energy and Public Works website.