Greening of Government - Waste Management
Greening of Government - Walking the Talk
There is an expectation that State Government demonstrates leadership which supports sustainability, not only through setting policies, but also by ensuring that its agencies embrace and pursue environmental responsibility through managing their own impacts generated in the course of conducting Government business.
The State Government has made a commitment to improve its own waste management practices with its endorsement of the Greening of Government Operations Action Plan (296kb) on 13 February 2006. State Government itself needs to contribute to the waste targets for the State as set out in South Australia’s Strategic Plan and South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2005-2010.
Minimising waste in the public sector covers a wide range of activities, from recycling through to public events, procurement, building fit-outs and capital works. This site explains the role of Zero Waste SA in assisting South Australia’s public sector agencies to improve their waste management practices. You can find information about Government waste policies and practical information that will help agencies to get started.
Benefits of Waste Management
Reducing the amount of waste generated and implementing recycling systems brings a range of benefits, including:
- financial savings - costs of transport and disposal of waste are increasing; also impending regulatory changes i.e. bans on some materials going to landfill
- risk management - appropriate waste management minimises risk to Government both in terms of prevention of environmental harm and public perception
- demonstrates good practice - through annual reporting and feedback to public sector staff
- staff morale - 'feel good' factor of ability to make a difference by participating in workplace recycling systems.
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Zero Waste SA’s Role
Zero Waste SA is a change agent, established by the Zero Waste SA Act 2004 to drive recycling and resource recovery in South Australia through strategic policy advice and direction to Government and stakeholders.
Zero Waste SA plays a leadership role in assisting public sector agencies to identify, measure, manage and report on waste impacts associated with their operations, however the responsibility for establishing and implementing policies and procedures to achieve this is vested within each agency.
Zero Waste SA provides guidance, support and information to assist agencies in improving their waste management and shifting their activity higher up the waste management hierarchy, from disposal to recycling, and ultimately to reducing and avoiding generation of waste.
However, please note that Zero Waste SA does not collect waste or recyclables and does not provide funding to State Government agencies for recycling services or bins - agencies need to manage waste and recycling streams as they would any other business practice.
To find out how Zero Waste SA lives out its corporate objective to, as far as possible, eliminate waste or its consignment to landfill, and promote the recovery and recycling of resources, read the case study of how Zero Waste embodied its principles in its new office fitout.
If you would like to contact Zero Waste SA, please telephone +61 8 8204 2051, or email zerowaste@state.sa.gov.au
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State Goverment Waste Policy
South Australia's Strategic Plan
South Australia's Strategic Plan sets out targets designed to improve the well being of South Australians across a range of areas, including sustainability and environmental issues.
Objective 3: Attaining Sustainability, states:
'Our priority is to make South Australia world-renowned for being clean, green and sustainable. This will boost community wellbeing, safeguard future generations and contribute to our State's prosperity. The focus will be on protecting our biodiversity, securing sustainable water and energy supplies, and minimising waste.'
Within this objective a target relating to waste states: Zero Waste - Reduce waste to landfill by 25% within 10 years. (Target 3.11)
Priority actions include:
Existing industries to reduce their ecological demands and new industries to be less ecologically demanding.
- Primary responsibility: Industry
Change behaviours in ways that reduce ecological demands.
- Primary responsibility: All South Australians
Implement actions arising from Zero Waste Strategy.
- Primary responsibility: All South Australians
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South Australia's Waste Strategy 2005-2010
South Australia's Waste Strategy establishes waste reduction goals and targets for South Australia and sets out a range of strategies and steps to achieve these. Targets relevant to State Government are:
Commercial and Industrial (C & I) Waste - relevant to State Government operations
By 2006 |
By 2008 |
By 2010 |
5% increase in recovery and use of C&I materials |
15% increase in recovery and use of C&I materials |
30% increase in recovery and use of C&I materials |
Construction and Demolition (C & D) Waste - relevant to State Government capital works
By 2006 |
By 2008 |
By 2010 |
20% increase in recovery and use of C&D materials |
35% increase in recovery and use of C&D materials |
50% increase in recovery and use of C&D materials |
Pictured in the masthead on this page is Tower 2, part of the new environmentally-friendly City Central being developed in Adelaide’s central business district. The image is used with the permission of Caversham Property Developments.
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