New National Vision for the Recycled Organics Industry. Recycled
Organics (RO) is no longer synonymous with green waste and composting. Recycled Organics
now extends from agribusiness to management of urban wastes. There is need for a change in
focus from the perception of waste disposal - to a primary industry based on producing RO
products to meet market demands. This will encourage a products, and market driven, rather
than a regulatory and waste based industry. The Environment Australia market study (1999)
has identified markets for RO which are common to all States. This requires a unified
approach to producing products that are consistent quality to meet the market demands.
There is need for extended provider responsibility to encourage RO return to
source. There is need for cohesive communication strategies about products and markets
that are common at State and National level, and use of common terminology as suggested by
the EA. Industry self regulation should be encouraged. Standards should be expanded to
include specific products and markets. Broad national guidelines should be developed which
can be refined at the State and Local level.
Sustainable Markets
The Environment Australia review of national markets
identified there are established markets in horticulture and landscaping, and new bulk
volume markets in agriculture (to address land management issues of acid soils, low
organic C and salinity). The costs associated with processing and transporting RO material
to these areas often exceeds the intrinsic value as a fertiliser and/soil conditioner.
Lower quality RO have value as a fuel source for renewable energy generation.
To establish RO markets that are environmentally responsible,
economically viable and socially acceptable there is need to build local businesses and
employment, develop marketing intelligence and monitoring (based on products and markets),
develop uniform National, State & Regional promotional strategies, build product
awareness and product applications, develop a certification and identity system (eg
national heart foundation logo), produce products that meet quality requirements of each
target market, and develop effective distribution systems. This will be facilitated
through a National RO directorate.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Both producers and consumers have a shared responsibility to
ensure the beneficial use of RO materials. There is need to define and refine who are the
producers of organic waste at the urban and rural level that should take responsibility.
There is need to determine generation rates, and identify markets according to regional
focus, and select processes to produce products to meet those regional market demands. The
costs of EPR should be incorporated into pricing structures for waste recovery and
processing. The cost of beneficially using urban generated RO should be underwritten by
the cities, as part of the social cost of urbanisation. There is need to research
effective tools that consumers can access (such as rates/ levies) as part of their
responsibility that will support the beneficial use of RO materials. There is need to
investigate implications of shared producer and consumer responsibility, and develop
taxation incentives that will support the beneficial use of RO material. Strategies and
markets need to be developed for highest value beneficial use of RO taking into account
regional markets and and responsibility for utilising this resource. Should RO be used for
renewable energy, or should it be used for soil repletion? This should be coordinated
through a national strategy and network (Environment Australia nominated).
Community/Stakeholder Acceptance
The need is for the community (urban and rural) to embrace
the use of RO and take ownership of its origins, costs and benefits. It is inevitable that
beneficial use of RO to agriculture can only be achieved by full cost pricing, raising
levies, providing tax breaks. The community must accept that a social cost of living in
cities is the cost of using RO products for beneficial use. There is need for education of
the waste generators, processors, end users and the community about nature of the
sustainable markets and the products that can be produced to meet those markets. National
standards and industry best practice should encourage production of safe and reliable
quality products targeted for specific end uses. There should be transparency/education in
production of products including origins of inputs based on reliable and quality
information about product(s) content, end uses and appropriate utilisation. Communicate to
government/community the needs for a consistent nationally approach to regulation/policy.
Industry, in conjunction with government, needs to establish the baseline under which the
industry can operate. Development of industry wide code of practice/ethics to establish
the framework for the industry
Research and Development Actions
It was considered that technology per se is not the
limitation to development of the RO industry, but rather the availability of information,
and the opportunity to test new technologies. A centralised information or reference site
is essential to facilitate information exchange and to reduce unnecessary repetition of
projects. Demonstration sites to verify technical, economic, and social viability of new
technologies are required. There is long term need for Research and Development to meet
the need for the dynamic and changing demand for solutions. There is also need for
development of policies and regulations at the National and State level to provide an open
framework to allow innovation and creativity in developing solutions. This could be
achieved by a Federal Recycled Organics Directorate, which would consolidate R&D based
on outcomes and solution focused research.
National Organisation for the Recycled Organics Industry. There
is need
for a Recycled Organics umbrella group/ directorate that respects the
diversity and interests of all individuals and industries. This could be based on existing
State based groups such as COMMPOST, although the acronym does not reflect the industry
need. Waste Management Association of Australia should consider rename to Resource
Management Association of Australia in keeping with changing focus away from waste
management. State champions were identified to progress the development of State industry
associations.
