Greens announce bold plan to tackle recycling crisis

Cate Faehrmann

Greens NSW MP and spokesperson for the environment Cate Faehrmann is calling for 100% of the waste levy, or more than $2.1 billion over the next four years, to be diverted into tackling the waste crisis, at a 'Save our Recycling' summit organised by Local Government NSW today.

The NSW government currently spends just 16% of the waste levy on tackling waste, with the rest of the money diverted to general revenue.



"It was particularly disappointing that the Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton refused to commit one extra cent of the waste levy to tackling NSW's growing recycling crisis," Ms Faehrmann said.

"This is despite our recyclables being stockpiled around the state and local government desperate for assistance. Local councils were pleading with the political parties represented there today to commit to investing all of the waste levy on waste management.

"The Greens recognise we need a radical overhaul of how we manage waste in NSW. Our goal should be a circular economy and we have a plan to get there.

"At a time when we need bold leadership and vision, this government would prefer to spend money on stadiums and continue to ignore an alarming environmental crisis.

"The waste levy came in two decades ago. Imagine if we had invested every cent from day one on building new industries to recycle more of our waste and to make more products recyclable in the first place.

"Unfortunately successive governments have treated the waste levy as an easy source of revenue than an opportunity to support innovation and sustainability," said Ms Faehrmann.
 
Read the full Greens Zero Waste plan.