China’s curbs on importing waste have taken a heavy toll in Australia and prompted warnings of a looming national rubbish crisis that could lead to the demise of household recycling..
China’s curbs on importing waste have taken a heavy toll in Australia and prompted warnings of a looming national rubbish crisis that could lead to the demise of household recycling.
Australia, which has long been a leader in household recycling, has relied for years on China as the main foreign buyer of its reusable waste.
Each year, Australia sends China about 30 per cent of its recyclable rubbish, amounting to around 600,000 tonnes. This waste, which is converted into reusable raw materials, is worth about A$523 million (S$562 million).
However, China, the world’s biggest importer of waste, last month began curbing its intake, saying this would boost local recycling, prevent pollution and improve public health. It has effectively stopped accepting 24 types of waste, including paper, plastics, textiles and some metals.
The ban has left waste warehouses in Australia overflowing and is likely to lead to higher garbage collection fees for households. This is because collection companies will struggle to find buyers for their waste and may need to store, burn or bury it — all of which are more costly.
Hunter Resource Recovery, a waste collection firm north of Sydney, warned that the sector faces a «critical point» within months unless a solution is found.
«We can’t keep picking it up if there’s nowhere for it to go,» the firm’s head, Mr Roger Lewis, told ABC News on Feb 8. «There are only so many warehouses where you can put stock, and to lease warehouses is expensive.»
The treatment of waste in Australia is overseen by state and territory governments, but the collection is overseen by local councils.
