UPFRONT
What happened to MWOO? ONE YEAR ON FROM THE NSW EPA’S BAN ON MIXED WASTE ORGANIC MATERIAL, WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW SPEAKS WITH KEY INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT RESOURCE RECOVERY EXEMPTIONS.
W
hen the NSW EPA banned the restricted use of mixed waste organic material (MWOO) in October 2018, industry reaction was swift. The ban’s 24-hour notice period was deemed particularly controversial, with council planning and tender processes instantly altered. The EPA’s apparent lack of transparency was also criticised, with claims industry had little access to the EPA’s internal research, or knowledge of the decision-making process. While a Technical Advisory Committee Report was prepared in April 2018, it was withheld from the public for five months. Then Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said withholding the report illustrated poor judgement on the EPA’s behalf. The report’s eventual release did little to alleviate industry’s concerns. Speaking with Waste Management Review in October, an industry stakeholder, who wished to remain anonymous, said the report lacks reference to data that supports its baseline scientific assertions. “While the report makes reference to multiple studies, those studies aren’t cited and industry hasn’t been granted access to the EPA’s research,” the stakeholder said. Additionally, the stakeholder said
24 / WMR / November 2019
industry engagement in the lead up to the decision was poor, with no formal consultation period or submissions process. The decision was also deemed controversial due to the NSW Government consistently advising that the state had a shortage of alternative waste treatment facilities (AWT). In a joint letter to Ms Upton, the Waste Management Association of Australia, the Australian Organics Recycling Industry Association, Waste Contractors Association of NSW, Australian Council of Recycling and the Australian Organics Recycling Association said several existing long-term AWT contracts had been compromised by the decision. RED BIN REPORT MWOO, which predominantly consists of household waste organics and has traditionally been used as compost, was banned for use on agricultural land, plantation forests and in mining rehabilitation. It is worth noting the ban excludes land application of compost derived from source separated FOGO. According to a 2006 NSW Environment and Conservation Department Report, titled Recycled Organics in Mine Site Rehabilitation and authored by Georgina Kelly,
MWOO improves soil structure, moisture retention and soil aeration. The report also asserts that MWOO is a rich nutrient source that facilitates rapid micro flora and fauna regrowth. On agricultural land the material serves a similar function, acting as a soil amendment, topsoil substitute and fertiliser. Despite two decades of widespread use, the EPA’s Technical Advisory Committee Report argued that A stakeholder has questioned particular pieces of evidence used in the MWOO report.
