EPA waste reform showcased at ENVIRO’14
The EPA recently joined leaders of the Australian environment industry, business and policy makers at the ENVIRO’14 conference held in Adelaide.
This year’s conference encompassed waste management, resource recovery, water, clean air and energy to explore and share experiences of pathways for better business, innovation and integration.
It was the ideal forum to highlight the EPA’s current waste reform program that focuses on key environmental issues within the waste and resource recovery sector. As South Australia’s leading environmental regulator, the EPA seeks to balance protection of the environment and human health with promoting resource recovery and supporting innovation.
At the conference Networking Breakfast the EPA’s CE Tony Circelli welcomed delegates to the second day of proceedings and officially released the Authority’s 2014–15 Corporate Plan and Annual Compliance Plan.
In addition, commercial drivers and regulatory reform in South Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector were outlined in a conference presentation by the EPA’s Principal Adviser Waste Management, Tiana Nairn.
Continued regulatory reform of South Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector will be a focus of the EPA’s work for the next 12 months and Ms Nairn presented the reform process and key priorities for 2014–15 including:
- review of the Waste Derived Fill Standard to make it easier to understand and simpler to use
- determination of mass balance reporting and monitoring
- improved stockpile management and, if appropriate, the development of stockpile guidance materials for different waste types
- improvements to current waste taxonomy and definitions
- development of a waste to energy policy.
A South Australian Waste Management Association of Australia Industry Reference Group as been established to assist the EPA in exploring the scope and likely pros and cons of various reforms through the sharing of knowledge and expertise.