Page 4434 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2019

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(2) Furniture made from fully recycled plastic has been used in Canberra since 2004. As technology improves and new products become available new trials are run to determine suitability. In late 2018 CRA established a Sustainability Strategy to guide its obligation to coordinate cohesive urban renewal that is design-led, people focussed and sustainable. A theme in the strategy is ‘sustainable use of resources’ and this includes the adaptive re-use of buildings, structures or landscapes where appropriate, to help create a sense of place and reduce emissions embodied in construction. CRA advocates for waste minimisation, recycling and reuse in its procurement. The selection of timber furniture is based on the resource being a renewable resource which has longevity and can be easily maintained. CRA will continue to research new products using recycled materials, such as plastic, as they come onto the market.

(3) None of the furniture installed by CRA is made from recycled material. The timber benches are manufactured with sustainably sourced Australian hardwood (Spotted Gum).

(4) TCCS has a working group that is investigating opportunities to increase the usage of recycled materials. The Chief Minster, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate oversees policy directions such as the 2015 Sustainable Procurement policy available on the web: https://www.procurement.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1345887/Sustainable-Procurement-Policy.pdf

Waste—recycling
(Question No 2676)

Ms Le Couteur asked the Minister for Transport and City Services, upon notice, on 23 August 2019 (redirected to the Minister for Recycling and Waste Reduction):

(1) How is the fate of recycled items from the ACT’s waste streams monitored, including (a) kerbside collection, (b) deposit-paid bottle collections, (c) industrial waste, and (d) other collections at landfill and recycling plants such as engine oils, vehicle tyres and batteries.

(2) Did plastics and packaging industries and businesses contribute to the development of the container deposit scheme; if so, how.

(3) Do plastics and packaging industries and businesses contribute to the ongoing operation of the container deposit scheme; if so, how.

(4) Are there specific targets for recycling different waste streams and, in particular, the various varieties of plastics, and are these targets monitored and reported on; if yes, what are the results to date.

(5) What steps are being taken or planned to improve the performance of the various recycling processes.

(6) What is the cost of establishing and operating kerbside recycling in Canberra.

(7) How do these costs compare with the costs of sending waste to landfill.


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