The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed the launch of the Voluntary Waste Industry Protocol.
The Government says the Protocol will give councils greater certainty on how to handle revenue collected before the repeal of the carbon tax in 2014.
Developed collaboratively by ALGA and the Australian Landfill Owners Association (ALOA), and in partnership with the Government, The Protocol addresses the uncertainty around the handling of upfront costs charged by many landfill operators and councils that anticipated future carbon tax liability of deposited waste which decomposes and releases emissions over decades.
Following the repeal of the carbon tax, the liabilities calculated during the two years of the tax were nullified.
The Protocol will ensure that early-collected carbon tax revenue is either provided to councils for the community’s benefit or directed towards emissions abatement activities.
“I would like to thank ALOA and the Government for their cooperation in putting together a plan that has resulted in a great outcome for our communities,” President of the ALGA Mayor Troy Pickard said.
“Local government will ensure that any revenue received through this Protocol is returned to local communities or transparently invested in projects that will benefit local communities such as reducing waste costs, improving the management of landfills and reducing emissions through innovative use of renewable energy.”
Individual landfill owners will have the option to accept to be bound by the Protocol and those who do will be identified on the Department of the Environment’s website.
The Protocol will not override contractual arrangements between landfill operators and their customers.
