Recycling Activity in South Australia 2011-12

Executive Summary: - Introduction Each year since 2003-04 Zero Waste SA has measured recycling activity and waste disposal to landfill in South Australia (SA) to assess the State’s performance against State Waste Strategy Targets. This report presents the results from the SA Recycling Activity Survey for 2011-12, which collected the State’s recycling and landfill disposal data for this purpose. Summary of 2011-12 results. Total resource recovery for SA was 3.98 million tonnes (Table 1 below). In accordance with new National Guidelines for compiling waste and recycling data (DSEWPC 2012a), this total resource recovery comprised:  2.75 million tonnes of ‘Standard Reporting Materials’ – which includes traditionally reported material categories of metals, organics, cardboard & paper, glass, plastics, masonry, etc.;  1.23 million tonnes of ‘Separately Reported Materials’ – reported data for soil, sand, rock, rubble and fly ash materials, which are considered separately because these materials can fluctuate significantly across reporting years and between different States and Territories. Total landfill disposal was 1.22 million tonnes. Nearly one quarter (311,000 tonnes) of this landfill disposal was contaminated soil from construction activities. This material can also be categorised as a ‘Separately Reported Material’ under new National Guidelines for compiling waste and recycling data (DSEWPC 2012a). SA therefore achieved a diversion rate of 76.5% (of total waste generated to resource recovery). Table 1 Summary of 2011-12 Recycling Activity results for resource recovery, landfill disposal, total waste generated, and total diversion (waste to resource recovery) achieved in SA during 2011-12.