Sustainable Business Development - Past Events

Impact of Waste Legislation in NSW
Robyn Pearson, Director of Waste Audit

Waste Management must become part of the total business strategy and management practice. Responsibility lies with all employees, managers and directors.

Environmental management in Australia has previously been achieved through legislation. The trend now is toward self-regulaiton, with the public demanding cleaner industries. Companies now need to be fully aware of the environmental consequences of their business activities.

How to control environmental issues.

- First, general awareness of potential problems
- Second, action to mitigate or avoid the problems. Approaches that can be taken are: audits, education programs waste minimisation, Environmental Management Systems.

Key Players
Commonwealth
Treaties,
Australian and New Zealand Envionment Conservation Council (ANZECC),
Environment Australia (EA),
National Environment Protection Council,
Waste Minimisation Strategy
State
Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
State Waste Advisory Council (SWAC)
Regional Waste Boards
Self-Regulation (industry groups)
Local
Local Government Act
Community Groups
Industrial Groups
Trade Unions

Definition of Waste
Waste is :
· Any substance which is discharged, emitted or deposited in the environment in such volume, consistency or manner as to cause an alteration in the environment, or
· Any discarded, rejected, unwanted or abandoned substance, or
· Any otherwise discarded, rejected, unwanted, surplus or abandoned substance intended for sale or recycling, reprocessing, recovery or purification by a separate operation, or
· Any substance prescribed by the regulations to be waste