Recycling Activity in South Australia 2012-13

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 2012-13, which collected the State’s recycling and landfill disposal data for this purpose. Summary of 2012-13 results Total resource recovery for SA was 3.45 million tonnes (Table 1 below). In accordance with National Guidelines for compiling waste and recycling data (DSEWPC 2012a), this total resource recovery comprised: 2.66 million tonnes of ‘Standard Reporting Materials’ – which includes traditionally reported material categories of metals, organics, cardboard & paper, glass, plastics, masonry, etc.; 0.79 million tonnes of ‘Separately Reported Materials’ & Clean Fill – 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 for SA was 1.01 million tonnes. Approximately 14% (140,000 tonnes) of this landfill disposal was contaminated soil from construction activities. This material can also be categorised as a Separately Reported Material under National Guidelines for compiling waste and recycling data (DSEWPC 2012a). SA therefore, achieved a diversion rate of 77.4% (of total waste generated to resource recovery).