Resource management

Key points

  • Planning's role in waste management is limited to the siting and design of waste management facilities.

Background

Waste management is complex and involves a broad range of issues. Tackling waste and resource recovery issues for Tasmania requires partnerships between state government, local government, business, the community and the Australian Government. Some key issues relating to waste and resource recovery are:

  • the impact of methane emissions on the climate
  • the loss of precious resources
  • difficulty finding new and acceptable landfill sites
  • and the impact on the broader environment when materials are discarded.

In Tasmania, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRET) has made a commitment to tackle a broad range of these issues. Planning also has a role to play.

How is this managed within the planning system

Planning's role is focused on promoting the efficient, effective, sustainable and safe delivery of services including sewerage, stormwater management, recycling and waste management.

Planning initiatives

Container Refund Scheme

In 2022, the Tasmanian Parliament passed legislation to introduce a Container Refund Scheme across Tasmania. While the proposed scheme is modeled on schemes that exist in other Australian jurisdictions, it is also specifically designed to fit within Tasmania’s planning and regulatory system.

The Container Refund Scheme Act 2022 sets out the broad aims and requirements of the scheme. Other aspects of the scheme will take effect through Tasmania’s planning system, which sets out what and where various land uses are permitted - this requires changes to the Tasmanian Planning Scheme and remaining interim planning schemes, mostly in relation to waste transfer stations and where and how they operate. These changes are occuring as a priority for the Government.

For more information about how the Container Refund Scheme will operate, see the information prepared by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRET).

Who does what?

  • The Department of Natural Resouces is responsible for waste management legislation and policy.
  • Individual waste management sites are managed by the local council.