8.6 End of Waste Codes
The Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (Queensland Government 2018d)
promotes higher resource recovery and recycling rates and aims to transform the
perception of waste from being seen as ‘waste’ to being valued as a ‘resource’. The
end of waste (EOW) framework under Chapter 8A of the Waste Reduction and
Recycling Act 2011 promotes resource recovery opportunities. The EOW framework
consists of codes and approvals. EOW codes are outcome focused, specifying outcomes that need to be achieved in order for waste to be deemed a resource. EOW
codes relate to any registered resource producers for a code, whilst EOW approvals
are considered on a trial basis for reusing waste as a resource for which an EOW
code has not been developed for the waste. In approving a waste, conditions under
which the resource is to be used are imposed onto the approval holder. A significant
benefit of an end of waste code is that regulated wastes (when classified as a
resource) are not subject to standard regulated waste transport and tracking
provisions – except those specified in the EOW code or approval. General EOW
codes include:
• Oyster shells (used for the purpose of constructing structures designed to promote
the settlement of oyster spat)
• Fertiliser wash water and slurry
• Concrete washout wastes (including for the treatment of acid sulphate soils)
• Sugar mill by-products (soil ameliorant and conditioner for agricultural land and
turf farm/compost or soil conditioner manufacturing, additive to soil used for
landscaping)
• Coal combustion products (including reuse as a soil ameliorant)
• Irrigation of associated water (including coal seam gas water)
• Biosolids
There are also a number of general ‘beneficial use approvals’ issued under the
previous regulatory framework which apply until their individual expiry:
• Foundry sand (and its addition to compost)
• Drilling muds (and its addition to compost)
• Irrigation of associated water (including coal seam gas water)
All of the approvals contain maximum permitted contaminant levels and limitations regarding their application. However, contaminant levels are typically based on
guidelines from other states, and the available literature and approvals are not
updated as information becomes available on new and emerging contaminants.
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G. Davis
The Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (Queensland Government 2018d)
promotes higher resource recovery and recycling rates and aims to transform the
perception of waste from being seen as ‘waste’ to being valued as a ‘resource’. The
end of waste (EOW) framework under Chapter 8A of the Waste Reduction and
Recycling Act 2011 promotes resource recovery opportunities. The EOW framework
consists of codes and approvals. EOW codes are outcome focused, specifying outcomes that need to be achieved in order for waste to be deemed a resource. EOW
codes relate to any registered resource producers for a code, whilst EOW approvals
are considered on a trial basis for reusing waste as a resource for which an EOW
code has not been developed for the waste. In approving a waste, conditions under
which the resource is to be used are imposed onto the approval holder. A significant
benefit of an end of waste code is that regulated wastes (when classified as a
resource) are not subject to standard regulated waste transport and tracking
provisions – except those specified in the EOW code or approval. General EOW
codes include:
• Oyster shells (used for the purpose of constructing structures designed to promote
the settlement of oyster spat)
• Fertiliser wash water and slurry
• Concrete washout wastes (including for the treatment of acid sulphate soils)
• Sugar mill by-products (soil ameliorant and conditioner for agricultural land and
turf farm/compost or soil conditioner manufacturing, additive to soil used for
landscaping)
• Coal combustion products (including reuse as a soil ameliorant)
• Irrigation of associated water (including coal seam gas water)
• Biosolids
There are also a number of general ‘beneficial use approvals’ issued under the
previous regulatory framework which apply until their individual expiry:
• Foundry sand (and its addition to compost)
• Drilling muds (and its addition to compost)
• Irrigation of associated water (including coal seam gas water)
All of the approvals contain maximum permitted contaminant levels and limitations regarding their application. However, contaminant levels are typically based on
guidelines from other states, and the available literature and approvals are not
updated as information becomes available on new and emerging contaminants.
126
G. Davis