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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3762 ..

MS MacDONALD (continuing):

In all cases, Canberra is acknowledged as being the leader in the field and the model to follow. I must say, however, that like all world leaders in any field, we must strive to maintain our lead. Canberra must continue to develop strategies and activities which address waste and reduce landfill. We cannot sit on our hands and be happy about where we are, and I am glad that this government-and by all indications, the entire Assembly-is committed to constant improvements. Being environmentally focused, I would urge all Assembly members to determinably pursue the no waste goal. The future of our environment, our economy and our quality of life is dependent upon it.

Mr Deputy Speaker, unique circumstances in the ACT position us to be able to do better than most other cities in reducing waste. Our size, geographical isolation, the government structure, a lack of heavy industry, as well as our well-educated and environmentally aware community are all factors that position us to be the leader in sustainable waste management, and in a lot of ways I believe that we are. Of course, as I have also said, that doesn't mean we cannot continually strive for improvements.

To date, the no waste strategy has been responsible for the creation of 260 local jobs. It has saved an enormous amount of resources, reduced water and energy consumption and avoided the need to search for new landfill sites. So there you have it: proof that the no waste strategy and, indeed, a strong commitment to environmental management creates jobs and helps grow the economy.

More than 130,000 tonnes of garden organics were processed last year through the green waste drop-off centres. I would just add that a friend of mine whom I was talking to in Sydney at the weekend was most impressed to hear about our green waste drop-off centres and wished that she had some as well to take her green waste to. This arrangement significantly reduces the amount of harmful greenhouse gases and leachate generated from the burial of these materials. Indeed, initiatives under the no waste strategy have been identified as a key measure to achieve abatement targets under the ACT's greenhouse strategy. For those organic materials that have already been buried, the methane extraction and energy generation plant that was established under the no waste strategy will ensure that our greenhouse emissions from this source are minimised.

There are a couple of concerns that I have despite some significantly good news. Although progress and implementation on the strategy has resulted in a 64 per cent recovery of the total waste stream-which is three times what it was less than a decade ago-waste generation on both a total tonnage and a per capita basis has also increased. In 1995-96 the ACT produced a total of 1.3 tonnes of waste per capita, and in 2001-02 waste generation has risen to a total of 1.8 tonnes per capita.

Quite clearly, the whole community has a part to play in reducing their waste generation. As always, education and cultural change must be encouraged to assist with a per capita reduction in waste. I would say that the one thing that the Chiefly bio-bin trial has taught us is that people in this town are not resistant to those education campaigns and are prepared to make the cultural changes.

Of the current 220 tonnes of waste disposed at landfill in the ACT annually, 59,000 tonnes is collected at kerbside in the ACT and Queanbeyan. Approximately 161,000 tonnes of waste is delivered to the landfill by both commercial and private users. Of the

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