Page 2157 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 5 June 2019
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container deposit scheme. He said that the case for the CDS was unfounded—a scheme that has collected over 23 million containers in less than a year. We know that Mr Coe thinks our nation-leading plan to phase out unnecessary, problematic single-use plastics in the ACT is overreach. Mr Coe thinks we should wait and see when it comes to banning plastics or phasing out problematic plastics. He may not be aware that Australia is in the midst of a national waste crisis and that our government, along with other jurisdictions such as his Liberal counterparts in South Australia, is taking action now.
Perhaps most egregiously, Ms Lee, as the shadow minister for the environment, cast doubts on human involvement in climate change. Despite this, Ms Lawder has taken the brave step of differentiating herself from her Liberal colleagues by moving a suspiciously pro-environment and pro-recycling motion here today.
With this in mind I am very pleased to update the Assembly on what the ACT government is doing to manage the safe disposal, recycling and recovery of end-of-life solar panels and batteries in the ACT. I would like to highlight that the ACT government is continually exploring ways to reduce, re-use and recycle all types of waste in the ACT, not just waste arising from solar panels and batteries. Our waste management strategy is clearly focused on less waste generation and full resource recovery.
Ms Lawder’s motion calls on the ACT government to find ways to enable the recycling of PV panels in our city. I think this lacks the contextual information it requires; hence the amendment which has been circulated in my name. This is not just an ACT issue; this is a national issue. I am pleased to provide an update today on efforts to develop a national stewardship approach and improve recovery and recycling arrangements for photovoltaic solar systems, otherwise known as PVs.
PV systems consist of modules, inverters, batteries, installation and control components that use energy from the sun to generate electricity on our rooftops and solar farms. These systems are being increasingly purchased as an alternative to traditional means of energy creation.
According to the latest national survey report of PV applications, in Australia 2017 was a record year for PV installations. In fact, I installed PV on my roof in that year as well. This growing popularity is attributed to increases in electricity prices, the reduced price of PV systems and associated subsidies, a swift ramp-up of renewable energy and increasing awareness amongst the community and businesses of the potential benefits of these systems. This research also tells us that PV system components have an estimated average life span of between seven and 35 years. An increase in solar installations over the last decade means that PV systems will enter Australia’s waste stream in significant volumes in coming years.
The life-cycle impacts of PV systems include the end-of-life management of these materials; that is, as PV equipment reaches the end of its useful life span, the level of recovery, recycling, re-use and safe disposal is an important part of PV’s environmental performance.
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