Page 2456 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 31 July 2019
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as a result of my recent private member’s motion. The re-usable coffee cup zone will support businesses and consumers to reduce the number of disposable coffee cups that end up in our landfill; and, from the feedback I have received so far, people are very excited for the trial to begin.
All of these initiatives show that it is possible for us to transition to a circular economy here in Canberra. As defined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a circular economy is a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. The three key principles of a circular economy are to design out waste pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems. These principles may seem like obvious ways to reduce waste. However, we know that our current business as usual model will not allow us to achieve these objectives. That is why it is imperative that governments and our communities look for new opportunities to build a circular economy.
The European Commission has already begun work on transitioning to a circular economy. As the 2018 national waste report highlights, the European Commission’s circular economy action plan sets out targets for the reduction of different waste streams. The action plan includes goals to separate the collection of hazardous household waste by 2022, biowaste by 2023 and textiles by 2025, among several other ambitious and important goals. Through the establishment of the broader circular economy package, the European Commission has estimated that the transition to a circular economy would provide waste management savings of €30 billion over 20 years.
While talking about the economic saving that can come from circular economy initiatives, it is also important to note the benefit to working people. ACT Labor is the party for working people in this city, and it is therefore up to us as a Labor government to make sure Canberrans have access to secure local jobs, now and into the future. Re-using and recycling creates approximately 9.2 jobs per 10,000 tonnes of waste, compared with 2.8 jobs per 10,000 tonnes of waste sent to landfill. These are jobs that should be invested in and, realistically, will become the jobs of the very near future, as part of a cleaner and more sustainable economy.
We should also be looking to invest in the research and development that will advance sustainable technology and industries. We should be finding ways to encourage people to explore their innovative ideas and support their start-ups and small businesses. There are already several sustainable businesses in Canberra that are transforming the way we think about what our environment will look like in the future, and I would like to highlight two of these in a moment.
With such significant savings and job opportunities to be made, we should be looking at how we can follow the example of bodies like the European Commission in transitioning to a circular economy. One area of opportunity that I want to bring into the spotlight today is clothing and textiles.
When talking about waste streams and opportunities for new initiatives, textile waste is something that cannot be ignored. In 2009-10 the Australian Bureau of Statistics calculated that Australians sent approximately 85 per cent of purchased textiles to
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