Councils across South East Queensland (SEQ) are joining forces to address the growing landfill challenge as existing sites approach capacity and disposal costs continue to rise.
Council of Mayors (SEQ) has applied to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on behalf of 11 SEQ councils. The application seeks authorisation for regional solutions to treat residual waste instead of sending it to landfill.
By working together, councils can help reduce reliance on landfill, minimise long-term waste costs for households and meet the Queensland Government's waste targets.
Residual waste is general waste from red top household bins that cannot be recycled, composted or reused and is currently sent to landfill.
The Queensland Waste Strategy sets a long-term goal to reduce waste and divert 90 per cent from landfill by 2050.
Households are already paying more for waste disposal due to the landfill levy introduced in 2019 by the former State Government.
Councils must pay this levy on every tonne of waste sent to landfill, which flows directly on to households. Under current arrangements, the landfill levy is expected to increase significantly over the next decade, hitting South East Queensland households.
The SEQ Waste Management Plan and detailed analysis show councils can achieve better outcomes by working together. This includes reducing long-term costs for ratepayers and renters, while planning for the region's future waste needs.
The proposal focuses on alternatives to landfill for residual waste but will not replace ongoing efforts to improve recycling and waste reduction efforts. Instead, it will provide an alternative for more than one million tonnes of household waste that is currently sent to landfill each year.
Similar projects have been delivered or are underway across Australia, including Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
The proposal will explore a range of options, including emerging technologies that create sustainable biofuels. It will also assess proven solutions that generate power for industry and households while reducing landfill use.
Many solutions are already commonly used as alternatives to landfill, with more than 2,800 facilities operating globally, including in Australia, Singapore, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Japan, the UK, Austria, France and Switzerland.
By working together, SEQ councils can give industry the certainty needed to invest in new infrastructure. This will help deliver better value for households and meet the State's waste targets.
Any solutions would need approval from the Queensland Government and would meet global best practice requirements such as the European Union's Industrial Emissions Directive.
This application has been supported with funding from the Crisafulli Government as part of its commitment to deliver the outcomes of the Queensland Waste Strategy.
The 11 local governments collaborating in the application include Brisbane City Council, City of Moreton Bay, Ipswich City Council, Logan City Council, Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa Council, Redland City Council, Somerset Regional Council, Toowoomba Regional Council, Lockyer Valley Regional Council and Scenic Rim Regional Council.
Brisbane City Council - Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner:
"Rising costs and our region's growth mean we can't keep relying on landfill to manage our waste. By working together, councils can shift toward more sustainable solutions that help minimise long-term costs for households. This collaborative approach will help meet the State's waste targets, without placing unnecessary pressure on ratepayers and renters."
Logan City Council - Mayor Jon Raven:
"Like many in South East Queensland, Logan families are also feeling the pressure of rising costs and they deserve practical solutions. By working with councils across our region, we can deliver better long-term value for our ratepayers and move away from landfill towards smarter, more sustainable waste solutions."
Sunshine Coast Council - Mayor Rosanna Natoli:
"With landfill capacity shrinking and cost rising, we need a safe, sustainable solution to manage residual waste into the future. Collaborating with our neighbouring SEQ councils will deliver the best value for Sunshine Coast residents now, will help us meet environmental targets, and minimise costs for locals long-term."
City of Moreton Bay - Mayor Peter Flannery:
"With rising costs, landfill simply isn't a long-term option for our growing city. By working together with SEQ Councils and the State Government, we can deliver innovative solutions that treat landfill waste and minimise cost impacts on ratepayers, while supporting a greener future for City of Moreton Bay."
Noosa Council - Mayor Frank Wilkie:
"Noosa is leading the way when it comes to recycling rates in SEQ - but there is still a significant amount of household waste that cannot be recycled and must be sent to landfill. The waste levy means landfill is becoming more expensive and less viable, and smaller councils have limited options to attract competitive alternates. But by collaborating with SEQ Councils we can achieve this and better overall outcomes for our ratepayers."
Somerset Regional Council - Mayor Jason Wendt:
"For councils like Somerset, collaboration is important to ensure regional solutions reflect the different circumstances across South East Queensland.
"While Somerset currently has landfill capacity, changes to the waste levy rebate settings mean we need to consider long-term cost certainty for our community. Participating in this regional approach allows us to explore alternatives and protect our ratepayers from escalating waste disposal costs."
Toowoomba Regional Council - Mayor Geoff McDonald:
"Toowoomba is looking beyond landfill to solutions that create real value for our region. This collaboration opens the door to explore innovative technologies supporting new industries and jobs, while delivering long-term financially sustainable services to our ratepayers."
Lockyer Valley Regional Council - Mayor Tanya Milligan:
"We need practical, cost-effective ways to manage our landfill waste. Working with SEQ councils means we have the opportunity to secure better options for our community long-term."
Scenic Rim Regional Council - Mayor Tom Sharp:
"South East Queensland has major challenges ahead in terms of waste disposal, with our population set to grow from four million today to a projected six million by 2040. With government now moving landfill out of the waste management solution, we urgently and collectively need to explore all available options while continuing to preserve our environment. As a collective, the Council of Mayors (SEQ) initiative is an important step forward in finding those solutions."
Redland City Council - Mayor Jos Mitchell:
"Redlands needs sustainable, future-focused solutions because traditional landfill is becoming more expensive and less viable. We have a track record of working together with SEQ councils to secure long-term benefits for our ratepayers."
