Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Decorative image

    Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme

    Guiding energy-efficient design and construction for a net-zero future

    Find out more about NatHERS

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    Read our Nature Positive Plan

    Our plan sets out the Australian Government’s commitment to environmental law reform

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Office of the Science Convenor
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Decorative image

    Juukan Gorge response

    Read the Australian Government's response to the destruction at Juukan Gorge and the recommendations

    Read the response

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Environment
  3. Environment protection
  4. Waste and recycling
  5. Waste publications and data
  6. Waste Reports, Data and Tools
  7. National Waste Report 2013 - Introduction
  8. National waste stream profiles

Sidebar first - EN - Protection

  • National Waste Report 2013
    • International obligations
    • Policies and governance
    • National data
    • National waste streams
    • State and territory data
    • Organic waste
    • Hazardous waste
    • Industry
    • Infrastructure
    • Community operations
    • Product stewardship
    • Mapping Tool
    • Data workbooks
    • Downloads
    • Frequently asked questions

National waste stream profiles

National Waste Report 2013 « Previous » Next
This section provides an overview of national waste stream profiles.

More detailed information is available in the fact sheets below.

Fact sheets

Fact sheet - Municipal solid waste (MSW) stream profile 2010-11 (PDF - 71.11 KB)
Fact sheet - Municipal solid waste (MSW) stream profile 2010-11 (DOCX - 71.7 KB)

Fact sheet - Commercial and industrial (C&I) waste profile 2010-11 (PDF - 161.8 KB)
Fact sheet - Commercial and industrial (C&I) waste profile 2010-11 (DOCX - 357.99 KB)

Fact sheet - Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste profile 2010-11 (PDF - 72.35 KB)
Fact sheet - Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste profile 2010-11 (DOCX - 71.67 KB)

Fact sheet - Biosolids profile (PDF - 374.88 KB)
Fact sheet - Biosolids profile (DOCX - 118.43 KB)

Fact sheet - Marine debris (PDF - 68.17 KB)
Fact sheet - Marine debris (DOCX - 39.26 KB)

Overview

Key fact: In 2010–11, the Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste stream represented both the greatest amount of waste generated and, at 66 per cent, the highest recovery rate of the three main waste streams. The municipal solid waste (MSW) stream represented the lowest waste generation and recovery rate, at 51 per cent.

Waste may be categorised according to:

  • its source e.g. municipal solid waste (MSW), commercial and industrial (C&I) and construction and demolition (C&D)
  • its properties e.g. hazardous, solid or liquid
  • its composition e.g. organic
  • its context, including its final destination e.g. marine debris.

A waste may be classed under more than one category. For example, liquid waste may also be hazardous. A waste may also move between categories e.g. a hazardous waste may be treated so it is no longer considered hazardous.

Waste streams

Solid waste is categorised into three major streams:

Municipal solid waste (MSW)

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is primarily waste collected from households and councils, such as through kerbside waste and recycling collections. It includes biodegradable material, recyclable materials such as bottles, paper, cardboard and aluminium cans, and a wide range of non‑degradable material including paint, appliances, old furniture and household lighting1.

In 2010–11, about 14 Mt of MSW was generated nationally. About 51 per cent was recovered – the lowest resource recovery rate of the three main waste streams (see Figure 1). While some MSW waste is separated at its source for recycling (e.g. kerbside recyclables and garden wastes), the residual or landfill bin from households is a major part of MSW disposal tonnage. The contents of these bins are a complex mix of materials and can only be recovered using expensive and complex infrastructure that generally produces products of lower quality than those from source-separated wastes.

Commercial and industrial (C&I)

Commercial and industrial waste is waste that is produced by institutions and businesses; includes waste from schools, restaurants, offices, retail and wholesale businesses, and industries including manufacturing2. In 2010–11, around 15 Mt of C&I waste was generated, of which 59 per cent was recovered (see Figure 1). The C&I stream may present the greatest opportunities for improving recovery, especially for wastes that are delivered to landfill in homogenous loads (e.g. cardboard or food). Improving the performance of energy recovery at landfill would improve the resource recovery rates of both MSW and C&I.

For more information on C&I waste see:

  • C&I waste profile factsheet
  • A study into commercial and industrial (C&I) waste and recycling in Australia by industry division
  • Place-based approaches to commercial and industrial waste and recycling

Construction and demolition (C&D)

Construction and demolition waste refers to waste produced by demolition and building activities, including road and rail construction and maintenance and excavation of land associated with construction activities. The C&D waste stream usually covers only some of the generation, disposal and recycling of C&D wastes, as these materials can also be found in the MSW and C&I streams, or as hazardous wastes 3.

In 2010–11, C&D waste generation was around 18 Mt (see Figure 1). At 66 per cent, the resource recovery rate was the highest of the three streams. C&D recovery is well-established in most jurisdictions, but opportunities remain for recovering material from mixed C&D waste loads, which are often taken directly to landfill.

For more information on C&D waste see:

  • C&D waste factsheet
  • Construction and demolition waste guide – recycling and re-use across the supply chain
  • Construction and demolition waste status report: management of construction and demolition waste in Australia

Figure 1 Australia total waste generation by stream and management (excluding ACT)*,  2010–11

Figure 1
 

*ACT tonnages are included because that jurisdiction does not collect data on the sources of recycled materials by stream

Other wastes

Hazardous waste

Hazardous substances and wastes are defined and controlled by international agreements and domestic legislation. Hazardous waste is typically reported separately from MSW, C&I and C&D waste streams, even where these wastes are produced by the same sites and activities that produce non-hazardous wastes. During 2010–2011, 6 463 743 tonnes of hazardous waste was generated in Australia.

For more information on hazardous waste see:

  • Waste-related international obligations overview
  • Hazardous waste overview
  • Hazardous waste factsheet
  • Hazardous waste data assessment and summary
  • Review of Australia’s international waste-related reporting obligations
  • www.environment.gov.au/hazardous-waste

Liquid waste

Liquid waste can be divided into three main streams: sewerage, trade waste and hazardous liquid waste. In 2009–10, the total reported volume of liquid waste collected by sewage treatment plants, excluding rural water service providers, was 1 900 641 mega litres (ML) which included 1 424 360 ML of sewage and 125 769 ML of trade waste.

For more information on liquid waste see the Liquid waste assessment.

Biosolids

Biosolids are a by-product of the sewage treatment process. When sewage sludge is treated to an acceptable standard, the resulting biosolids can be used for beneficial uses such as application to agricultural land, for landscaping and soil amendment after composting. Table 1 displays data on the amount of biosolids generated and their end use or treatment for 2009–10 and 2012–13.

Table 1 Biosolid generation and end use or treatment
Measurement Generated Beneficial use Disposal Other
Dry tonnes (2012‑13) 333 000 227 914 14 637 86 950
Dry tonnes (2009‑10) 300 000 198 783 16 597 88 426
Percentage of total (2012‑13) n/a 69 4 26
Percentage of total (2009‑10) n/a 65 6 29

Source: ANZBP 2013 4, 2010 5.

For more information on biosolids see the biosolids factsheet and Biosolids snapshot.

Download

Download this overview as a PDF file.

  • Overview - National waste stream profiles (PDF - 64.4 KB)
  • More downloads

1  National Waste Report 2010, www.scew.gov.au/resource/ephc-archive-waste-management#National_waste_policy

2  National Waste Report 2010, www.scew.gov.au/resource/ephc-archive-waste-management#National_waste_policy

3  Ibid.

4  ANZBP-Australian & New Zealand Biosolids Partnership 2013, Biosolids production in Australia: the Australian and New Zealand Biosolids Partnership national survey of biosolids production and end use, Australian Water Association, Sydney.

5  ANZBP-Australian & New Zealand Biosolids Partnership 2010, Biosolids production in Australia: The Australian and New Zealand Biosolids Partnership national survey of biosolids production and end use, Australian Water Association, Sydney.

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 03 October 2021

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.