Substantial quantities of waste are generated in our society every day. In Western Australia, we are becoming more and more concerned with the volume of waste we produce and not just the quantity of waste going to landfill.

As the State's population grows, the generation of waste will continue to increase, creating environmental problems that must be addressed.

A strategic approach to address waste issues has been developed. The approach draws upon past strategies and relies upon everyone in the community to contribute. Further information on the strategic approach to waste can be found on the Zero Waste web site.

Our Role

The Department of Environment and Conservation has a broad role in facilitating and implementing, where necessary, a new approach that recognises the complexity of managing wastes in our society. In undertaking that role, the Department is responsible for developing policy in collaboration with the Waste Management Board, and for undertaking, on behalf of the Board, specific projects aimed at key points in the waste stream where the greatest strategic impacts will be made.

The Waste Management Board

The Waste Management Board is an advisory body, established by Cabinet to provide advice to the Minister for the Environment on strategic direction and priorities for waste in Western Australia, and the administration of the Waste Management and Recycling Fund.

Please visit the Zero Waste web site for further information.

The Waste Management & Recycling Fund

The Waste Management and Recycling Fund (WMRF) is a trust fund established for the landfill levy. The money in the fund is used for programs related to the management, reduction, reuse, recycling, monitoring or measurement of waste.

In 2002 the Minister for the Environment suspended the advertising of regular rounds of grant funding from the WMRF, until a statutory review of the fund was complete. The Waste Management Board has completed the review and the Minister for the Environment tabled the report in Parliament on 27 October 2004.