A whole-of-government approach is required to coordinate immediate interventions, as well as plan longer-term solutions to respond to these global changes.
To this end, the NSW Government has established an inter-governmental Taskforce to urgently progress a longer-term strategic response to National Sword, in partnership with industry and local councils.
This Taskforce is led and chaired by the NSW EPA. The Taskforce includes representatives from
- NSW EPA (Chair)
- Department of Premier and Cabinet, including the Cross-Border Commissioner
- NSW Treasury
- Department of Finance, Services and Innovation
- Roads and Maritime Services
- Fire & Rescue NSW
- Department of Planning and Environment
- Office of Local Government
- Office of the Small Business Commissioner
Longer term solutions are required to ensure NSW can continue its strong recycling record. The Taskforce’s work is focused on long-term actions, including: examining the use of recycled products and scouting opportunities to increase the use of recycled products; developing a circular economy policy for NSW and supporting the development of national circular economy principles; investigating opportunities to streamline the approval and operation of new and expanded recycling facilities; developing model contract clauses and other tools and resources to support better functioning kerbside recycling markets; and examining a range of other long term initiatives to strengthen local recycling and associated support requirements.
This Taskforce is also consulting with industry, local government and other relevant stakeholders.
Working Groups
To help drive its work, the Taskforce has established five Working Groups to focus on specific objectives. The five Working Groups include
Working Group 1 - Government Procurement
The objective of Working Group 1 is to investigate opportunities for state and local government procurement to increase the use of recycled products in NSW. The group has identified that the biggest gains could be made through ‘general goods and services’ and ‘construction and infrastructure’ procurement, and is focusing on these areas.
Working Group 1 is led and chaired by NSW Procurement, within the Department of Finance Services and Innovation. The Working Group includes representatives from
- NSW Procurement (Chair)
- Department of Industry
- NSW Environment Protection Authority
- Office of Local Government
- Office of the Small Business Commissioner
- Roads and Maritime Services
Working Group 2 – Circular Economy and Inter-jurisdictional Engagement
The objective of Working Group 2 is to develop a circular economy policy for NSW, and support the development of national circular economy principles. Circular economy principles aims to increase the efficiency of resource use, by seeing materials and components being reused or recycled many times over. The intention of developing and adopting a more circular economy approach is to the strengthen the NSW recycling industry, and in doing so generate a range of social, environment and economic benefits for the community.
Working Group 2 is led and chaired by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. The Working Group includes representatives from:
- NSW Environment Protection Authority (Chair)
- Department of Industry
- Department of Planning and Environment
- Department of Premier and Cabinet
- NSW Treasury
- Office of the Cross-Border Commissioner
- Office of Local Government
Working Group 3 – Streamlining Approval of Recycling Facilities
The objective of Working Group 3 is to identify opportunities to streamline the approval and operation of new recycling facilities and the expansion of existing facilities, while balancing the safety of human health and the environment.
Working Group 3 is led and chaired by the Department of Planning and Environment. The Working Group includes representatives from:
- Department of Planning and Environment (Chair)
- Fire & Rescue NSW
- NSW Environment Protection Authority
- Office of Local Government
Working Group 4 – Long-term Solutions
The objective of Working Group 4 is to commission economic modelling to quantify the impacts of China’s National Sword policy on the NSW economy, and examine the most appropriate points of Government intervention to strengthen the resilience and performance of NSW’ recycling sector.
The modelling will consider a range of future possible scenarios, including: opportunities to develop new local markets for recycled products; co-investment in the expansion of existing recyclables processing and remanufacturing infrastructure capacity in NSW; improved kerbside collection services that reduce contamination levels; and community education campaigns.
This Working Group will also support the other Working Groups to evaluate the costs and benefits of proposed initiatives.
Working Group 4 is led and chaired by the Department of Industry. The Working Group includes representatives from:
- Department of Industry (Chair)
- Department of Finance, Services and Innovation
- Department of Planning and Environment
- Department of Premier and Cabinet
- NSW Environment Protection Authority
- NSW Treasury
- Office of Local Government
- Office of the Small Business Commissioner
Working Group 5 – Model Contracts and Negotiation Support
The objective of Working Group 5 is to work with industry and local councils to ensure there are arrangements in place which facilitate the effective functioning of kerbside recycling in NSW.
The Working Group is pursuing this by working with material recovery facilities and local councils to develop model contract clauses for the collection and processing of kerbside recyclables, and developing a range of other tools and resources that can assist councils and material recovery facilities to negotiate improved contractual arrangements and kerbside recycling outcomes.
Working Group 5 is led and chaired by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. The Working Group includes representatives from:
- NSW Environment Protection Authority (Chair)
- Office of Local Government
- Department of Industry
- Department of Premier and Cabinet
- NSW Treasury
Reference Groups
Two stakeholder groups have been established to work with the Taskforce Working Groups; the Local Councils Reference Group and Industry Reference Group.
The Reference Groups provide a conduit of information between industry, local councils and the Taskforce and its Working Groups. The Reference Groups enable the Taskforce to access the expert knowledge of the members and provide a forum to share ideas, hear concerns and learn about actions being taken to respond to China’s National Sword policy and strengthen local recycling.
The Local Council Reference Group includes representatives from key associations and a selection of metro and regional groups of councils, members include:
- Hunter Joint Organisation of Councils
- Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA)
- Local Government NSW
- NetWaste
- North East Waste
- RENEW NSW
- Riverina and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils
- Southern Sydney Region of Councils
- Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils
The Industry Reference Group includes representatives from key associations, material recovery facilities, collection contractors and local universities, members include:
- Australian Council of Recyclers (ACOR)
- Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO)
- Australian Sustainable Business Group (ASBG)
- Cleanaway
- Handybin Waste Services (Coffs Harbour)
- JR Richards
- Lismore City Council
- National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC)
- PAR Recycling Services
- Polytrade Recycling
- Re-Group
- Solo Waste
- South Coast Plant Hire
- Suez Recycling & Recovery
- University of Newcastle
- University of Technology Sydney, Institute for Sustainable Futures
- University of New South Wales, SMaRT Centre
- Visy Recycling
- Waste Contractors & Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA)
- Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA)
Reference Group meeting updates
- National Sword Taskforce – Joint Reference Group Communique (PDF 136KB)
- National Sword Taskforce – Reference Group Update Meeting 2, July 2018 (PDF 480KB)
- National Sword Taskforce – Reference Group Update Meeting 1, June 2018 (PDF 314KB)