Zero Waste Australia
Zero Waste Australia is a campaign of Toxics Free Australia and aims to promote Zero Waste and Circular Economy policies in Australia for resource conservation, climate protection and environmental justice. Waste incineration undermines these goals and poses unacceptable public health, environment and climate threats especially to those communities directly affected but also to all Australians and their environment. Waste incineration pollution impacts our air, land and water locally and globally. Persistent Organic Pollutants (such as Dioxin) can be carried by ocean currents and atmospheric circulation, making these globally significant pollutants a major cause for concern. Impacts include potential contamination of the food chain, both terrestrial and marine.
Communities living close to incinerators can also suffer a range of adverse health impacts. Women and children are disproportionately impacted by incinerator pollution. A range of chronic diseases and adverse reproductive outcomes have long been associated with waste incineration pollution.
There are safer and more effective ways to manage our waste. These all start with recognition of the importance of Zero Waste policies where priority is given to improved collection and source separation as the best way to preserve the finite resources contained in our waste stream needed for the reuse, recycling and Circular Economy sectors.
Our residual waste (the waste left over after removing compostable, reusable and recyclable materials) can be safely and more effectively managed without incineration through a range of non combustion technologies that already exist.
Our Zero Waste Australia website provides numerous resources to support this campaign and assist individuals, communities and organisations in Australia facing the threat of waste incineration or seeking information on truly sustainable Zero Waste and Circular Economy policy and models.
We simply cannot burn our way out of climate change and its time for the Australian Government to learn the lessons from countries overseas, whether it be Europe and their move away from waste incineration or in South East Asia where simple, sustainable Zero Waste models have long been thriving.