The waste sector GHG emissions accounts for approximately 4 percent of the City of Albany's total domestic emissions. Waste management involves the monitoring, collection, transport, processing and disposal of waste materials to deliver cost-effective and environmentally sustainable waste management solutions.
The Community Waste Resource Strategy (2019 - 2026) aligns with the goals and targets of the State Governments Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (WARR) Strategy 2030. This is guided by the priorities of the waste hierarchy to avoid and minimise waste and the optimised use of resources through the circular economy model.
Six principles guide the City's waste management innovations and services:
- Empower people - Build long lasting community relationships to facilitate behaviour change and a readiness to participate in waste minimisation and new methods of resource recover.
- Think creatively - Work with and encourage all community stakeholders to be innovative when looking for new solutions and commercial opportunities.
- Build Employment - Encourage new commercial opportunities and social enterprise initiatives which will create new jobs.
- Manage waste as a resource - Help the community understand the principles of a circular economy and the value of waste resources.
- Plan for the future - Plan for the best possible outcomes for our community and environment now and into the future.
This Strategy acknowledges the need to ensure shared responsibility for waste management and minimisation between those who generate, produce and use goods and services (the Polluter-Pays, User Pays and Product Stewardship principles), while dealing with waste as close to the place of production as possible.