Water Recycling

A question put forward to the Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises) regarding water recycling.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (28 October 2010).

1. (a) What are the countries to which South Australia is shipping recyclable materials; and

    (b) What waste streams are involved?

2. What is the 2009 baseline for Zero Waste South Australia's disposal and illegal dumping target?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises): The Minister for Environment and Conservation has been advised that:

1. (a) While information relating to the countries to which South Australia exports recyclable materials is currently not routinely collected, data collected for the 2008-09 Recycling Activity in South Australia report, prepared by an independent consultant, identified that some countries to which South Australia currently ships recyclable materials are China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Taiwan and Korea. This information will be collected, where possible, in future annual reviews of recycling activity in South Australia.

(b) Data collected from the same report indicate that waste materials exported as 'commodities' include steel, aluminium, non-ferrous metals (excluding aluminium), paper and cardboard, plastics and tyres.

2. The illegal dumping target of decreased incidences and estimated tonnages will be determined on a council by council basis only for those councils that have, or are able to provide data for 2009. A whole-of-state numerical target will not be set in South Australia's Waste Strategy 2010-15.