For some time, waste management has been recognised as a key global environmental issue, with communities and governments becoming increasingly aware of the need to more safely and effectively improve the management of municipal waste.

In 2000, the State Government introduced a new vision for the management of waste. Called WAste 2020, the strategy aims to achieve zero waste by the year 2020. The Mindarie Regional Council supports this principle, and has as an objective To reduce waste to landfill by implementation of appropriate waste treatment methods, for at least that domestic waste generated within the Region.

Resources recovery facilities are essential if the vision of zero waste is to be achieved.

Currently, recyclable products which are being diverted from landfill (such as glass, aluminium and plastics) account for about 10 per cent of the waste stream.

With resources recovery facilities in place, we can divert another 60 to 70 percent of our waste away from landfill.

Campaigns encouraging the public to generate less waste and recycle more, are important.

More recently, growing community and industry support for the concept of utilising and treating waste to produce beneficial outcomes, in other words, recognising that waste itself is a resource, represents a significant shift in conventional attitudes.

Essentially, resources recovery or secondary waste treatment plants can process waste to provide valuable products such as compost, or to convert the waste to re-useable energy. In both cases, the processes produce a residue of about 10 to 15 per cent - much less than would otherwise be headed to a landfill site.