To assist businesses in dealing with the financial impacts of COVID-19, the Queensland Government will be deferring the increase of waste levy rates originally scheduled to take effect from 1 July 2020.

A six month deferral to 1 January 2021 has been approved.

This means the levy will stay at $75 per tonne for general waste, and $105 and $155 per tonne for hazardous (regulated) wastes until 31 December 2020.

For further information about the waste levy, please visit the Queensland Government website at www.qld.gov.au/wastedisposallevy.

For further information about COVID-19 support for businesses, please visit the Queensland Government’s dedicated business website at www.business.qld.gov.au.

Landfill operators in Queensland’s levy zone

Please note you will be provided with further information on the deferral and what it means for your levy obligations and processes.

New recycling program opportunities are available via the State Government, including funding and grants. Please click here for information and regular updates.

Funding and Grants

For further information, please contact DES Waste Avoidance and Recovery Programs on (07) 3330 5164, or by email at wasteprograms@des.qld.gov.au

The Queensland Government has released a comprehensive paper outlining the process for introducing a waste levy, which includes an exemptions system. The paper recognises the role of charitable recycling organisations in Queensland, and Government consultation with NACRO has been specifically included in the paper, in order to design a suitable and appropriate arrangement for charity waste.

To read the full report, click here.

The Queensland Government has confirmed plans to reintroduce a waste levy in a bid to stop interstate waste entering the state. Full details have yet to be released but the Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has suggested that it may likely be around $50-$70 per tonne, and that it will be designed so it does not directly impact Queenslanders. ABC Story can be found at this link.

The Queensland Member for Ipswich West, Jim Madden recently proposed the reintroduction of the landfill levy as a solution to reducing the level of dumping in Ipswich. Sadly the good Mr Madden has not linked the dots between increased levies and dumping on charities. Read the article at this link.

After four months the report into cross-border waste dumping has been completed. It is being prepared by the Department of Environment and Science before being presented to the responsible minister, Leeanne Enoch.