Hazardous Waste in Australia 2017 30 MAY 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Final Hazardous Waste in Australia 2017 30 MAY 2017 PREPARED FOR Department of the Environment and Energy PREPARED IN ASSOCIATION WITH Report title Hazardous Waste in Australia 2017 Client Department of the Environment and Energy Status Final Author(s) Geoff Latimer, Ascend Waste and Environment Pty Ltd Reviewer(s) Joe Pickin, Luke Richmond Project number P726 Report date 30 May 2017 Contract date 3 0 May 2016 Information current to 30 June 2017 Copyright Department of Environment and Energy and Blue Environment Pty Ltd Disclaimer This report has been prepared for Department of the Environment and Energy in accordance with the terms and conditions of appointment dated 30 May 2016, and is based on the assumptions and exclusions set out in our scope of work. Information in this document is current as of 30 June 2017. While all professional care has been undertaken in preparing this report, Blue Environment Pty Ltd cannot accept any responsibility for any use of or reliance on the contents of this report by any third party. The mention of any company, product or process in this report does not constitute or imply endorsement by Blue Environment Pty Ltd. © Department of Environment and Energy and Blue Environment Pty Ltd Blue Environment Pty Ltd ABN 78 118 663 997 Suite 208, 838 Collins St, Docklands Vic 3008 Email: [email protected] Web: www.blueenvironment.com.au Phone: +61 3 9081 0440 / +61 3 5426 3536 Contents At a glance .................................................................................................................................. ix Summary and conclusions ...........................................................................................................xii 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Project background and context ............................................................................................ 1 1.2 Project outputs....................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Report structure ..................................................................................................................... 2 2. Project approach .................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Changes since the 2015 version ............................................................................................. 3 2.2 Key terms and definitions ...................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Data sources and limitations ................................................................................................ 13 3. Hazardous waste market overview ..................................................................................... 19 3.1 The Australian market .......................................................................................................... 19 3.2 Waste pathways: from generation to final fate ................................................................... 21 3.3 Geographic flows – what wastes go where? ....................................................................... 22 3.4 Broad market trends ............................................................................................................ 25 4. Data analysis - overview ..................................................................................................... 28 4.1 Overall waste generation and arisings ................................................................................. 28 4.2 Sources of waste arisings ..................................................................................................... 34 4.3 Historical trends in waste arisings ....................................................................................... 36 4.4 Management of hazardous wastes (NSW, Vic, Qld and WA)............................................... 37 5. Current and emerging challenges ....................................................................................... 42 5.1 Hazard protection versus resource value ............................................................................ 42 5.2 Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) waste ......................................................................... 44 5.3 Biosolids ............................................................................................................................... 50 5.4 Coal seam gas industry wastes ............................................................................................ 57 5.5 The appropriateness of composting for some hazardous wastes ....................................... 61 5.6 End of life lithium ion batteries............................................................................................ 62 5.7 Stockpiled legacy wastes ...................................................................................................... 63 5.8 Underlying data quality remains an issue ............................................................................ 65 6. Key messages .................................................................................................................... 69 6.1 Overall hazardous waste arisings continue to increase ....................................................... 69 6.2 What constitutes a hazardous waste is dynamic and requires regular review ................... 69 6.3 Infrastructure is inadequate for some current and emerging hazardous wastes ............... 70 6.4 Major legacy waste problems persist due to infrastructure, technology, regulatory or market-economic shortcomings .......................................................................................... 70 6.5 Jurisdictional tracking data quality is problematic but can be significantly improved ........ 70 6.6 Tracking data is a largely untapped resource ...................................................................... 71 6.7 Qld-specific waste issues ..................................................................................................... 72 7. Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 73 7.1 Relevant recommendations from HWiA 2015 ..................................................................... 75 8. Data analysis – by waste group........................................................................................... 77 8.1 A. Plating and heat treatment .............................................................................................. 77 Hazardous Waste in Australia 2017 Final Page iii 8.2 B. Acids ................................................................................................................................. 79 8.3 C. Alkalis ............................................................................................................................... 81 8.4 D110. Inorganic fluorine (spent potliner) – new to HWiA 2017 .......................................... 83 8.5 D120. Mercury & compounds .............................................................................................. 85 8.6 D220. Lead & compounds .................................................................................................... 87 8.7 D230. Zinc compounds – new to HWiA 2017 ....................................................................... 90 8.8 D300. Non-toxic salts (including coal seam gas wastes) ...................................................... 92 8.9 Other D. Other inorganic chemicals ..................................................................................... 94 8.10 E. Reactive chemicals ........................................................................................................... 96 8.11 F. Paints, resins, inks, organic sludges ................................................................................. 97 8.12 G. Organic solvents .............................................................................................................. 98 8.13 H. Pesticides ....................................................................................................................... 100 8.14 J100 & J160. Oils – new to HWiA 2017 .............................................................................. 103 8.15 J120. Waste oil/water mixtures – new to HWiA 2017 ....................................................... 106 8.16 K110. Grease trap wastes .................................................................................................. 108 8.17 Other K. Other putrescible/ organic wastes – new to HWiA 2017 .................................... 110 8.18 M100. PCB wastes – new to HWiA 2017 ............................................................................ 111 8.19 M160. Other organic halogen compounds – new to HWiA 2017 ...................................... 113 8.20 Other M. Other organic chemicals ..................................................................................... 115 8.21 N120. Contaminated soils .................................................................................................. 117 8.22 N205a. Biosolids ................................................................................................................. 119 8.23 N205b. Other industrial treatment residues ....................................................................