Cessnock City Council is appealing to all levels of government to take action and deal with the growing glass crisis plaguing the nation.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cessnock is one of four councils – alongside Maitland, Singleton and Lake Macquarie – which has its waste managed by Hunter Resource Recovery.
Fairfax Media reported in August that Polytrade Recycling, which is subcontracted by Hunter Resource Recovery to manage its waste, has had to resort to storing tonnes of glass in sheds in Victoria due to the collapse in demand for recycled glass in Australia.
Cessnock City Mayor, Councillor Bob Pynsent said the time to act is now, ahead of this becoming a disaster.
“This is a serious problem not just in our local government area but across Australia as it is cheaper for companies to import new glass products from overseas rather than recycling glass on our own shores,” Cr Pynsent said.
“Stockpiling of glass can only continue for so long, federal and state governments need to look at ways to improve market conditions or develop new reuse options.”
The report put before council earlier this month highlighted some alarming statistics.
Australia consumes about 1.36 million tonnes of glass packaging per year and glass consumption in NSW is at its highest, as we produce 460,000 tonnes.
The report also outlined that the last remaining glass recycling facility shut its doors in 2015, marking the end of glass processing and recovery in Eastern Australia.
Council is also calling on peak industry bodies to do their bit and develop standards for use of recycled products in the construction industry.
A notice of motion to the NSW Local Government Conference and the National General Assembly of Local Governments will also be lodged by Council in a bid to ramp up pressure.
Hunter Resource Recovery is developing the submissions to be made to state and federal levels.
The move by Cessnock follows Maitland City Council voting to take similar action last month.