Tethered lids on drink bottles, standardised colours for all kerbside waste bins and a mandated three-bin system across metropolitan Adelaide are just some of the ideas you can have your say on as the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) reviews the state’s Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) policy.

A focus on producing less waste and recycling is at the heart of the EPA’s review, with consultation now open on YourSAy. The policy sets the regulatory framework for South Australia’s waste management objectives.

The consideration of tethered lids on drink bottles would potentially reduce the chance of lids ending up as litter or going into landfill, while discussions around kerbside bins will look at reducing confusion due to councils using different colours for the same bin.

Across SA, 67.5 per cent of dwellings have general waste bins with red lids and 32.5 per cent of them are blue.

The review aims to modernise South Australia’s approach to the regulation of resources and wastes and further support the development of a circular economy in SA, as well as:

• contribute to the reduction in the rate of climate change by limiting, reducing, or preventing greenhouse gas emissions through reducing consumption of natural resources, reducing the generation of waste and informing the consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in regulatory decisions relating to waste and resource recovery
• promote the safe and appropriate circulation of materials through the waste and resource recovery process
• practically apply the waste management hierarchy to facilitate the highest value circular reuse, repair and recycling of materials by industry, public authorities and the community
• support a strong market for recovered resources.

The EPA’s Director of Operations, Andrew Pruszinski, said feedback would help to inform how the existing policy may be amended and what else may be included in a new draft Environment Protection Policy, at which point there will be an opportunity to provide further comment.

“The review provides an opportunity to address changes in the industry and to explore policy initiatives that contribute to the South Australian Government’s commitments to a circular economy and achieving zero net emissions by 2050,” Mr Pruszinski said.

“Transitioning to a circular economy is vital to addressing climate change as 45 per cent of global emissions come from the way we produce and consume.

“A modernised Environment Protection Policy can reduce the generation of waste, further the circular economy, contribute to the state’s greenhouse gas reduction targets, and drive a strong market demand for recovered resources.”

Consultation will close on 20 December 2024. To find out more – including time and location of regional information sessions – and to give feedback, click here.