What is an integrated waste management plan, and why MUST I have one?
Integrated waste management (IWM) plans are required as they ensure that all waste generators are compliant, aware and informed about the City’s waste management regulations.
Even the City has its own IWM and the Director can call for additional information if needed for that plan.
The Director can instruct any waste generator to submit an IWM plan within a stipulated time.
The IWM plan must be approved before the starting to generate waste.
The waste generator is obliged to comply with the terms and conditions set out by the Waste Management Officer for the generation, minimisation, storage, collection and disposal of waste.
Who must have a plan?
Any entities generating the following categories of waste are required to submit integrated waste management plans in writing to the Waste Management Officer for approval:
Business waste
Industrial waste
Building waste
Event waste
Priority waste
Hazardous waste
Other parties who must submit Waste Management Plans:
Waste management clubs
All waste recovery operators - including scrap dealers, recycling groups and buy back centres
What information is required in an integrated waste management plan?
The IWM plan must include -
An assessment of the quantity and type of waste
A description of the services required to store, collect, transport and dispose of the waste
A plan to separate recyclable and non-recyclable material at the point of source;
A waste minimisation plan
A pollution prevention plan
Details of potential environmental impact of the waste
The type or characteristics of environmentally sensitive waste
The amount of natural resources consumed in the manufacturing or production process that result in waste
The targets for recovery of waste (minimisation, re-use, recycling)
Programmes and targets to minimise the consumption of natural resources.
Industrial and business marketing plans must include strategies to influence and educate customers about recycling.
Industrial waste generators IWM plans must also include:
Measures or actions to manage waste,
Phasing out of the use of certain substances,
Planned changes to product design, production or packaging to reduce resource consumption and waste generation.
Who approves the IWM plans?
The Waste Management Officer must consider the plan and respond. He may:
- approve it with conditions and directions
- request additional information or a revised plan
- require amendments within a time frame
- reject the plan and provide reasons
What if I cannot comply with the Waste Management Officer’s directive regarding an Integrated Waste Management Plan?
If an integrated waste management plan is rejected or not submitted at all, the Waste Management Officer will give directives about the measures to be taken and by when.
If the waste generator still does not comply the City can carry out the necessary measures and recover the costs from the waste generator.
Who is excused from submitting an integrated waste management plan?
Only those waste generators exempted by the Waste Management Officer. Application must be made in writing giving all the reasons why no IWM plan should be submitted.
The Waste Management Officer may also exempt a particular mass or volume of waste.
For the WasteWise initiative regarding this By-law click here.