Changes to the waste regulatory framework
Changes to the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2005
The Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Scheduled Activities and Waste) Regulation 2008 made changes to the following waste-related legislation:
The amendments were gazetted on 24 April 2008 and took effect on 28 April 2008. The amendments followed significant consultation with the waste industry and the broader community and were responsive to a changing waste industry in NSW that recognises the need for greater resource recovery.
The changes are demonstrative of the NSW Government’s commitment to create regulation that is easy to understand, enforceable, innovative and flexible.
Summary of the changes to the waste regulatory framework
- Streamlines waste licensing with fewer and more appropriate categories
- Simplifies the waste classification system by changing the number and names of the waste classes and the wastes assigned to those classes
- Introduces Resource Recovery Exemptions to recognise the bona-fide reuse of wastes for land application and thermal treatment
The changes are outlined in the Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Scheduled Activities and Waste) Regulation 2008. Further detail can also be found in the Questions and Answers on the Amendments.
Page last updated: 12 July 2012
