Industry calls for prescribed waste facility in after Nowingi decision

Australian Industry Group Victorian Director Tim Piper said the Government must ensure that the Lyndhurst facility is available as a viable and alternative option for both the short and longer term.

“A prescribed waste facility is an essential to industry and to our way of life and Government must ensure there is always an economic proposition available to industry,” he said.

Piper said he believed the Government’s decision not to pursue the Nowingi facility was made for the right reasons, but Government must ensure industry was not left in limbo when it came to waste.

“While industry will not like the increased levy, it is preferable to the significant costs that would have been imposed on industry should the Nowingi facility have been pursued.  From an economic perspective, it is a better decision for Victorian industry to have a facility available that is close to industrial areas,” Piper said.

Piper said the hypothecated levy should be used to assist companies to reduce their prescribed waste with an aim to reducing waste as much as possible.

“Hopefully, we are heading towards a day when that means zero waste,” Piper said.

Ai Group is looking forward to working with the Government on reducing prescribed waste, a sustainable future for industry, and maintaining a facility that can be properly utilised.