National Waste Account snapshot

 

    Experimental estimates for 2018–19

    Key economic figures from the waste industry 2018-19. $4,866 million in gross value added. 36,000 employees.
    Plastic waste measures from 2018-19. Total 2550 kt of plastics wastes. Main sources: Households (1195kt) and manufacturing (380kt). Plastic wastes fates: 227kt recycled onshore, 187kt exported, 68kt to energy recovery use, 2145kt to landfill.
    Paper and cardboard waste key indicators 2016-17. Total of 5597kt of paper and cardboard produced. Main sources of paper and cardboard waste: households (2150kt) and manufacturing (1481kt). Paper and cardboard waste fates: 1751kt recycled onshore, 1452kt exported, 344kt to energy recovery, 1789kt to landfill.
    Glass waste measures from 2018-19. Total 1158kt glass waste produced. Main sources: households (834kt) and manufacturing (90kt). Glass waste fates: 658kt recycled onshore, 16kt exported, 0kt energy recovery, 475kt to landfill.
    Tyre waste measures from 2018-19. Total 440kt tyre waste produced. Main sources: manufacturing (127kt) and mining (57kt). Tyre waste fates: 155kt recycled onshore, 100kt exported, 60kt energy recovery, 127kt to landfill.
    Masonry waste measures from 2018-19. Total 22.7Mt of masonry waste produced. Main sources: construction (8Mt) and manufacturing (3.9Mt). Masonry waste fates: 18.5Mt recycled onshore, 0kt exported, 0kt energy recovery, 4.2Mt to landfill.
    Organic waste measures from 2018-19. Total 15.3Mt of organic waste produced. Main sources: households (6.4Mt) and manufacturing (2.1Mt). Organics waste fates: 6.4Mt recycled onshore, 0.2Mt exported, 1.6Mt energy recovery, 5.6Mt to landfill.

    Notes

    1. The account now provides estimates for 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2018–19. Selected findings for 2018–19 only are shown here.
    2. The figure for ‘employees’ refers to direct employment in the waste collection, treatment & disposal services sector only.
    3. 'recycled onshore' refers to waste collected for onshore recycling by the Waste collection, treatment and disposal industry.
    4. 1 kilotonne (kt) = 1,000 tonnes (t).
    5. 1 megatonne (Mt) = 1,000,000 tonnes (t).

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    Consultation and Feedback

    The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment welcome feedback on the experimental account. Questions regarding the methods and approaches to calculating the information should be directed to the ABS.

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