Australia is at a crossroads when it comes to managing plastic waste. Gayle Sloan, CEO of the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association, argues that burning waste is better for the climate than letting it rot in landfills, where it produces methane. Sloan believes that waste should be converted into energy if it cannot be recycled, stating, “We shouldn’t be throwing things in the ground.”
Government policies reflect this view, supporting waste combustion as a method for dealing with residual waste—materials that remain after recyclable and compostable items are sorted out. This typically includes “red bin” waste like soft plastics, nappies, and synthetic textiles. But despite some claims, energy produced by burning plastics in Australia is not considered renewable. This has sparked debate, particularly as projects promoting this energy are marketed as clean and green.
Take, for instance, the Kwinana and East Rockingham facilities in Western Australia. Both received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena). Acciona, the company behind the Kwinana facility, claims that converting waste into energy addresses both the waste crisis and the need for reliable, clean power in Western Australia. However, Arena has clarified that not all waste-to-energy projects are considered renewable. The agency further stated it does not plan to fund any new waste-to-energy projects.
Professor Durrant-Whyte adds, “I would hesitate to call it renewable energy. But is it better than digging a hole and putting it in the ground? Yes.” This sentiment captures the dilemma facing the industry and the government: while burning plastic waste may be better than landfilling, it is far from a perfect solution.
Critics like Bremmer argue that waste-to-energy does not actually divert waste from landfills. Instead, the process reduces waste to a smaller volume of toxic ash, which then has to be disposed of as hazardous waste. Bremmer advocates for a more sustainable approach, focusing on a zero-waste model rather than one that simply changes the form of waste.
“The industry is really being pitched as part of a circular economy, but it’s a linear process,” Bremmer explains. “Once burned, those materials are lost forever. You can’t get that back to reuse or recycle it. It’s gone.”
As Australia pushes towards ambitious renewable energy targets, the debate over waste-to-energy highlights the complexities involved. The country must weigh the immediate benefits of reducing landfill waste against the long-term goal of a truly sustainable, zero-waste future.