The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has advised the Standards for Managing Construction Waste in NSW (the Standards) start on 15 May 2019. The Standards have been published in the NSW Gazette and are available on the EPA’s website.

Planet Ark supports the implementation of standards for managing construction waste, which composes a far larger portion of the waste stream than municipal solid waste (the waste that goes into our kerbside bins).

The Standards are being introduced to:

• minimise the risk of harm to human health and the environment from asbestos and other unpermitted wastes found in construction waste
• ensure operators of construction and demolition waste facilities implement appropriate processes and procedures to manage these risks
• improve industry and community confidence in the quality of resources recovered from construction waste.

Minor changes have been made to the Standards since a draft version was published on the EPA’s website on 16 November 2018. The changes were made to allow facilities more operational flexibility while still ensuring the Standards achieve their objectives.  

The following information about the Standards can be found on the EPA’s website:

• a copy of the Standards gazetted on 12 April 2019
• Part 8A of the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2014 (Waste Regulation)
• a fact sheet outlining the Standard’s key objectives and requirements
• a list of frequently asked questions. 

Compliance with the Standards is a compulsory licence condition for all ‘Construction and Demolition Waste Facilities’ as defined in Part 8A of the (Waste Regulation). If you are unsure as to whether your facility is a Construction and Demolition Waste Facility or would like to discuss the measures required by the Standards, please contact the EPA operations officer responsible for administering your facility’s environment protection licence or the EPA’s waste strategy team at: wastestrategy.innovation@epa.nsw.gov.au.