Contaminated soils Asbestos Biosolids (recorded as N205 Residues from industrial waste treatment/disposal operations) Drilling beyond the 15 high-level NEPM categories to the 75 provides much more utility. Analysis of this more detailed code set shows that 94% of all reported NEPM-classified wastes generated in Australia for 2012 can be captured by focusing on the following nine wastes: Alkalis Inorganic chemicals Oils Animal effluent and residues Grease trap waste Contaminated soils Biosolids Asbestos These are charted in tonnes for the 2012 dataset in Figure 6 below. Figure 6: Major hazardous wastes generated (tonnes) - reported nationally for 2012 Figure 6 the largest generated amounts are of biosolids, followed closely by contaminated soils. Although these respective quantities are very similar, biosolids are estimated for all jurisdictions, whereas contaminated soils data is notable by its absence from Western Australian data which, if it was measured, would likely bump it above the national figure for biosolids. Technically Western Australia does report generation of some contaminated soil, but it is so small compared to other jurisdictions as to be negligible. This issue is illustrated by reference to the collection of the largest states’ contaminated soils data in the column graph of Figure 7. The next range of wastes by volume are oils, grease trap waste, asbestos and tyres, in that order, followed at a lower level again in descending order by alkalis, inorganic chemicals and animal effluent and residues, respectively. 3.2 By jurisdiction This national comparison of wastes by quantity is split further by each of the largest states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, in Figure 7. Observations from this breakdown include: Some types follow generation rates that mirror population-based patterns of consumption (and therefore waste production). These include animal effluent and residues, grease trap waste, biosolids and to some extent asbestos and oils, although the South Australian oils figure is notable due to its extremely low quantity relative to other states. Alkalis and inorganic chemicals follow a less distinct pattern, suggests their generation is likely to be from a smaller number of distinct industrial operations present in some jurisdictions but not others, or there are different management or legislative arrangements in place across these states. Contaminated soils are unusually high for South Australia, compared to other states’ data. Figure 7: Major hazardous wastes generated (tonnes) per major state for 2012
Contaminated soils Asbestos Biosolids (recorded as N205 Residues from industrial waste treatment/disposal operations) Drilling beyond the 15 high-level NEPM categories to the 75 provides much more utility. Analysis of this more detailed code set shows that 94% of all reported NEPM-classified wastes generated in Australia for 2012 can be captured by focusing on the following nine wastes: Alkalis Inorganic chemicals Oils Animal effluent and residues Grease trap waste Contaminated soils Biosolids Asbestos These are charted in tonnes for the 2012 dataset in Figure 6 below. Figure 6: Major hazardous wastes generated (tonnes) - reported nationally for 2012 Figure 6 the largest generated amounts are of biosolids, followed closely by contaminated soils. Although these respective quantities are very similar, biosolids are estimated for all jurisdictions, whereas contaminated soils data is notable by its absence from Western Australian data which, if it was measured, would likely bump it above the national figure for biosolids. Technically Western Australia does report generation of some contaminated soil, but it is so small compared to other jurisdictions as to be negligible. This issue is illustrated by reference to the collection of the largest states’ contaminated soils data in the column graph of Figure 7. The next range of wastes by volume are oils, grease trap waste, asbestos and tyres, in that order, followed at a lower level again in descending order by alkalis, inorganic chemicals and animal effluent and residues, respectively. 3.2 By jurisdiction This national comparison of wastes by quantity is split further by each of the largest states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, in Figure 7. Observations from this breakdown include: Some types follow generation rates that mirror population-based patterns of consumption (and therefore waste production). These include animal effluent and residues, grease trap waste, biosolids and to some extent asbestos and oils, although the South Australian oils figure is notable due to its extremely low quantity relative to other states. Alkalis and inorganic chemicals follow a less distinct pattern, suggests their generation is likely to be from a smaller number of distinct industrial operations present in some jurisdictions but not others, or there are different management or legislative arrangements in place across these states. Contaminated soils are unusually high for South Australia, compared to other states’ data. Figure 7: Major hazardous wastes generated (tonnes) per major state for 2012