5. Understanding and communicating waste flows
Not all data the department uses to track different waste streams is reliable. This may compromise the accuracy of the way it tracks its progress towards its recycling targets, and projects Victoria's future recycling needs. The department does not account for this uncertainty, or communicate it, in the projections it publishes.
Covered in this section:
4. Building Victoria’s recycling capacity
The department and other circular economy portfolio agencies have delivered key commitments and actions under the circular economy policy that have increased Victoria’s recycling capacity.
However, extensions to targeted completion dates of some key programs have slowed progress towards the government’s recycling targets.
Covered in this section:
3. Progress towards the recycling and waste diversion targets
Victoria is on track to ensure every household has access to a food organics and garden organics waste recycling service by 2030.
However, it is unclear if less organic waste is entering landfill and it is unlikely that 80 per cent of total waste will be diverted from landfill by 2030.
Covered in this section:
2. Our recommendations
We made 3 recommendations to address our findings. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Sustainability Victoria have accepted the recommendations.
1. Our key findings
What we examined
Our audit followed one line of inquiry:
1. Are relevant agencies implementing the ‘recycle’ policy goal as intended?
To answer these questions, we examined the entities responsible for delivering the 'recycle’ programs from Recycling Victoria: A new economy (the circular economy policy) between 2020 and 2024: