When recycling, SA is the can-do state

LUCY HOOD From: The Advertiser June 27, 2010 7:11PM
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/when-recycling-sa-is-the-can-do-state/story-e6frea83-1225884921054

SOUTH Australians are some of the best recyclers in Australia - helping save more than 2.55 million tonnes of rubbish ending up in landfill in the past financial year - the environmental equivalent of taking more than 205,300 cars off the road.
According to the Recycling Activity in SA report, 70.4 per cent of all waste generated in the state was diverted from landfill, which is the highest level in the past six years.

The 2008-09 report found recycling activity in SA is having an impact on the release of greenhouse gas emissions by preventing the equivalent of about 0.89 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

Environment and Conservation Minister Paul Caica said he was pleased to see that SA continued to maintain one of the highest diversion rates in Australia.

"These results show the State Government's waste strategy, financial incentives to encourage recycling and resource recovery and other supportive measures have helped to increase recycling activity," he said.

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"The total waste generated in SA has decreased in the past year and the amount sent to landfill continues to drop. It is at its lowest level in the past six years despite South Australia's population increasing to 1.622 million in 2008-09."

The report also found:

ON average, each South Australian recycles 1573kg of waste per year.

SOUTH Australia has one of the best recycling rates in the country, exceeded only by people in the Australian Capital Territory.

MORE than 13,700 tonnes of plastics was recovered for recycling, with plastic soft drink bottles making up 38 per cent of plastics recycled.

Mr Caica said recycling activity in SA was slightly lower during 2008-09 due to the global financial crisis bringing less market demand for recyclables. "Recycling is improving South Australia's sustainability by saving energy, conserving resources and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere," he said.