The ACT Greens are ramping up pressure on the territory government to cement its prohibition on new waste-to-energy incinerators as a permanent fixture, arguing the community has no social licence for such high-polluting projects.
Call for a Lasting Prohibition
Greens deputy leader Jo Clay stated that Canberra cannot afford any delay in locking in a long-term ban. She emphasised that burning rubbish for energy creates harmful byproducts, including heavy metals, toxic air pollutants, and dioxins, which pose significant risks to public health, nature, waterways, and the climate.
"Waste-to-energy is not a sustainable or efficient energy source," Ms Clay asserted, highlighting that the process generates greenhouse gas emissions. She pointed to the territory's legislated human right to a healthy environment as a foundation for the community's right to know if the ban will continue indefinitely.
The Current Policy and Its Background
The ACT's Waste-to-Energy Policy for 2020-25 effectively banned new thermal waste treatment facilities, with exceptions only for the safe disposal of medical and biological waste. This policy was extended in May 2025 without an official sunset clause, according to a government spokesman.
The territory's code of practice explicitly states that new facilities using incineration, gasification, or pyrolysis for energy recovery or waste destruction are not permitted. This stance was solidified following extensive community consultation and a public battle that saw Capital Recycling Solutions abandon its proposal for a Fyshwick incinerator in 2018 due to strong local opposition.
Government Stance and Future Directions
While the ban remains active, Environment Minister Suzanne Orr indicated in December that the government is considering future changes, with no set timeframe for further consultation. A government spokesman this week confirmed the legislative code lacks a sunset clause, ensuring the ban's continuity for now.
The government is focusing on advancing a circular economy. Key initiatives include:
- Constructing a new recycling facility to boost resource recovery rates.
- Investigating the phase-out of single-use plastics and expanding the container deposit scheme.
- Exploring the feasibility of a textiles hub to tackle clothing waste.
Ms Clay argued that with the ACT powered by 100% renewable electricity and phasing out fossil fuel gas, there is no justification for postponing a renewed, permanent ban.
Broader Opposition and External Proposals
The stance against thermal waste treatment is supported by groups like Toxics Free Australia. Its chair, Jane Bremmer, labelled waste incineration as counterproductive, noting it emits more carbon per energy unit than coal or gas and hinders the clean energy transition.
Meanwhile, French multinational Veolia has proposed a $600 million waste-to-energy plant near Tarago, NSW, roughly 50 kilometres from Canberra. The facility, which would process 380,000 tonnes of waste annually and power about 40,000 homes, is touted by the company as a safe, proven technology operating to international best practice standards. The ACT has previously expressed its opposition to such cross-border thermal waste projects through the Canberra Region Joint Organisation.
The debate underscores a critical juncture for waste management in the region, pitting established recycling and circular economy goals against alternative energy-from-waste technologies.
