Solid Waste Management in Sydney

This report analyzes the current state of solid waste management in Sydney, including waste generation, physical characteristics of MSW, existing waste management system, challenges, and solutions.

Running head: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SYDNEY
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SYDNEY
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SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SYDNEY 2
Table of Contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................3
2. Solid waste generation.......................................................................................................................3
3. Physical characteristics of MSW......................................................................................................4
4. Existing solid waste management system.........................................................................................5
4.1. Waste collection.........................................................................................................................5
4.2. Reuse...........................................................................................................................................5
4.3. Recycling....................................................................................................................................6
4.4. Energy recovery.........................................................................................................................6
4.5. Composting................................................................................................................................6
4.6. Disposal or landfill.....................................................................................................................7
4.7. Incineration................................................................................................................................7
4.8. Reduce waste generation...........................................................................................................7
5. Institutional and financial aspects....................................................................................................8
6. Challenges, issues and gaps...............................................................................................................8
7. Conclusion........................................................................................................................................10
Works Cited...............................................................................................................................................12

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SYDNEY 3
1. Introduction
Sydney is the capital of New South Wales (NSW), a southeastern Australian state. The city is
the most populous in Australia and Oceania, with an estimated population of about 5.5 million
people (Population Australia, 2019). The city’s population has continued to increase strongly and
steadily over the years and this translates into a corresponding increase in municipal solid waste
(MSW). The main purpose of this report is to analyze the current state of MSW in Sydney. MSW
has a huge negative impact on human health and the environment if it is not properly managed
(Jayawardhana, Kumarathilaka, Herath, & Vithanage, 2016).
2. Solid waste generation
MSW comprises of residential and commercial wastes that are generated from municipal or
public areas. This waste includes everyday stuffs that are thrown away by the public. The waste
originates from households, public institutions, public spaces and council operations or services
(Gupta, Yadav, & Kumar, 2015). MSW in Sydney is generated from households/homes
(residential premises), offices, shops or shopping complexes, hotels, public institutions like
schools, and municipal services like maintenance of recreational places and street cleaning
(Magutu & Onsongo, 2011). It is estimated that the amount of MSW generated in Sydney is 560
kg per capita per year (Pickin, Randell, Trinh, & Grant, 2018). This means that the total annual
MSW generated in Sydney is 3.08 million tonnes (5.5 x 106 people x 560 kg/person). The
amount of MSW generated in Sydney has continued to increase gradually over the years, raising
more concern on the impacts of this waste on the environment and public health. Some of the
factors influencing the amount and composition of MSW generated are the population, income
level, climate, social behaviour and council activities (Late & Mule, 2013).

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3. Physical characteristics of MSW
The main characteristics of MSW include: compostable organic matter (food waste,
vegetable and fruit peels,) recyclables (metals, glass, plastic and paper & cardboard), soiled
waste (disposable syringes, sanitary napkins, and blood stained cotton), toxic substances
(medicines, used batteries, paints and pesticides), and inert material (Kausal, Varghese, &
Chabukdhara, 2012).
Other physical characteristics of MSW are:
Moisture content: this plays a very important role in MSW processing techniques such as
anaerobic digestion, composting and incineration.
Particle size: the distribution of particle size has a significant effect on the design of the
MSW management system components such as shredders and separators.
Field capacity: this determines the amount of moisture content that the solid waste can
retain when it is subjected to gravitational pull. It determines how leachate is formed in landfills.
Density: this characteristic is important when designing a MSW management system,
especially the transportation and compaction systems.
Bulk density: this property is used in calculating volume of MSW and also determining
the most appropriate season and location of storing MSW, storage time, processing and type of
equipment to be used.
Specific weight: this is used to evaluate the total mass and volume of the MSW that have
to be managed (University of Babylon, 2011).

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Hydraulic conductivity: this property, also known as permeability, is used to predict
leachate production, estimate linear leakages, and assess equivalent linear systems (McCreanor,
2019).
4. Existing solid waste management system
NSW has an integrated waste management system that aims at reducing waste, reusing more
waste, increasing recycling rate, improving energy recovery rates and reducing the amount of
waste disposed in landfills (Environment and Commissions References Committee, 2018). Waste
management basically entails the collection, transportation, recycling, treatment or processing,
disposal and monitoring of MSW. The key areas of MSW management system in Sydney
comprises of the following: waste reduction, waste collection, waste reuse, waste recycling,
disposal, and energy recovery.
4.1. Waste collection
Most of the MSW in Sydney is collected using fixed collection bins that are placed at
different points in the city, including streets, parks, public offices, public spaces, etc. Some of the
collection bins (movable collection bins) are also given to households to help in collecting
MSW. The collection bins are regularly collected and emptied by the City of Sydney waste
management agencies, which also includes private contracted waste collection companies. Once
the waste is collected, it is transported to the treatment point by waste collection trucks for
sorting.
4.2. Reuse
In this method, waste materials or products are reallocated to a new purpose without
remanufacture or reprocessing, but with some repairs or cleaning. The waste products to be

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SYDNEY 6
reused can either be sorted or taken from the collection points or the waste management facility.
Examples of MSW reuse are: re-sale of secondhand clothing, resale of wooden transport pellets
after some repair, and reuse of plastic tins to make toys, among others.
4.3. Recycling
The City of Sydney is committed to ensure that nearly all the MSW collected is recycled.
This will help to reduce negative environmental impacts of the solid waste, create employment
opportunities and spur economic growth. Recycling refers to the reprocessing of recyclable
waste into a different (different) or the same product (Ahsan, et al., 2014). In this process,
recyclable wastes collected after sorting are transported to the recycling plant where they are
reprocessed into the same or different product. The recycling rate in Sydney is 59% while the
resource recovery rate is 62% (Pickin, Randell, Trinh, & Grant, 2018). The percentage of MSW
recycled in NSW has continued to rise over the recent years due to several reasons including
enhanced access to solid waste recycling services. A small percentage of MSW generated in
Sydney are also exported overseas for processing.
4.4. Energy recovery
A very large percentage of MSW in NSW (Sydney) is used for energy recovery. Most of the
energy is recovered via landfill gas collection and a small percentage from waste facilities. The
NSW government has shown interest in increasing energy recovery from MSW.
4.5. Composting
This is the simplest, environmentally friendly and most cost effective method of managing
MSW. This method is suitable for treating organic biodegradable waste either aerobically or
anaerobically. In aerobic composting, organic compounds in the solid waste are broken down
and oxidized by aerobic microorganisms to carbon dioxide, nitrate and nitrite. In anaerobic

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composting, organic compounds are broken down and metabolized by anaerobic microorganisms
through reduction process. The compost is used in crop production as organic fertilizer. Vermi-
composting has become the widely used composting method in Sydney. This method involves
adding worms to the compost to help in breaking down the solid waste.
4.6. Disposal or landfill
Some wastes that cannot be recycled or composted is managed by disposing it in designated
landfills. This is done by spreading out the waste in layers, compacting it, and covering with
plastic foam or clay. The bottom of landfills in Sydney are covered with impermeable liners to
prevent the leachate from percolating into and contaminating the groundwater. Leachate
percolation is the major problem of landfills (Alekhya, Divya, Jyothirmai, & Reddy, 2013). The
landfills are also designed such that leachate is pumped from the bottom of the landfill and taken
for treatment. Anaerobic decomposition that takes place in the landfill produces methane that is
collected and combusted to produce heat or electricity.
4.7. Incineration
A very small percentage of MSW is incinerated in Sydney. Incineration is a thermal
treatment method that is mainly used to burn non-recyclable and hazardous MSW and convert it
into steam, gas, heat and ash. This process is carried out in designated incinerators that are run
under controlled conditions to reduce the amount of gas emissions. Some people have suggested
that incineration should be banned completely because of the greenhouse gas emissions that are
produced from incinerators.
4.8. Reduce waste generation
Another strategy being used to management MSW in Sydney is to create public awareness on
how to reduce waste generation per capita. Awareness programs and campaigns have been

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SYDNEY 8
launched to educate residents of Sydney on the measures they can take to minimize the quantity
of waste they generate at an individual level.
5. Institutional and financial aspects
MSW management in Sydney is overseen by the City of Sydney in collaboration with NSW
Government and state corporations such as NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and
WaterNSW. NSW Government is committed to support a high responsive and performing waste
industry. One of the initiatives launched by the NSW government is the Waste Less Recycle
More (WLRM) funding program that is supported with an $802 million investment. Therefore
the MSW management activities in Sydney are financed by NSW Government and the City of
Sydney. There is also some funding from the federal government of Australia.
6. Challenges, issues and gaps
There are several challenges facing MSW management in Sydney. One of the challenges is
the rapid population growth in Sydney. The high population in Sydney translates into increased
volume of MSW and this is putting a lot of pressure on the existing waste management facilities
or services. As a result, the efficiency and durability of these facilities significantly decreases.
Another challenge is that a large percentage of residents living in Sydney are travelers or
students. These residents are not well versed with the various waste recycling guidelines
proposed or developed by the City of Sydney. As a result, they are not doing much in reducing
waste generation or helping in waste collection.
Unavailability of landfill sites in Sydney is another major challenge of MSW management in
the city. Most of the appropriate landfill sites are hundreds of kilometers away from the city,

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making them uneconomical. Existing landfills in and around the city are overstressed and
becoming a nuisance and health risk to the city residents.
There is also the issue of human behaviour. It is becoming very difficult for the City of
Sydney to manage MSW without a change in residents’ behaviour and culture towards waste
generation and reduction. A significant percentage of Sydney residents are yet to develop a
culture of minimizing waste generation and helping in waste collection/sorting. There is need to
educate residents about the city’s waste management strategy, targets and how they can help to
manage the waste sustainably, including making them understand the relationship between
consumption and waste generation (Singh, Laurenti, Sinha, & Frostell, 2014).
The success of MSW management is strongly influenced by the behaviour of the community
(Environment Protection Authority, 2017). For example, households can make waste sorting and
recycling easier by separating their waste correcting in their homes. People can also reduce food
wastage by storing food properly, planning for their meals and avoiding preparing excess food
(Environment Protection Authority, 2014). This means that there is need to increase awareness
on waste generation, reduction and management, and also motivate residents to come up with
innovative ways of reducing waste generation.
There exists a knowledge gap on sustainable MSW management approaches in Sydney. The
City of Sydney should invest more resources in research and development projects that will
enhance sustainable MSW management. This includes innovative techniques of minimizing and
recovering waste i.e. reducing, recycling and reusing the waste.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SYDNEY 10
7. Conclusion
Sydney is Australia’s most populous city and the population growth together with
urbanization have a significant impact on the quantity of MSW generated in the city. Over 3
million tonnes of MSW is generated in Sydney every year. This number has been rising over the
years due to population growth and changing lifestyles and consumption behaviours of residents
in the city. The city has an integrated MSW management system that comprises of several phases
including waste collection, reuse, recycling, energy recovery, composting, disposal/landfill,
incineration and waste generation reduction. This report has also established that MSW
management activities in Sydney are overseen and financed by the City of Sydney and NSW
Government, in collaboration with state-owned corporations such as NSW EPA and WaterNSW.
There are also several challenges facing MSW management in Sydney. These include rapid
population growth in the city; the fact that most residents in the city are short-term residents
(mainly travelers and students); unavailability of appropriate landfill sites in or around the city;
residents’ behaviour, culture and consumption trends that do not favour reduction of waste
generated; and lack of adequate knowledge and awareness about sustainable MSW management
strategies.
The City of Sydney should increase awareness about sustainable MSW management in the
city through education programs and campaigns; make unsustainable SWM methods more
expensive, by using approaches such as increasing their levies, so as to discourage their use; and
provide subsidies and other incentives for sustainable MSW management facilities.
There is also need to formulate effective policies that will help in reducing waste generation
in the city. For instance, these policies should ensure that packaging is excessively reduced
(MacKenzie, 2018). Above all, the City of Sydney should develop a more system-oriented style

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to help in addressing the root causes of MSW management problem. The main problem in this
case is the increasing quantity of waste generated in the city. Once the amount of waste
generated is reduced, it will be easier for the City of Sydney to manage MSW and reduce the
environmental impacts caused by these wastes.

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Works Cited
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Municipal Solid Waste Management System in a Developing Country. Chinese Journal of
Engineering, 2014(1), 1-11.
Alekhya, M., Divya, N., Jyothirmai, G., & Reddy, K. (2013). Secured landfills for disposal of municipal solid
waste. International Journal of Engineering Resource Generation Science, 1(1), 1-10.
Environment and Commissions References Committee. (2018). Never waste a crisis: the waste and
recycling industry in Australia. Canberra: Senate Printing Unit.
Environment Protection Authority. (2014). NSW Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2014-
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Environment Protection Authority. (2017, November 2). Waste and recycling: state of the environment
2015. Retrieved from NSW Environment Protection Authority:
https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/about-us/publications-and-reports/state-of-the-environment/
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Gupta, N., Yadav, K., & Kumar, V. (2015). A review on current status of municipal solid waste
management in India. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 37(1), 206-217.
Jayawardhana, Y., Kumarathilaka, P., Herath, I., & Vithanage, M. (2016). Municipal Solid Waste Biochar
for Prevention of Pollution From Landfill Leachate. In M. Prasad, & K. Shih, Environmental
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Kausal, R., Varghese, G., & Chabukdhara, M. (2012). Municipal solid waste management in India -
current state and future challenges: a review. International Journal of Engineering, Science and
Technology, 4(4), 1473-1489.
Late, A., & Mule, M. (2013). Composition and characterization study of solid waste from Aurangabad
city. Universal Journal of Environmental Research and Technology, 3(1), 55-60.
MacKenzie, I. (2018, April 19). The recycling crisis in Australia: easy solutions to a hard problem.
Retrieved from The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/the-recycling-crisis-in-australia-
easy-solutions-to-a-hard-problem-95231
Magutu, P., & Onsongo, C. (2011). Operationalising Municipal Solid Waste Management. London: Intech
Open.
McCreanor, P. (2019, January 28). Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties of MSW. Retrieved from
Mercer University: http://faculty.mercer.edu/mccreanor_pt/eve420/Lesson05-Properties/
Lesson05-Properties.htm
Pickin, J., Randell, P., Trinh, J., & Grant, B. (2018). National Waste Report 2018. Docklands, Victoria: Blue
Environment Pty Ltd.
Population Australia. (2019). Sydney Population 2019. Retrieved from Population Australia:
http://www.population.net.au/sydney-population/

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Singh, J., Laurenti, R., Sinha, R., & Frostell, B. (2014). Progress and challenges to the global waste
management system. Waste Management & Research, 32(9), 800-812.
University of Babylon. (2011). Physical, Chemical, And Biological Properties Of Municipal Solid Waste.
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