Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) was invited to give evidence last Friday at a public hearing for the Senate Inquiry into the government’s waste reduction and recycling policies. CRA emphasised the unjust human and environmental impacts of Australia’s waste production and management, and the urgent need to transition to a circular economy.
Upon being asked why our Religious Institute Members were interested in tackling waste, CRA advised the Committee that Religious Institutes are deeply committed to advocacy for the world’s poor and the environment.
“We explained our sacred duty to care for our common home, and commitment to the Laudato Si’ goals and their integral approach to the economic, social and ecological crises of our times,” said Anne Walker, CRA National Executive Director.
Despite a legislative ban on the export of certain streams of unprocessed waste, CRA raised concerns that the UN Office on Drugs and Crime has documented waste shipments being sent to Southeast Asia from Australia. CRA shared the experiences of its Member Congregations, the Divine Word Missionaries and the Faithful Companions of Jesus, who work on programmes in the Philippines to assist families who live around rubbish dumps.
“Our Members have illustrated the dire health hazards faced by families whose livelihood depends on scavenging dump sites. This makes clear the negative impact that Australian rubbish would be having on already over-burdened waste management systems in South-East Asia,” said CRA Justice Officer, Emma Carolan.
CRA urged greater enforceability of the legislative ban on exporting unprocessed waste, and greater traceability of permitted waste export streams to prevent them from ending up in landfill in developing countries, as well as closing the legislative loophole that permits the exporting of plastic waste destined for waste-to-energy incinerators.
“It is clear that neither Australia, nor the countries to which Australia is exporting its waste, are able to adequately manage their exponentially growing waste output in environmentally or socially sound ways,” noted Anne Walker.
“Australia needs to enshrine circular economy principles in its domestic policies, particularly focusing on a reduction of production and consumption, and maintenance, reuse and repair of materials, over and above recycling strategies, to drastically slow down its waste generation,” Anne concluded.
Read CRA’s submission to the Inquiry.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Anne Walker | M: 0409 936 711 | E: nationalexec@catholicreligious.org.au