About the trial
Due to Australia’s strict biosecurity procedures and practices, most waste from international ships cannot be treated by regular domestic recycling and ends up in landfill.
To address this, AMSA and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), supported by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW), conducted the Maritime Recycling Risk Assessment Trial. The trial gathered data on recycling of waste from international ships at selected Australian ports.
This work is part of our commitment to sustainable shipping and protecting the marine environment. It will inform a broader national maritime waste recycling pilot led by DAFF.
Participating ports
The trial was a collaboration between AMSA, DAFF and these 6 port locations:
- Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal
- White Bay Cruise Terminal
- Port Botany’s Bulk Liquids Berth
- Fremantle Port
- Gladstone Port
- Port of Hay Point.
Participating port authorities provided access for waste service providers to the terminals and collection points for the recyclable waste. The ports also promoted this initiative across all stakeholders involved in the waste management value chain.
Types of waste
The trial included the following categories of recyclables:
- plastic bottles, cups and containers
- glass bottles and jars
- paper and cardboard
- aluminium, tin and steel cans.
What happens next
DAFF will use the trial data to lead a broader national maritime waste recycling pilot. The aim is to implement future arrangements that support recycling this type of waste.
Visit DAFF’s Maritime Recycling Project page.