The Environment Protection Act 1993 of South Australia (the Act) was proclaimed in 1995 and is the primary environmental regulatory tool to control the potential adverse environmental impacts generated from industrial activities in the state, including the waste industry. In recent times, regulation has not kept pace with rapid changes in waste management in the more non-traditional waste reuse and recycling areas. In particular, the development of alternative resource recovery initiatives is rapidly increasing, including alternative fuels and proposed reuse by application of wastes including industrial residues to land. These issues have generally been addressed by the Environment Protection Authority in South Australia (EPA) on a case-by-case basis through a process of demonstration and assessment of the risks and suitability of individual proposals. Although the process was sound in each case, there was no officially published position or guidelines through which the broader industry has been advised by the EPA of the expectations and requirements incumbent upon them in order to undertake such activities. As part of the resolution of this matter, a programme was commenced in 2007 to address the issues and options for improving waste management practices and the regulatory system that controls these emerging activities in South Australia. This paper will discuss these issues, the inherent limitations and the manner in which the identified gaps are being addressed, with the difficult task of bringing the often conflicting expectations and viewpoints of the regulator, the public and the industry together.
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