Stakeholder workshops: recovered fines and soils orders and exemptions

The proposed changes recognised that good quality soil excavated from construction sites is a valuable commodity and seek to ensure that the way materials are reused is safe.

The new draft Recovered Soil and Recovered Fines orders and exemptions were released for industry consultation in early February with information sessions to help explain the new orders.

In response to feedback from stakeholders we want to ensure that all the implications of implementing the new orders and exemptions are fully understood and fit for purpose. We want to understand concerns you have about the orders and exemptions. The affected industries will have more time to make the necessary operational changes to transition to the new requirements.

We will be meeting with industry stakeholders about the implications for their business so we can understand the potential actions and mitigations required and how long the necessary changes are expected to take.

This will ensure that any business impacts resulting from the transition to the new requirements can be considered in finalising the orders and exemptions as well as the timeframe for commencing regulation under the new requirements. 

We will continue to balance the need to ensure the current orders and exemptions are fit for purpose and provide adequate protections for human health and the environment.

Eight virtual workshops were held between 25 March and 8 April 2022. Workshops were targeted across a range of stakeholders, which included waste associations, licensed waste facilities, skip bin operators, landscapers and construction industry, laboratories, consultants and Government.

Your feedback

To provide feedback on the new draft orders and exemption or to obtain further information, email waste.exemptions@epa.nsw.gov.au 

We will report on the consultation feedback, including our responses to issues raised, by the end of April 2022.