Government should create stronger incentives for investment in the recycling infrastructure that will be needed in the future, by banning future energy from waste capacity that does not include carbon capture and storage. Government should increase the landfill tax to ensure it remains more expensive than energy from waste. It should also limit demand for existing unabated energy from waste:
- with immediate effect, local authorities should not sign or renew long term contracts for waste services relying on energy from waste without credible plans for carbon capture and storage
- local authorities with existing long term contracts should transition away from unabated energy from waste at end of contract, or at break clauses where possible
- government should deliver its commitment to bring energy from waste into the Emissions Trading Scheme in 2028.