Many young Australians won’t remember a time when the humble aluminium can was thrown away, rather than recycled. For many reasons, scrap metal has become increasingly common in Australia as an innovative way to meet society’s needs by reducing carbon emissions, and to sustainably manufacture more consumer goods that require the use of metal. In this article, we’ll be going over where Australia stands when it comes to recycled metal.
The Rest Of The World
The EU, Japan and Korea all have legislation in place to recycle metals. This may be down to the economic factors, but there’s also a certain level of awareness from both politicians and consumers regarding sustainability. In the EU, there’s a focus on ‘end-of-life’ considerations, particularly when it comes to the car industry. This also applies to consumer goods across various industries, and the onus is on the manufacturers, rather than the individual consumer, to shift to more recycled or recyclable products. When looking at OECD countries, Australia lags behind, but that’s not to say we don’t have any plans in place at all.
The National Waste Policy
Run by the Department of Environment and Energy, the National Waste Policy is an efficient, environmentally focused approach to waste management in Australia. With a focus on six key areas, the policy aims to ask government bodies, businesses and individuals to take responsibility for sustainability. Its aims centre on the management of waste as a resource, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, improvement of waste disposal and treatment strategies, and serves to increase energy conservation procedures. Beyond these aims, an essential element is the reduction of the amount of waste in general, and to focus on cradle-to-cradle lifecycles for consumer goods.
Many of our resources such as oil and coal are going to run out eventually, so it’s imperative that we increase our efforts to recycle and deliver more sustainable outcomes. Ultimately, change comes from the individual, so if you’re environmentally inclined, get in touch with Metal Men Recycling on 03 5941 6677, who will give you cash for scrap metal.
