Waste policy and legislation changes

Commencement of the Environmental Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025

The Environmental Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025  commenced on  6 June 2025 and makes various changes to make it easier to recycle waste and reduce costs for recycling businesses.

This includes:

• Increasing the regulated waste thresholds for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), so materials with very low levels don’t need special disposal.
  • Previously, the PFAS regulated thresholds were zero, so any detection at all of PFAS in soils or liquids results in it being considered regulated waste, which then requires the highest waste levy to be paid and special transport and treatment requirements.
  • The new regulated waste thresholds for PFAS are still extremely low and were derived from scientific research based on minimising risks to both human health and the environment.
  • This will reduce the costs for businesses and major infrastructure projects in dealing with materials with very low levels of PFAS.
• Adding construction and demolition waste to the list of prescribed recycling activities, where businesses can apply for a waste levy discount for any residual waste if they are achieving a recycling rate of more than 80%.

• Changes to the WRR Regulation include amending Schedule 3 to include recycling mixed construction and demolition waste to produce aggregate or other new products to a particular specification in the list of recycling activities for which a residue waste discount application may be made. This change comes into effect on 1 July 2025. Further information on applying for a discounted waste levy for residue waste can be found at For recyclers | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government.

• These changes will help those businesses that have invested in the infrastructure needed to reduce waste to landfill. Providing a discount on the small amount of residual waste leftover from recycling of mixed construction and demolition waste supports this technology and keeps this waste type out of our landfills. This approach is consistent with other recyclers of materials like glass and cardboard.
• Clarifying that solar panels are no longer classified as regulated waste, so they don’t need special transport or handling.
  • These changes help clarify how solar panels should be safely treated and disposed of.  Solar panels that are removed from people’s houses can often be reused or recycled to harvest critical minerals. The regulation change will support reuse and recycling of solar panels by removing them from the regulated waste framework and allowing them to be managed as general waste. This aligns with how other electronic goods such as televisions, electronic equipment and computers are managed and simplifies the process for transport and recycling.

To view the commenced legislation, please visit the Queensland Legislation Website to view the Amendment Regulation and the updated Waste Regulation 2023.

Commencement of Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2023

The Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2023 (WRR Regulation) commenced on 25 August 2023. Following a sunset review, the WRR Regulation was introduced to replace the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2011 which was due to expire. Read further information on the WRR Regulation.

Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023

This page provides information on updates to the policy and legislative framework for the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011.

The Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023 (the WRROLA Act) commenced on 2 June 2023. The WRROLA Act supports the Queensland Government’s commitment to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and create more jobs in Queensland’s recycling and resource recovery industry. The WRROLA Act amends the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 and also makes consequential amendments to the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2011.

Notable amendments to the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 include:

• introducing the circular economy principle as a key policy principle into the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011. The circular economy principle is to promote waste avoidance and minimise the impact of waste on the environment and human health. All products and materials should be kept in the economy for as long as they have value or remain useful. The WRROLA Act provides for the circular economy principle to be considered in Queensland’s waste management strategy, and in State entity and local government’s waste reduction and recycling plans.
• removes the general exemption to the waste levy for clean earth that is disposed of in a waste disposal site. This amendment will apply from 1 July 2023. Where clean earth is used for purposes necessary for the on-site operation of a levyable waste disposal site, operators can apply to the department for approval of clean earth as exempt waste. For more information on the change to the levy exemption for clean earth including options for landfill operators please visit the clean earth removal FAQ.
• moves the definition of waste from the Environmental Protection Act 1994 to the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 to provide greater clarity and certainty around waste and the circular economy. In addition, the definition of waste has been amended to provide a process for a thing to be prescribed by regulation to no longer be a waste. This will provide a clearer pathway to support and incentivise remanufacturing or repurposing certain materials and provide security for investment in circular economy industries.
• bans the outdoor release of lighter-than-air balloons from 1 September 2023. The ban excludes hot air balloons and balloons used for scientific research such as weather balloons.
• sets an end date for the exemption on single use plastic items that are an integral part of a shelf ready product (for example a straw on a juice box or a fork in a prepacked salad). Community, business and industry have shown strong support to expand the ban of single-use plastic items. The WRROLA amendments set an expiry date of 1 January 2026 for the exclusion of these integrated plastic items. The department will continue to work with community, business and industry to ensure they are aware of and are able to comply with the requirements of the ban. For further information please visit About the ban.
• provides the ability for the chief executive to request a landfill operator show cause why their resource recovery area should not be amended or suspended. The new power complements the existing ability for the chief executive to revoke a resource recovery area declaration where a compliance matter has been identified. As the effect of revocation is that the resource recovery area cannot be used for resource recovery activities for 12 months, the new power provides an alternate enforcement pathway to remedy compliance matters while ensuring that (where appropriate) resource recovery activities can continue.

The WRROLA Act also:

• changes the review periods for the State’s waste management strategy from three to five years to align with the interim targets set in the strategy
• changes the review date for state entity and local government waste reduction and recycling plans from three to five years
• includes provisions for the chief executive to grant an additional amount to a local government to mitigate any direct effects of the waste levy on households at the request of the local government.