In the lead-up to the Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo (AWRE) at ICC Sydney Darling Harbour on October 30 and 31, the event organisers conducted a wide-ranging survey of stakeholders.
The survey found 85% of respondents were planning investments of up to $500,000 while 12% planned to invest more than $1million.
Organisations cited research and development, technology and innovation, and product development as their major investment priorities over the next three years.
The respondents came from every state and territory, representing a wide range of suppliers and customers.
AWRE event manager Andrew Lawson said the survey revealed an overarching sense of optimism about the future, despite the short-term challenges following the loss of export markets.
A majority of respondents said that at this stage neither federal or state initiatives had helped their business navigate the challenging new landscape, so the Prime Minister’s recent focus on these issues will be welcomed by the industry, Lawson explained.
Asked to nominate the main drivers for bringing about radical changes to Australia’s waste and recycling sector, respondents nominated government policy, technology and international trends – with some also identifying climate change as a major influence on public policy and community attitudes.
You can hear more about the activity across governments and as analysis of Australia’s pathway to manage its waste and resources more sustainably. Join GECA’s CEO Kate Harris and an expert panel on day two of AWRE.
The panel, State of Waste: 18 months post-China Sword are we making any progress?, will explore the plethora of activity across governments and look at whether we are forging a pathway that will enable Australia to manage its waste and resources more sustainably.
Click here for free registration and download the white paper to start discovering a world of solutions.
