Waste policy and legislation changes

Commencement of the Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2026

The Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2026 commenced on 22 May 2026 and updated the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation (WRR Regulation) to remove section 27 which prescribed 30 June 2026 as the day for reviewing particular matters in relation to the waste levy under the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011.

This date is removed to provide certainty that waste levy discount applications can continue beyond 30 June 2026, with the review of the waste levy settings having been undertaken in 2025 and 2026.

Commencement of the Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025

The Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025 commenced on 5 December 2025 and made various changes to the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2023 (WRR Regulation), which are outlined below:

• Existing waste levy exemptions for fly-ash produced by a power station and fly-ash combined with other ash waste from a power station in Queensland are combined into a single exemption to include all coal power station ash waste.
• The various expiry dates for power station ash waste have been removed.
• The waste levy exemption for waste generated in Norfolk Island and imported into Queensland has been extended until 30 June 2030.
• Microns has been amended to micrometre (µm) only changing the reference to ensure the legislation uses the standard unit for measurement, in relation to the requirements for banned plastic shopping bags, without changing the requirements.

Commencement of the Environmental Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025

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

This included:

• Increasing the regulated waste thresholds for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), so materials with very low levels don’t need special disposal.
• Added 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%. This change came into effect on 1 July 2025. Further information on applying for a discounted waste levy for residue waste can be found at For recyclers.
• Clarified that solar panels are no longer classified as regulated waste, so they don’t need special transport or handling.

To view the legislation, please visit the Queensland Legislation website to view the Amendment Regulation and the updated WRR Regulation.

Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2023

• The Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2023 (WRR Regulation) commenced on 25 August 2023, following a sunset review to replace the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2011 which was due to expire.
• The objective of the WRR Regulation is to continue to provide a regulatory mechanism for the implementation of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (the Waste Act) supporting avoidance, reuse, recycling and safe disposal of waste.

Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023

The Waste Reduction and Recycling and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023 (the WRROLA Act) commenced on 2 June 2023. The WRROLA Act supported 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 amended the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 and also made 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 included:

• introducing the circular economy principle as a key policy principle into the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011. The circular economy principle promotes waste avoidance and minimises 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 provided for the circular economy principle to be considered in Queensland’s waste strategy, and in State entity and local government’s waste reduction and recycling plans.
• removed the general exemption to the waste levy for clean earth that is disposed of in a waste disposal site. This amendment applied from 1 July 2023. Where clean earth is used for purposes necessary for the on-site operation (OSOP) 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.
• moved 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 was amended to provide a process for a thing to be prescribed by regulation to no longer be a waste. This provides a clearer pathway to support and incentivise remanufacturing or repurposing certain materials and provide security for investment in circular economy industries.
• banned 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.
• set 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 the expiry date of 1 January 2026 for the exclusion of these integrated plastic items. For further information please visit About the ban.
• provided 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 provided an alternate enforcement pathway to remedy compliance matters while ensuring that (where appropriate) resource recovery activities can continue.

The WRROLA Act also:

• changed 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
• changed the review date for state entity and local government waste reduction and recycling plans from three to five years
• included 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.