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Commonwealth act
The Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020 is a federal law that came into effect on 16 December 2020. It creates a national framework for reducing the environmental and health impacts of waste and products — everything from your old phone to industrial by-products.
This law touches a wide range of people and organisations:
The government can designate certain waste as "regulated waste material" — meaning you can't just ship it overseas freely. If your waste falls into this category, you may need to:
Lying about your waste when exporting it is a — up to 5 years in prison or large fines (over $100,000 for companies). Even being about false statements can land you 3 years in jail.
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Direct links to the current provisions in Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020.
Zoe has indexed the source text for search and analysis. Use the official register for the original document and download formats.
View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
The law creates three tiers of responsibility for what happens to products throughout their life — from manufacture to disposal:
The aim is to push manufacturers and importers to design products that last longer, can be repaired, and are easier to recycle.
Authorised officers can inspect operations, issue improvement notices, and investigate non-compliance. The law includes:
The big picture goal is a circular economy — where products and materials are kept in use as long as possible, waste is minimised, and environmental harm is reduced. This includes meeting Australia's international environmental obligations.