Waste Management Plan

What is a Waste Management Plan?

A Waste Management Plan (WMP) reviews the waste management strategy of a land use, estimates waste and recyclable volumes and other waste streams where applicable, reviews on-site bin provisions, seeks strategies to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, and assesses the proposed removal of waste from the site. Waste Management Plans are prepared for construction, occupation and operation phases of a development.

How is a Waste Management Plan developed?

In Victoria, most councils accept Waste Management Plans structured in accordance with Sustainability Victoria's Better Practice Guide "Waste Management and Recycling in Multi-Unit Developments". Some councils, such as the City of Melbourne and City of Port Phillip, have their own guide documents. Regardless of the guide used, a WMP follows a consistent format that plans, designs and assesses appropriate garbage, recycling and organics management systems and facilities for a development.

What are the key items in a Waste Management Plan?

Various waste streams must be considered, including garbage, recyclables, organics and hard waste. Smaller developments typically store these in mobile garbage bins kept within each premises, while larger developments may implement chute systems or communal waste bins, with green waste collection determined in consultation with council.

Waste collection services aren't typically offered for commercial developments, though councils have an obligation to offer domestic waste services, and the annual service fee applies whether or not it's used. Bin storage is another key consideration, particularly when refurbishing existing buildings or adding waste streams to existing premises; storage areas should be designed for easy access, manoeuvring, cleaning and servicing. The bin collection point also needs careful attention during design, avoiding locations such as near intersections, roundabouts or narrow lanes, with sufficient kerb space for bins to be lined up for collection.

Collection frequency relates directly to the amount of storage space available; while local governments typically offer weekly or fortnightly collections, a private waste contractor can provide more frequent collection if needed, though on-site storage should always be designed around a standard weekly or fortnightly collection cycle.

When do you need a Waste Management Plan?

A Waste Management Plan is developed during the planning phase of a project, ahead of the Planning Permit being issued. For larger developments, it's recommended from the design development phase to plan ahead and avoid surprises. For smaller developments, councils may request a Waste Management Plan during pre-application meetings, upon submission of the initial set of documents, or as a Planning Permit condition. RedSquare Traffic's team is experienced at preparing Waste Management Plans of varying complexity.