The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced it has proposed to allow four southern Sydney councils to jointly tender and contract for the provision of residual waste transfer, processing and disposal services in their local government areas.

The participating councils are Hurstville, Kogarah, Rockdale and Sutherland.

The councils have developed the arrangements as part of a strategy to meet the NSW Government's waste avoidance targets and address the increasing costs of sending waste to landfill. They hope to have a new alternative waste technology facility built in their area, which would divert waste from landfill and recover resources for use as new products.

"The ACCC considers the proposed arrangements are likely to result in efficiencies that will reduce alternative waste management costs for the councils and their ratepayers," ACCC chairman, Graeme Samuel, said.

"By diverting waste from landfill, the arrangements are also likely to provide environmental benefits to the greater Sydney region and stimulate competition in the local waste management services market," he said.

13 October, 2009