Resource and Waste Management Plan Form

Under the NSW Waste and Sustainable Material Strategy 2041, there are state government targets Council is working towards meeting, such as the requirement that there is an 80% average of resource recovery from all streams and tripling plastics recycling by 2030.  In order to work towards these targets, Tamworth Regional Council (Council) is requiring greater transparency and accountability on how developments will assist in meeting these NSW Government targets.

Councils Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 and action plan, adopted by Council, endorses actions that work towards achieving these targets. 

The RWMP document has been created to ensure that during any stage of development, ie the application stage, the building and construction stage or a business occupation/operation stage, can demonstrate to Council, how those resource recovery obligations are going to be met.

To assist with the submission of the RWMP, there are guiding questions within this document, to ensure the applicant understands what is required in the preparation and understanding of the resource recovery and waste management obligations for occupants of the development ongoing.

The RWMP must include the necessary information required for assessment and determination, that the provision of services to meet the resource and waste management obligations, can be delivered, by either Council or a private licensed waste service provider based on what is appropriate for anticipated volumes.

The RWMP is required to outline how adequate and safe conditions for service providers, staff and contractors will be provided, and needs to take into account the following example of a touchpoint journey from capture to disposal or potential onsite reuse opportunities. 

Refer back to the Development Application General Resource Recovery and Waste Management Guidelines for guidance or information.  

If this does not contain the answer to your question, you can email: waste@tamworth.nsw.gov.au and in the Subject Line include the following
RWMP Query – description (ie Chemical Disposal) 
and outline your question in the body of the email and your contact details.
However, please allow up to 10 business days for response.  It may not take this long to receive a response, but depending on the query, further consultation may need to be undertaken.

A RWMP is a mechanism or tool for behavioural and operational change, to shift from the traditional single source of waste disposal option utilised, to create a plan that demonstrates how you, your clients and those associated with the development and ongoing operations, are going to meet your obligations to meet the NSW Governments Resource Recovery targets (where possible). 

There are a number of purposes for the RWMP and at different stages of development, construction and occupation.  Each DA is potentially unique or can occur at different timeframes or be influenced by other factors that require separate DA’s and applicants for the various Sections, they can be the same or different and may not require all sections.  RWMP’s help to ensure that consideration has been applied to all potential resource recovery opportunities during all stages of these processes and help Council understand: -

Site Preparation, Demolition or Construction Stage

• if in the preparation of a site there will be volumes of material identified to be taken to a Council waste management facility, identified for reuse or an alternate location.
• if demolitions works are required, what materials that involves and will volumes of material identified to be taken to a Council waste management facility, identified for reuse or an alternate location;
• that if demolition works are required that involve asbestos, all appropriate and legislative requirements have been met;
• the bin collection location or consolidation location(s) for onsite source separation of reuse, recyclables or waste and how that is going to be managed and measures have been put in place for this to occur safely;
• the educational practices undertaken (site induction/toolbox talk), signage that will be used for staff or subcontractors to know what bin is for what stream (might be provided by the bin provider on their infrastructure);
• what “bin” contamination management practices are in place for resource recovery streams so things that should not be in there are removed or avoided;
• when and how frequent resource recovery and waste collection services are to be provided;

Commercial / Industrial / Business Occupation / Operational Stage

Council requires greater transparency to identify the resources and wastes generated by these sectors. RWMP’s assist in identifying potential circular economy opportunities, or foster communication from Council when a new opportunity for resource recovery is available in the local government area.  It also allows Council to communicate with relevant businesses, who could be affected by an unexpected legislative change, that requires a change of management for a particular resource or waste stream and provide access to information. The RWMP’s for this stage help Council to understand: -

• the type of business and industry sector that will be operating at the premises;
• the collection infrastructure that will be implemented on site for the business to manage the identified streams;
• who the approved service provider for those identified streams will be and the frequency of service or staff drop off activities occurring at approved locations;
• the estimated volumes of each waste stream that might be received at a Council waste management facility or taken by another licenced service provider to an identified approved location as this shows diversion activities are happening;
• the educational practices undertaken (site induction/toolbox talk), signage that will be used for staff or subcontractors to know what bin is for what stream (might be provided by the bin provider on their infrastructure)
• what bin contamination management practices a private collection service will include (if applicable);
• the if there are any potential presentation or servicing issues;

This document contains different sections for completion for different stages of the development process and/or occupation based on the type of development. 

Each section can be completed individually or submitted all at once if the information is known or applicable.  

• Section 1 - Contact Information, DA information (if known and applicable);
• Section 2 - Site preparation, demolition, building and construction;
• Section 3 - For Commercial/Industrial/Business premises Occupation/Operations;
• Section 4 - Community title or gated community or residential multi-dwelling (≥6 units) then you MUST complete Section 4 as part of the original DA submission for assessment. 

For example – If it is a DA for a house in an established subdivision, then the RWMP will need to be submitted with the DA (Section 1 and 2).

For example - If a commercial property is being built (requiring completion of Section 1 & 2) but the occupant is unknown, then the occupant can complete and submit the RWMP requirement (completing Section 1 & 3) at a later stage.

For example – If it is a DA for a normal residential subdivision establishment (requiring the completion of Section 1 & part of Section 2) but the construction of the dwellings is potentially unknown as the lots are yet to be sold.  In this instance, the construction of a dwelling would require a separate DA, and the RWMP would form part of the requirements for the dwelling DA (Section 1 and only the Construction part of Section 2) would be submitted then.

For example - If the DA is for any of the following residential construction, general housing, dual occupancy or secondary dwelling, residential multi-dwelling (≤ 5units) (requiring completion of Section 1 & 2).  Section 4 is not required as a development of this size will automatically have the Council kerbside waste services applied to those properties upon the receival of the occupation certificate.  HOWEVER, as per the Development Control Plan requirements, provision on the plans submitted to Council as part of the DA will still need to demonstrate adequate storage areas for the bins or consolidation areas if for multiple dwellings, and the provisions inside the dwellings as well as well as presentation.

For example – If a DA for a residential multi-dwelling of 6 units (or more) were to be submitted then a RWMP would need to be completed (Sections 1, 2 and 4) as Council kerbside services may not able to be provided (based on the number of units, location or other determining factors) and the alternative waste management services proposed to be provided for the multi-dwelling will need to be detailed and will form part of the DA assessment process.

For example – If a DA for Community title or gated community is received, then a RWMP needs to be provided (Section 1, 2 and 4) as Council services cannot be provided to these type of developments if there is a 24 hour security gate in place, or if the road width is too narrow for a large garbage truck to maneuver safely without encroaching on to the other side of the road, or if the road surface proposed cannot with stand repeated heavy and large vehicle movements over a sustained period of time, or if performing services risks potential damage to other service infrastructure, or if the kerb space available for presentation of multiple bin is an issue.  There is not alternative but to provide formal notification that a private waste contractor could service the development and replicate the services that Council provides its residents, to comply with NSW State Government mandates and the Local Government Act 1993.

Applicants submitting a DA for a Community title or Gated Community that WILL require the provision of private waste collection services must submit the information below as part of the DA that will form part of the DA assessment process. 

Services provided by a private licenced waste management service provider, must replicate Council’s kerbside waste management services provided to other residents at a minimum and must include any state government mandated obligations such as future food organics (FO) collections (Council will provide FO as part of the garden organics (GO) services by 2030).

Council provides kerbside waste management services that predominately include the following suite of collections across most of its Council area (including providing the bin infrastructure): -

• 1 x 240L general waste bin

• 1 x 240L recycling bin
• 1 x 240L garden organics bin (NB: The future collection of Food Organics in 2030 as mentioned above)

A bin storage area for 3 x 240L bins is required as a minimum for each residence, but developments should include additional storage for an additional 240L bin should future changes to kerbside services occur that utilise a 4 x 240L bin configuration or provide additional space for an additional bin.

There are currently no food organics (FO) collections in the Tamworth Regional Council area, however there is a NSW State Government Mandate around food waste diversion in place currently. The FO service rules are beyond Council’s control as they are State imposed obligations.

In this section the proposed development, is required to outline the how adequate and safe services by a private waste service provider can be delivered safely for their staff and residents.  Safety, practicality and locations of proposed infrastructure that will be used and/or any consolidation points will also be reviewed. 

Community Title or Gated Community or Lifestyle Living Village Development

For this type of development, the purpose of the O-RWMP is to assist Council or an approved private licensed waste service provider to: -

• understand the access to the proposed development;
• understand the number of residences within the development and if there is a potential for future growth of those developments (i.e., stage 1, stage 2 etc);
• understand the bin infrastructure needs for the residents;
• understand the deployment sequence of bin infrastructure;
• understand the bin collection location or consolidation location(s);
• understand the bin storage and traversal journey to presentation of bins (if applicable);
• understand the educational signage that will be used in communal locations (if applicable);
• understand what bin contamination management practices a private collection service will include (if applicable);
• understand when and how waste collection services would be provided;
• understand how bulky household waste items from residents will be managed;
• understand the road layout and if there are potentially any turning or presentation issues;
• understand the road width and road surface durability for regular heavy vehicle utilisation;
• understand if the proposed development design, facilitates safe service delivery for a collection service provider, resident and property infrastructure (i.e., water metres, mail boxes etc).