The State Government’s landfill levy is changing on 1 July 2026. Here’s what that means for our community.
The landfill levy is a State Government charge on every tonne of waste that goes to landfill, designed to ensure that money raised by waste disposal is reinvested back into waste reduction and recovery programs across the state. It does not apply to materials that are reused, recycled or composted.
Introduced in 2022 under the Waste and Resource Recovery Act 2022, the levy was staged over four years to give councils, businesses and the community time to plan and adapt:
- $14.18 per tonne from 1 July 2022
- $45.84 per tonne from 1 July 2024
- $70.56 per tonne from 1 July 2026 (full rate)
Future changes will be limited to annual indexation adjustments made by Treasury. Even at its full rate, Tasmania has the lowest landfill levy of any Australian state that has a levy in place. The levy is set and managed by the State Government — it is not a Council charge and the money does not stay with Council. Council is required to collect the levy on behalf of the State Government and pass those funds on accordingly.
Because the levy only applies to waste going to landfill, the choices you make really do matter. Using your yellow-lid recycling bin correctly, taking advantage of food and garden organics services where available, and dropping reusable items at tip shops or local charities instead of throwing them away all help reduce the amount of levy paid on local waste over time.
Illegal dumping is not a way to avoid the levy — it is an offence that damages local environments. If you see illegal dumping, please report it to Council or to EPA Tasmania online at rubbish.epa.tas.gov.au, by phone on (03) 6165 4599, or by email at litter@epa.tas.gov.au.
More information
Landfill levy: www.nre.tas.gov.au/environment/landfill-levy
Tasmanian Water and Recovery Board: Home | Waste Resource Recovery
Recycling and reuse options: www.rethinkwaste.com.au
Huon Valley Council waste services: Waste and Recycling – Huon Valley Council