On Wednesday, 5 February 2020, the MTAA attended a roundtable with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) of South Australia hosted by MTA SA/NT.

In attendance was the Chief Executive Office of the EPA, Tony Circelli, as well as his directors for regulation, and policy and legislation. The roundtable heard from MTA members and industry experts from diverse sections of the automotive industry such as recycling, body repair, tyre retail, as well as automotive repair and engineering.

 

Motor Trades Association of Australia Chief Executive Officer, Richard Dudley started the roundtable with a presentation on End of Life Vehicle Policy (ELV) by which outlined the scope and issues surrounding automotive waste products, international and interstate policy, as well as the proposal for South Australia to pilot an ELV through authorised treatment facilities.

The EPA then heard from MTA-SA/NT members who raised not just the issues they were faced, but also significant opportunities arising from their best practice activities and compliance surrounding automotive plastics, tyres and solvents. Finally,MTA-SA/NT presented its Green Stamp accreditation program to the EPA, highlighting the positive outcomes it has achieved and the potential to further strengthen it in the future.

MTA-SA/NT was keen to highlight the need for the EPA and government to support a level playing field business environment which does not favour those who choose make a business decision to avoid standards or be non-compliant at the expensive of environmental outcomes.

With significant work being undertaken in Victoria towards recycling and automotive waste disposal guidelines being developed between industry and the Victorian EPA, we remain hopeful of partnering with the South Australian EPA on similar work which may ultimately feed into a local and eventually national ELV policy environment.