Waste and Circular Materials Strategy 2026-2030

Over the next four years, this strategy focuses on improving performance within our existing services and planning ahead so waste services remain reliable and affordable for our community.  

We are fortunate to have landfill capacity at Awaba until early 2040s. The strategy helps us better understand growing challenges and potential future opportunities for waste services. From here, it allows time to assess emerging technologies and regional waste options to determine the best path forward for the Awaba Waste Management Facility and to ensure we continue providing affordable, effective waste services into the future.

Progess on strategies and priorities will be reviewed towards the end of the four year period, and used to inform the direction and development of the next strategy.  

Unlocking the value of reuse and repair – opportunities for waste avoidance in Lake Macquarie is a companion to our strategy, exploring opportunities to grow the reuse and repair sector in our city. It informs several priorities in the draft strategy.     

Submissions must be made in writing and received by 4 May 2026. You can choose to:

• Provide written feedback via the online submission form on this website
• Email [email protected] with subject heading 'Submission on draft Waste and Circular Materials Strategy'
• Write to Lake Macquarie City Council Attn: Waste Strategy Coordinator, Box 1906, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW, 2310.

Hard copies of the draft strategy are available to view at all Lake Mac Libraries branches.

Your submission can be as concise or as long as you wish.

Ideally, you will express your level of support for the proposal and provide detailed and specific feedback. The feedback will be reviewed by staff and later presented to Council to make an informed decision.

Should multiple submissions be received from a single resident regarding this project, the feedback will be reviewed by staff and counted as one submission when reporting back to Council.

Submissions may result in changes being made to the draft Waste and Circular Materials Strategy.  A report will be prepared for Council recommending adoption of the draft strategy including a summary of submissions and how feedback was considered. 

We will notify you prior to Council considering this matter, which will include a link to the Council report and upcoming Council meeting.