Waste Management Plan
Most DAs above a council-set construction value threshold - commonly around $5,000, set locally - need a Waste Management Plan detailing how construction and demolition waste will be sorted, reused, recycled or disposed of, usually against a target diversion-from-landfill rate. Larger or ongoing operational uses often need an operational plan for regular business waste as well. We prepare whichever your project needs against your specific council's requirements.
Free consultation
- 3–5 days
- Quoted per project - typically from $500 + GST
- Quoted fixed after a free scope check
Why councils reject generic templates
A Waste Management Plan copied from another project is one of the more common reasons a DA comes back with a request for further information - waste volumes, material types and diversion targets have to actually match the demolition and construction scope shown in your drawings, not a boilerplate list.
Source: NSW Environment Protection Authority, Waste and Construction & Demolition waste guidelines; relevant council Development Control Plans.
How it works
Threshold and requirements check
1 day
Confirm whether your project triggers a WMP and which council-specific template and targets apply.
Plan preparation
2–3 days
Waste types, volumes, and the reuse/recycle/disposal pathway for each are set out against the required diversion rate.
Operational plan, if required
1–2 days
For ongoing uses, a separate operational waste plan addressing regular business waste is added.
What we take off your hands
What EHUP handles
- Confirming your council's specific Waste Management Plan requirements and threshold
- Preparing the construction and demolition waste plan, with diversion targets addressed
- Preparing an operational waste plan where the use requires one
- Coordinating hazardous or scheduled waste requirements for industrial projects
What you don't have to deal with
- A DA held up for a missing or generic Waste Management Plan
- Diversion targets that do not match what your council's DCP actually requires
Frequently asked questions
Does every DA need a Waste Management Plan?
Most do, once construction value passes the threshold your specific council sets in its DCP - commonly around $5,000, though this varies. Below that, a plan is sometimes not required, but it is worth confirming for your council rather than assuming.
What diversion rate do I need to hit?
Councils commonly expect 70-80% of construction and demolition waste diverted from landfill, though the exact figure and the categories it applies to are set locally. We check your specific council's DCP rather than using a generic figure.
Is an operational Waste Management Plan different?
Yes. A construction and demolition plan covers the build itself; an operational plan covers ongoing waste from running the finished use - relevant for larger residential, commercial and industrial developments, and assessed separately.
What if my project involves hazardous waste?
Industrial and some commercial projects, particularly manufacturing, need to address hazardous or scheduled waste streams under separate NSW EPA licensing requirements in addition to the standard construction waste plan.
Related services
Development Application (DA)
A Development Application is the merit-assessed approval pathway.
Specialist Reports
Most applications of any size need reports from specialists outside town planning.
Commercial & Industrial Approval
Commercial and light industrial projects span a wide range - from a cafe fitout that can be certified in two to three weeks, to a warehouse development where the capital at risk makes feasibility the first priority, not documentation.
Why clients choose EHUP
- 10+
- 250+
- 14
- 1
Not sure which approval you need?
Tell us the address and what you want to do. We'll help identify the appropriate planning pathway, whether it is exempt development, complying development or a full DA. Your first conversation is free.