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Lot 245 / 22 Carrs Drive, West Yamba, multiple lot subdivision. Just one section of the total landfill which will be required across est. 127ha of a natural flood storage area . IMAGE: The Daily Telegraph, 31 May 2021.
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Showing posts with label safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safety. Show all posts
Saturday 27 August 2022
"Stop The Fill" peaceful protest at Ford Park, Yamba at 11am on Sunday 28 August 2022. Gather at western side of Yamba Markets on the day
Saturday 13 August 2022
Tweet of the Month
I don’t appreciate being interrupted while speaking on serious risks of repeated covid infections.
— Dr Monique Ryan MP (@Mon4Kooyong) August 1, 2022
I particularly don’t appreciate being interrupted by shouting LNP MPs who refuse to wear masks.
We all have a duty to look after each other. Here & everywhere.
Put your mask on! pic.twitter.com/u5evZ0k4Oi
Wednesday 10 August 2022
New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Select Committee on the Response to Major Flooding across New South Wales in 2022. Report no. 1 (9 August 2022).
In February-March 2022 and again in April the seven local government areas in the Northern Rivers region experienced heavy rainfall events, with some local rainfall exceeding historical records that had been kept since the late 1800s. These rainfall events were exacerbated by at least one large East-Coast Low stormfront.
The flood which occurred while often expected, was at times unpredictable in its behaviour, record breaking in its spread, highly destructive and, in the case of Lismore City local government area calamitous.
The 100 kilometre wide coastal zone of New South Wales experienced natural disaster on a scale that would have been hard to imagine before climate change began to widen our experience.
Post-flooding, a state parliamentary select committee was established to inquire into and report on the response to major flooding across New South Wales in 2022. Terms of reference were referred to the committee by the NSW Legislative Council on 23 March 2022 and Report No.1 was published on 9 August 2022.
Set out below is the full report in scrollable form.
However, right now I would note eight of the twenty-one findings of the report. I am sure that many Northern Rivers residents will recognise concerns which local communities have raised repeatedly across the years in times of flood.
Especially once state government decided emergency service headquarters, coordination functions and staff/volunteer numbers were to be either downsized or moved further south and away from north-east New South Wales.
Finding 1
That the NSW State Emergency Service and Resilience NSW failed as lead agencies to provide adequate leadership and effective coordination during the major flooding of February-March 2022.
Finding 2
That NSW Government agencies lacked coordination, created confusion and responded poorly in the February-March 2022 floods, resulting in the North Coast community being let down in their greatest time of need.
Finding 3
That demarcation disputes and a lack of integration between NSW Government agencies slowed the roll-out of support and assistance to those affected by the February-March 2022 floods.
Finding 4
That NSW Government agencies and the Bureau of Meteorology were not prepared for, nor did they comprehend the scale of the February-March 2022 floods, and some agencies were criticised for treating it as a nine to five business operation.
Finding 5
That the centralisation of the NSW State Emergency Service and a shortage of volunteers significantly hindered the ability of the agency to lead the response to the major flooding of February-March 2022.
.......
Finding 7
That the NSW State Emergency Service failed in its public communication of flood warnings and evacuation information during the February-March 2022 floods, by issuing out of date, inaccurate and confusing messages.
Finding 8
That NSW Government agencies and telecommunications providers failed to ensure that communities affected by the February-March 2022 floods had adequate emergency communications capabilities.
Finding 9
That, notwithstanding the role of the NSW State Emergency Service to perform rescues, individual members of the community had no other option but to ignore government advice and save lives, which was only possible due to local and historical knowledge and local communication, given information from the NSW State Emergency Service and the Bureau of Meteorology was incorrect and out of date.
NSW Parliament, Legislative Council, Inquiry Report No 1 - Response to Major Flooding Across New South Wale... by clarencegirl on Scribd
Chair's Foreword
Major flooding in NSW in February-March 2022 was a catastrophic disaster, causing widespread devastation and damage – particularly in the Northern Rivers and Hawkesbury regions. Tragically, lives were lost, thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, and significant local infrastructure was damaged.
Five months later, families are homeless with some still living in tents, businesses are still waiting for long-promised assistance, and there are still unresolved policy matters involving buy-backs and land swaps – to name just a few of the myriad remaining pressing problems.
This inquiry was set up to consider the NSW Government's preparedness, coordination, and response to the flooding events. While this report outlines many of the failures of the NSW Government, it also seeks to ensure that the Government is better prepared and coordinated when the next natural disaster of this nature inevitably occurs.
A considerable focus of this inquiry was on the performance of the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), as the leading agency for emergency response, and Resilience NSW as the leading agency in recovery.
Ultimately, the committee found that these two organisations failed to provide leadership and effective coordination in the community’s greatest time of need. Demarcation disputes and a lack of integration slowed the roll-out of support and assistance to flood-affected communities.
The State Government’s failure to implement a streamlined grants process also meant that applicants were repeatedly interviewed, and had to re-live their experiences, leading to further frustration and trauma as part of the support process.
With respect to the NSW SES, it is clear that the centralisation of this organisation, and a shortage of volunteers, significantly hindered the ability of the agency to lead the emergency response. In many cases, flood warnings and evacuation information were out of date, inaccurate and confusing. Further still, many community members felt that they had no choice but to conduct their own rescues in dangerous conditions as many calls for assistance to 000 and the NSW SES went unanswered.
Put simply, the community was forced to save themselves; neighbour saving neighbour. While this is an admirable testament to these communities, it is both unreasonable and undesirable as a matter of public policy. For these reasons, the NSW Government should consider restructuring the SES to ensure that it better harnesses local knowledge and networks, coordinates more closely with other rescue agencies, and increases resources, including by driving volunteer recruitment.
Resilience NSW demonstrated some of the biggest failures of the NSW Government's response to the floods. Witnesses repeatedly expressed frustration and were confused about the role of Resilience NSW, particularly in the recovery phase following the floods. The committee found that the NSW Government failed to comprehend the scale of the floods and treated the disaster response as a “nine to five” business operation – when it was one of the greatest natural disasters in generations.
The agency failed to engage or coordinate with community groups leading flood recovery efforts in their communities. This was despite Resilience NSW having been established almost two years ago.
Accordingly, the NSW Government must consider the viability of Resilience NSW unless it can ensure that the agency's role is clear after reviewing policies, objectives, and funding; and that the organisation and its policies are apt to actually meet community disaster response needs.
It is this chair’s view that the NSW Government should abolish Resilience NSW.
Our focus is now on the enormous task of clean-up, restoration and reconstruction. Many flood affected individuals, families and businesses still need assistance. The NSW Government must work with much greater urgency to secure temporary housing options as many continue to live in tents and cars near their homes.
The committee also calls on the government to finalise its long term housing options and ensure that it considers investing in supporting relocations, land swaps, and providing fair compensation for landowners who wish to relocate from severely flood-impacted areas.The committee also made practical recommendations such as providing satellite phones and satellite terminals to community hubs in flood-prone areas.
The committee has noted evidence that – following the appointment of NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner, Mal Lanyon, to the role of Northern NSW Recovery Coordinator – recovery efforts significantly improved, and that he provided much-needed leadership. The Committee has accordingly recommended a senior police officer with 'combat' experience should lead recovery efforts in future natural disasters as a matter of policy.
On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank the flood-affected communities and individuals who took the time to share their stories with us. It is the committee’s wish that this report will help to improve the NSW Government's response to future natural disasters to minimise adverse effects on local communities.
In total, the committee made 21 findings and 37 recommendations. The committee received almost 90 submissions and almost 120 responses to its online questionnaire. It held six public hearings. This included ones in Ballina; Lismore; Murwillumbah; Windsor; and two at Parliament House.
Significantly, the Committee held four public forums. We hope they were regarded as valuable by flood-stricken communities, given that they allowed 75 flood-affected individuals to speak directly under parliamentary privilege to the committee.
Furthermore, I wish to acknowledge the political leaders – at all three levels of government – who put aside their differences to support their communities. They all cooperated with this inquiry, providing forthright and honest views. This was appreciated.
Finally, I would like to thank my committee colleagues for their collaboration, and the secretariat — particularly Tina Higgins, Shaza Barbar, Stephen Fujiwara and Andrew Ratchford, as well as Hansard staff for their professional assistance on this important Inquiry.
The Hon Walt Secord MLC
Committee Chair
Monday 8 August 2022
WHO declares Monkeypox to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern & Australia declares it to be a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance with NSW Health beginning vaccine rollout
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| Image: BBC, 30 July 2022 |
28 July 2022
I have declared the unfolding situation regarding monkeypox (MPX) in Australia to be a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance.
This follows the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the global situation regarding MPX to be a public health emergency of international concern.
The latest data from 1 January to 28 July 2022 as reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) indicates there have been 20,311 MPX cases in 71 countries (including Australia) that have not historically reported MPX.
In Australia, there have been 44 cases – the majority of which have been within returned international travellers.
It is important to note that although I have declared MPX to be a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance, it is far less harmful than COVID-19 and there have been no deaths reported during the current outbreak outside of countries where the virus is endemic.[inoperative statement as of 30.07.22]
MPX is also not transmitted in the same way as COVID-19 – and is far less transmissible.
The decision to declare MPX a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance was made under the Emergency Response Plan for Communicable Disease Incidents of National Significance, in consultation with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.
Since May, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care public health experts have engaged with at-risk communities in partnership with key stakeholders and have been working very closely with their counterparts in state and territory health departments to ensure our response to MPX has been swift and coordinated.
The National Incident Centre has been activated to provide enhanced national coordination to assist states and territories to effectively manage the outbreaks within their jurisdictions.
MPX’s rash and flu-like symptoms are relatively mild, and in most cases, resolve themselves within two to four weeks without the need for specific treatments.
Most cases of MPX in Australia have been among people aged 21 to 40 years. The experience internationally and in Australia to date is most cases have been among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
Although MPX is not usually considered a sexually transmissible infection, physical contact with an infected person during sexual intercourse carries a significant risk of transmission and intimate physical contact such as hugging, kissing and sexual activities represent a risk of infection, with infectious skin sores being the likely mode of transmission.
The rash usually occurs on the face before spreading to other parts of the body, including the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. However, in this outbreak it is being seen especially on the genital and perianal regions of affected people.
The rash can vary from person to person and take on the appearance of pimples, blisters or sores. The flu-like symptoms often include fever, chills, body aches, headaches, swollen lymph nodes and tiredness.
The National Medical Stockpile has available stock of MPX treatments, such as antivirals, for states and territories to access on request.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has updated clinical guidance on vaccination against monkeypox using the ACAM2000 vaccine to include the use of MVA-BN vaccine to prepare for supplies of the third-generation vaccine being made available in Australia.
Further information about monkeypox is available from the Department of Health and Aged Care’s website www.health.gov.au/health-topics/monkeypox-mpx
NOTE
As of 28 July 2022 there were 45 cases (confirmed and probable) of MPX in Australia. This includes 25 in New South Wales, 16 in Victoria, 2 in the Australian Capital Territory, 1 in Queensland and 1 in South Australia [Australian Dept. of Health, 29 July 2022].
Eleven days later, on 8 August, it was reported that the number of cases has risen to 58 cases, with 33 of those cases being found in NSW. All but two cases appear to have been contracted overseas.
The Lancet, 30 July 2022:
WHO's declaration on July 23 that the current monkeypox outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) was unprecedented. It is the seventh such declaration, but the first made against the advice of a majority of the emergency committee (nine were against, six were for). Dr Tedros’ decision is a brave one. It needs to serve as a global wake-up call. The question is whether it will prompt the escalated efforts required to control the outbreak.
Dr Tedros gave three broad reasons for his decision. “We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly, through new modes of transmission about which we understand too little, and which meets the criteria in the International Health Regulations.” The details make for a compelling case. So far this year, up to July 22, 16016 cases have been reported from 75 countries. Where monkeypox is endemic, such as in DR Congo, large new outbreaks have been reported in diverse populations. Outside of west and central Africa, the outbreak is concentrated, for now, in men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM). Why the disease's epidemiology has changed is still unclear, as are many other aspects of the outbreak. Recent case series from non-endemic countries have shown differences in clinical features compared with previous reports. Lethargy and fever seem to be less common, and several patients have no prodromal symptoms. Skin lesions are found predominantly in genital or perianal areas. Transmission is known to occur through skin-to-skin contact, but monkeypox DNA has been found in patients’ seminal fluid—whether it represents replication-competent virus remains unknown. The rapid worldwide spread of a disease, for reasons we are unsure of, was clearly an over-riding concern for Dr Tedros. An urgent energised research effort is now needed to understand these and other issues related to the outbreak.
Countries must strengthen public health preparedness and response. Case definitions should be updated and harmonised as new data emerge, with heightened surveillance, case detection, and contact tracing. Patients need to be supported in isolation and treatment, and targeted immunisation might be needed for people at high risk of exposure. Recent experience with COVID-19 might help countries institute these measures but many health systems are at breaking point already. There is a risk too that the public is fatigued by talk of pandemics and their control. Misinformation about monkeypox has already begun to circulate. The public need to be engaged and targeted risk-communication strategies developed. Monkeypox is not COVID-19. The R0 is around 1, and transmission mechanisms are entirely different. The clade of monkeypox that seems to be responsible for the outbreak largely causes mild self-limiting illness, although patients have been admitted to hospital, mainly for pain. Ensuring wide understanding of these points is key for managing public anxiety.
Engagement among many MSM has been high since the outbreak started, and this population is—as ever—keen to take care of its health (and do their part to protect others). Countries that criminalise homosexuality and marginalise LGBTI+ communities risk both patients’ wellbeing and chances of controlling transmission. Stigma and discrimination need to be fought. It would be wrong to categorise monkeypox as a disease of MSM.
The expedited pathways for research, development, regulatory approval, and manufacturing of medical countermeasures developed for COVID-19 should be repurposed for monkeypox. A lack of diagnostic tests is hampering case identification in some countries. Tecovirimat, originally produced to treat smallpox, has been licenced by European regulators for monkeypox, but not yet by the US FDA. Other promising treatments, such as cidofovir and brincidofovir, require clinical study. A monkeypox vaccine (sold as Imvanex in Europe and Jynneos in the USA) has been approved, but supplies of both treatments and vaccines are extremely limited. WHO will have to take a much more muscular approach to ensure global access and avoid the inequities of the COVID-19 response.
Whether or not you agree with WHO's decision, there has undoubtedly been a missed opportunity. Monkeypox is not new. It has been causing illness and death in large numbers for decades. Specialists have long called for affordable countermeasures, strengthened surveillance, and more study. But like Ebola and Zika, monkeypox only commands global attention when it hits high-income countries with predominantly White populations. As a result, the window of opportunity to prevent monkeypox becoming established in communities worldwide is closing. Now is a key moment. It warrants the strongest medical, scientific, and political global effort.
BACKGROUND
Key facts
Vaccines used during the smallpox eradication programme also provided protection against monkeypox. Newer vaccines have been developed of which one has been approved for prevention of monkeypox
Monkeypox is caused by monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae.
Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks. Severe cases can occur. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around 3–6%.
Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus.
Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and west Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.
An antiviral agent developed for the treatment of smallpox has also been licensed for the treatment of monkeypox.
The clinical presentation of monkeypox resembles that of smallpox, a related orthopoxvirus infection which was declared eradicated worldwide in 1980. Monkeypox is less contagious than smallpox and causes less severe illness.
Monkeypox typically presents clinically with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications….
Outbreaks
Human monkeypox was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a 9-month-old boy in a region where smallpox had been eliminated in 1968. Since then, most cases have been reported from rural, rainforest regions of the Congo Basin, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and human cases have increasingly been reported from across central and west Africa.
Since 1970, human cases of monkeypox have been reported in 11 African countries: Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and South Sudan. The true burden of monkeypox is not known. For example, in 1996–97, an outbreak was reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a lower case fatality ratio and a higher attack rate than usual. A concurrent outbreak of chickenpox (caused by the varicella virus, which is not an orthopoxvirus) and monkeypox was found, which could explain real or apparent changes in transmission dynamics in this case. Since 2017, Nigeria has experienced a large outbreak, with over 500 suspected cases and over 200 confirmed cases and a case fatality ratio of approximately 3%. Cases continue to be reported until today.
Monkeypox is a disease of global public health importance as it not only affects countries in west and central Africa, but the rest of the world. In 2003, the first monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa was in the United States of America and was linked to contact with infected pet prairie dogs. These pets had been housed with Gambian pouched rats and dormice that had been imported into the country from Ghana. This outbreak led to over 70 cases of monkeypox in the U.S. Monkeypox has also been reported in travelers from Nigeria to Israel in September 2018, to the United Kingdom in September 2018, December 2019, May 2021 and May 2022, to Singapore in May 2019, and to the United States of America in July and November 2021. In May 2022, multiple cases of monkeypox were identified in several non-endemic countries. Studies are currently underway to further understand the epidemiology, sources of infection, and transmission patterns.
Sunday 7 August 2022
Monash University on the subject of climate change, evolving health impacts and future generations
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Vqu3M1_3U
The Guardian, 21 July 2022:
We know climate change creates catastrophic weather events. But here’s what you may not know about the wider risks to our health.
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that the human-induced climate catastrophe is a “grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing”. With a changing planet comes changing threats to our wellbeing. People’s health – and the infrastructure that supports it – will be increasingly affected by adverse weather events and the slow-onset effects of climate change.
As experts from Monash University explain, our future wellbeing is a complex issue. There are questions of new diseases, and old ones making a return, alongside the direct impacts of flood, fire and rising temperatures, disrupted education and supply chains, and the simple fact of living longer. Without serious intervention, the health risks we face in 2030 may be unrecognisable from today’s.
The most common health conditions will evolve
Dr Yuming Guo, professor of global environmental health in Monash’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, explains the potential physiological impact of climate change. “Climate change increases the temperature, which is directly related to the emissions and body function – for example, causing increased blood pressure and decreased lung function, and affecting metabolic and renal function,” he says.
These health issues can snowball. Professor Arthur Christopoulos, Monash’s dean of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, says: “You apply that to the next generation and you’ve got a real issue. Because on top of that, climate change is going to influence every aspect of this conversation. You’re affecting water quality and sources, food security, shelter and where you can access food. It’s a combination of factors.”
In Australia, the greatest health burden is currently cardiovascular disease – a condition known to be exacerbated by extreme heat and air pollution. But, Christopoulos says, other conditions are hot on its tail. “Because of air quality issues, respiratory diseases are going to go up. Because of the longevity aspect, age-related neurological diseases will increase – dementia is now the third-leading cause of disease burden. These global health burdens are not new, but they are going to get worse.”
Aerial overhead view of a multi-ethnic group of elementary age children drawing. They are seated around a table. The kids are using colored pencils to make a mural. The have colored a world map, objects found in nature, and symbols of environmental conservation.
The next generation will require more complex care
Alongside physiological issues exacerbated by climate, the incidence of psychiatric disease will continue to rise, especially in the next generation, Christopoulos says. “Depression and anxiety we’re going to be seeing a lot more,” he says. “Partly, they were already on the rise. But Covid, the world’s reaction to it, and isolationism are all factors.”
Professor Sophia Zoungas, head of Monash’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, says climate change presents a two-fold challenge: responding to acute health crises, such as communicable disease outbreaks after floods, while continuing to effectively manage pre-existing chronic conditions.
“Natural disasters arising from climate change, such as fires and floods, present immediate logistical challenges to people with chronic disease, as they struggle to access vital medications and care. We also need to consider the spiralling impacts of extreme physical and mental stress caused by these events on underlying chronic conditions.”
says professor Sophia Zoungas”
“The Covid pandemic has seen an increase in public health and healthcare expenditure. While that’s understandable, with climate change potentially driving more frequent disasters, we need to build such responses into our future plans. We need to ensure equitable access to healthcare, especially given the system is already under stress.”
Healthcare will need to change to deal with unprecedented demand
Increases in health concerns will inevitably require more healthcare. But while there will be direct concerns, such as a rise in diseases, they are not the only factor. Guo says weather events, climate-related sociopolitical unrest and increasing poverty will also have indirect impacts, such as supply and resourcing issues, including of medical practitioners themselves.
“The healthcare workforce is only projected to grow. But there is no workforce training without education and without access to education. There’s been chronic underinvestment. We need a greater push to develop the next-generation workforce for dealing with the healthcare needs of our society.”
says professor Arthur Christopoulos, Monash’s dean of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences”
According to Zoungas, sufficiently addressing those needs might mean investing in a whole new model. “Codesigning healthcare with the community will help us build a system with processes and goals that actually mean something important to patients,” she says. “We also need to improve the way we talk about health and share evidence with the public. We need super communicators who understand the science and can frame it in a way that makes sense to communities.”
Monash’s experts say we can learn from the past as we move forward. Technology, digitised healthcare and new modelling can all help us build a more sustainable healthcare system to face these unprecedented challenges.
“We are learning a new language in healthcare,” Zoungas says. “The pandemic has taught us how agile and proactive the medical sector can be. Clinical guidelines are being updated faster using living evidence models, telehealth has revolutionised routine healthcare, ethics approvals for research are being fast-tracked. It feels like an opportunity to move forward with a renewed can-do attitude and try to apply these learnings system-wide.”
We need change now more than ever. Join us to change it
NOTE: Advertisement feature paid for by Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria
Friday 8 July 2022
It no use pretending otherwise; individuals, families & communities within the NSW ~100km wide coastal zone will see more flooding - might be within the next four months or the next four years - so here is some EPA advice on safely dealing with flood waste in your house or in your yard
NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NEWS:
NSW storm and flood updates 2022
27 June 2022
Find out how to keep your community safe after flooding; what to do with waste material and hazardous materials; and how to clean a flood-affected property.
If you are impacted by the floods, Service NSW is providing a one-stop shop for people and businesses to access all available recovery services. Call 13 77 88 or visit service.nsw.gov.au to access the following information:
Accommodation advice
Relevant charitable services
Mental health and wellbeing services
Support for businesses
Financial assistance
Insurance and legal support
Replacing lost ID
Building site run-off
If you see run-off from a building site or your property is affected by run-off because of the floods or heavy rainfall, please contact your council to report it. Councils are the environmental regulator for local construction projects. The EPA can help you with major or state significant construction projects and you can report any issues to the EPA’s Environment Line on 131 555.
Waste levy waivers
Fifty-seven local government areas have been subject to natural disaster declarations and to help residents in these communities dispose of their flood-damaged goods and possessions, the NSW Government waste levy has been waived.
Residents can now take flood-affected household items to their local landfill without having to worry about the cost.
Building materials, furniture and any other flood-generated waste is covered by the waiving of the levy, which applies to waste from both public and private land.
Councils will specify on their website which waste facility is taking debris, opening hours and whether there are special requirements for disposing of flood damaged waste.
Waste facilities will need to ensure the waste is flood generated before they can waive the Government’s waste levy. Council waste facility gate fees may still apply.
Council areas where the waste levy has been waived
Ballina Council
Bayside
Bellingen Council
Blacktown
Blue Mountains
Byron Shire Council
Camden
Campbelltown
Canterbury Bankstown
Central Coast
Cessnock City Council
Clarence Valley Council
Coffs Harbour Council
Cumberland City Council
Dungog Shire Council
Fairfield
Georges River
Hawkesbury
Hornsby Council
Inner West
Kempsey Council
Kiama
Ku-Ring-Gai
Kyogle Council
Lismore Council
Liverpool
Maitland City Council
MidCoast
Muswellbrook Shire Council
Nambucca Council
Newcastle
Northern Beaches
Parramatta
Penrith
Port Macquarie / Hastings Council
Richmond Council
Ryde
Shellharbour
Shoalhaven
Singleton Shire Council
Sutherland
The Hills Council
Tweed Council
Upper Hunter Shire Council
Wingecarribee
Wollondilly
Wollongong
Council areas where the waste levy does not apply, but where residents may use a nearby facility in an area where the levy has been waived
Armidale Regional Council
Bega
Eurobodalla
Mid-Western Regional Council
Glen Innes Severn Council
Goulburn Mulwaree Council
Lithgow City Council
Queenbeyan-Palerang Regional Council
Snowy Monaro Regional Council
Tenterfield Council
Community safety
Safety is the number one priority for those in flood impacted areas. Please be alert for instructions from NSW government departments that are responding to the flood and be aware of evacuation orders from the NSW State Emergency Service.
Avoid flood impacted areas and damaged building or structures, unless they are deemed safe by authorities. Be mindful that there may be large submerged debris in flood waters which can be an unseen hazard.
If an immediate response is required, where there is imminent risk to the community or the environment, call Fire and Rescue NSW on Triple Zero (000), including for a HAZMAT response.
When collecting and removing rotting material such as spoiled food or vegetation, always wear a P2 face mask. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling flood-generated waste.
While cleaning up after flooding, be mindful where materials might contain asbestos and take appropriate precautions.
Find out more about asbestos management.
If you encounter material that you suspect may be hazardous please avoid it and call Environment Line on 131 555 or info@epa.nsw.gov.au.
Dealing with waste material when clean-up commences
During clean-up, it is important to protect yourself and to be mindful of the environment around you. If you are in in a Disaster-Declared Area, your local council is your initial point of contact to seek assistance or phone Service NSW on 13 77 88 for information on what assistance is available. Operators will refer you to the appropriate support.
We are working with reginal councils to identify temporary waste storage sites.
If you are not in a Local Government Area covered by the NSW Government’s Immediate Relief Teams, liaise with your council about arrangements for clean-up in your area.
You can start managing your waste by separating it into the following groups:
food waste (use your red lid bin first. If the bin is full put food waste in a container on the kerbside)
hard bulk waste (furniture, carpets, mattresses)
green waste (vegetation)
scrap metal (whitegoods and e-waste)
hazardous materials (gas bottles, paint, pool chemicals, unlabelled drums)
Separating waste into the different waste types means we will be able to send the right waste to the right place and save valuable landfill space.
The NSW Government waste levy is being waived for the 17 local government areas that have been subject to natural disaster declarations.
Building materials, furniture and any other flood-generated waste are included in the levy waiver and this applies to waste from both public and private land.
Find out about water safety around flood waters and how to deal with flood mud, household and hazardous chemicals and asbestos if you have been impacted by storms or floods
Cleaning your flood affected property
Every area affected by flood water inside your house needs to be cleaned, including empty refrigerators and cupboards.
Wash mud, dirt, and debris from your house with a hose, starting at the highest point and working down to ground level.
Where possible, remove all wet items such as floor coverings, rugs, mats, furniture, bedding, linen and clothing. If floor coverings are removed, thoroughly clean and dry the floor underneath before new material is laid.
Begin drying out the house as soon as floodwaters recede – open doors and windows during dry days, use fans where possible, check for trapped water and mud in wall or floor cavities.
Hard-surface floors, walls, benches and sinks should be thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water and disinfected by wiping or spraying surfaces with a chlorine bleach solution or a product labelled as a disinfectant. Once disinfected, allow to dry.
Flood-affected mattresses are difficult to treat and may need to be discarded.
Furniture, such as lounge chairs, may be air dried in the sun then sprayed thoroughly with a disinfectant solution. Consult a local furniture renovating company if you are unsure about their condition.
Soft toys should be discarded. Solid toys should be washed and then disinfected.
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