The Australian Waste Industry Expands
Waste services in Australia starts growing at a fast pace, resulting in a developing and expanding waste industry. Despite the sector's rapid growth, industry stakeholders were only coming together once every two years at a conference in Adelaide. No other information exchange existed, representing a major gap in the industry.
1980'sThe Beginning of WMAA
The Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA) is launched, run mostly by volunteers. A network of state branches exist largely to provide networking and local information sharing. Frank Schmidt is appointed the first president of WMAA and he was key in the formation of the association as a legal entity and led the young association in its early years.Â
1991WMAA Establishes a National Office
WMAA receives funding from five major members to hire an inaugural CEO with the aim of growing the association. WMAA also receives a $10,000 donation from John Cook of Waste Services NSW. Val Southam is appointed WMAA's first CEO. She proceeds to set up a national office to centralise services, link state branches and working groups, and consider national issues.Â
2001The First National Landfill & Transfer Stations Conference
WMAA launches its National Landfill and Transfer Stations conference, which is still a flagship biennial event.Â
2005Growing our National Influence
Today, the association continues to grow from strength to strength. Its state branches and working groups become the backbone of the association, engaging members and supporting its strategic and advocacy objectives as the peak national body for the waste and resource recovery industry.
2005 & BeyondA Stronger Voice for Industry
The association expands its national events program, delivering major conferences including Energy from Waste and Enviro, alongside the Women of Waste series, state-based industry forums, meetings and networking events. WMAA also strengthens its role in state and federal industry discussions, influencing policy through submissions, position papers and advocacy.
2005 & BeyondWMAA becomes WMRR
On 1 January 2019, WMAA becomes the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR), with members adopting the new name to reflect the association’s increasingly diverse membership and the industry’s growing focus on resource recovery. WMRR also launches the Resource Recovery and Market Development (RRMD) division and state-based working groups.
January 1st, 2019