SA Disaster Waste Management Guidelines
Written by the Rawtec consultancy team in consultation with South Australian stakeholders, for Green Industries SA, funded by the State Emergency Management Committee through the National Disaster Resilience Program. Version 3.0, issued 20 January 2026. The original is on the Green Industries SA website.
Summary published
Managing waste to support recovery
When disaster strikes, managing the waste left behind is a critical part of recovery. It can involve large volumes, hazardous materials and complex decisions about how waste is handled, recovered and disposed of.
Engaged by Green Industries SA, Rawtec authored South Australia’s Disaster Waste Management Guidelines, drawing on disaster experience and consultation with emergency management, government and waste-sector stakeholders.
The Guidelines provide practical guidance from immediate response through to recovery, including how to manage diverse and challenging waste streams.
From first assessment to program review
Waste streams covered in the Guidelines
Structural materials in an average SA dwelling
SA buildings are more likely to contain asbestos
What good disaster waste management looks like
From immediate response to long-term recovery
Disaster waste management is about more than cleaning up. Done well, it can reduce risks to people and the environment, support community recovery and enable valuable materials to be recovered and reused. The Guidelines recognise potential benefits including improved community wellbeing, local employment and the production of recycled materials that can contribute to rebuilding infrastructure.
The Guidelines provide a structured pathway from immediate response through to long-term recovery, helping decision-makers assess the waste generated, prioritise urgent issues and coordinate its safe collection, handling, recovery and disposal.
Good decisions start with understanding the problem
In the aftermath of a disaster, there is pressure to act quickly. But effective waste management starts with understanding what has happened and what needs attention first.
The Guidelines establish a staged approach, beginning with an initial waste assessment and identification of short-term support for acute waste issues. This is followed by a more detailed assessment to identify recovery needs and inform the development of a coordinated Disaster Waste Management Program.
This approach recognises an important principle: speed matters, but so does having the information needed to make the right decisions.
There is no single ‘disaster waste'
The Guidelines address waste ranging from construction debris, metals, household goods and e-waste through to asbestos, hazardous chemicals, contaminated soil and sediment, food waste, agricultural waste, animal carcasses, sandbags and medical and pharmaceutical waste.
Each presents different considerations for handling, transport, recovery and disposal. The Guidelines therefore combine an overarching management process with technical guidance for individual waste streams.
Keeping resource recovery in the picture
A disaster does not necessarily mean every damaged material has lost its value.
The Guidelines specifically consider recycling and disposal options and recognise that effective disaster waste management can produce recycled materials that contribute to rebuilding infrastructure and deliver associated economic benefits.
That creates an important connection between disaster response and the circular economy. Where it is safe and appropriate to do so, identifying recovery pathways can reduce disposal while retaining resources within the economy.
Planning before disaster strikes
Perhaps one of the most important messages is that disaster waste management does not need to begin after the event.
By setting out the activities, considerations and technical issues that can arise during response and recovery, the Guidelines provide a foundation that organisations can use to think through disaster waste management before those arrangements are needed. The document itself covers the progression from initial assessment and acute response through detailed assessment, program development, implementation and review.
Good disaster waste management is about more than clean-up. It protects communities, reduces environmental impacts and supports recovery.
Seven principles for disaster waste managemnt
Community resilience, empathy, and support for positive recovery outcomes are three of the seven stated principles.
The second principle covers human health, economic assets including agriculture, and the environment.
Sustainable resource management applies, but with a stated limit: where circumstances create unacceptable risk, waste is likely to go to landfill despite the hierarchy.
Practical constraints and community expectations are a principle in their own right, alongside accountability. Streamlined approaches may be needed in a crisis, which may not follow business as usual processes.
The guidelines are meant to be read alongside the State Emergency Management Plan and the Disaster Waste Management Capability Plan.
Related documents
The rest of the South Australian disaster waste framework.
The full guidelines include the decision-making frameworks and the individual guidance sheet for each of the 25 waste streams.
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