Waste Levy Rates by State 2026–27: Australian Business Guide

Compare the same financial year, waste category and charging unit before comparing Australian waste levies. The statutory levy is not the complete commercial collection or disposal price. The table below shows what the reviewed official sources establish as at 18 September 2026.

What is the waste levy?

The waste levy, also called the landfill levy, is a government charge on every tonne of waste deposited at landfill. It is designed to discourage landfill disposal and encourage recycling and resource recovery. Each state sets its own rate, so what a site pays depends on where it operates.

The levy is paid by the landfill operator and passed through to businesses on their waste invoices. It usually appears as a separate line, though some providers fold it into their per-lift rate, which makes it harder to identify. Our guide to hidden fees on waste invoices covers how to spot it.

2026–27 official-source comparison

Jurisdiction	Published figure and scope	Source and qualification
Victoria	$177.19/t municipal and industrial at metropolitan/provincial premises; rural industrial $155.95/t, rural municipal $88.42/t	Current EPA table; priority waste has separate categories. EPA Victoria: Waste levy
New South Wales	$180.20/t Metropolitan Levy Area; $103.80/t Regional Levy Area	2026–27 solid waste rates; other waste rates differ. NSW Environment Protection Authority: Waste levy areas and levy rates
Queensland	General levy: $135/t metropolitan Level1; $100/t regional Level2	2026–27 table; source and destination rules affect applicability. Queensland Government: Levy rates
Western Australia	Schedule lists $90/t or $136/m³ for 2026–27	The reviewed page labels future schedule rates anticipated and marks only 2025–26 prescribed. Confirm the applicable prescribed rate before relying on these figures. Government of Western Australia: Waste levy rate schedule
Tasmania	36 fee units × $1.96 = $70.56/t	The department describes this as the expected 2026–27 amount. Confirm application with the receiving operator. NRE Tasmania: The Landfill Levy
South Australia	Current figure not reproduced	A current primary rate could not be verified in this review. Obtain the applicable EPA schedule before budgeting.
Australian Capital Territory	Commercial disposal fee $210.90/t for the listed ordinary commercial category at 0.25t or more; $53.50/load below that threshold	Facility disposal fees from 1 July2026, including GST; not a directly comparable standalone levy. ACT Government City Services: Waste management fees
Northern Territory	No territory-wide figure reproduced	Confirm the receiving facility's current charges and acceptance. This table does not assert a zero levy or free disposal.

Why the figures are not interchangeable

Do not substitute a per-cubic-metre charge for a per-tonne charge without the applicable measurement method. Check origin, destination, waste classification, exemptions and the effective date. Hazardous or other regulated streams may use different categories and requirements.

Checking a commercial invoice

Ask which statutory rate and waste category the levy-related line refers to.
Request the relevant weight or contractual allocation basis.
Check whether a facility or collection fee already includes the component.
Ask how GST and future adjustments are treated in the service agreement.
Keep the quote, applicable schedule and calculation together.

Do not route waste across borders based only on this table. Classification, lawful receipt, transport requirements and the full cost need their own assessment. See the Victorian levy guide and multi-site service planning.

Start by finding what you pay now. Check your invoices for a levy line. Some providers show it separately, others fold it into the per-lift rate; if you cannot identify it, ask for a rate breakdown.

Compare the rate on your invoice with the statutory rate for your state and waste category above. If the invoice rate is higher, ask which rate and category the line refers to, and on what weight or allocation basis it was calculated. A margin applied to a pass-through charge is worth questioning.

Victoria in detail

Victoria distinguishes between three main waste categories for levy purposes:

Municipal waste — waste from households and council collections.
Commercial and industrial (C&I) waste — waste from businesses.
Construction and demolition (C&D) waste — waste from building and demolition activity.

On the current EPA Victoria table, the metropolitan and provincial rate of $177.19 per tonne applies to municipal and industrial waste. Rural rates are lower: $155.95 per tonne for rural industrial waste and $88.42 per tonne for rural municipal waste. Priority waste sits in separate categories. Waste received at a metropolitan or provincial landfill attracts the metropolitan and provincial rate, so check which rate your provider's receiving facility applies.

How levy changes reach your invoice

Many waste contracts include levy pass-through clauses that let the provider lift your rate when the statutory rate changes, separately from any CPI adjustment. That is ordinary practice, but it means a total cost can move during a multi-year contract even when volumes and base rates do not.

As an illustration only, not a forecast: a site charged the current Victorian metropolitan rate of $177.19 per tonne, under a hypothetical five per cent annual increase, would reach roughly $226 per tonne after five years. Across 200 tonnes a year, the difference between those two rates is about $9,700 a year in levy alone. Published schedules, not this arithmetic, determine what you will actually be charged.

How levies differ by waste type

Not all waste attracts the same levy, and this is where most of the cost control sits:

General waste to landfill — the full levy applies. This is the most expensive stream.
Recycled materials — no levy applies to material genuinely recycled rather than landfilled, which is why recycling is usually cheaper than general waste.
Organic waste to composting — no levy where the material is diverted to a licensed composting or anaerobic digestion facility.
Construction and demolition waste — the same Victorian rate as industrial waste; some other states treat inert waste such as concrete, bricks and soil differently.
Priority and regulated waste — separate categories and requirements apply on top of the standard arrangements.

Sites in more than one state

Where a business runs sites in several states, the same waste can carry very different statutory charges. On the reviewed official sources above, New South Wales lists $180.20 per tonne in its Metropolitan Levy Area against $103.80 in the Regional Levy Area, while Victoria lists $177.19 per tonne at metropolitan and provincial premises against $155.95 for rural industrial waste. The gap between a metropolitan site and a regional one can be larger than the gap between two states.

For multi-site operations that means:

Check that contracts reference each state's own levy schedule rather than one blended national rate.
Put diversion effort where the statutory rate is highest, because that is where each diverted tonne is worth most.
Check that pass-through clauses name the correct schedule and effective date for each site.

Comparing jurisdictions needs the same financial year, waste category and charging unit; classification, lawful receipt and transport requirements each need their own assessment.

Reducing your levy exposure

The levy applies to waste that goes to landfill, so the practical lever is diverting material away from it.

Increase recycling rates. Each tonne of cardboard, paper, plastic, metal or glass moved out of general waste avoids the landfill levy on that tonne — $177.19 at the current Victorian metropolitan rate — before any difference in collection cost.
Divert organics. Food and organic waste sent to a licensed composting facility avoids the levy. Food-heavy sites such as restaurants, hotels and food manufacturers have the most organic material to divert.
Reduce at source. Purchasing and packaging decisions change how much waste exists in the first place.
Right-size the service. Bins collected part-empty still cost a lift; matching bin size and frequency to real volumes cuts collection cost even where the levy does not change.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is the landfill levy, and who pays it?

The levy is a state government charge on every tonne of waste sent to landfill, intended to discourage disposal and encourage recycling. The landfill operator pays it and the cost is passed through to your business on the waste invoice. It often appears as a separate line, though some providers include it in the per-lift rate.

What is the landfill levy rate in Victoria?

On the current EPA Victoria table for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, municipal and industrial waste at metropolitan and provincial premises is $177.19 per tonne, up from $169.79 in the previous year. Rural industrial waste is $155.95 per tonne and rural municipal waste $88.42 per tonne. Priority waste has separate categories.

Why does the levy on my invoice look higher than the published rate?

The published figure is a statutory rate per tonne. An invoice line may combine it with a provider margin, apply it to a contractual weight allocation rather than a weighbridge figure, or express it per lift rather than per tonne. Ask which statutory rate and waste category the line refers to and on what basis it was calculated.

How can a Melbourne business reduce its levy costs?

Only landfilled waste attracts the levy, so diversion is the lever: separate recyclables, send food and organic waste to a licensed composting facility, and reduce what is generated. Right-sizing bin size and collection frequency lowers collection cost even where the levy is unchanged.

Can a waste broker reduce the levy itself?

No. The statutory rate is set by government and is not negotiable. What can be reviewed is the rest of the invoice: the service mix, bin sizes, collection frequency, contamination charges and whether a margin has been applied on top of the pass-through. A review compares those against your current arrangement and does not guarantee a lower price.

Sources

EPA Victoria — Waste levy. Checked 18 September 2026; Table 1 and Table 3: 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
NSW Environment Protection Authority — Waste levy areas and levy rates. Checked 18 September 2026; Waste levy rates 2026-27.
Queensland Government — Levy rates. Checked 18 September 2026; Levy rate per tonne per financial year; source/destination table.
Government of Western Australia — Waste levy rate schedule. Checked 18 September 2026; 2026–27 schedule row and prescribed-rate footnote.
NRE Tasmania — The Landfill Levy. Checked 18 September 2026; 2026–27 Landfill Levy Rate.
ACT Government City Services — Waste management fees. Checked 18 September 2026; Part 3, items 3.1 and 3.2, effective 1 July 2026.

Australian Waste Levy Rates: 2026–27 Source Comparison