Government policy in relation to waste management is firmly grounded on the internationally recognised hierarchy of waste management options of prevention, re-use and recycling, energy recovery and environmentally secure disposal of residual wastes. Waste management approaches have been and will continue to be the subject of review and debate internationally. Proponents of the "zero waste" approach have argued that it is possible to rely entirely on prevention, minimisation, re-use and recycling. However, my Department is not aware of any country or jurisdiction in which waste management strategies have actually delivered on the solution of "zero waste". Effective waste minimisation and recovery is central to the Government's approach to waste management and I am bringing forward, and allocating funding towards, a range of new initiatives, including the recently announced national waste prevention programme and the market development programme for recyclable materials. There will, however, continue to be residual waste and the challenge is to ensure that this is managed in the most environmentally appropriate manner.