Australia's New South Wales government plans to introduce biodegradable bags to supermarket checkouts and open more waste collection centres to reduce landfill.

They are part of a draft waste avoidance plan to be released this week by the state's Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water. It encourages businesses to recycle more and invest in waste infrastructure.

If the draft is adopted, compostable bags would be trialled in several supermarkets to gauge public acceptance.

Food scraps wrapped in compostable bags would be mixed with garden refuse and councils would be encouraged to combine collections for the two.

"By separating food scraps for compost we can greatly reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill," the Environment Minister, Frank Sartor, said.

The government will also increase the number of council waste collection centres for difficult items such as gas bottles, car batteries or paint. A scheme for electronic waste such as televisions and computers will start next year.

The manager of sustainability at Veolia Environmental Services, Peter Shmigel, called on the government to follow Victoria and provide infrastructure subsidies. New South Wales collects more than $300 million Australian dollars a year in landfill levies but reinvests little in recycling, he said.

The action plan is designed to push New South Wales closer to its goal of recycling about two-thirds of waste by 2014. In 2008-09 the state recycled 59 per cent of the waste generated.

(Source: Plastic out, biodegradable bags in to reduce landfill [Sydney Morning Herald])