There's hope higher charges at the tip will lead to more recycling.
The government is proposing to increase the landfill levy from $10 per tonne to $60 within four years.
Waste management consultant Darren Patterson told Kate Hawkesby with China refusing to take waste, there needs to be better onshore recycling, and disposal of food and organic waste.
"Increasing this levy will provide a fund that will enable councils and businesses to get access to money to improve that infrastructure so I think it will help."
He says that illegal dumping would be a risk if fees went up sharply at once.
"But what they've proposed is actually a transition when there's a small step and then a larger increase later on."
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