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Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Matt Reeves Matt Reeves Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: July 2024 ANZSIC D2922

Revenue

$8.3bn

2024-25

$8.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

16,029

Businesses

1,920

Wages

$X.Xbn

Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia industry analysis

Recent waste recovery targets have encouraged diverting waste from landfills towards industry-operated materials recovery facilities. Simultaneously, rising landfill levies have reduced the processing cost gaps between landfill disposal and recovery, reducing external competition. Rising metal prices have pushed up revenue from scrap metal recycling, although subdued construction activity has offset this growth by limiting volumes. Overall, industry revenue is expected to expand at an annualised 1.1% over the five years through 2024-25, to total $8.3 billion. This includes an anticipated decline of 2.6% in 2024-25 due to weak demand from some markets.

Trends and Insights

  • Intensified regulation through higher landfill levies has helped support revenue growth. This has promoted waste avoidance and resource recovery, remediation and recycling.
  • Domestic demand for materials recovery and sorting is rising on the back of growing recycling rates. Greater environmental consciousness among households and businesses is supporting this trend.
  • Access to major markets is a decisive factor in determining business locations. States that generate significant industrial, manufacturing, government and construction waste help to drive industry demand.
  • Geographic barriers are limiting rising market share concentration. Although market share concentration has intensified over the past few years, transporting waste long distances is costly, requiring firms to set up separate operations.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $8.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Rising overall waste volumes are assisting total revenue growth

  • Population growth, household numbers, consumer spending and demand from downstream markets, like construction and mining businesses, all influence the volume of waste produced in Australia.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

A projected rise in the number of households will likely drive industry growth

  • Australia's population is forecast to continue growing in the future, increasing the number of households. This will likely expand waste volumes due to overall consumption expanding.

Biggest companies in the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Sims
1,524.6
Veolia Environmental Services
1,232.5
Cleanaway Waste Management
755.5

To view the market share and analysis for all 8 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Hazardous material removal, Materials recovery and sorting and Remediation services. Hazardous material removal is the largest segment of the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia.

Trends and Insights

A rise in recycling rates has seen a jump in materials recovery and sorting services demand

  • Over half all waste generated in Australia each year is recovered or remediated for recycling.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry firms primarily remediate and clean up contaminated buildings and mine sites. These firms are also involved in mine reclamation activities; waste material recycling, recovery and sorting services; the removal of hazardous material like asbestos and lead paint; and other toxic material abatement. Industry firms also generate revenue from onselling recovered scrap materials.

What's included in this industry?

Hazardous material removalMaterials recovery and sortingRemediation services

Companies

SimsVeolia Environmental ServicesCleanaway Waste Management

Purchase this report to view all 8 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

WASTE REMEDIATIONMATERIALS RECOVERYABATEMENT SERVICESHAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 2922 - Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Intensified regulation through higher landfill levies has helped support revenue growth. This has promoted waste avoidance and resource recovery, remediation and recycling.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Domestic demand for materials recovery and sorting is rising on the back of growing recycling rates. Greater environmental consciousness among households and businesses is su...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Access to major markets is a decisive factor in determining business locations. States that generate significant industrial, manufacturing, government and construction waste ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Geographic barriers are limiting rising market share concentration. Although market share concentration has intensified over the past few years, transporting waste long dista...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Visy is investing heavily in efficiency and production upgrades. Facility upgrades in Queensland and Victoria aim to redirect recyclable material and improve production of co...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Sims's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Veolia Environmental Services's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Cleanaway Waste Management's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 5 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Sims, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Veolia Environmental Services, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Cleanaway Waste Management, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 5 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry remains moderately regulated. Industry regulation revolves mainly around environmental protection, waste remova...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Decreased purchase costs are easing pressure on profit margins. Greater waste volumes and efforts to divert more waste from landfill have further supported profit growth.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia is $8.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 1,920 businesses in the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services market in Australia are Sims, Veolia Environmental Services and Cleanaway Waste Management

What does the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia include?

Hazardous material removal and Materials recovery and sorting are part of the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Sims.

How competitive is the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Waste Remediation and Materials Recovery Services industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Sewerage and Drainage Services in Australia
  • Site Preparation Services in Australia
  • Commercial Cleaning Services in Australia
  • Solid Waste Collection Services in Australia

International industries

  • Recycling Facilities in the US
  • Electronic Goods Recycling in the US
  • Battery Recycling in the US
  • Tire & Rubber Recycling in the US
  • Scrap Metal Recycling in the US

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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