Australians generate solid waste at a high rate compared with most other OECD countries. Technologies and processes to avoid, reduce and recover waste are generally not used as extensively in Australia as in some other OECD countries. Non-optimal levels of waste represent lost value and opportunities, while imposing undesirable economic and environmental costs on society. The objective of this inquiry is to identify policies that will enable Australia to address market failures and externalities associated with the generation and disposal of waste, including opportunities for resource use efficiency and recovery throughout the product lifecycle (from raw material extraction and processing, to product design, manufacture, use and end of life management).