QUALITY DECLARATION - SUMMARY

INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT

The statistics presented in this release were prepared using data collected directly by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) under the Authority of the

Census and Statistics Act 1905 and non-ABS data from sources including the Australian Government, State and Territory Governments, Local Governments and Australian Industry bodies.

For information on the institutional environment of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), including the legislative obligations of the ABS, financing and governance arrangements, and mechanisms for scrutiny of ABS operations, please see ABS Institutional Environment.

RELEVANCE

The ABS Waste Account, Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2013 (cat no. 4602.0.55.005) is part of a set of environmental accounts produced by the ABS. It consists of supply and use tables (collectively referred to as flow tables) for both physical and monetary volumes. The aim of Waste Account, Australia, Experimental Estimates is to integrate data from different sources into a consolidated information set making it possible to link physical data on waste to economic data, such as that in Australia's National Accounts. Environmental accounts can facilitate analyses of a range of issues including a broader assessment of the consequences of economic growth and implications of environmental policy measures across sectors (for example, regulation, charges and incentives). The Waste Account, Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2013 (cat no. 4602.0.55.005) was developed using the United Nations System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA). The SEEA was adopted as an international statistical standard in 2012. Environmental accounts extend the boundaries of the System of National Accounts (SNA) framework to include environmental resources, which occur outside the economic production and asset boundaries measured by the SNA.

TIMELINESS

The Waste Account, Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2013 (cat. no. 4602.0.55.005) was compiled using ABS and non-ABS data sources (see explanatory notes) from varying reference periods based on availability and quality. The baseline year of the physical and monetary supply/use tables is 2009-10 (financial year).

ACCURACY

Data for the Waste Account, Experimental Estimates, 2013 were obtained from a different range of ABS surveys as well as Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local Government agencies, and industry organisations. These sources have varying degrees of consistency and reliability. For more information please see Explanatory Notes.
COHERENCE

This is the first ABS Waste Account and is based on the System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework. Where possible comparisons were made with other available data sources.

INTERPRETABILITY

There are four sections of Explanatory Notes in this publication, which cover: Environmental Accounting Framework; Supply and Use, '000 Tonnes Supply and Use, $m and Imports and Exports of Waste.

ACCESSIBILITY

The data contained in this publication comprise the full detail of data compiled for the Waste Account, Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2013 and as such it would not be possible to provide any further information beyond what is presented in the publication. Tables contained in this publication are available in spreadsheet format in the downloads tab. For more detail on the publication please contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.