The North East Waste Forum is a voluntary waste management group based on the North Coast of New South Wales. Member councils include:  Ballina Shire Council, Byron Shire Council, Clarence Valley Council, Richmond Valley Council and Tweed Shire Council. The NEWF also has strong ties to the neighbouring Lismore City and Kyogle Councils.

Kyogle Council suspended its membership of the Forum in July 2009 and will reconsider its membership in 2010.
 
The NEWF manages a range of projects aimed at reducing waste to landfill and better managing waste and resources on a regional basis. It consists of an Executive Committee, member council delegates, a Co-ordinator, an Education Co-ordinator and a Business Waste Reduction Co-ordinator. The NEWF committee meets on a bi-monthly basis.  The NEWF has developed a Regional Plan for Managing Waste and Resources with a three-year action included.  This strategy document will allow the North East Waste Forum to make a contribution to the waste reduction targets set by the NSW State Government in its Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy (2002). 
 
The NEWF has always been seen as a vehicle to achieve the vision through actions that reflect the vision and its guiding principles, formulated by the NEWF member councils.
 
Vision
Councils working together in the Northern Rivers Region to achieve sustainable waste and resource management. 
 
This will be achieved through facilitating and initiating:

-         strong positive regional partnerships;
-         effective communication and promotion;
-         integration of our work with other agencies;
-         effective and focused projects;
-         integrated sustainable resource management;
-         adequate and equitable resourcing; and
-         ways to achieve maximum efficiency.

Guiding Principles
In achieving the vision of the NEWF it will be guided by the following principles:

-         Ecological sustainability;
-         Collaboration and co-operation;
-         Active participation, commitment and resourcing;
-         Creating and maintaining positive relationships in a supportive network;
-         Benchmarking – with ongoing monitoring and evaluation;
-         Continuous improvement, leadership and innovation.

The NEWF is supported by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change  (DECC) - Sustainability Programs Division.
 

The North East Waste Forum region