The Andrews Labor Government will provide more than $1.1 million to fast-track industry-upgrade projects in Victoria’s recycling sector.

Minister for Environment Lily D’Ambrosio today announced that three recycling companies would share in the funding to help improve the quality of processed materials.

The Recycling Industry Transition Support fund is designed to boost the sector’s capacity to capture and reprocess plastics, paper and cardboard waste to a commercial grade acceptable to local and international markets.

Tambo Waste in Bairnsdale will receive a $130,000 grant to upgrade equipment, lift annual production by 800 tonnes and to enable future expansion by another 5,000 tonnes a year.

The project will create jobs, reduce contamination in processed plastic, paper and cardboard, and lift material to a commercially acceptable grade for local and international markets.

Australian Paper Recovery at Dandenong South will receive $475,000 as part of a $1.2 million equipment upgrade that will include new waste paper sorting and compaction equipment.

Polymer Processors, Braeside will receive a $500,000 grant to support a $3.2 million upgrade, allowing the company to purchase new plastic washing equipment and accept a wider range of plastics.

The grant will also support an upgrade of wastewater treatment and increase processing capacity of plastics by 800 kilograms per hour, giving manufacturers alternatives to virgin materials.

The funding follows more than $1 million provided in February as part of a $13 million package to help councils and the recycling sector.

Applications are now open for the next round of the Research, Development and Demonstration grants, another program to help boost Victoria’s recycling industry.

For more information on how to apply and previously funded projects, visit sustainability.vic.gov.au/research-development-grants.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio

“These grants will help reprocess more than 48,000 tonnes of plastic, paper and cardboard each year and create 19 jobs in Melbourne and Gippsland.”

“We’re helping Victoria’s recycling sector adjust to changes in world recycling markets so that more material is diverted from landfill.”