Investment Boosting Regional Recycling
The Andrews Labor Government is supporting communities to recycle by investing in sorting and collection facilities in regional Victoria, diverting waste from landfill and creating local jobs.
Minister for the Environment and Climate Action Lily D’Ambrosio today announced that up to $25 million is available to cut the cost of recovering recyclable materials in regional Victoria.
Round 2 of the Regional Recycling Fund is open until 27 October 2022, with grants available to invest in regional sorting facilities as part of the Labor Government’s $34.9 million Fund, investing in regional communities’ access to circular economy and recycling services.
Round 1 of the Regional Recycling Fund focused on upgrading regional resource recovery facilities with eleven organisations receiving funding, totalling $3 million of Government investment, and leveraging substantial private investment from successful projects.
The Geelong Resource Recovery Centre and Transfer Station received $329,000 under Round 1, enabling an increase in capacity to handle paper and cardboard and separating glass and plastic bottles.
The Eaglehawk Landfill and Transfer Station and Strathfieldsaye Transfer Station and Resource Recovery Centre (City of Greater Bendigo) received $260,000 and $360,000 respectively of Government funding under Round 1, supporting the removal of an additional 400 tonnes per annum of soft plastics from landfill in total at both sites.
The Lions Club of Dimboola, a social enterprise, was successful in its bid to purchase its own material baler. This enabled them to collect an additional 30 tonnes per annum of cardboard, paper and plastics in its operations.
Social enterprises and First Nations businesses are strongly encouraged to apply for grants as part of the Round 2 funding program.
The Labor Government has invested over $515 million to deliver the biggest ever transformation and reform of Victoria’s waste and recycling industry.
Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Climate Action Lily D’Ambrosio
“We’re supporting regional communities to take advantages of a thriving circular economy that reduces waste and creates jobs.”
“These regional facilities are the building blocks for a robust recycling network that will help us divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030.”