Used coffee grounds equivalent to six million lattes will be composted into Victorian gardens as the Andrews Labor Government boosts funding for new and innovative projects to divert food waste from landfill.

Creative approaches such as bike repair sheds, neighbourhood compost hubs and mobile dishwashing stations to reduce single use plastics will inspire Victorians to see the many ways to reuse waste and find another life for items previously destined for landfill.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio today announced grant recipients under the Recycling Victoria Councils and Communities Funds with more than $4 million in grants to be shared between 50 projects.

Not-for-profit organisation Reground has been awarded $170,000 to expand its program collecting used coffee grounds from the hospitality sector for use on local gardens. Reground will extend its service to more than 100 new businesses and divert more than 195 tonnes of coffee grounds from landfill in the first year alone.

The 50 funded projects led by not-for-profit organisations and councils will see councils and communities working together to deliver tangible community benefits, actively re-use materials diverted from landfill, and strengthen local economies through the creation of more than 70 jobs.

To do so, the projects will explore large-scale local and regional solutions to address waste, such as regional resource recovery centres, mobile electronic-waste collection, and mattress re-processing.

A further 23 projects that will receive a share of $6.3 million through the Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre to extend the life of products and materials and test new innovations.

The projects will identify, develop or deliver solutions to tackle almost 1 million tonnes of waste, creating 72 new jobs and supporting collaborative partnerships across businesses, industry, not-for-profit organisations and research institutions.

The Funds are delivered under Recycling Victoria, the Labor Government’s $380 million action plan which will fundamentally reduce waste, boost jobs and establish a recycling system Victorians can rely on into the future.

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

“We’re turning used coffee grounds into compost, while also funding other creative projects to reduce landfill. Like bike repair sheds and mobile dishwashing stations to reduce single-use-plastics.”

“Victorians are passionate about recycling. Giving old objects a new life is good for the environment, good for businesses, and good for the economy.”