A new innovation centre is bringing together businesses, industry groups, research institutions and not-for-profit organisations to create solutions to reduce waste, increase recycling and reuse, and generate new revenue for Victorian businesses.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio today launched the $7 million Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre that will fast-track Victoria’s recycling revolution.

The centre will work with a variety of businesses – from farms and cafes to factories and appliance shops – to streamline the way they operate, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. 

The centre will do research and offer expert advice and resources through a virtual hub, facilitate collaboration and events, and offer grants and support for businesses.

To mark the launch of the centre, the first round of the $10 million Recycling Victoria Business Support Fund is now open. The fund will help businesses, industry groups and not-for-profit organisations to improve resource efficiency, reduce waste to landfill, increase recycling and reduce their operating costs.

The first round of the $3 million Recycling Victoria Innovation Fund is also now available. This funding will support partnerships between businesses, industry groups, research institutions, community groups and charities to identify, develop and scale-up more environmentally sustainable opportunities and business models.

The centre is part of Recycling Victoria – the Government’s action plan and investment of more than $300 million to transform the state’s recycling sector, create thousands of jobs and set Victoria up for a more sustainable future.

The first focus area of the centre will be reducing food and organic waste, which currently costs the Victorian economy over $6 billion each year.

This work will build off Sustainability Victoria’s successful Love Food Hate Waste program that has helped reduce the 250,000 tonnes of edible food that is thrown away by households each year – enough to fill Melbourne’s Eureka Tower.

For more information on the centre and the grants available visit: cebic.vic.gov.au

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

“This new centre will spark innovation and help businesses to make sustainable changes and reduce waste.”  

“This will gather some of the best minds and research about recycling innovation, so that Victorian businesses can get the most out of their materials.”