The Hon Sussan Ley MP, Minister for the Environment
The Hon Trevor Evans MP, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management
The Hon Matt Kean MP, NSW Minister for the Environment
The ongoing transformation of the NSW recycling sector continues with a new $13.5 million grant round for new and expanded infrastructure backed by the Commonwealth and NSW Governments.
Federal Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the Morrison Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund was delivering state, territory and industry partnerships that were helping the environment, driving economic growth and supporting jobs.
“The $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) is on track to leverage more than $800 million in total infrastructure investment, ensuring we have the industry capacity to process waste that was previously shipped overseas,” Minister Ley said.
“We are taking responsibility for our waste and with NSW we are creating further job opportunities.”
NSW Treasurer and Minister for Environment Matt Kean said the $13.5 million grant round, open from today, comes as Round One of the Remanufacture NSW program had already helped fund a number of innovative recycling solutions.
Mr Kean said the funding from Round 1 of the Remanufacture NSW program had already helped to fund innovative recycling solutions.
“The first round of the Remanufacture NSW program awarded over $20 million to applicants to develop solutions for materials affected by the waste export bans on plastic, paper, glass and tyres,” Mr Kean said.
“These grants are helping to futureproof our NSW waste and recycling sector. We’re supporting industry to develop innovative waste solutions and recycling infrastructure to help grow the NSW circular economy, while also taking the pressure off our environment.”
Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction, Trevor Evans said that actions under the National Waste Policy Action Plan and the Recycling Modernisation Fund will divert more than 10 million tonnes of waste from landfill every year.
“First round grants in NSW included $636,000 to Coffs Harbour Paper and Oil to recover industrial, agricultural and retail plastic waste from landfill for reuse in new plastic,” Assistant Minister Evans said.
“Another $500,000 went to Shoalhaven City Council to remanufacture glass and mattresses into green ceramics used as kitchen benches, tabletops, tiles, furnishings and other applications and re-manufactures plastics into filament for 3D printing purposes.
“It’s these sorts of innovations that ensure that Australia is able to keep the value of our waste resources in our economy, now and into the future.”
The $13.5 million in Remanufacture NSW Round 2 grant funding is available to applicants from the resource recovery industry. Eligible organisations include councils, industry, business, state government entities, not-for profit organisations and research institutions.
It covers infrastructure and trial projects that will establish better management of materials subject to the waste export ban, including plastics, paper, cardboard and tyre processing.
The funding is available in Round 2 of the Australian and NSW Government’s $35 million Remanufacture NSW Program, part of the Australian and NSW Government’s response to the waste export bans.
Remanufacture NSW is jointly funded by the Australian Government through its Recycling Modernisation Fund and the NSW Government through its Waste Less Recycle More initiative. The program is delivered by the NSW Environmental Trust in partnership with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
