- The Crisafulli Government has launched Less Landfill, More Recycling, Queensland’s new 10-year waste strategy.
- Backed with more than $975 million over 5 years, including $487 million through the Waste Reduction and Recycling Activation Fund to boost recycling and reduce landfill.
- The first round of funding is already being delivered, with new investments in recycling infrastructure, organics recycling and waste innovation.
- Queensland currently has the second lowest recycling rate in Australia after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start for Queensland’s waste and recycling sector, launching a new plan to reduce landfill, boost recycling and build the infrastructure needed to turn waste into valuable new products.
Under Labor Queensland’s recycling rate fell consistently over a decade, leaving Queensland second last nationally.
The new Less Landfill, More Recycling 2035: Queensland Waste Strategy sets a clear pathway to improve Queensland’s recycling performance, make it easier for households and businesses to recycle, and support a more circular economy that creates jobs while reducing environmental impacts.
Queensland is the most decentralised State in Australia and stakeholders consistently told the Government that Labor’s one-size-fits-all approach failed to reflect the different challenges faced by communities across the State.
The Crisafulli Government has introduced a new set of practical targets including a statewide recycling target of 65 per cent by 2035, alongside dedicated targets for both South East Queensland and regional Queensland.
To deliver those outcomes, the Crisafulli Government is investing a total of $975 million over five years, which includes $487 million to deliver programs to boost recycling through the Waste Reduction and Recycling Activation Fund and $488 million in annual payments to councils to offset the costs of the waste levy on households.
Two elements of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Activation Fund are the almost $60 million of projects through the Resource Recovery Boost Fund (Round 1) and GROW FOGO Fund that will deliver more than $30 million in savings for councils annually in waste levy costs.
The Resource Recovery Boost Fund Round 1 will support 26 council projects across Queensland, from material recovery facility upgrades to distributing larger household recycling bins.
Importantly, these projects are expected to divert more than 150,000 tonnes of waste from landfill, saving councils around $17 million annually in waste levy costs.
The Crisafulli Government is also delivering a major boost to organics recycling, with more than $3.8 million through the GROW FOGO program supporting Brisbane, Gladstone and Sunshine Coast councils to expand food organics and garden organics collection services.
GROW FOGO has now supported the roll out of more than 481,000 new green-lid bins across Queensland which can divert more than 100,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year, savings councils more than $13 million annually in waste levy costs.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said Queensland needed a clear plan to tackle growing waste volumes and improve recycling outcomes.
“Queensland has fallen behind the rest of the country when it comes to recycling, and we are getting on with the job of turning that around,” Minister Powell said.
“This strategy is about doing what we said we would do – reducing landfill, increasing recycling and investing in the infrastructure Queensland needs for the future.
“The Crisafulli Government knows that what works in South East Queensland won’t always work in regional Queensland, which is why we’ve developed targets that reflect the needs of communities right across our State.
“Importantly, the investments announced today will support communities across Queensland and help Queenslanders recycle more.”
For a full list of recipients visit – https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/waste-reduction-recycling/funding-grants/resource-recovery-boost-fund
