The Federal and Victorian Governments have announced $8.1 million in first round funding for seven glass and plastics projects that will double the state’s domestic glass recycling capacity, increase its plastic recycling by 40% and create 350 new jobs.
The projects include a new metropolitan processing plant with the capacity to accept 140,000 tonnes of glass each year, a regional facility to separate glass kerbside co-mingled material, and equipment to produce a new patented system for concrete slab foundations made from 100% recycled plastic.
Making the announcement, Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, said the projects are the first tranche of a $46 million co-investment between the two governments under the Federal Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund – part of the Australian Government’s $1 billion transformation of Australia’s waste and recycling industries.
“The Morrison Government is transforming Australia’s waste and recycling industry and I congratulate Victoria for its role in what will be a $1 billion transformation of Australia’s recycling industry,” the Minister said.
“We are stimulating the economy by co-investing with states and with industry as we phase in bans on the export of waste plastics, paper, glass and tyres to protect the environment.”
Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said the new infrastructure and sorting technology ‘will massively increase Victoria’s recycling capacity’.
She said the funding will be distributed through the State Government’s Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund, a key initiative of the ground-breaking $380 million Recycling Victoria policy, which is expanding Victoria’s capacity to recover quality materials for reuse.
“Not only will these seven projects announced today create jobs, but they’ll redirect 205,000 tonnes of glass and 23,000 tonnes of plastic out of landfill every year – it’s a massive gamechanger,” Ms D’Ambrosio continued.
“It means more jars, bottles and fibreglass made of recycled glass and plastic, which will also be used to build new roads and footpaths throughout Victoria.”
“Our investment in this new infrastructure is a big step in the right direction, generating more local jobs and new value from what would otherwise be waste.”
