Gippsland Regional circular economy plan

The Gippsland regional circular economy plan sets out Gippsland’s aspirations to 2030 for a sustainable and thriving circular economy.

Representatives from 51 organisations contributed to the plan, including:

local government
businesses and business associations
manufacturers
social enterprise
the waste and resource recovery industry
research and education institutions
and the Victorian Government.

They participated in robust discussions and workshops facilitated by the Victorian Government designed to encourage strategic thinking about their region, where they are now, where they want to be by 2030, and how they can work together to get there.

Map of Gippsland region. Bass Coast, South Gippsland, Baw Baw, Latrobe, Wellington, East Gippsland. Top right hand insert in blue shade of area of region in map of State of Victoria.

Aspirations to 2030

Gippsland’s five circular economy aspirations to 2030 are detailed below, along with six important changes, or ‘key enablers’, that have been identified to help realise these aspirations.

By 2030, in Gippsland

1.The circular economy is part of everyday life in Gippsland

In the Gippsland region all materials are understood to have value, and everyone is engaged in the reuse and stewardship of resources in a circular economy.

2. Collaboration and partnership drive action

All levels of government, industry, education institutions, researchers and community in the Gippsland region are working collaboratively to deliver shared local circular economy outcomes.

3. End use markets are aligned with resource recovery processing and supply

The Gippsland region industry sectors and services are integrated with advanced resource recovery infrastructure that produces large volumes of high-quality recycled products and materials that are used to their highest value.

4. An established and maturing circular economy

In the Gippsland region, there is a clear value chain, return on investment and market opportunities for recovering and recovered materials which is well known, systemised and well utilised.

5. Organics processing capacity and capability is strengthened

The Gippsland region is Victoria’s leader in extracting maximum value from organics processing.

Key enablers

Gippsland key enablers

Key enablers

Important changes to strengthen our circular economy

Improved infrastructure 15% of priorities.

Developing end use markets 15% of priorities

Improved collaboration and communication 14% of priorities

Behaviour change (industry and consumers) 23% of priorities

Legislation, regulations, or standards reform 12% of priorities

Other key changes including research and development, reskillling and job training 19% of priorities.

*Percentage rounded to nearest whole percentage. The rounded percentages add to 99%.
Download' Gippsland key enablers'

Priorities to achieve our aspirations

Gippsland has developed 26 priorities to achieve their circular economy aspirations to 2030. Each priority has been identified as contributing to one or more aspiration and has been grouped by Key Enablers. Many of the priorities align with current Victorian Government policy, whilst others will be for future consideration.

Improved infrastructure, developing end use markets

**Key to tables**
Aspirations
1	The circular economy is part of everyday life in Gippsland
2	Collaboration and partnership drive action
3	End use markets are aligned with resource recovery processing and supply
4	An established and maturing circular economy
5	Organics processing capacity and capability is strengthened
Aligns with Victorian Policy
Aligns	Icon symbol of two arrows pointing upwards in a green circle with a line above representing Aligns
For future consideration	Icon symbol of one arrow in a circle with a line in an orange circle representing for future considerations

Aspirations					Improved infrastructure	Aligns with Victorian Policy
1	2	3	4	5
		3	4	5	Invest in resource recovery precincts to increase reprocessing capabilities closer to source and end markets with a focus on whole of region connectivity, planned to precinct strengths (hub and spoke model).	Aligns
	2	3	4	5	Co-locate a range of facilities in closer proximity to farms/agriculture facilities and hospitality business to minimise feedstock and product transport.	For future consideration
		3	4	5	Invest in local capacity and technical abilities to accommodate the processing of organic material of varying quality from other regions into high value end products.	For future consideration
	2	3	4	5	Invest in infrastructure and services to strengthen the circular economy ecosystem with consideration to sustainability impacts, community value, industry need, water efficiency, emissions reductions, energy efficiency and land use planning.	Aligns
Aspirations					Developing end use markets	Aligns with Victorian Policy
1	2	3	4	5
	2	3		5	Encourage innovation in the way we work and organise ourselves, from our adoption of advanced technologies, creation of product, and process of unused material streams.	Aligns
		3	4	5	Identify new recycling opportunities suited for local processing where large scale, transport and logistics are not cost-effective.	Aligns
	2	3			Attract large, recycled material manufacturers to the Gippsland region to create cost effective options within the manufacturing sector.	Aligns
		3	4		Attract large, recycled material manufacturers to the Gippsland region to create cost effective options within the manufacturing sector.	For future consideration

Download' Improved infrastructure, developing end use markets'

Improved collaboration and communication, Behaviour change industry and consumers

Aspirations						Improved collaboration and communication	Aligns with Victorian Policy
1	2	3	4		5
1	2	3		4	5	Coordinate collaboration and sharing of waste and recycling data and insights between government, industry, and community to support better problem solving, decision making, reduce duplication, develop markets and seize circular economy opportunities.	Aligns
1	2	3				Foster private sector engagement in the development of circular economy solutions – from redesign of products and business models through to recycling infrastructure.	Aligns
	2					Attract businesses to the region by promoting collaborative demonstrations/case studies, such as public private partnerships to encourage investment and build confidence in private investment.	For future consideration
	2	3	4		5	Support collaboration between councils, industry, research and education institutions to connect a network of local markets for recycled products.	Aligns

Aspirations						Behaviour change (industry and consumers)	Aligns with Victorian Policy
1	2	3		4	5
1		3		4	5	Embed consistent practices to support community use of material collection points (research, standardisation) across the region, reduce confusion, contamination and increase collection volumes.	Aligns
1	2					Support social innovation activities through implementing share, swap and repair programs and services to assist the community to avoid waste generation and consumption.	Aligns
1	2				5	Deliver ongoing education to engage and empower and community to embrace their role in a transition to a circular economy.	Aligns
1		3				Use the national e-waste scheme as a model to improve the recycling rates for other waste streams.	Aligns
		3		4		Design products with a plan for their entire lifecycle, including designing out waste and connecting the product to resource recovery opportunities.	Aligns
1				4	5	Encourage, wherever possible, the purchase of locally produced products, made of reused or recycled content to raise community awareness of the broad scope of recycling potential.	Aligns

Download' Improved collaboration and communication, Behaviour change industry and consumers'

Legislation, regulations or standards reform and other key changes

Aspirations					Legislation, regulations or standards reform	Aligns with Victorian Policy
1	2	3	4	5
	2		4	5	Increase risk appetite in funding programs for evolving markets, develop simplified funding criteria to support innovation and investment in the region and increase availability of smaller grants to appeal to local scale businesses and community enterprises.	Aligns
		3	4	5	Incentivise the development of industries with a focus on repurposing and recycling material to a high product quality for end-use and maximise diversion of waste from landfill.	Aligns
1	2	3	4		Coordinate government policy and procurement opportunities, at all levels to maximise circular economy outcomes.	Aligns
Aspirations					Other key changes including research and development, reskillling and job training	Aligns with Victorian Policy
1	2	3	4	5
1		3		5	Provide education and re-skilling opportunities to build capacity and capability in recycling and manufacturing across the region.	Aligns
1	2	3	4	5	Undertake whole-of-region research to better understand market opportunities and market demands (consumer behaviour, investment requirements, feedstock availability and gaps, risks of supply and demand) for each materials stream and pathway	Aligns
1		3	4		Map the plastics production lifecycle including manufacturing, use, and reprocessing to ensure all parts of the cycle are working towards zero waste by employing a systems thinking approach.	For future consideration
1		3	4	5	Standardise and publish waste stream data (type, volume and characteristic) to support market development.	Aligns
		3		5	Undertake research into the risks of changing supply and demand for waste streams and manufacturing feedstock on capital investment into infrastructure and technologies to eliminate redundancy.	For future consideration

Download' Legislation, regulations or standards reform and other key changes'

Gippsland today

Gippsland Today

icon image population, 295,487 current population 2021
icon image square blocks, $18 billion gross regional product 2020
icon image rubbish bin, 27,214 tonnes. Kerbside recycling collected 2019 - 2020

*Current Population (2020) - Australian Bureau of Statistics Gross Regional Product (2020) - Regional Economic Development Strategies (REDS) - Regional Development Victoria Kerbside Recycling Collected (2019-20) - Victorian Local Government Area Survey - Sustainability Victoria.
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Gippsland representatives developed the regions circular economy aspirations and priorities. The representatives brought a local understanding of the region’s strengths and challenges. They considered ‘where we are today’ as a region, before projecting forward to ‘where we want to be’ in 2030 and beyond.

The process identified the region’s key strengths. These strengths will help the region work towards their 2030 aspirations.

Gippsland has a skilled technical workforce and strong agricultural sector. The region also has existing local circular economy project already underway.

There is space to co-locate infrastructure tu support and encourage circular economy outcomes. This could include locating local manufacturing near material processing infrastructure.

Refer to Victoria's Regional Economic Development Strategies (REDS) for in-depth economic analysis.

Strengths

Gippsland

Land availability for local processing and manufacturing plants or precincts, with the potential to co-locate these with industries.
Skilled technical workforce transitioning from mining.
Strong agricultural sector as both a generator of organic feedstock and an end-user of soil enhancers produced from recycled organic material.
Local circular economy projects to draw upon and promote, such as local biochar production where wood waste is converted for use in agriculture.

Gippsland in 2030

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Gippsland representatives also considered the region’s challenges. They developed the region’s circular economy priorities to mitigate these challenges.

The region’s large size is a key challenge.This includes long distances between recycled and reused material sources and processing facilities. The cost of accessing local processing facilities can be greater than transporting materials to facilities in Melbourne.

Accessing high-quality recycled materials is difficult for existing manufacturers. It is also a barrier for encouraging new entrants into the region.

By 2030, the Gippsland region forecast to be home to 328,861 people, increasing by 18% from 2021 to 2031.

Higher rates of waste and recyclable materials are likely where populations increase. This will increase demand for sorting, processing, and storage infrastructure. Increased material transport out of the region will place added pressure on regional roads.

Some areas that are not forecast to increase their populations may continue not to need household collection. This could present a challenge for local councils and industry aiming to divert materials from landfill.Availability of high-quality recycled materials is a challenge for existing manufacturers. It is also a barrier for encouraging new entrants into the region.

Refer to Victoria's Regional Economic Development Strategies (REDS) for in-depth economic analysis.

Challenges

Gippsland

Large distances between waste sources and processing facilities attribute a high transport cost to recycling.
Cost of accessing local processing facilities is, in some instances, greater than transporting to larger facilities in Melbourne.
Lack of availability of recycled product is a barrier for manufacturers.
Variation in quality with recycled products/contamination reduces the attractiveness of it as a commodity.
Low economies of scale of some waste streams and the high relative costs of small processing facilities reduce the cost effectiveness of recycling.

How to use the regional circular economy plans