Changes to the way households sort their recycling will result in higher quality materials being available for recycling and remanufacturing. It’s important that Victorians have confidence that the recycling they put in their bins is being turned into high-value recycled products.
To achieve this, we are significantly boosting investment to drive research, expand the local recycling processing and manufacturing industry, create more products from recyclable materials and support new local jobs.
What are we investing in?
As part of a nearly $100 million industry and infrastructure investment package, we will invest $49.5 million to strengthen Victoria’s waste and recycling industry and infrastructure, to process more materials locally.
This will include:
- $10 million to expand waste to energy initiatives for the material that can’t be recycled.
- $28 million funding grants through the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund for businesses to address infrastructure gaps for the processing and remanufacture of glass, paper, cardboard and plastics to increase the capacity for recycling and improve the quality of available materials.
- $11.5 million in funding through the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund for projects that can improve the recycling of solvents from liquid hazardous waste.
Liquid solvent wastes can be hazardous and flammable – posing a significant risk to the health and safety of the community and environment if managed inappropriately. Victoria needs additional capacity to deal with these wastes safely and effectively. The Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund targets new infrastructure that will deliver this.
New manufacturing
- $30.5 million to support local, and attract new, manufacturers to make new products using recycled materials, through the Recycling Victoria Recycling Markets Acceleration package.
Funding will be made available for research to develop new products made from recycled materials such as glass, plastic, organics, electronic waste, concrete, brick and rubber.
This program will support collaboration between industry, universities and government and will stimulate new markets for recyclable materials by developing product specifications, improving quality standards and industry accreditation.
Support for businesses
- $10 million in funding to help businesses improve resource efficiency, reduce waste and increase recycling.
Funding of $10 million will be made available through grants for businesses to improve resource efficiency, reduce waste to landfills, increase recycling and reduce business costs.
Peak industry bodies and associations, and coordinated business groups, will also be eligible for funding to deliver programs that improve waste management, prioritising action in accordance with waste hierarchy principles of waste avoidance, reduction, reuse, and recycling. A further $10 million will support early entrants into Victoria’s waste to energy market.
Business innovation centre
- $7 million to establish a Business Innovation Centre bringing together industry, universities and councils to develop new technologies and collaborate on creative solutions to waste challenges.
It will foster business innovation and collaboration across supply chains to reduce waste, increase recycling and reuse, and generate new streams of revenue for businesses. The Centre will be a collaboration between Sustainability Victoria and partners in businesses, councils, peak bodies and research institutions.
Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund
The Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund commits new funding to target infrastructure for priority materials.
Funds will help local businesses give new life to old rubbish through co-investment in infrastructure to sort and reprocess Victoria’s recyclable materials.
The Fund will help businesses improve the quality of materials recovered and increase the capacity and capability of Victoria’s recycling sector and support Victoria to meet the national waste export ban requirements.
Who can submit an expression of interest?
Businesses and councils that currently operate or intend to operate facilities in Victoria to reprocess or remanufacture products made from recycled materials can submit an expression of interest (EOI).
Submissions will need to demonstrate the capability and capacity to deliver projects and a demonstrated market demand for products.
How much funding will be available for projects?
Grants will be available across 4 funding streams:
- Paper and cardboard – up to 25% of total project capital cost, capped at $8 million per project.
- Plastics – up to 25% of total project capital cost, capped at $3 million per project.
- Glass – up to 25% total project capital cost, capped at $3 million per project.
- Hazardous waste (solvents) – up to 25% total project capital cost, capped at $6 million per project.
More information
Further information is available at Sustainability Victoria – Recycling Victoria Infrastructure funds.
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