Councils and businesses can apply for infrastructure grants to fund new services that will divert waste from landfill and convert it into healthy soils and compost.
A total of $11 million in grants will be provided by the Palaszczuk Government through its Food Waste for Healthy Soils Program, a joint initiative with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the program would support new and improved organic waste recycling infrastructure to divert food organics and garden organics (FOGO) waste from landfill.
“This initiative aligns perfectly with our own targets to reduce waste going to landfill under our Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy, and the development of the Organics Strategy for our state,” Scanlon said.
“Organic material makes up about half of what’s in the general waste bin that households put on the kerb each week. Last month I visited Atlas Soils, a local company who are receiving residents’ organic material and converting it into high-quality soil products, as part of the Queensland Government and Townsville City Council FOGO trial.
“This slashes the amount of waste going into landfill, instead recycling it into a new, valuable product. It also avoids methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas which is produced when organic material decomposes in landfill.”
Scanlon said the overall objectives of Queensland’s Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy were to transition to the principles of a circular economy, by reducing the amount of waste disposed to landfill and improve resource recovery and market opportunities for recovered materials.
“Building capacity and market opportunity for organics recovery is key to getting us there,” she said.
Applications are now open and will be considered by both the Queensland and Commonwealth governments.
“The funding will be awarded on a nationally competitive basis, with the Queensland Government submitting suitable applications to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for consideration.”
For more information, visit: www.qld.gov.au/environment/pollution/management/waste/recovery/funding-grants
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