The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has opened up grants up to $3 million for councils, waste and/or organics processing companies and not-for-profit organisations who have plans for projects that can tackle the amount of food and garden waste that goes to landfill.
The NSW EPA and Environmental Trust are inviting applicants to submit their proposals under three different grant streams:
- Organics Processing Infrastructure – up to $3 million for infrastructure to process more source separated organics from households and businesses
- Food Donation Infrastructure – up to $500,000 for equipment to collect, store and redistribute surplus food to people in need
- Product Quality – up to $500,000 for equipment to improve recycled organics product quality
Previous rounds of these grants have already funded projects that have made a positive impact on local communities. Last year, 3 Pallaettes was awarded a $295,600 Organics Processing Infrastructure Grant to provide the Central Coast with an open windrow composting system for organic wastes, that would otherwise be sent to landfill, to produce a premium grade humified soil conditioner.
With a $89,500 grant under the Food Donation stream, Settlement Services were able to purchase a van, cool rooms and freezer to run The Staples Bag program, supplying a bag of food staples to people in need.
EPA Unit Head Organics Amanda Kane said the grants gave councils and community groups the chance to fund projects that could make a real difference when it came to organic waste.
“From saving good food from being wasted and tackling food insecurity in our state, to increasing NSW capacity to process more collected green waste, these grants are designed to tackle organic food waste from every angle,” Ms Kane said.
The Office of Environment & Heritage (OEH) Director Grants Peter Dixon said the Environmental Trust was pleased to offer the new rounds of organics funding for organics collections under the Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.
“This is a significant amount of money that will go to projects that will make a significant change to organic waste in our state.”
The grants are being delivered through a partnership between the EPA and the Environmental Trust (which is administered by OEH).
Applications close 5pm Thursday, 10 August 2017. The EPA is hosting webinars to assist potential applications find out more about grant programs.