The New South Wales Government’s new Bin Trim Networks Program is offering $6 million in grants to support businesses in reducing waste and emissions, and transition to a circular economy.
Minister for Environment James Griffin said the Bin Trim small and medium business funding is the largest business recycling program in the country.
“Reducing waste can be challenging for small and medium businesses, which is why we’re helping with grants of between $150,000 and $500,000,” he said.
“This funding will support businesses to develop new partnerships, eliminate unnecessary packaging and reduce the amount of plastic, organics and other waste that currently goes to landfill.
Griffin said the Bin Trim grants had already supported more than 38,000 businesses to divert more than 260,000 tonnes of waste from landfill, and that the $6 million expansion would go even further.
“This is all part of our massive push in New South Wales to transition to a circular economy, and reach our target of recovering 80 per cent of all waste streams by 2030,” he said.
The expanded Bin Trim Networks program is part of the New South Wales Government’s $356 million Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy, which is aiming to kick-start the circular economy, tackle plastic waste, boost waste infrastructure investment and reduce carbon emissions.
In a recent Bin Trim project, Edge Environment used its funding to help the surfing wholesaler Surf Hardware International design out plastics and replace packaging with almost 100 per cent recyclable cardboard and paper.
Edge Environment’s Mike Twemlow said the project transformed the packaging of top selling surf brand products, including leg ropes, surf fins and surfboard grips, preventing more than 211 tonnes of unnecessary packaging from going to landfill, and avoiding future plastic waste.
“Customers and surf shop managers across New South Wales told us they’d much prefer to buy products with less packaging, or packaged in cardboard or paper rather than plastic, so we worked with Surf Hardware International along its supply chains to achieve that across brands and items,” he said.
Other successful Bin Trim projects include local cafes working together to divert food waste into compost, and a coffee producer recovering coffee husks and packaging for recycling.
Under the Bin Trim Networks program, businesses across different sectors, precincts or supply chains are being encouraged to collaborate to address problem waste materials.
Applications for Intake 1 are open from 12 December 2022 and close on 24 March 2023. Information sessions will be held to assist applicants.
For more information, visit: www.epa.nsw.gov.au
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