The second round of the Victorian Government’s Regional Recycling Fund is now open, with up to $25 million available to help cut resource recovery costs in regional areas.
The funding program is open until 27 October 2022, with grants available to invest in regional sorting facilities.
Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for the Environment and Climate Action, said the Victorian Government was supporting regional communities to reduce waste and create jobs through the circular economy.
“These regional facilities are the building blocks for a robust recycling network that will help us divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030,” she said.
Round 1 of the fund focussed on upgrading regional resource recovery facilities, with 11 organisations sharing in $3 million in government investment, and leveraging private investment from successful projects.
The Geelong Resource Recovery Centre and Transfer Station received $329,000 under the first round, enabling an increase in capacity to handle paper and cardboard, and separating glass and plastic bottles.
The Eaglehawk Landfill and Transfer Station and Strathfieldsaye Transfer Station and Resource Recovery Centre (City of Greater Bendigo) received $260,000 and $360,000 respectively, supporting the removal of an additional 400 tonnes per annum of soft plastics from landfill in total at both sites.
The Lions Club of Dimboola, a social enterprise, purchased its own material baler, enabling the collection of an additional 30 tonnes per annum of cardboard, paper, and plastics.
Social enterprises and First Nations businesses are strongly encouraged to apply for grants as part of the Round 2 funding program.
For more information, visit: www.vic.gov.au/regional-recycling-fund
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