The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association (WMRR) has welcomed a $10 million investment into recycling infrastructure across Western Australia and Victoria but says infrastructure alone is not enough.
This latest allocation of the Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) will deliver $6 million to regional and remote local governments in Western Australia to improve plastic, tyre, paper and cardboard recycling, alongside $4 million for Victorian businesses, social enterprises, not-for-profits, and local governments to expand domestic plastics recycling capacity.
Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt celebrated the investment’s expected impact on the environment and economy.
“This investment will deliver real benefits for Western Australia’s remote communities by investing in new facilities and equipment upgrades,” he said.
“Through projects like these, the Recycling Modernisation Fund supports local jobs and economic growth in communities while also delivering real wins for our precious environment.”
WMRR Chief Executive Officer Gayle Sloan hailed the investment as vital for the nation’s recycling capabilities.
“Targeted investment through the RMF is a critical lever for strengthening Australia’s recycling system – improving access to services, removing waste from landfill, and supporting the growth of a genuine circular economy,” she said. “But infrastructure alone is not enough.
“If we are serious about making these investments work, products entering the Australian market must be designed for recyclability – and there must be guaranteed demand for the recycled materials these facilities produce.”
New data from Australia’s Plastic Fates and Flows Report provided insight into the scale of this challenge. Between 2023 and 2024, Australia consumed four million tonnes of plastic, an increase on the previous year, while recovery rates remain low. Just 14 per cent of plastics are recovered, while about 87 per cent still end up in landfill.
This data also revealed that 62 per cent of Australia’s plastics market is made up of imported finished goods, while 31 per cent consists of products made from virgin resin. Only seven per cent of these goods are made from recycled plastics.
While domestic plastic recovery and reprocessing capacity sits at nearly 600,000 tonnes, with a further 624,000 tonnes planned over the next five years, much of this capacity is currently underutilised.
“We cannot recycle our way out of the plastics problem without fundamentally changing the economics,” Sloan said.
“Government leadership is essential to ensure recycled plastics can compete with cheaper virgin materials and to give investors confidence that domestic recycling capacity will be used.”
As the Federal Government prepares to review Australia’s packaging regulations, WMMR is calling for decisive action to phase down reliance on virgin plastics and implement the recommendations of The Circular Advantage provided to the Circular Economy Ministers’ Advisory Group.
Key priorities include:
- Introducing enforceable recycled content targets across packaging; and
- Finalising a national mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging, including design-for-recyclability requirements
“Packaging reforms must deliver clear, consistent and enforceable rules,” Sloan said.
“All packaging producers supplying the Australian market must carry a legal responsibility to design circular products, including mandated recycled content.
“International experience shows that strong EPR schemes drive better design, reduce plastic waste and create reliable feedstock for recycling. That is exactly what Australia needs to ensure new recycling facilities are commercially viable, environmentally effective, and deliver on their promise.”
Related stories:
$4m boost to Victoria’s plastic recycling capacity
EPA backs VIC Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate program
.png){kind=small}
