An expansion of Gippsland Water’s Regional Organics Facility will increase capacity by composting food and garden organics to support the productivity of Victorian farms, backed by the Victorian and Australian government.
Minister for environment Steve Dimopoulos announced the completion of a $12.9 million upgrade to the Gippsland Regional Organics Facility, allowing it to process an additional 70,000 tonnes of organic waste each year.
The Victorian government is investing $2.4 million in the project, with a matching $2.4 million contribution from the Australian government under the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund, to divert more organic material from landfill and reduce emissions.
“By transforming food and garden waste into compost for our farmers, we’re reducing landfill, cutting emissions and supporting local jobs,” said Dimopoulos.
“This expansion means Victorian households can be confident that the food and garden waste they put in their green bins is being recycled into a valuable product that supports our agriculture sector.”
The upgrade will allow the facility to process an additional 70,000 tonnes of organic material per year, bringing total capacity to 250,000 tonnes per annum. This will provide an extra 20,000 tonnes of certified compost each year, equivalent to 13 Olympic swimming pools.
For Victorian households, the expansion means more food and garden waste collected through kerbside services can be recycled instead of going to landfill. This also offsets operating costs for Gippsland Water, placing downward pressure on customer bills and creating jobs in the region.
“Australians waste an average of around 300kgs of food each year per person. Projects like this one in Gippsland are a critical part of our efforts to halve preventable food waste by 2030,” said federal minister for environment and water Murray Watt.
“By repurposing our food waste into compost we create healthy soils, produce healthy crops, support a circular economy, capture carbon, and create a more sustainable Australia.”
For farmers, the project supports a reliable supply of high quality compost to improve soil health and support sustainable agriculture across Gippsland.
The upgrade includes new processing areas, installation of water and power infrastructure, and new equipment to manage increased volumes of organics.