The Victorian Greens have called on the state government to invest in 23 new or expanded recycling factories by 2025 to meet the state’s needs and ensure high recycling rates.
How Return and Earn became a recycling success
The NSW Return and Earn program has seen over four billion containers recycled since 2017 through the scheme.
According to Environment Minister Matt Kean, the program’s design enabled it to deliver tangible environmental, social and economic benefits to NSW, including more than $10.4 million paid to not-for-profits and charities via donations.
“The latest research shows 75 per cent of residents have now participated in Return and Earn – this is a phenomenal achievement in less than three years,” Kean said.
“It also highlights the importance of community-based return point operators like local newsagencies, corner stores and post offices.”
Job opportunities
Return and Earn has provided opportunities for local business to get on board and realise the potential for commercial opportunities and local job creation.
In turn, local businesses have improved customer access by increasing the number of return points.
Kean said that the benefits of the scheme for the environment and to the individual are clear: less material ending up as litter or landfill while being rewarded for each container returned.
“Benefitting from being part of the scheme are social enterprises like Vinnies which have set up their own return points and collected over 100 million containers.
“This has created jobs for many people within communities, including those with disabilities and the long-term unemployed,” he added.
The network of return points in NSW currently consists of 245 over-the-counter return points and 27 automated depots, alongside the 325 reverse vending machines.
How the NSW EPA is using recycling grants
Seven projects across NSW have received support in the latest round of grants of more than $700,000 to help reduce waste and promote recycling.
9 in 10 consumers prefer sustainable products
A survey of 1002 Australians reveals a staggering 87 per cent of shoppers are more likely to purchase products that are ethically and sustainably produced.
Plastics Pact network expands with US launch
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation Plastics Pact network has expanded with the launch of the US Plastics Pact at Circularity20 (an online event that aims to accelerate the circular economy).
What one business is doing to make zero-waste coffee
A social enterprise start-up powered by a City of Sydney grant has devised the zero-waste solution, of ‘lending’ coffee beans to local businesses and taking back the coffee grounds for reuse.
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ACT transitions single-use plastic phase out
The ACT Government will transition the phase out of certain single-use plastic following the recent tabling of the exposure draft of the Plastic Reduction Bill 2020.
$10 million grants for NSW solar panel and battery storage
The NSW Government is investing $10 million to help improve environmental performance by diverting end-of-life solar panel systems from landfill, with the first round of grants now open.
Although current waste volumes are relatively low, this emerging waste stream is expected to rapidly increase over the next decade as installed systems reach their end-of-life.
Waste stream expected to grow
In NSW it is forecast that this waste stream could generate up to 10,000 tonnes per year by 2025 and up to 71,000 tonnes per year by 2035.
EPA Director Circular Economy Kathy Giunta said the investment in recycling through this Circular Solar grants program would help NSW meet its commitment of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
“While current amounts of waste are low, now is the time to invest in developing systems for collecting and recycling these valuable resources like scarce and rare metals, including lithium batteries.
“We want to recycle and re-use the materials in solar panels and battery systems as NSW transitions towards cleaner energy and this program is an important step in building a productive circular economy in NSW.
“It will see NSW well placed to manage waste solar systems over the coming years and will stimulate much needed job creation in the solar power and recycling sectors,” Giunta said.
The NSW Government is inviting Expressions of Interest for grants to run trial projects that increase the collection, reuse and recycling of solar panel and battery storage systems. Applications for projects that trial whole of supply chain approaches to collecting and reusing and/or recycling can be made until 17 September 2020.
$2 million is available in this funding round, with the remaining funding to be made available following evaluation of this EOI process.
For more information visit https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/grants/infrastructure-fund/circular-solar-trials-expression-of-interest or email infrastructure.grants@epa.nsw.gov.au.
AWRE 2020 Expo reimagined
A reimagined Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo (AWRE) will now run from November 25-26 as an interactive online event. The organisers explained that the shift to digital will still make it accessible to everyone, regardless of geography or social distancing rules.
Getting smarter with $10 million CRC-P grants
For an industry hungry for solutions to accelerate the journey to recycling sustainability, $10 million funding for inventive ideas for recycling and reuse of plastics, paper, glass and tyres will satisfy, somewhat.