The McGowan Government has bolstered its support of Western Australia's waste and recycling sector with a $1.4 million investment into local infrastructure and programs.
The funding, announced today by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson, will be allocated through grants as part of the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 - the blueprint for managing Western Australia's waste into the future.
The funds, including $1 million earmarked for waste and recycling infrastructure, will be administered through the Community Industry and Engagement (CIE) program delivered by the Waste Authority.
Projects previously funded through the CIE program include a comprehensive organic waste study to support the development of a regional anaerobic digestion facility, and research into concrete manufacturing to replace natural aggregates with construction and demolition waste.
The new infrastructure funding stream is targeted at plant and equipment to support the sorting and processing of materials collected for recycling including optical sorters, screening systems and equipment to process and recycle priority waste materials into marketable end products.
The funding grants align with the McGowan Government's 'Our Priorities: A Liveable Environment', one of the targets of the Our Priorities program which aims to address important issues facing Western Australia.
Applications for CIE funding close at 10am on April 29, 2019. More information is available at http://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au/programs/cie
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"This is another step in the McGowan Government's commitment to reduce waste generation, increase material recovery, reduce waste disposed to landfill and increase recycling across Western Australia.
"Funding for waste and recycling infrastructure is a key action in the State's recently released Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030.
"The CIE program provides an opportunity to get financial backing for projects that address the State Government's waste management priorities and help make Western Australia into a sustainable low waste society.
"I encourage funding applications to tackle issues such as reducing waste generation, diverting waste from landfill, and community and industry education.
"The State Government will explore the possibility of further waste and recycling infrastructure funding rounds into the future."
