Environment Minister Stephen Dawson has today announced grants of $2.29 million - much of it for infrastructure - to improve waste management and increase recycling across Western Australia.
Twenty-eight projects across the State will share in the funding, following independent panel assessments of 90 applications to the latest grants round of the Community and Industry Engagement (CIE) program.
Projects that improve recovery and reuse of focus materials in the State Government's Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 - including plastics, glass, construction and demolition, food organics and garden organics - and initiatives that encourage behaviour change were targeted in the funding through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account.
A number of grant recipients have received grant funding to develop WA's plastics recycling capacity, including two grants to Greenbatch for reprocessing equipment and education facilities, and a grant to Precious Plastics Margaret River for a community recycling project in the South-West.
At least 30 jobs are expected to be created through the projects funded - including two jobs for people with disability through an $11,000 grant to Good Samaritan Industries to convert scrap cardboard into packaging material.
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"I'm encouraged by the high level of interest in the CIE program to improve how we manage our waste.
"The community shift to treating waste as a resource shows we are well on our way to owning our impact.
"I'm keen to see more recycling and reprocessing of plastics locally here in Western Australia.
"I am pleased to see that a number of organisations are developing our local ability to recycle plastics and welcome the increase in this capacity.
"In our waste strategy released earlier this year, the State Government is clear that we want at least 75 per cent of waste generated to be reused or recycled by 2030.
"This program is just one way we can support industry and the community to help achieve this target and bring some of their very best projects to life.
"I congratulate all successful funding recipients and look forward to seeing the outcomes of your initiatives."
Community and Industry Engagement program - 2019 funding recipients
Stream 1 - General
| Organisation | Project name | Grant |
| Albany Community Environment Centre | Identify Frivolous, Cryptic And Dumb Plastic By Educating The Educator | $23,126 |
| Chairay Sustainable Plastic Company Pty Ltd | Western Australia Plastic Processing Plant | $93,000 |
| City of Cockburn | Commercial Food Waste Trial | $18,257 |
| Katanning Land Conservation District Committee | The Katanning Food Service Industry - Tackling Waste Together | $35,245 |
| Mindarie Regional Council | Mindarie Regional Council FOGO Trial - Compost Testing | $81,450 |
| Repair Café Fremantle | Repair Café Fremantle | $5,250 |
| Rottnest Island Authority | Engaging Rottnest Island Visitors in Waste Management | $52,405 |
| Total Green Recycling Pty Ltd | E-Waste education for WA residents, government bodies and businesses | $42,740 |
| Western Australian Local Government Association | Waste Summit in a non-metropolitan area/regional centre | $10,000 |
| Western Australian Local Government Association | Bin tagging program implementation | $75,000 |
| Western Australian Local Government Association | Waste and Recycle Conference sponsorship | $26,000 |
Stream 2 - Infrastructure
| Organisation | Project name | Grant |
| City of Cockburn | Expansion of cardboard recycling at Henderson Waste Recovery Park | $27,000 |
| City of Greater Geraldton | Reuse and Recycle Shop Baler Upgrade | $114,000 |
| Good Samaritan Industries | Cardboard Recycler System | $11,000 |
| Greenbatch Pty Ltd | PET and HDPE Plastic Reprocessing Infrastructure | $93,442 |
| Greenbatch Foundation Ltd | Installation of the Educational Facility Workshop Space | $25,748 |
| Green Machines Lab | Pilot program for onshore plastics recycling and reprocessing infrastructure | $138,190 |
| Green Machines Lab | Pilot program for sorting facility of plastic waste in Henderson Waste Recovery Park | $141,661 |
| MicroZinc Pty Ltd (ATF WKD Trust) | Landfill Class 3 C&I / C&D Waste Diversion and Recovery | $101,780 |
| Precious Plastics Margaret River | Precious Plastics Margaret River | $60,000 |
| Shire of Broome | Glass Crushing Equipment | $130,000 |
| Shire of Collie | Purchase and Construction of Reuse Shed | $45,000 |
| Shire of Northam | Old Quarry Road Transfer Station and Reuse Shop | $310,000 |
| Shire of Exmouth | Community Cans | $67,300 |
| Soft Landing Mattress Recycling | Mattress Recycling Processing Upgrades for Foam and Steel Recovery | $171,600 |
| Total Green Recycling Pty Ltd | Removal of contaminates from plastic streams using optical sorting and screening technologies | $117,040 |
| Town of Port Hedland | South Hedland Community Recycling Centre | $150,000 |
| Waste Stream Management Pty Ltd | Use of Water Separation Technology to Produce High Grade Aggregates | $130,500 |
