Resource recovery grants and events available across the country
By Rachael Ridley 6 October 2021
There is currently more than $420 million available in waste and resource recovery grants around Australia. Find out what recycling and waste grants are available in your state, as well as other resources and upcoming forums and expos for the waste industry.
Grants and resources
National
The Australian Government recently announced it will establish the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund, with $57 million available to council and industry partnerships to increase organic waste recycling. Applications are now open, with submissions for the first intake closing 17 December 2021.
New South Wales
The NSW EPA has announced grants of up to $2 million for projects that increase processing capacity for food and garden waste. A total funding pool of $6.25 million is available through the Environmental Trust, as part of the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative. Eligible projects must build, upgrade or expand organics processing infrastructure for source separated organics, such as facilities that will process kerbside food and garden organics (FOGO) into compost, or convert food only waste into animal feed or energy through anaerobic digestion. Applications close 21 October 2021.
Queensland
As part of the Queensland Jobs Fund, the Queensland Government will invest $350 million over the next four years into the newly developed Industry Partnership Program. The program will help grow and create jobs in priority industry sectors including resource recovery, advanced manufacturing, hydrogen, biofutures and biomedical. Applications are now open and will remain open until funds are exhausted.
South Australia
Green Industries SA has two sustainability grant programs available to businesses (waste management services are not eligible). Applications to both programs are not open, closing on the 30th of June 2022 or until funds are exhausted.
Up to $100,000 per applicant is available through Lead-Educate-Assist-Promote (LEAP) grants to support business and industry groups helping to build a circular economy in South Australia. The program is available to industry bodies and business groups that can demonstrate a strong relationship with a network of South Australian businesses and have the means to effectively engage and communicate with them.
Assess-Implement-Monitor (AIM) grants provide a subsidy to businesses to assess the efficiency and management of their resources, materials and waste. Businesses, not-for-profits and Australian companies are eligible to apply is they use commercial waste collection services and have been operating for at least two years in South Australia.
Regional Australia
The Australian Government has announced it will invest $7 million to build new or expand existing recycling facilities in remote and regional Australia. Find out more about the investment, which is part of the Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund.
Expos and forums
This year the Waste Expo Australia 2021 Conference will be held online. Running from the 19th to the 21st of October, the program will cover industry-related challenges, developments and opportunities including transitioning Australia to a circular economy, waste to energy, and commercial and industrial waste management.
Registrations are now open for the Tasmanian Waste and Resource Recovery Forum II, which will be held in Launceston on the 11th of November 2021. The forum will focus on opportunities for the state with the upcoming waste levy roll-out, the launch of the 2022 container deposit scheme, and organics and infrastructure strategies in development.
Rachael manages the Business Recycling and Recycling Near You websites. Rachael joined Planet Ark in early 2019 after eight years working in media and publishing as a producer, editor and writer. Rachael loves using her skills in content creation and communication to instigate positive environmental behaviour change. Outside of work, Rachael enjoys spending time in nature, listening to music and patting dogs.
