The Queensland Government has announced a A$487 million Waste Reduction and Recycling Activation Fund as part of its Less Landfill, More Recycling 2035 plan, with the investment aimed at expanding recycling infrastructure, supporting councils and industry, and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.
According to the Queensland Government, the five-year funding package is intended to support new and expanded resource recovery infrastructure across metropolitan, regional and remote Queensland while providing greater certainty for councils and industry to invest in recycling projects.
The Government said the initiative is in addition to the A$488 million in annual payments provided to councils this year to help offset the costs of the state’s waste levy.
Environment and Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the investment would help deliver the Government’s waste and recycling strategy.
“After 10 years of Labor, Queensland had fallen to second last in the nation for recycling, with more waste going to landfill than ever before,” Powell said.
“Less Landfill, More Recycling 2035 is our plan to turn that around, and this investment is how we’re getting on with delivering it.”
Powell said the Government’s role was to partner with councils and industry to encourage investment in recycling infrastructure rather than build facilities directly.
“Government doesn’t build recycling facilities itself. Our job is to partner with councils and industry, remove the barriers to investment and back practical projects that get more material out of landfill,” he said.
“Whether it’s helping councils roll out more kerbside recycling, making regional projects stack up through transport incentives or supporting new recycling facilities, this package is focused on getting better outcomes on the ground.”
The funding package includes an additional A$40 million for the Resource Recovery Boost Fund, increasing its total allocation from A$130 million to A$170 million. Other allocations include A$55 million for the Kerbside Bin Activation Fund, A$17.7 million for the Fighting Illegal Dumping Partnership Program, A$12.5 million for the Residual Waste Fund, A$18.5 million for the Recycle Wise Education Fund, A$11.7 million for the Waste Technology and Innovation Fund, A$2 million for the Statewide Recycling Infrastructure Plan, and A$11 million for a Regional Recycling Transport Fund.
The Queensland Government said the transport fund is intended to help move recyclable materials to processing facilities, supporting the commercial viability of regional recycling projects.
Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive officer Alison Smith welcomed the return of transport funding for recycled materials.
“Councils have been consistently calling for this transportation funding to be restored because it is key to increasing recycling rates and reducing the overall amount of waste going to landfill in a state as decentralised as Queensland,” Smith said.
“We look forward to working with the government on how this transportation funding will be rolled out to councils.”
The Queensland Government said the investment is designed to recover more valuable materials, divert additional waste from landfill, strengthen the state’s circular economy and support local jobs.
