The Western Australian Government has opened a new $6 million grant round aimed at strengthening recycling manufacturing and processing capacity in regional and remote parts of the State, with funding available to local governments to upgrade infrastructure for plastics, tyres, paper and cardboard.
The funding is being delivered through the Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF), a joint initiative of the Albanese and Cook Governments, and is intended to support projects that improve the collection, sorting, storage and reprocessing of recyclable materials.
According to the WA Government, grants of between $50,000 and $1 million will be available for projects that provide long-term and economically viable solutions, particularly in communities that currently lack kerbside collection or access to recycling centres due to distance and scale.
Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt said the program formed part of a broader national effort to strengthen recycling and manufacturing outcomes.
“The Albanese Government is partnering with States and Territories to tackle the problem of waste and meet our target to double circularity by 2035,” Watt said.
“This investment will deliver real benefits for Western Australia’s remote communities by investing in new facilities and equipment upgrades which help recover resources like plastic, tyres, paper and cardboard.”
Watt said the RMF also aimed to support local employment and economic activity. “Through projects like these, the Recycling Modernisation Fund supports local jobs and economic growth in communities while also delivering real wins for our precious environment,” he said.
WA Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said improved recycling manufacturing infrastructure was critical to building a more resilient resource recovery system across the State.
“Greater access to recycling services is crucial to responding to the waste management challenges facing Western Australia’s remote and regional communities,” Swinbourn said.
“Essential infrastructure is the foundation for a circular economy, where any product which is no longer useful for its original purpose is reused, recycled or remanufactured.”
Swinbourn said the Government was seeking projects that balanced environmental outcomes with economic considerations.
“Investments which improve resource recovery or more economical collection and separation of materials will be considered for grants,” he said, adding that priority would be given to “innovative projects that provide local solutions to local problems, increase employment, solve transport issues and generate economic benefits State-wide.”
The WA Government said the RMF had already supported 15 projects in the State, expected to add 212,000 tonnes of recycling capacity and attract more than $149 million in combined government and industry investment in recycling infrastructure.
Applications for the latest grant round open on 19 January 2026 and close at 4pm on 27 February 2026.
