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.
Comments attributed to 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."
Minister's office - 6552 5800
Community and Industry Engagement program - 2019 funding recipients
Stream 1 - General
Stream 2 - Infrastructure
