A Victorian and Federal Government recycling initiative is to double the State’s domestic glass recycling capacity, increase its plastic recycling by 40 per cent and create 350 jobs.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio and Federal Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley announced $8.1 million in first round funding for seven glass and plastics projects under the joint $46 million recycling infrastructure initiative.
Ms D’Ambrosio said the new infrastructure and sorting technology would massively increase Victoria’s recycling capacity.
“Not only will these seven projects announced today create jobs, but they’ll redirect 205,000 tonnes of glass and 23,000 tonnes of plastic out of landfill every year – it’s a massive gamechanger,” Ms D’Ambrosio said
“It means more jars, bottles and fibreglass made of recycled glass and plastic, which will also be used to build new roads and footpaths throughout Victoria.”
She said the projects included a new metropolitan processing plant that would accept 140,000 tonnes of glass each year and a regional facility to separate glass kerbside co-mingled material.
The Minister said the projects also included equipment to produce a new patented system for concrete slab foundations made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, which would process 1,655 tonnes of plastic each year.
