The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is marking National Recycling Week this week (7-13 November) with its release of the final report card on a 10-year ‘Waste Less Recycle More’ program.
Welcoming the EPA’s Waste Less Recycle More 2022 report card, the Minister for Environment, James Griffin said the program provided funding to increase the State’s recycling capacity by 3.2 million tonnes, “which is equivalent to a staggering 120,000 semi-trailers stretched end-to-end from Sydney to Cairns”.
“The $802.7 million Waste Less Recycle More program is the largest waste and recycling program in Australia, and it has achieved fantastic results since we rolled it out 10 years ago,” Mr Griffin said.
“We’ve funded infrastructure to increase recycling capacity by 3.2 million tonnes, delivered a 43 per cent reduction in litter, reduced illegal dumping, and managed problem waste like chemicals and batteries better,” he said.
“We’ve supported almost 40,000 businesses reduce their waste fees through the BinTrim program, built new roads and footpaths with 11,600 tonnes of recycled glass, and built or expanded 41 composting facilities to increase capacity by 763,000 tonnes.”
Mr Griffin said the EPA initiative had also supported the delivery of 21 million meals through food donation programs, “saving unsold fresh food from the bin, and reducing emissions at the same time”.
He said highlights of the program’s final report card included 64 new or enhanced organics collections services; 97 Community Recycling Centres collecting 16,452 tonnes of household problem waste; and the diversion of 72,212 tonnes of waste from landfill through support for small business purchases of recycling equipment.
The Minister said the Waste Less Recycle More initiative ran from 2012 until 2022 and had been replaced by the EPA’s Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy which aimed to tackle plastic waste, boost infrastructure investment, lower carbon emissions and protect the community from waste pollution.
The EPA’s one-page Report card can be accessed at this PS News link.
