The Brumby Labor Government is providing $33.5 million to Victoria’s local governments, businesses and the recycling industry to increase waste management efficiency and further improve the state’s resource recovery capacity.
The announcement of three new funds would provide incentives to councils and businesses to reduce waste generation and improve resource recovery while stimulating the development of new technologies and green jobs.
The Brumby Labor Government also released the latest Victorian Local Government Annual Survey (2008-2009) which showed a state-wide improvement in kerbside resource recovery from 42 per cent in 2007-08 to 43 per cent in 2008-09.
“The Brumby Labor Government understands that strong communities need a clean environment which is why we are providing $33.5 million to councils and businesses to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill,” Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad said.
“These funds will help local government and industry to build on the great work already being done across the state by improving capacity and trialling new methods of recovery.
“The programs will help metropolitan and regional waste management groups and councils work together to identify opportunities to bolster their recycling efforts and reduce their disposal costs.
“Improving resource recovery through better recycling initiatives will also help create jobs.”
The new funds are:
- $14 million Driving Investment for New Recycling Fund to assist councils, waste management groups and recyclers provide new infrastructure and increase capacity and capability;
- $14 million Beyond Waste Fund to help businesses innovate to avoid generating waste, and reduce what is sent to landfill; and
- $5.5 million Metropolitan Local Governments Waste and Resource Recovery Fund to support the delivery of the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Strategic Plan and achievement of municipal solid waste targets.
This investment is part of the 59.7 million package announced in Jobs for the Future Economy: Victoria’s Action Plan for Green Jobs to boost recycling and tackle litter, which will help divert an additional 1.2 million tonnes of waste and secure up to 700 new jobs.
Ms Broad said the latest Victorian Local Government Annual Survey (2008-2009) showed Victorians were aware of the value of recycling but that there was still room for improvement.
“The results show Victorians are committed to home recycling with green waste and household recyclables helping to achieve the state’s best results yet in this area,” Ms Broad said.
Ms Broad said the performance of councils varied for a number of reasons including the size of the bins used, the frequency of collection and the availability of organics recycling.
“Another key factor is the amount of multi unit developments – such as in the City of Melbourne – which can make recycling challenging due to lack of space and infrastructure. Supporting councils to address this issue will be a high priority for the Metropolitan Local Governments Waste and Resource Recovery Fund and the Driving Investment for New Recycling Fund,” she said.
“New guidelines are also being developed to assist councils, developers, architects and building managers achieve waste and recycling best practice for multi unit dwellings.”
The new funds will be administered by Sustainability Victoria, EPA Victoria and the Metropolitan Waste Management Group.
For more information, including times and dates of information sessions on the funds programs, visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au, www.epa.vic.gov.au or mwmg.vic.gov.au.
All 79 Victorian local governments are listed below and are ranked by diversion rate.
|
Rank
|
Local Government
|
Diversion rate (%)
|
|
1
|
Monash City Council
|
57
|
|
2
|
Manningham City Council
|
57
|
|
3
|
Greater Geelong City Council
|
56
|
|
4
|
Surf Coast Shire Council
|
56
|
|
5
|
Knox City Council
|
55
|
|
6
|
Maroondah City Council
|
54
|
|
7
|
Banyule City Council
|
53
|
|
8
|
Latrobe City Council
|
53
|
|
9
|
Corangamite Shire Council
|
52
|
|
10
|
Moyne Shire Council
|
52
|
|
11
|
Boroondara City Council
|
51
|
|
12
|
Frankston City Council
|
51
|
|
13
|
Kingston City Council
|
49
|
|
14
|
Bayside City Council
|
48
|
|
15
|
East Gippsland Shire Council
|
48
|
|
16
|
Greater Shepparton City Council
|
47
|
|
17
|
Swan Hill Rural City Council
|
47
|
|
18
|
Casey City Council
|
47
|
|
19
|
Baw Baw Shire Council
|
46
|
|
20
|
Hobsons Bay City Council
|
46
|
|
21
|
Whitehorse City Council
|
46
|
|
22
|
Nillumbik Shire Council
|
45
|
|
23
|
Greater Dandenong City Council
|
43
|
|
24
|
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
|
42
|
|
25
|
Moonee Valley City Council
|
42
|
|
26
|
Colac Otway Shire Council
|
41
|
|
27
|
Moreland City Council
|
41
|
|
28
|
Indigo Shire Council
|
41
|
|
29
|
Mount Alexander Shire Council
|
40
|
|
30
|
Yarra Ranges Shire Council
|
40
|
|
31
|
Hepburn Shire Council
|
40
|
|
32
|
Stonnington City Council
|
40
|
|
33
|
Yarra City Council
|
40
|
|
34
|
Murrindindi Shire Council
|
39
|
|
35
|
Southern Grampians Shire Council
|
39
|
|
36
|
Melton Shire Council
|
39
|
|
37
|
Whittlesea City Council
|
38
|
|
38
|
Hindmarsh Shire Council
|
37
|
|
39
|
Warrnambool City Council
|
37
|
|
40
|
Moorabool Shire Council
|
37
|
|
41
|
Moira Shire Council
|
37
|
|
42
|
Cardinia Shire Council
|
37
|
|
43
|
Wyndham City Council
|
36
|
|
44
|
Wodonga City Council
|
36
|
|
45
|
Darebin City Council
|
36
|
|
46
|
Campaspe Shire Council
|
36
|
|
47
|
Port Phillip City Council
|
35
|
|
48
|
Macedon Ranges Shire Council
|
35
|
|
49
|
Mitchell Shire Council
|
34
|
|
50
|
Brimbank City Council
|
34
|
|
51
|
Hume City Council
|
33
|
|
52
|
Ballarat City Council
|
33
|
|
53
|
Glen Eira City Council
|
33
|
|
54
|
Queenscliffe Borough Council
|
33
|
|
55
|
Gannawarra Shire Council
|
33
|
|
56
|
Central Goldfields Shire Council
|
32
|
|
57
|
Towong Shire Council
|
32
|
|
58
|
Bass Coast Shire Council
|
31
|
|
59
|
West Wimmera Shire Council
|
31
|
|
60
|
South Gippsland Shire Council
|
31
|
|
61
|
Alpine Shire Council
|
31
|
|
62
|
Glenelg Shire Council
|
30
|
|
63
|
Wellington Shire Council
|
28
|
|
64
|
Pyrenees Shire Council
|
28
|
|
65
|
Mansfield Shire Council
|
28
|
|
66
|
Buloke Shire Council
|
28
|
|
67
|
Benalla Rural City Council
|
28
|
|
68
|
Maribyrnong City Council
|
27
|
|
69
|
Greater Bendigo City Council
|
27
|
|
70
|
Ararat Rural City Council
|
26
|
|
71
|
Mildura Rural City Council
|
26
|
|
72
|
Northern Grampians Shire Council
|
26
|
|
73
|
Strathbogie Shire Council
|
26
|
|
74
|
Yarriambiack Shire Council
|
25
|
|
75
|
Wangaratta Rural City Council
|
25
|
|
76
|
Loddon Shire Council
|
23
|
|
77
|
Horsham Rural City Council
|
18
|
|
78
|
Melbourne City Council
|
18
|
|
79
|
Golden Plains Shire Council
|
15
|
|
State average diversion rate
|
43
|