Significant new infrastructure investment is needed in NSW to keep up with increasing rates of waste generation and increasing recycling rates for households, business and industry.
In 2011 the NSW EPA commissioned an assessment of recycling infrastructure across NSW. Read the summary of the Resource recovery infrastructure needs analysis (PDF 281KB) report.
The study found that up to 59 new and upgraded organics processing facilities and sorting/processing facilities for household and business waste are needed across NSW to meet the 2014 recycling targets.
Helping to deliver recycling infrastructure
To address this need, and meet the ambitious 2021 recycling targets of NSW 2021: A Plan to Make NSW Number One, the NSW Government's Waste Less, Recycle More Initiative is providing $250 million for long-term strategic programs to build and upgrade essential resource recovery infrastructure and services across NSW.
Funded by the waste levy and targeted to support councils, households, business, industry, not-for-profit organisations and charities, the programs include the
- $70-million Organics Infrastructure Fund
- $70-million Community Recycling Centre Program
- $60-million Waste and Recycling Infrastructure Fund
- $35-million Business Recycling Fund
This support has already accelerated and stimulated investment for new or enhanced recycling infrastructure and equipment, diverting more metal, plastics, paper and wood waste from landfill.