Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Meaghan Scanlon announced the first three projects to be funded under the $40 million Queensland Recycling Modernisation Fund (QRMF), which will focus on the remanufacture of waste plastics, glass, paper, cardboard, and tyres into new commercial products.
Scanlon and Graham Perrett, federal member for Moreton, revealed the new funding at pipeline system manufacturer Vinidex in Coopers Plains at the weekend.
In particular, Vinidex bagged $652,525 for equipment to increase capacity to shred, wash and micronise waste PVC materials for remanufacture into new products.
Other newly funded initiatives include Wilsonton non-profit organisation Ability Enterprises’ plastics recycling project to operate in South West Queensland, which received $513,306.
Building products manufacturer Casafico bagged $175,000 for a manufacturing plant as well as a mobile plant that will process plastics, polystyrene and glass into premium products for the building and construction industry.
“More than 150,000 tonnes of waste will be kept out of landfill annually through the Queensland Recycling Modernisation Fund and channelled into increasing the amount of recycled content in manufacturing thanks to these projects,” Scanlon said.
“By supporting reuse, recycling and remanufacturing here in Queensland, it’ll help achieve our goal to divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill and hit 65 per cent recycling by 2030,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles also commented on the recent funding, emphasising that once operational, the new projects are expected to create over 300 recycling jobs.
“Investing in resource recovery projects like this is supporting the creation of a new industry and supply chains in Queensland, building a more sustainable economy and creating new jobs,” Miles remarked.
The government said the QRMF program will provide funding for initiatives in all of Queensland, including Far North Queensland, Rockhampton, the Moreton Bay region, the Toowoomba region, Brisbane, and Logan City, with the goal of preventing garbage from going to the landfill and producing new goods.
With a combined investment of $40 million, the Australian and Queensland governments jointly launched the QRMF.
At least half of the project expenditures are contributed by Queensland businesses engaging in the program, bringing more than $80 million in fresh investment to the state.
