Resource recovery funding - Commercial and Industrial Recyclable Packaging Project

The project will assist Victoria to achieve the Towards Zero Waste target to divert 80% of commercial and industrial waste by 2014 and the NPC target to increase recycling of post-consumer packaging to 65% by 2010.

Sustainability Victoria submitted an expression of interest to the NPC to recover recyclable packaging from small to medium enterprises in the commercial and industrial sector in April 2008.

Research for the project included contact with 18 waste collection companies to gather data and gauge interest in the project.

NPC received two similar applications from Transpacific Industries and SKM Recycling.

To ensure consistency of delivery, NPC encouraged Sustainability Victoria, Transpacific and SKM to work together and as a result a joint project proposal was submitted in May 2008.

The proposal included placing advertising for expressions of interest for further partners to deliver a total of 50,000 additional tonnes of recyclable packaging by May 2010.

In June 2008, the NPC approved funding of $1.9 million for the project. Further planning for measurement and communications has been underway since then.

Funding based on $35 per tonne will be paid to partners according to performance based milestones on delivery of additional tonnes.

Independent auditing is a key element to ensure that only the additional tonnes of recyclable packaging are eligible for funding.

Partners must establish baseline data at the commencement of the project and provide progress reports of additional tonnes recovered throughout the project. Any short fall on performance will not be paid.

Expressions of interest opened on 2 November supported by statewide advertising and promotion and closed on 5 December 2008.

For more information on the project please visit the NPC website (see link below).