Thursday 24 August 2023

WARR INDUSTRY WELCOMES FED AND VIC GOVT INVESTMENT BUT WARNS MORE MUST BE DONE  

The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association (WMRR) welcomes today’s opening of the world class Visy drum pulper in Victoria which will add a further 95,000 tonnes of fibre processing capacity to the sector each year, along with the two separate plastic recycling projects also announced saving 11,600 tonnes from landfill.  

“This new facility from Visy is very welcome and it’s great to see the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments working in partnership with the private sector to deliver new and much needed onshore recycling capacity along with the 1,200 new jobs it will create,” Ms Sloan said.

However, WMRR CEO Gayle Sloan has warned a lot more needs to be done across the nation to meet the Australian Government’s target of 80 percent resource recovery by 2030.

“Facilities like these in Victoria are vital, but we need to do more across the entire nation. Australia desperately needs additional onshore manufacturing capacity and new domestic markets for recycled material to drive that extra investment as the nation seeks to establish an integrated supply chain,” she said.

“To achieve the 80 percent resource recovery target set by all Australian governments, the waste and resource recovery industry needs to be supported to add ten million tonnes of capacity in seven (7) years, especially given the export ban on recyclable material is expanding to include paper.

“This can only be achieved by increased demand for recycled materials led by all governments across Australia and the development of more world class onshore facilities with fast-tracked, yet complete, approval processes, with the confidence that a market will exist for the recycled material the facilities’ generate. 

“Firstly, this requires a national commitment to streamline planning processes – not to cut corners – but to enable quick and efficient delivery of this essential infrastructure.

“And secondly, it requires a clear regulatory framework which will force generators to design for extended life, and for the ability to recycle and then use this material as remanufactured content.

“This is not only good for the environment; it is good for Australian jobs,” she said.