An extra 1700 tonnes of plastic waste will be diverted from Tasmanian landfill each year thanks to a $1.26 million co-investment from the Australian and Tasmanian governments.
The funding will support the expansion of the I M Holdings (Tas) rigid recycling facility in Brighton.
The upgraded facility will recycle soft and flexible waste including polypropylene and polyethylene, turning them into new products used in agricultural and industrial sectors.
In a boost to the economy, the upgrade will also support six ongoing jobs.
“The Australian government is committed to working with states and territories to better manage waste and increase recycling capability,” said Tanya Plibersek, Minister for the Environment and Water.
“Boosting recycling isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for jobs – for every one job in landfill there are three jobs in recycling.
“We also know people want to do the right thing and recycle their waste and lighten their load on the planet. This funding is supporting upgraded recycling infrastructure to assist Tasmanians recycle more of their waste.
“This is a win for the environment, a win for jobs and a win for Tassie.”
According to Roger Jaensch, Tasmanian Minister for Environment and Climate Change, this joint investment will support Tasmania’s transition to a circular economy, where as much valuable material as possible is diverted from landfill through reuse, recycling and remanufacturing.
“I look forward to seeing the project proceed as it will turn used soft plastics into value-added products, creating jobs and business development in Tasmania, while reducing the need to dispose of soft plastic to landfill,” he said.
“This follows on from the successful grant application by Timberlink for a wood plastic composite plant to upcycle plastic waste ana plantation timber mill residues.
“Supporting resource recovery initiatives like these are crucial to sustaining the future of Tasmania’s environment.”
The Australian government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund is accelerating Australia’s circular economy so that when a product is no longer useful or required for its initial purpose, it is either reused, recycled or remanufactured.
Projects already announced under the Recycling Modernisation Fund will add an extra 1.3 million tonnes of processing capacity, while creating over 3000 jobs.
