$2.1 billion waste and resource recovery package
The Queensland Government is investing in a new $2.1 billion waste and resource recovery package, including a $1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund.
This supports the vision outlined in Queensland’s Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy to avoid, reuse and recycle waste to the greatest extent possible. By 2030, our goal is to recover 80 per cent of all waste and achieve 65 per cent recycling rates across all waste types.
It aims to grow jobs, build new infrastructure and protect our parks, waterways and the Great Barrier Reef from rubbish and pollution.
Supporting households
Over the next 10 years, the Queensland Government will provide Queensland councils with an estimated $1 billion in household waste levy rebates. Queensland is the only Australian state to provide a levy rebate on household waste.
Through state-wide education support, the Queensland Government will help households to avoid and minimise waste, recycle correctly and reuse, repair and share products.
Supporting business
Queensland’s recycling and resource recovery industries contribute $1.5 billion to the state economy each year and already support almost 12,000 jobs.
With three times as many jobs in recycling, compared with landfilling jobs, investment will create jobs and industry into the future.
Free programs like ecoBiz, funded by the Queensland Government and run by the Business Chamber Queensland, will continue to help businesses save money across their energy, water and waste bills. ecoBiz provides personalised coaching, including services specifically targeted at assessing and reducing business waste.
$1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund
To help deliver market certainty and encourage greater investment, the Queensland Government is establishing a new $1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund. The fund will provide opportunities for government and industry to co-invest in Queensland’s transition to a circular economy.
What will be funded?
The fund will deliver more opportunities for business and industry as Queensland’s resource recovery infrastructure is expanded and new markets for waste material are developed.
The fund will support:
- waste avoidance and behaviour change initiatives
- recycling and remanufacturing facilities to grow local jobs and industry
- processing infrastructure for organics, as well as collection infrastructure such as green bins
- stronger compliance that ensures waste and recycling services meet their obligations
- research and development and market development
- environmental initiatives that meet community needs, harness job and economic opportunities or improve the environmental impact of waste.
Regional planning
The fund will be informed by an investment strategy and regionally focused resource recovery investment plans.
This has started with the release of the South-East Queensland Waste Management Plan by the Council of Mayors South East Queensland and will be followed by others as they are rolled out over time.