Long-term waste recovery plans for Victoria announced

The Victorian government has announced a series of long-term plans for waste and resource recovery across six regions — Barwon South West, Gippsland, Goulburn Valley, Grampians Central West, Loddon Mallee and the North East.

Announced last week by Acting Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Richard Wynne, the 10-year plans are intended to complement the 30-year Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan and the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan, thus completing a comprehensive state-wide waste infrastructure framework.

It is estimated that by 2043, Victorians will generate 60% more waste than they do now — over 20 million tonnes each year. Recognising that disposing of waste to landfill can impact health, amenity and the environment, the framework aims to reduce the need for landfills by developing markets for recovered materials and energy.

The Labor government provided $30.4 million for waste and resource recovery in the Victorian Budget 2017–18 — and its plans seem to already be paying off, with an evaluation of Victoria’s landfill capacity finding that no new landfills are needed for at least the next 10 years.

“These plans will help us reduce the impact waste has on local communities, our economy and the environment,” said Wynne.