$1.26M Boost to Tasmania’s Plastic Recycling Capacity

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): An extra 1700 tonnes of plastic waste in Tasmania will be diverted from landfill each year thanks to a $1.26m federal and state government boost to plastic recycling.

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 plastic waste including polypropylene and polyethylene, turning them into new products used in agricultural and industrial sectors.

In a boost for the economy, the upgrade will support six ongoing jobs.

Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek said the Australian Government is committed to working with states and territories to better manage waste and increase recycling capability.

“Boosting recycling isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for jobs – for every 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.”

The 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, according to Roger Jaensch, Tasmanian Minister for Environment and Climate Change.

The I M Holdings funding follows on from the successful grant application by Timberlink for a wood plastic composite plant to upcycle plastic waste and plantation timber mill residues in Tasmania.

“Supporting resource recovery initiatives like these are crucial to sustaining the future of Tasmania’s environment,” Jaensch said.

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. That’s equivalent to the weight of more than 25 Sydney Harbour Bridges being kept out of landfill every year while creating more than 3000 jobs.

 Courtesy: www.wastemanagementreview.com