Covenant funds to target C&I recycling in 09

Inside Waste Weekly - Tuesday, 2 September 2008

The National Packaging Covenant is seeking expressions of interest for funding under its new grants round, and says program priorities for 2009 will focus on opportunities to increase recycling in the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector.

There are currently 38 NPC funded projects underway across Australia, sharing in almost $13 million of a joint government/ industry NPC funding.

Current projects have leveraged total investment of more than $67 million and have the potential to divert approximately 550,000 tonnes per annum of packaging waste from landfill.

The National Projects Group (NPG) is now seeking expressions of interest for funding under the next round, with submissions due before Friday September 26. All NPC signatories, local, state and federal governments are entitled to funding and encouraged to apply.

There are six program priorities for 2009.

1. Projects that collect and/or reprocess substantial additional tonnes of used packaging material each year from the C&I sector 

  • Tonnes must be “new tonnes” and must be able to be maintained in future years. Projects delivering more than 5,000 tonnes per year will be given priority
  • Proposals must address material sources, reprocessing capacity and markets for the additional tonnes identified
  • Such projects could focus on increasing recycling in commercial areas such as shopping centres, or on improving current systems and infrastructure

    2. Substantial supply chain management projects that reduce the amount of packaging or improve its managment.
  • Projects must involve at least 2-3 aspects or members of the supply chain (eg retailer, brandowner, and packaging supplier)
  • Such projects could focus on auditing, packaging or system improvement, and measurable outcomes

    3. Market development and/or processing infrastructure for materials that have lower collection rates and fewer market opportunities (for example, polypropylene, polystyrene, glass fines).

    4. Improved recovery of packaging from existing household systems, including multi-unit dwellings.
  • Regional projects delivering over 5000 tonnes per year will be given priority
  • Such projects could focus on education and awareness, or improved infrastructure

    5. Innovation in the design of bins or collection systems for limited spaces (excluding household kitchen systems).

    6. Strategic litter reduction or prevention programs for litter hot-spots identified in the Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index.
  • Such projects would have a strong research and community engagement component, seek to engage and involve other project partners and include an evaluation of project outcomes including measurable litter reduction and changes in littering behaviour.

    Applicants should review the report, Does your project make a difference? to develop appropriate evaluation measures for projects.


    • Read the article online:
    http://www.insidewaste.com.au/StoryView.asp?StoryID=243166
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