Investing in the Territory’s circular economy
The Australian and Northern Territory Governments have co-invested over $2.3 million for 7 new projects to improve the Northern Territory’s ability to recycle its waste and reprocess it into valuable new products under the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund.
The new projects, valued at $8.3 million, address gaps in the Territory’s waste recycling and reprocessing capabilities and will grow local businesses, keep waste out of Territory landfills and recycle the Territory’s waste into valuable new commodities such as construction materials.
This funding is in addition to $7.2 million which will go towards a new materials recovery facility in the Northern Territory so that un-serviced areas can access recycling facilities.
Combined, the new facilities are expected to support 12 construction jobs, 19 ongoing positions and process almost 12,000 tonnes of waste glass, plastic, tyres and paper and cardboard waste each year.
Grant recipients include:
- NTK Industries received $325,000 towards a $650,000 new glass recycling plant in Holtze that will recycle approximately 75% of the Northern Territory’s waste glass. The project will divert 6,000 tonnes of waste glass from landfill and process it into insulation material used in construction, asphalt for road construction and a fluxing agent that is used in bricks and ceramics. The project will create 4 construction jobs and 3 ongoing positions.
- The City of Palmerston received $100,000 for a $200,000 cardboard compactor at the Archer Waste Transfer Station to put in place a more sustainable approach to cardboard recycling. The project will divert 203 tonnes of waste cardboard from landfill each year with the compacted cardboard being sent to Visy Brisbane for recycling. The project will create 2 construction jobs and process 203 tonnes of waste cardboard per year.
- East Arnhem Regional Council received $100,000 towards $202,800 in recycling infrastructure upgrades in the remote communities of Galiwin’ku, Gapuwiyak, Ramingining and Milingimbi. The upgrades will improve the communities’ capacity to sort recyclable materials including cardboard, paper, plastic and glass. The project will support 2 ongoing positions and divert 42 tonnes of waste from landfill per year.
- Central Desert Regional Council received $102,262 to construct $204, 500 recycling bays in four remote communities: Yuelamu, Nyirripi, Willowra and Atitjere. The bays will enhance the sorting of waste streams including tyres, cardboards, plastic and glass. The project will create 3 construction jobs, 4 ongoing positions and divert 200 tonnes of tyres and 3.6 tonnes of waste plastic from landfill per year.
- Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia received $238,628 for a new $560,000 recycling centre in Yulara. New infrastructure will significantly increase the volumes of materials recovered from current recycling streams such as plastic bottles, aluminium cans, glass and cardboard. The project will create 2 ongoing positions and divert 300 tonnes of waste from landfill per year.
- Alice Springs Town Council received $63,800 grant for a new $127,600 granulator to process plastics into smaller materials at their Regional Waste Management Facility. The granulator will pre-process High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastics to supply to local businesses for further recycling. The project will support 1 ongoing position and process 0.8 of a tonne of waste plastic per year.
- Northern Waste Reduction Services has been granted $1,400,930 to develop a new $6.3 million tyre recycling plant in Katherine with the capacity to recycle and repurpose the majority (75%) of Northern Territory’s end-of-life tyres. The project will divert 5,000 tonnes of waste tyres each year and process them into valued-added products suitable for road surfacing, footpaths and playground soft fall. The project will support 3 construction jobs and 7 ongoing positions.
Round 2 of the Recycling Modernisation Fund is now open.
For more information or to apply visit nt.gov.au/recycling-modernisation-fund
