Cash goes to waste in $30m recycling deal

South Australia has inked a $30 million deal with the Federal Government to boost its recycling industry and create jobs.

South Australia has inked a $30m deal with the Federal Government to build new recycling centres and create jobs.

The national partnership will see SA and the Federal Government chip in $15m each.

SA Environment Minister David Speirs will announce the deal today with his federal counterpart Sussan Ley.

He said the funding in SA would focus on projects that investigated new technology and equipment for mixed plastics reprocessing, glass re-manufacturing and recovering and separating soft plastics.

“Unlocking the potential in these materials … increases our resilience to supply-chain challenges and creates local jobs while also benefiting our environment,” he said.

Australia has vowed to stop sending unprocessed waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres being overseas and to develop a “circular economy”.

The cash injection comes partly from the Federal Government’s $190m recycling modernisation fund to encourage the industry. Ms Ley said projects would get government support if they funded at least one-third of the project cost.

The program is open for expressions of interest through Green Industries SA.