Research and Development program for recovered
glass fines and flexible plastics
Frequently Asked Questions
(updated January 2016)
Eligibility
Q. Who can apply for funding?
A. Only a Research Institute in partnership with Industry are eligible to apply. (Refer to the
definition of Research Institute and Industry in section 3.1 of the guidelines or in the
definitions section of the FAQs)
Q: Can a Research Institute apply for funding without an Industry Partner?
A: No. A Research Institute must demonstrate a partnership with Industry to be eligible to apply.
Q. Can an Industry apply for funding without a Research Institute?
A. No. Industry are not eligible to apply.
Q. Can a Research Institute submit more than one application?
A. Yes. However, each application must be in collaboration with an Industry Partner(s).
Q. Can multiple universities that are undertaking separate research as part of the same
project submit an application?
A. Yes, universities can collaborate on a project and submit a joint application with an industry
partner.
Q. Can consultants apply?
A. No. For the purposes of this program consultants do not fit the definition of a Research
Institute and cannot apply. (Refer to the definition of Research Institute in section 3.1 of the
guidelines or in the definitions section of the FAQs)
Q. What is the eligibility criteria for Research Institutes?
A. To be eligible for funding, the Research Institute must:

meet the definition of Research Institute as outlined in section 3.1 of the guidelines,

have been in operation in Victoria for at least 3 years,

have a partnership with Industry (as per definition in section 3.1 of the guidelines)

not have received funding from any other funding body for the application research
project,

meet the minimum 1:1 financial contribution (excluding GST),

not have any Environment Protection Authority (EPA) or Victorian WorkSafe
violations in the past five years, or if the applicant has any violations:
-
the violations were not serious;
-
the violations have been satisfactorily resolved;
-
the applicant has made appropriate efforts, including implementing
management systems, to ensure the violation is not repeated; and
-
since the violation, the applicant has had a satisfactory level of compliance
with environmental and WorkCover Authority legislation.

be based in Victoria with a premises in Victoria,

undertake the research project in Victoria;

if shortlisted as part of the assessment process, attend a pitch at Sustainability
Victoria with the Industry Partner(s)

agree to comply with the Terms and Conditions of Sustainability Victoria’s Funding
Agreement located at www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/RDgrants
Q. What is the eligibility criteria for the Industry Partner(s)?
A: The Industry Partner(s) must:

meet the definition of Industry as outlined in section 3.1 of the guidelines,

have been in operation in Victoria for at least 3 years,

not have received funding from any other funding body for the application research
project,

meet the minimum 1:1 financial contribution (excluding GST),

not have any Environment Protection Authority (EPA) or Victorian WorkSafe
violations in the past five years, or if the applicant has any violations:
-
the violations were not serious;
-
the violations have been satisfactorily resolved;
-
the applicant has made appropriate efforts, including implementing
management systems, to ensure the violation is not repeated; and
-
since the violation, the applicant has had a satisfactory level of compliance
with environmental and WorkCover Authority legislation.

be based in Victoria with a premises in Victoria,

if shortlisted as part of the assessment process, attend a pitch at Sustainability
Victoria with the Research Institute

agree to comply with the Terms and Conditions of Sustainability Victoria’s Funding
Agreement located at www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/RDgrants
Q. Can more than one Research Institute partner on an application?
A: Yes. Multiple Research Institutes can be part of the research team. However, one Research
Institute will need to be the project lead and submit the application.
Q: Can a Research Institute from outside of Victoria submit an application?
A: No. However, a Research Institute from outside of Victoria can be part of the research team.
Q: Can a Research Institute from outside of Victoria be part of the research team?
A. Yes. However they cannot be the project lead or submit a funding application.
Definitions for the purposes of this program
Q: A Research Institute?
A: A Research Institute is defined as an organisation that can undertake research and
development activities in the manner defined in the Research and Development (R&D) definition
below. A Research Institute could be a tertiary education institution, a government agency
established for the purpose of research, a Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), or an Institute or
Centre for Research. Consultancies are not considered to be Research Institutes for the
purposes of this program.
Q: An Industry partner(s)?
A: Industry is any business entity and/or peak association operating in or representing a
manufacturer using recovered resources in a product. The business must be operating in Victoria
and have been in operation for at least 3 years. (The lead Industry Partner for the research
project must comply with insurance risk requirements and sign the funding application).
Q. Research and Development (R&D):
A: Research and Development (R&D) includes the following activities related to recovered glass
fines and/or flexible plastics: product design and development, laboratory testing, in situ testing
and altering existing processing approaches. R&D activity more generally is considered to be
“characterised by originality. It has investigation as a primary objective, the outcome of which is
new knowledge, with a specific practical application, or new or improved materials, products or
devices. R&D ends when work is no longer primarily investigative.”
Q. Recovered glass fines:
A: Glass fines are glass which has been recovered from the waste stream but is considered
unsuitable for use in glass manufacture due to difficulty in sorting (i.e. particles too small) and/or
contamination. Only recovered glass fines that meet the definition and the industrial waste criteria
described below are eligible for research funding under this program.
Recovered glass fines (additional information)
Q. Are recovered glass fines industrial waste?
A. Yes, ‘glass’ including (glass fines) is industrial waste as per schedule 1 of the Environment
Protection (Industrial Waste Resource) Regulations 2009, if it is not mixed with hazardous
contaminants or if hazardous substances are not embedded in the glass (are part of the glass
structure).
Q. Recovered flexible plastic:
A. Flexible plastics include packaging (such as bags, pouches, sachets, wraps) and flexible
polymer wraps used in logistics (such as pallet wrap, silage wrap, or wheat storage bags). These
products are typically made of a range of polymer types including low density polyethylene
(LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE),
polypropylene (PP), and others.
Recovered flexible plastic (additional information)
A. Can other materials be used or blended with the flexible plastics?
A. Yes, other materials can be used /blended in combination with the recovered flexible plastics
however the recycled flexible plastic component needs to make up the bulk of the blend.
Please note: it is duty holder’s responsibility to assess the origin of the recovered glass
fines and or flexible plastics, its categorisation as Industrial or Prescribed Industrial Waste as
per schedule 1 and 2 of the Industrial Waste Resource Regulations and then establish its
reuse.


If waste is categorised as Industrial, in general, EPA recommends that to consider
the industrial waste as a reuse material, it must be fit for purpose, have consistent
quality, have a reuse specification and be consigned for reuse (not dumping).
If waste is categorised as Prescribed Industrial Waste the appropriate pathway for
potential reuse must be discussed with EPA.
Funding
Q. Who can apply for funding?
A. Only a Research Institute in partnership with Industry are eligible to apply. (Refer to the
definition of Research Institute and Industry in section 3.1 of the guidelines or in the
definitions section of the FAQs)
Q. How much funding is available?
A. Up to $100,000 (1:1 matched funding) excluding GST is available for Research Institutes
in partnership with Industry to undertake a Research and Development (R&D) project, to be
contracted by mid June 2016 and completed by 30 May 2017.
Q: What R&D activities will be considered for funding?

Salaries directly related to
-
the design and development of processing approaches or products that use
recovered glass fines and/or flexible plastics,
-
quality and performance assessments of recovered glass fines and/or flexible
plastics in new or existing products or processing approaches,
-
product development to increase the percentage of recovered glass fines and/or
flexible plastics in existing products or processing approaches,

cost of laboratory or in situ testing for new products incorporating recovered glass
fines and/or flexible plastics.
Q: What won’t be considered for funding?

desktop research including opportunity identification, concept screening, concept
testing, marketing concept development and feasibility studies,

promotional materials and marketing activities

the purchase of infrastructure or equipment which includes infrastructure prototypes
for trials,

retrospective research,

vehicles,

travel, conferences and other educational activities,

salaries that are not directly related to the research,

In-kind contribution,

first generation energy recovery technologies or bioenergy technologies,

any application where the Industry Partner does not submit to the same probity
checks as required of the Research Institute,

any application where the Research Institute and Industry Partner do not agree to the
IP conditions outlined in the Funding terms and conditions relating to this grant at
www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/RDgrants

applications from Consultancies (as per the Research Institute definition in section
3.1 of the guidelines).
Q. If a project has already commenced or is completed is it eligible for funding?
A. No. Retrospective research projects that have already commenced or are completed
prior to signing a funding agreement will not be funded. However, a defined component or
next stage of a current, longer term research project would be eligible.
Q. What is a financial contribution?
A: Financial contributions can include cash and salaries paid by the Research Institute(s)
and Industry Partner(s) for employee’s time allocated to delivering the research project.
Q. What is an in-kind contribution?
A. In-kind is an activity other than financial support that is contributed towards a project. An Inkind contribution could be voluntary labour such as unpaid research students time or donated
goods or services such as recovered resources for laboratory testing or sites for in-situ testing.
Q. Can funding be used for salaries?
A. Yes. However, only for salaries directly related to:
-
the design and development of processing approaches or products that use
recovered glass fines and/or flexible plastics,
-
quality and performance assessments of recovered glass fines and/or flexible
plastics in new or existing product or processing approaches,
-
product development to increase the percentage of recovered glass fines and/or
flexible plastics in existing products or processing approaches,
Q: Why are energy from waste technologies or bioenergy technologies excluded?
A: ‘The Victorian Government is stimulating development of energy from waste and bioenergy
technologies through its current suite of strategies and programs including the Victorian Organics
Resource Recovery Strategy, and New Energy Jobs Fund. This R&D program is focused on
facilitating potentially higher value outcomes for residual waste material.
Assessment process
Q: How will applications be assessed?
This program involves a competitive, merit-based application process. Applications from
eligible Research Institutes in partnership with Industry will be assessed on their ability to
demonstrate:

the market development problem for the specified priority recovered resource,

a valid methodology to address this market development problem,

how the output of the research will address this market development problem,

the potential for this output to contribute to wider market development outcomes as
outlined in section 2 of the guidelines,

how the research output will be delivered within the 12 month timeframe, by 30 May
2017.

the level of commitment of the Industry Partner(s) to participate in the project and
utilise the research outputs,

a capable and skills based team to undertake the research,
Shortlisted applicants (both the Research Institute and the Industry partner(s)) will be invited
to pitch their research project to the assessment panel. The pitch will provide the
assessment panel the opportunity to clarify any information provided in the application. It is
not an opportunity for the Research Institute or Industry Partner to present new information.
Q. When will I know the outcome of my application?
A. SV will provide applicants with updates about the progress of their applications as much
as possible but is unable to provide a definite approval /announcement date. We thank you
for your co-operation and understanding on this and will endeavour to advise you if we
expect any unforeseen delays.
Q. Can Sustainability Victoria review a draft of my grant application?
A. No, this being a competitive process, we are unable to review a draft or provide feedback on
the potential merit of a project.
Intellectual property
Q. What are the IP requirements of the research program?
A: The Intellectual Property (IP) developed from the program will be made publically available and
licensed. Refer to clause 19 Intellectual Property (IP) in the Funding terms and conditions relating
to this grants at www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/RDgrants
The objective of the program is to distribute the research findings in 2017 to inform broader
manufacturing industries of opportunities to incorporate recovered glass fines and/ or flexible
plastics into product and process design, development, specifications and commercialisation
activities.
Key dates
Q: When do applications close?
A: 3pm, Friday 12 February 2016
Q: When will applicants be notified of shortlisting by?
A: Mid-March. SV will provide applicants with updates about the progress of their
applications as much as possible but is unable to provide a definite approval /announcement
date. We thank you for your co-operation and understanding on this and will endeavour to
advise you if we expect any unforeseen delays.
Q: When will shortlisted applicants pitch to the assessment panel?
A: Late March. SV will provide applicants with updates about the progress of their
applications as much as possible but is unable to provide a definite dates. We thank you for
your co-operation and understanding on this and will endeavour to advise you if we expect
any unforeseen delays
Q: When will the successful research projects commence by?
A: Mid-June 2016
Q: When will the successful research projects be completed by?
A: 30 May 2017.
Further information
Q. Who can I contact for assistance or further information?
A. Please email grants.enquiries@sustainability.vic.gov.au and include ‘R&D program’ in the
subject line or phone 1300 363 744 between 9 am and 4 pm Monday – Friday and ask to
speak to a grants support representative.
Q: Will there be an information session?
A: Yes. An information session will be held at Sustainability Victoria from Tuesday 15
December 2015, 9:00am – 10:30 am at Sustainability Victoria, Level 28/50 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne.
Click on the following link for further details and bookings
www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/RDgrants
Q: How will the responses to questions asked via phone, email or at the information
session be managed?
A: Any question not already answered through these FAQs will be added to these FAQs during
the application open period to support equity and transparency in the application process.
Victorian Industry Participation Policy? (VIPP)
Q. What is The Victorian Industry Participation Policy? (VIPP)
A. The Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP) seeks to maximise opportunities for
Australian, New Zealand and Victorian suppliers (Local Suppliers) to compete for government
business on the basis of best value for money over the life of the goods or services. The VIPP is
implemented by Victorian Government departments and agencies to help drive local industry
development.
Q. When does the VIPP apply?
A. The Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP) will apply if the total cost of the project meets
or exceeds either:
 $1 million in regional Victoria/statewide; or
 $3 million in metropolitan Melbourne.
Q. What if the VIPP does apply?
A. Sustainability Victoria will register the grant with ICN (Industry Capability Network). The grant
recipient will then be required to comply with the requirements of the VIPP, including preparing
a VIPP Plan and providing annual project reports.