GETTING FULL VALUE PROGRESS
UPDATE: OCTOBER 2014
Getting Full Value: The Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy has been in effect for over 18 months. We have come a long way
from the system we inherited in 2010. It has taken significant commitment and united effort, but in a short time we have started to turn
Victoria’s recycling fortunes around. We have:
> strengthened the Environment Protection Authority's role in the regulation of waste management facilities;
> revitalised Sustainability Victoria to ensure that we have the right programs in place to stimulate private investment in recycling;
> invested around $50 million through the government’s Conserve, Invest and Save strategy and Getting Full Value policy to help local
government and business achieve their waste and resource recovery goals;
> reset the governance of our waste entities so that they are in the best possible position to implement the actions from a new Victorian
waste and resource recovery policy; and
> established a 30 year vision to reduce waste and recycle more by adopting a market based approach to resource management
(encapsulated in the Getting Full Value policy).
As Getting Full Value is progressively implemented, now is a good time to take stock of what we have done and what comes next.
It has been a busy year. Since our last update, the reforms have led to the amalgamation of the former waste management groups, a
change that will improve waste and resource recovery service delivery around the state. I remain committed to these reforms, which I see
as essential to building regional capacity and improving the delivery of Getting Full Value.
I remain committed to working with all Victorians to maximise the value we get from our waste materials, while minimising environmental
and social impacts. I look forward to providing the next update on the implementation of Getting Full Value in 2015.
The Hon. Ryan Smith MP
Minister for Environment
and Climate Change
GETTING FULL VALUE
ACHIEVEMENTS 2013–14
The first half of 2014 has seen some significant achievements under Getting Full Value;
achievements that span business, industry and households and deliver value for Victoria.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING
Having the right mix of infrastructure in the right places at the right time will ensure we can manage the projected mix and volumes of waste
materials into the future. The following initiatives are contributing to the cost-effective statewide network of waste and resource recovery
infrastructure that Victoria needs.
> The $5.5 million Metropolitan Local Government Waste and Resource Recovery Fund has been supporting local governments to
implement best practice municipal solid waste collection and management systems through support for infrastructure, research and
development, behaviour change initiatives and other projects.
> The $3.3 million Metropolitan Organics Fund is supporting the development of an integrated network of organics processing facilities
to service the needs of metropolitan Melbourne. This includes the facilitated joint procurement of facilities to process organic waste
from council clusters in the north and west, southeast and east.
> Local governments in rural and regional Victoria have recently benefitted from $2.2 million in support through the Rural and Regional
Transfer Station Upgrade Program, increasing resource recovery and operational efficiency.
> Key government strategies currently in development include the Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan and the
Investment Facilitation Framework.
> In April 2014 a new joint process for Environment Protection Authority (EPA) works approval and council planning permit applications
was launched. The joint process provides more efficient approval decisions for industry and will further reduce unnecessary red tape
costs. The community will also benefit as they will be able to provide their views to EPA and council in a single forum.
STRONG MARKETS FOR RECOVERED RESOURCES
The government is working to provide the right conditions for resource recovery markets to grow and support the sustained diversion of
materials with value from landfill, delivering strong economic and environmental benefits for Victorians.
> Key government strategies currently in development include the Victorian Market Development Strategy for Recovered Resources, the
Victorian Organic Resource Recovery Strategy and the Victorian Community and Business Waste Education Strategy.
> The Back to Earth Initiative is a community program that has been designed to support new organics facilities, servicing the 11
northern and western metropolitan councils. By building awareness of the end markets for recycled compost, the program is aiming to
gain support for reducing contamination and allowing for the development of a valuable, high-quality end product.
> Get it Right on Bin Night is a statewide educational campaign aimed at improving household recycling rates and reducing source
contamination resulting in improved recycled end products. The campaign has reached households through local radio, television and
print media advertising. Seventy five percent of councils complemented the statewide campaign with local activities.
REDUCING WASTE GENERATION AND USING OUR RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY
The government is supporting business to use materials more efficiently. Along with reducing the amount of waste we generate, this will
ease the burden on our waste management and resource recovery system and ultimately save Victorians money.
> Rounds 2 and 3 of grants under the Smarter Resources, Smarter Businesses Program have been finalised, delivering support to
business under a program which in total is investing $14 million over five years to help a variety of industry sectors use their resources
more efficiently.
> The Victorian Government is investing in projects that are helping businesses minimise and create value from waste through the
Driving Investment for New Recycling fund. The $5 million fund is supporting key industry sectors to establish new or upgrade existing
infrastructure to sort and recover commercial and industrial waste, improving the financial viability of projects and stimulating
significant private investment in infrastructure and jobs.
> The Beyond Waste fund provided $1.3 million across a number of industry sectors, including food manufacturers and housing
construction, to identify opportunities to reduce waste generation and save money.
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH
The government is working to ensure that our waste management facilities operate to the highest standards, and that Victorians have
suitable opportunities to safely dispose of all waste types to protect the environment and public health.
> Government is investing $1.5 million in a four year local government buffer support program to develop a range of land use planning
policies and other measures to protect and manage buffers between waste and resource recovery facilities and adjacent sensitive
land uses. This will provide a comprehensive suite of tools that can be readily deployed by local authorities and industry operators
across Victoria.
> The launch of a new online report card provides Victorians with comprehensive water quality information, as part of the government’s
commitment to a Cleaner Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay.
> Application of the Environment Protection Principles to EPA approvals process guidance was released in June 2014 to help industry
understand how the principles in the Environment Protection Act relate to EPA approvals.
> Fourteen rural and regional local governments have been provided with $3.3 million in funding to better manage their landfills and
protect their local environment through the Landfill Cell Liner Program.
LITTER AND ILLEGAL DUMPING
The illegal disposal of waste compromises the health and safety of our environment and our communities. The government is undertaking
a range of priority actions to address these persistent problems.
> The government has invested $6 million in the Illegal Dumping Strikeforce program to help stamp out illegal dumping across the state.
EPA’s strikeforce team will respond to reports of illegal dumping from the community, to gather intelligence and to measure and track
illegal dumping.
> As part of the Illegal Dumping Strikeforce, EPA Victoria forged a successful partnership with City of Stonnington to crack down on
illegally dumped construction and demolition waste at a number of construction sites across the municipality. Construction and
demolition waste often includes asbestos and contaminated soils, which can pose an environmental and public health risk to the
community.
> The government has provided $2.7 million of funding assistance to help charitable recyclers to offset landfill levy costs of taking
illegally dumped items to landfill, to enable them to get on with the job of helping families and members of the community in need. A
further $500,000 has been provided for measures to prevent illegal dumping through infrastructure improvements, such as lighting,
CCTV, fences and signage.
> The Litter Hotspot program, under the Cleaner Yarra and Port Phillip Bay – A Plan of Action, provides $2 million over four years to
support local action by community groups, businesses and councils to implement best practice initiatives aimed at reducing litter and
improving water quality in Melbourne’s waterways and bay.
> EPA has wrapped up a successful summer litter campaign, with 4124 new litter reporters signing up to stamp out litter.
> EPA along with Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group, Sustainability Victoria (SV), and local government came together
in April 2014 to pilot illegal dumping enforcement training for council officers from across the state. The training provides capacity
building for council officers to act as authorised officers under the Environment Protection Act 1970 to assist in the management of
litter and illegal dumping.
GOVERNANCE
The government has been working on improving the governance and institutional arrangements of government entities in the environment
portfolio. Some significant changes have been made to the waste sector’s institutional and governance arrangements in order to enhance
delivery and streamline processes. These changes form the Victorian Government Response to the Report of the Ministerial Advisory
Committee on Waste and Resource Recovery Governance Reform, a commitment of Getting Full Value.
> From the 1st August 2014, seven new metropolitan and regional waste and resource recovery groups (WRRGs) were established,
amalgamated from the previous thirteen Waste Management Groups. The government has worked closely alongside the groups to
ensure as smooth a transition as possible.
> The six regional WRRGs have recently been provided with $6.4 million in investment to assist in carrying out their expanded
responsibilities from delivering regional plans to assessing and facilitating construction of new infrastructure and services in these
areas.
MAP OF PROJECTS AROUND VICTORIA (IMAGE)
Mildura: The Take Pride in Kerbside Recycling program is busting recycling myths and building community confidence in the recycling
system. Funded by the Regional Waste Management Group Support Package.
Central Murray: The roadside litter campaign “CHILI Squad” (Calder Highway Illegal Dumping and Litter Investigation Squad) will be
patrolling the Calder Highway to respond to littering and illegal dumping. Funding provided through Sustainability Victoria’s Roadside Litter
Grants.
West Wimmera: The Regional and Rural Landfill/Transfer Station Support Package has funded the upgrade of transfer stations in the
region and provided educational resources.
Barwon South West region: Businesses in the region achieved financial savings through more efficient materials use through a series of
projects and workshops run by the Geelong Manufacturing Council. The government’s Beyond Waste funding agreement provided over
$400,000 funding to assist with this initiative.
Bendigo: The Victorian Government is providing $500,000 through the Building Victoria’s Organics Recovery fund to City of Greater
Bendigo to support the delivery of a kerbside recycling service for residents. The funding will go towards supplying bins for the service.
City of Greater Bendigo expects to issue a tender for organics processing at the end of the year.
Pyalong: Funding from SV's Smarter Resources, Smarter Businesses Energy and Materials Capital Grants has allowed Flavourful
Hydroponics to upgrade its technology, resulting in more system stability and more efficient resource use.
Horsham: The Social Enterprises in Waste and Recycling fund is supporting AXIS Worx, a program providing employment for people with
disabilities disassembling electronic waste and making quality products with recycled timber. This fund is also helping another social
enterprise in Melbourne, Bright Sparx, with repair of household appliances.
Geelong: The Driving Investment for New Recycling fund provided SITA Australia Pty Ltd with funding to upgrade its Geelong Heales Road
Resource Recovery Facility with equipment to increase the recovery of 8,000 tonnes of valuable material and divert it from landfill.
Port Phillip Bay: The Clean Bay Coalition, an alliance of community groups and the City of Port Phillip, are undertaking extensive litter
audits on some of Melbourne’s popular beaches and providing education to the community around littering. This is one of several local
action projects funded under the Cleaner Yarra and Port Phillip Bay Litter Hotspots program.
Shepparton: A small scale illegal dumping funding package is helping councils fight dumping at charity shops and other well-known hot
spots. The package is enabling councils to provide CCTV surveillance, investigation equipment, signage and household information.
Benalla: Transition Support to Improve Rural Landfill Infrastructure fund has provided over $230,000 to help Benalla landfill and resource
recovery centre achieve best practice standards. Upgrading the landfill will have major environmental benefits, including preventing ground
and surface water contamination.
Wodonga (and statewide): The Household Chemical Collection Program includes permanent drop-off sites across Victoria for residents to
safely drop off paint, batteries and compact fluorescent bulbs. The 12 existing sites (including Wodonga) will be expanded to 30 by the end
of June 2015.
Mallacoota: The Kitchen to Compost (K2C) program, receiving funding through Sustainability Victoria’s Building Victoria’s Organics
Recovery Fund, is trialling incorporating food waste into household kerbside waste and providing educational programs to complement the
trial. Food waste materials are being composted on farms using biological compost accelerants.
Thornbury: A capital funding grant through the Smarter Resources, Smarter Businesses program has allowed clothing manufacturer
Nobody Denim to upgrade their equipment and processes to improve production quality. This has resulted in a more consistent product,
and fewer seconds garments (off-specification product), meaning less waste and financial savings for the company.
Ellinbank (and statewide): The EPA, in partnership with the Department of State Development, Business and Innovation, is protecting
environmental and public health by targeting industrial waste dumping in quarries. Quarry sites were identified for inspection through
transparent and evidence-based decision making. Joint inspections of over 50 quarries in locations across Victoria, including Ellinbank,
resulted in 14 clean-up notices for quarry operators.
Metropolitan Melbourne: The Food Know How Program is a food waste reduction program provided by the City of Yarra in partnership with
Frankston City Council, City of Whitehorse and Cultivating Community. Supported through the Metropolitan Local Government Waste and
Resource Recovery Fund, the program is delivering a range of collaborative initiatives to help households, cafes and offices reduce food
waste while establishing community connections.
East Gippsland: Two Local Litter Measurement Tool training sessions were held for local government, Parks Victoria and Department of
Environment and Primary Industries staff, run by the Victorian Litter Action Alliance and funded by SV. The five councils that attended are
using the tool to understand the true cost of illegal dumping and to target their activities.
Melton: Funded through the Beyond Waste fund, the 'Target Zero Waste to Landfill’ study home, constructed by Burbank Homes with
partners RMIT and the Housing Industry Association, achieved a 72% reduction in waste generated and a 99% reduction of waste to
landfill by reviewing the design and construction of a popular home.
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