Funding boost for $54m recycling projects

Three recycling projects valued at a combined $54 million are one step closer to opening by 2025 after a funding boost from federal and state governments.

The governments have invested $11.25 million for the projects, which aim to recycle up to 275,000 tonnes of food and garden organic waste from landfill into compost.

The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council will receive $2 million towards its $18 million FOGO processing plant at the Red Hill Waste Management Facility.

EMRC operates the Red Hill facility on behalf of cities of Bayswater, Belmont, Kalamunda and Swan, Town of Bassendean, and Shire of Mundaring.

A new FOGO processing plant at Red Hill has been on the cards for many years, with the EMRC choosing SACYR Environment Australia as the preferred tenderer for the project at its meeting in December.

C-Wise Holdings will receive $5.75 million to build a $28.61 million organic carbon recycling facility in East Keralup, near Mandurah.

The state government selected C-wise as the first tenant for the East Keralup precinct and construction of an access road to the site already began in late 2021.

A $3.5 million package will go towards the expansion of the existing GO Organics facility at Boonanarring, north of Gingin.

The expansion is expected to cost $7.42 million, and will support the rollout of FOGO north of Perth.

Environment and Climate Action Minister Reece Whitby said the projects were expected to be complete by June 2025.

“These three projects are collectively valued at $54 million and are not far from Mandurah, Midland and Gingin,” he said.

“Not only will they assist Western Australian farmers with a reliable source of high-quality compost, they will also support 146 construction jobs and 98 ongoing positions.”

Mr Whitby said the state government had a target for all local governments in the Perth and Peel region to adopt FOGO by 2025.

“We’ve committed $20 million to support councils in the rollout,” he said.

“Sixteen WA councils have rolled out the service and a further 11 have garden organics systems servicing more than 560,000 households.

“This joint investment will see our state’s ability to process organics grow as more local governments come on board to deliver FOGO.”

Federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek said about 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide were created each year because of organic waste going to landfill.

“The increased composting capability in Western Australia will help us reach our national target of halving the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030,” she said.

“We’re not only reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions, but we are making Western Australian soils more productive.”