Major Resource Recovery Infrastructure

This program supports investment in waste and recycling infrastructure.

This program is currently closed.

Purpose

This program funds the construction of new major recycling and waste processing facilities, to increase the amount of material being recovered, reused, recycled and reprocessed. It complements the Resource Recovery Facility Expansion and Enhancement program, which funds capital works for existing facilities.

The program supports:

  • recovery of recyclables from sorted and unsorted waste from business and households
  • reuse, recycling and reprocessing of recyclable materials including:
    • plastics
    • metals
    • glass
    • timber
    • paper and cardboard
    • tyres
    • e-waste
    • construction and demolition waste.

    (For a full list of materials, see page 1 of the guidelines for applicants (PDF 486KB)

  • processing, stabilisation and energy recovery from residual business and household waste.

This program is delivered through a partnership between the NSW Environmental Trust and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) as part of the Waste Less, Recycle More initiative. Additional information can be found on the EPA website.

Funding available

We offered grants to cover up to 50% of the capital costs of the proposed new resource-recovery infrastructure, up to the following amounts:

  • grants of $1–5 million for projects proposed by the private sector and not-for-profit organisations
  • grants of $1–10 million for projects proposed by councils, regional group of councils and other local-government-controlled organisations.

A Special Consideration clause was introduced for eligible councils in regional areas of NSW that may not have the capacity to co-contribute 50% of total costs for large infrastructure projects. For councils that qualified under this clause the Trust and the EPA considered funding up to 75% of total project costs.

Who can apply?

The following organisations were eligible to apply:

  • not-for-profit or non-government organisations (as defined by the Australian Taxation Office) with an established legal status
  • not-for-profit or non-government organisations without a legal status that can be administered by another organisation
  • NSW councils (as defined in the Local Government Act 1993
  • other organisations controlled by local government or deemed to have a local-government function
  • regional organisations of councils
  • private industry or a partnership as defined by the Corporations Act 2001 (Cwth).

When can applications be made?

This program is closed.

If you are successful in obtaining funding for your project, you will need to provide regular reports on your progress.

Project measures table

A project measures table will be provided to you with your grant agreement. The project measures table will assist with setting the project baseline, creating targets, recording progress and project achievements.

An updated project measures table will need to be submitted with each progress report.

Progress reports and final report

You are required to submit milestone (progress) reports at agreed intervals to outline what your project has achieved and next steps.

Milestone reports are submitted to the Environmental Trust, who will check to ensure that expenditure is as per the agreed budget. The reports will also be reviewed by technical experts who may provide feedback or advice. Once reviewed and accepted the associated payment will be processed.

A final report will be required upon completion of the project, and once checked and approved the final payment will be made.

Please use milestone reporting form (DOCX 75KB) and final reporting form (DOCX 75KB) for these reports.

Financial reports

You must submit a statement of expenditure with each milestone report. A certified financial report will be required as part of the final report.

Other documents

You may be required to submit other documents or evidence as listed in your grant agreement.

Where to send reports

Please email reports and other documents to waste.recycling@environmentaltrust.nsw.gov.au (50MB limit).

Acknowledgement requirement

You are required to acknowledge the funding you've received from the Trust in all publications and materials related to your project. Please use the wording below:

This project is supported by the Environmental Trust as part of the NSW Environment Protection Authority's Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy.

You also need to use the NSW Government logo. See Funding acknowledgement and logos for details.

  • In 2019 (round 4) a total of $17,589,425 was allocated to 4 projects.
  • In 2017 (round 3) a total of $20,452,315 was allocated to 6 projects.
  • In 2014 (round 2) a total of $17,932,500 was allocated to 7 projects.
  • In 2013 (round 1) a total of $20,310,071 was allocated to 7 projects.

Project summaries