Circular Economy Markets Fund: Organics – Funded projects

The Circular Economy Markets Fund: Organics supports end markets for recycled organic products through a $2 million investment package which aims to remove barriers and accelerate a sustained increase in the adoption of these products.

Through kerbside reform and the improved recovery of commercial and industrial organic waste, there is an increased supply of recycled organic products. This Fund supports the sustainable growth of end markets including agriculture, urban and amenity (for example, parks and gardens), and roadside amenity (for example roadside rehabilitation) to utilise the increased supply of better-quality recycled organic products.

For background, view the grant guidelines.

Fund recipients

Announcement date: 19 October 2022

Blampied Kooroocherang Land Care Group Inc

Project: Establish on-farm trials in the Central Highlands of Victoria to demonstrate the benefits of compost application in broad acre grazing and cropping systems. Funding will facilitate the purchase of a shared compost spreader and the trial of products on farm.

Funding: $46,500

Burdett Sands

Project: Purchase and installation of equipment to produce a finer grade of compost that will be suitable to blend with current turf sands supplied to Melbourne's sporting grounds and public open spaces.

Funding: $275,000

Eco Guardians

Project: Construction of a new facility to enable the collection and consolidation of rapidly dehydrated food products. This facility will further process and decontaminate material improving product quality and assurance, and distribution.

Funding: $400,000

Heathcote Wine Growers Association

Project: Purchase of shared compost spreading equipment to increase the uptake of compost use in vineyards. Funding will also be used to undertake an on-farm trial to build confidence in compost use on vineyards.

Funding: $278,600

Jesuit Social Services Inc

Project: Establish a grass collection and processing hub for 6 Moreland Councils sites. Grass clippings will be collected from local cricket and croquet grounds then composted with wood shavings and organics waste on site in Brunswick.

Funding: $158,506

Melbourne Water Corporation

Project: On-farm trial to demonstrate the use of composted urban green waste undervine in the Macedon Ranges Shire. The trial will compare small particle size with coarse composted mulch in vineyards over 2 years.

Funding: $15,019

Pinegro Products

Project: Purchase of specialised machinery to decontaminate organics by removing plastics, rock and glass. The equipment will be shared between 2 Pinegro sites and will improve product quality and divert additional waste from landfill.

Funding: $166,294

Two Flowers (Resilience Farming)

Project: Improving the access and distribution of recycled organic products by constructing concrete receival and storage bunkers. Bunkers will allow for receival of higher moisture compost inputs and enable storage of mature compost for easier distribution.

Funding: $16,200

The Camperdown Compost Company

Project: Develop a marketing strategy to support an increased uptake of Recycled Organic Products. Activities include website design and content, networking opportunities and social media promotion.

Funding: $30,000

The Camperdown Compost Company

Project: Upgrades to existing composting facility to reduce contamination and increase product testing to instill greater market confidence in recycled organic compost. Facility upgrades include: an interactive weighbridge, upgraded litter fencing, end user seminar room, enhanced testing for contaminants and composting process.

Funding: $140,000

Total Viticulture Solutions Pty Ltd

Project: Purchase of a compost spreader to support on-farm trails of recycled organic compost in viticulture, orchards and broad acre farming.

Funding: $50,000

Upper Goulburn Landcare Network

Project: Expansion to the community compost facility in Alexandra, supporting product development and increasing access to local end markets. Funding will improve site storage and distribution points and support product certification, trials and market analysis.

Funding: $54,500