Circular Economy Organics Sector Transformation Fund – Funded projects

The Circular Economy Organics Sector Transformation Fund supports the diversion of organic waste from landfill and the enhancement of end markets for recycled organics.

$10.2 million in funding supports organic processing businesses to build new or enhance existing organic processing capacity, improving capability to remove contamination and produce a higher quality product.

These projects were co-funded by the Commonwealth via the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund.

Fund recipients

Announcement date: 29 September 2022

Central Gippsland Regional Water

Project: Scale up an existing organic waste processing facility to enable additional diversion of wastes from landfill

Central Gippsland Regional Water will scale up an existing organic waste processing facility to enable additional diversion of wastes from landfill, including a newly rolled out Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection in the region. The upgrade will allow the processing of an additional 70,000 tonnes of organic waste each year and support 33 jobs during construction and a further 8 ongoing positions.

Funding: $4,788,000

Cleanaway Solids Waste Pty Ltd

Project: Upgrade Thurla transfer station to a composting facility that will process local FOGO waste

Cleanaway Solids Waste will receive co-funding to upgrade its Thurla transfer station to a composting facility that will process local FOGO waste. The $2.83 million project will allow the processing of an additional 11,500 tonnes of organic waste each year and support 24 jobs during construction and a further 6 ongoing positions.

Funding: $1,293,747

Ileowl Pty Ltd (trading as Greenchip Recycling)

Project: Build infrastructure capable of value-adding to fines produced in current composting operations

Greenchip Recycling will receive co-funding to build infrastructure capable of value-adding to fines (a cross between mulch and compost) produced in current composting operations, by converting them into organic pellets. The organic pellets will be used in broad acre farming to add carbon back into the soil. The $1.06 million upgrade will allow the processing of an additional 4,250 tonnes of organic waste each year and support 12 jobs during construction and a further 4 ongoing positions.

Funding: $704,360

Manningtree Corporation Pty Ltd

Project: Expand capacity at Elmore Compost and Organics facility

Manningtree Corporation will receive co-funding to expand capacity at its Elmore Compost and Organics facility, transforming it from a small farm-based operation to a commercial EPA (Vic) Licensed site. The $565,398 upgrade will allow the processing of an additional 40,000 tonnes of organic waste each year and support 6 jobs during construction and a further 4 ongoing positions.

Funding: $376,930

Pinegro Products Pty Ltd

Project: Upgrade Mt Wallace facility to accept Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) waste

Pinegro Products will receive co-funding to upgrade its Mt Wallace facility to accept FOGO. A new Aerated Floor Composting System will better manage compost temperatures, moisture content, oxygen levels and odour. The $1.62 million will upgrade the facility’s processing capability to be able to accept FOGO and increase the site processing capacity by an additional 5,000 tonnes. It will support 20 jobs during construction and a further 5 ongoing positions.

Funding: $1,082,800

Repurpose It Pty Ltd

Project: Upgrade the Epping facility to accept Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO ) waste

Repurpose It will receive co-funding to upgrade its Epping facility to accept FOGO. Five concrete containers will be developed to store and break down organic material, increasing metropolitan Melbourne’s capacity and capability to process kerbside FOGO. The $5.34 million upgrade will divert an additional 50,000 tonnes of FOGO from landfill and support 45 jobs during construction and a further 15 ongoing positions.

Funding: $3,560,000

Sacyr Environment Australia Pty Ltd

Project: Upgrade equipment at the Dandenong facility to improve product quality and reduce contamination

Sacyr Environment Australia will receive co-funding to upgrade equipment at its Dandenong facility to improve product quality and reduce contamination. The $2.94 million project will divert an additional 10,000 tonnes of organic waste from landfill each year and support 25 jobs during construction and a further 8 ongoing positions.

Funding: $1,460,106

Swan Hill Rural City Council

Project: Expand the council’s existing open window composting facility to an in-vessel facility

Swan Hill Rural City Council will receive co-funding to expand its existing small-scale open window composting facility and enable the processing of local FOGO material. The $1.35 million project will allow the processing of an additional 1,300 tonnes of organic waste each year and support 14 jobs during construction and a further 3 ongoing positions.

Funding: $816,667