Materials recycling infrastructure funding

Eligible applicants

The funding is available to businesses (including international), not-for-profit organisations and local government.

Applicants must:

• have a current Australian Business Number (ABN), or have a joint venture partner with one, or commits to establish an Australian Pty Ltd company prior to entering into a funding agreement with Sustainability Victoria
• be a business, not-for-profit or local government that has existing reprocessing and remanufacturing facilities in Victoria, or are proposing a new facility to be located in Victoria
• have been operating in Australia or internationally for a minimum of 12 months by the application closing date
• meet or exceed the minimum co-contribution requirements
• agree to comply with the Terms of Participation in Grant Programs
• agree to comply with the funding agreement:
  • For grants $50,000 or less read the Short-form grant funding agreement.
  • For grants more than $50,000 read the General grant funding agreement.

Applicants who were successful under the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund (round 1) are eligible to apply. The project must have a clear difference (e.g. targeting a different material, at a different site or a clear expansion of processing capacity).

Individuals and social enterprises are not eligible to apply.

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.

Eligible projects

This funding opportunity includes 2 grants:

• Recycling Victoria – Recycling Modernisation Fund
• Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund – Materials stream (round 2)

Both funds use the same application form. Sustainability Victoria will determine which fund your project is eligible for and assessed under, in consultation with the Australian Government.

Projects must:

• be located in Victoria
• source more than 50% of materials from Victoria
• meet the eligibility criteria and one or more of the fund objectives outlined in the program guidelines
• meet regulatory or planning requirements or comply with regulation or a regulatory notice or order
• demonstrate a need for Victorian government support
• be commissioned and operational by 30 March 2024.

The Recycling Victoria – Recycling Modernisation Fund will provide funding for infrastructure projects that address the specific national waste export bans for:

• mixed plastics that are not of a single resin/polymer type and/or further sorting, cleaning and processing is required before use in re-manufacturing
• single resin/polymer plastics that have not been re-processed (e.g. cleaned and baled PET bottles)
• mixed and unsorted paper and cardboard
• unprocessed glass, in a whole or broken state (both formed packaging and flat sheet glass)
• all whole used tyres, including baled tyres, but not including bus, truck and aviation tyres exported for re-treading to a verified re-treading facility.

If your project does not specifically address the national waste export ban, your application will be assessed under the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund – Materials stream (round 2).

The Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund – Materials stream (round 2) will provide funding for infrastructure projects that improve the recovery of:

• paper and cardboard
• plastics
• glass
• organics
• textiles
• tyres.

For more detail on what is and is not eligible, read the program guidelines.

Co-Contribution

Recycling Victoria – Recycling Modernisation Fund

Applicants are required to meet the following minimum cash co-contribution:

• $1: $1: $1
  ($1 from the applicant, $1 from Sustainability Victoria and $1 from the Commonwealth)

Recycling Victoria Infrastructure fund:

• Industry must co-contribute at least $3 for every $1 funded
• Local government must co-contribute at least $2 for every $1 funded

What won't be funded

Projects that were successful under the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund (round 1) are not eligible.

Projects must not:

• have commenced construction before signing the funding agreement (equipment can be ordered at applicant’s own risk)
• be undertaken solely to comply with regulation or a regulatory notice or order
• focus on materials not listed in the guidelines
• include waste to energy
• seek to extend capacity for receipt of unsorted materials (e.g. infrastructure for transfer stations).

The following is ineligible for funding:

• in-kind contributions
• requests for assistance in managing cash flow
• purchase of land
• routine or cyclical maintenance works
• ongoing operational costs such as, but not limited to, salaries, electricity, water and other utilities
• costs of equipment not dedicated to the project purpose (e.g. all vehicles)
• pre-construction (site preparation) activities such as site clearing, earthworks or site accessibility works
• projects that involve the repair of facilities damaged by vandalism, fire or other natural disasters where the damage should be covered by insurance
• business case development
• feasibility studies
• consultancy or contract work
• project management costs
• contingency costs.

Funding limits

There is no funding cap per project.

Application process

1. You must read the program guidelines, which contain the assessment criteria and other important information.
2. Read and accept the funding terms and conditions:
   1. For funding of $50,000 or less read the Short form funding agreement.
   2. For funding more than $50,000 read the General funding agreement.
3. Read and understand the Terms of Participation in Grant Programs.
4. To apply you’ll need to register an account with Smarty Grants. Once you’re logged in, click on Recycling Victoria - Recycling Modernisation Fund and Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund – Materials to apply.

Timeline

Background

This is funded by the Australian Government and Victorian Government. If eligible for the Recycling Victoria – Recycling Modernisation Fund, information contained in your application may be shared with the Australian Government in line with the National Partnership on Recycling Infrastructure.

Find out more about how the Australian Government is investing in waste and recycling infrastructure through the Recycling Modernisation Fund.