Hume City Council’s drive to make Hume Australia’s first urban circular municipality has received international recognition with a visit from the Ambassador from the Kingdom of The Netherlands yesterday.
Ardi Stoios-Braken met with Hume City Mayor, Naim Kurt and a number of Council staff to discuss the advancements being made by Hume in the Circular Economy space.
As world leaders in Circular Economies, the Dutch have taken an interest in the initiatives being developed by Hume to extend the life cycle of products, promoting sustainability and creating economic growth, the Mayor said.
A business case prepared by KPMG found that Hume’s circular economy could add $903 million to Gross Regional Product and create 1,500 jobs per year in Hume by 2040. The report has been the basis for the Towards Hume as a Circular City project, which sets out a road map for reusing and recycling for Hume’s heavily industrialised business base.
“It is expected that a progressive Circular Economy will bring in new, smart businesses, creating jobs for locals, all while reducing waste and pollution – a must in a city the size of Hume,” the Council said in a statement.
During her visit, Mrs Stoios-Braken discussed these initiatives and how they can benefit business opportunities between the two countries.
Other Hume City Councils efforts include the Collaborate to Thrive project, a partnership between Council, Circular Economy Victoria and Victoria University, exploring and supporting circular economy opportunities for Hume and contributing to the Towards Hume as a Circular City program.
“It’s the way of the future for business, and this interest from world leaders shows that Hume is leading the way,” the Council said.
