The Queensland Government has launched a new plan to reduce landfill, boost recycling and build the infrastructure needed to turn waste into valuable new products.
The new Less Landfill, More Recycling 2035: Queensland Waste Strategy sets a pathway to improve Queensland’s recycling performance, make it easier for households and businesses to recycle, and support a more circular economy that creates jobs while reducing environmental impacts.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism, Andrew Powell said Queensland needed a clear plan to tackle growing waste volumes and improve recycling outcomes.
“Queensland has fallen behind the rest of the country when it comes to recycling, and we are getting on with the job of turning that around,” Minister Powell said.
“This strategy is about doing what we said we would do – reducing landfill, increasing recycling and investing in the infrastructure Queensland needs for the future.
“The Crisafulli Government knows that what works in South East Queensland won’t always work in regional Queensland, which is why we’ve developed targets that reflect the needs of communities right across our State.
“Importantly, the investments announced today will support communities across Queensland and help Queenslanders recycle more.”
The Government has introduced a new set of practical targets including a statewide recycling target of 65% by 2035, alongside dedicated targets for both South East Queensland and regional Queensland.
To deliver those outcomes, the Government is investing a total of $975 million over five years, which includes $487 million to deliver programs to boost recycling through the Waste Reduction and Recycling Activation Fund and $488 million in annual payments to councils to offset the costs of the waste levy on households.
Two elements of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Activation Fund are the almost $60 million of projects through the Resource Recovery Boost Fund (Round 1) and GROW FOGO Fund that will deliver more than $30 million in savings for councils annually in waste levy costs.
The Resource Recovery Boost Fund Round 1 will support 26 council projects across Queensland, from material recovery facility upgrades to distributing larger household recycling bins.
These projects are expected to divert more than 150,000 tonnes of waste from landfill, saving councils around $17 million annually in waste levy costs.
Recipients of the Resource Recovery Boost Fund – Major include:
- Gold Coast City Council – $8,610,195 – upgrade the ARRC Organics Processing Facility in Yatala by adding new decontamination infrastructure and composting capacity to process an extra 50,000 tonnes of organic waste annually and prepare for FOGO services by 2029.
- Brisbane City Council – $7,807,438 – install a new surge pit to separate and divert dry and bulky waste from landfill for improved recycling.
- Logan City Council – $6,897,261 -upgrade the Logan Village Waste Transfer Station with a new resource recovery building to increase recycling and reduce landfill waste.
- Barcaldine Regional Council – $4,607,369 – establish the Barcaldine Outback Renew and Recovery Centre to reduce landfill reliance and transition the region to a circular economy focused on reuse and resource recovery.
- Townsville City Council – $4,540,212 -upgrade the Townsville recycling facility to increase capacity, improve processing quality, and handle additional waste from regional partners.
- Gympie Regional Council – $3,462,101 – upgrade the transfer station to improve waste sorting, storage, and handling for better resource recovery.
- Townsville City Council – $2,700,000 – build a drive‑through facility that sorts recyclables before disposal to reduce landfill waste and costs for the community.
- Noosa Shire Council – $2,182,856 – build a covered resource recovery facility to improve recycling and manage current and future waste streams in partnership with regional councils.
For a full list of recipients visit – https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/waste-reduction-recycling/funding-grants/resource-recovery-boost-fund.
