NSW Govt funding to blunt China's National Sword

NSW Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton has announced $9.5 million in funding for better waste recycling projects to counter the effects of China’s National Sword policy, which restricts the types of recycled material China will accept.

“As China is the largest importer of recyclable products from Australia, this policy threatens NSW’s kerbside recycling system and the options for recycled material currently produced in NSW,” Upton said. In light of this, she is encouraging local councils to team up with industry to seek funding to improve and strengthen recycling in NSW.

“A new grant, called the Product Improvement Program, provides $4.5 million for projects that reduce the amount of unrecyclable material left at the end of the recycling process,” Upton said. An initiative of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the program will provide grants between $50,000 and $1 million to organisations which own and operate facilities which reprocess or re-use recyclable materials.

“Another $5 million is available for programs that identify new uses for recyclable materials and increase the production and use of recycled products,” Upton said. This includes $2.5 million under the Civil Construction Market Program and $2.5 million under the Circulate Program.

“The NSW Government has consulted with industry and local government to develop the grant programs and I encourage the state’s recycling sector to apply for this funding,” Upton said. She added that the NSW Government is committed to working with councils and industry to improve and strengthen recycling systems in NSW.

“An inter-government taskforce has been established to urgently progress a longer-term response to National Sword in partnership with industry and councils,” Upton said.

For more information about the new grant programs and to apply, visit the NSW EPA website.

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