The Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund is investing $67 million nationally to divert nutrient-rich household and commercial organic waste from landfill to soils by building or enhancing infrastructure. Organic recycling facilities can turn organic waste into composts, soil enhancers and mulches.
The fund is linked to the National Soil Strategy and is administered by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation for projects in Western Australia (WA).
Background
The fund is a shared State and Australian Government program. The scope aligns with the rollout of the food organics and garden organics (FOGO) three-bin system across Perth and Peel local governments through the Waste Authority’s Better Bins Plus: Go FOGO program. It addresses industry calls to support increased organics processing infrastructure.
The fund was allocated via a competitive grant funding round, with the State Government calling for expressions of interest in December 2021.
Joint funding of $11.25 million was awarded to three organic recycling infrastructure projects that will be able to divert up to 254,000 tonnes of WA’s FOGO waste from landfill each year and convert it into compost and other soil products. Government funding leverages $27 million of industry investment, with the projects creating at least 24 construction jobs and 51 ongoing positions.
WA projects
Organisation | Project | Funding allocation |
C-Wise Holdings Pty Ltd | Construction of a new organic carbon recycling facility in East Keralup to process household and commercial organic waste into high performance soil amendments and composted products. The facility will be built in two modules and serve the south Perth metropolitan and Peel regions. | $5,750,000 |
Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council | Extension of the FOGO processing capacity at Red Hill Waste Management Facility including additional mobile aerated floor systems to increase open-air windrow processing. Installation of roofed structures over the windrows will assist to mitigate odour issues and retain processing times of 12 to 16 weeks during the winter months. The project will process the FOGO into an Australian Standard (AS4454:2012) compliant soil conditioner. | $2,000,000 |
REMONDIS GO Organics Pty Ltd | Expansion of the Boonanarring Composting Facility to increase processing capacity to support FOGO rollout in the region north of Perth. The project will install enclosed bunker technology and expanded open windrow processing, producing a range of recycled organic soil amendments for use in agriculture. | $3,500,000 |
More information
Call 6364 7162 or 0481 061 311 during business hours for more information or queries on the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund or email wastegrants@dwer.wa.gov.au
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