Circular Economy Councils Fund – Funded projects

This fund is now called Circular Economy Councils Fund. This fund was previously called Recycling Victoria Councils Fund.

These are the details of the grant recipients and their projects. The grants funded projects that support local government and alpine resort management boards in reducing waste to landfill and transitioning towards a circular economy.

For background, view the Circular Economy Councils Fund guidelines.

Round 2 fund recipients

Implementation stream

Announcement date: 25 October 2022

Bayside City Council

Establishing pop-up repair events including opportunities for reuse or repurposing.

Funding: $50,000

Central Goldfields Shire Council

Embedding sustainable waste practices in local events by working with Energy Breakthrough, a not-for-profit, STEM-based education program.

Funding: $108,700

City of Melbourne

Implementing a collection service for Food Organics (FO) in buildings higher than 6 storeys.

Funding: $217,000

City of Whittlesea (collaborative)

Implementing waste and recycling models across business precincts in 14 metro and regional councils, achieving circular resource practices for 140 businesses.

Funding: $140,000

East Gippsland Shire Council

Building a composting facility adjacent to the Bairnsdale Regional Landfill capable of processing up to 25,000t of organic waste.

Funding: $250,000

Glen Eira City Council (collaborative)

Implementing a best practice reusable nappy program across 13 councils and evaluating the impact.

Funding: $128,000

Northern Grampians Shire Council

Introducing public place recycling to promote circular economy practices whilst increasing resource recovery and separation of waste at the local source.

Funding: $196,482

Strathbogie Shire Council

Implementing a resale shop at Nagambie at the Strathbogie Shire Council's Resource Recovery Centre.‍

Funding: $71,625

Surf Coast Shire Council

Upgrading the Lorne Transfer Station to incorporate 3 additional bin bays, improve resource recovery options and improve traffic flows for locals and visitors.

Funding: $250,000

Swan Hill Rural City Council

Implementing a large-scale mattress processing and recycling facility.

Funding: $167,500

Wyndham City Council

Providing a facility for residents to borrow high-quality equipment such as tools, gardening, sporting and camping equipment.

Funding: $91,290

Feasibility stream

Announcement date: 6 June 2022

Alpine Shire Council

Investigating the feasibility of establishing a reuse shop (upcycle or reuse) at any or all of the three existing transfer stations.

Funding: $20,000

Boroondara City Council

Investigating several models of commercial FOGO service delivery by local government.

Funding: $20,000

Boroondara City Council

Trialling the effectiveness of a business engagement and capacity building program aimed at the professional services, hospitality and retail sectors.

Funding: $45,000

Brimbank City Council

Assessing the feasibility of developing a new "full service" resource recovery centre at Sunshine Energy Park through the 'up-cycling' of the precast concrete industrial building.

Funding: $20,000

Casey City Council

Identifying and testing viable local alternatives to EPS waffle pods that are made out of recycled content.

Funding: $20,000

City of Whittlesea

Assessing the most suitable location for a resale shop(s), the operating options, costs and associated risks.

Funding: $20,000

Greater Bendigo City Council

Determining what industrial capacity exists to recirculate pre-existing 'downstream' waste(d) material flows of the Loddon-Mallee and Loddon-Campaspe regions' councils.

Funding: $80,000

Knox City Council

Assessing the effectiveness and impact of past and current models to incentivise the use of reusable sanitary and incontinence aid products.

Funding: $80,000

Mansfield Shire Council

Determining the costs of FOGO processing and the benefits of investment in local processing infrastructure.

Funding: $40,000

Melbourne City Council

Developing a business case for an organics processing facility to service the nine inner city councils.

Funding: $80,000

Melbourne City Council

Developing a business case for a co-mingled and separated glass recycling Material Recycling Facility to service the nine inner city councils.

Funding: $80,000

Melton City Council

Creating a business case for the Melton Recycling Facility that documents the benefits of the circular economy whilst identifying risks, opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Funding: $20,000

Moonee Valley City Council

Researching the feasibility of establishing an on-site circularity solution for recycled Expanded Polystyrene.

Funding: $15,000

Moorabool Shire Council

Evaluating the sites, management scenarios, markets for sourcing and selling material, as well as the cost and benefits of introducing a resale shop.

Funding: $20,00

Nillumbik Shire Council

Undertaking a feasibility study for the implementation of a Library of Things in Hurstbridge.

Funding: $18,000

Stonnington City Council

Developing a business case to future proof the Stonnington transfer station against changes to the waste industry and drive circular economy outcomes.

Funding: $20,000

Stonnington City Council

Examining organic and other material’s systematic movements in a services environment.

Funding: $40,000

Round 1 fund recipients

Feasibility stream

Announcement date: 15 July 2021

Alpine Shire Council

Researching waste management at events in north-east Victoria to determine the most effective ways to reduce waste related to tourism.

Funding: $30,000

Bayside City Council

Undertaking research into the feasibility of establishing a repair and re-use centre.

Funding: $20,000

City of Ballarat

Developing a materials flow analysis to create a roadmap for progress towards a circular economy in Ballarat city and surrounding suburbs.

Funding: $20,000

City of Darebin

Undertaking research into the feasibility of establishing a textile recycling facility.

Funding: $20,000

City of Greater Geelong

Creating a business case for a regional waste, resource recovery and reuse hub in the Geelong region.

Funding: $80,000

City of Melbourne

Trialling an on-demand collection service for small e-waste items.

Funding: $20,000

City of Melbourne

Researching the best model for food recycling in high-rise apartment buildings.

Funding: $40,000

City of Monash

Researching the best practices of reusable nappy programs.

Funding: $80,000

City of Stonnington

Delivering a cost-benefit analysis on recycled alternatives to raw materials used in council building and infrastructure projects, to create a guide that Victorian councils can use when sourcing recycled materials.

Funding: $80,000

Corangamite Shire Council

Delivering a cost-benefit and location analysis in establishing a reuse-and-repair centre.

Funding: $20,000

East Gippsland Shire Council

Trialling the most effective composting methods to support the development of a regional composting facility.

Funding: $20,000

Mansfield Shire Council

Waste infrastructure audit assessing public street bin usage to better equip council to manage surges in waste from tourism.

Funding: $20,000

Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board

Delivering a business case for eliminating coffee cup waste at 3 alpine resorts.

Funding: $20,000

Murrindindi Shire Council

Delivering a business case for best options for a resource recovery centre to service Yea township and surrounding areas.

Funding: $20,000

Nillumbik Shire Council

Determining the most effective way to reduce food waste from small food businesses in the townships of Eltham and Diamond Creek.

Funding: $20,000

Northern Grampians Shire Council

Researching organic flows and markets to inform a business case for establishing a shared organics processing facility in the region.

Funding: $80,000

Strathbogie Shire Council

Establishing a business case for a regional resale shop.

Funding: $10,000

Swan Hill Rural City Council

Undertaking a feasibility study for establishing a mattress recycling facility.

Funding: $20,000

Wodonga City Council

Investigating the options for recycling problem materials such as polystyrene, silage wrap, textiles, mattresses and ski gear.

Funding: $35,000

Wyndham City Council

Establishing a business case for a mobile community shed to share items such as camping gear and gardening equipment.

Funding: $15,000

Yarra City Council

Delivering a business case for a potential ‘Yarra’s Circular Centre’ where hard rubbish can be reused, repaired and repurposed.

Funding: $20,000

Implementation stream

Announcement date: 15 July 2021

City of Darebin

Identifying the most efficient ways to reduce waste from apartment buildings going to landfill via a pilot involving 60 multi-unit dwellings across 10 metropolitan municipalities.

Funding: $120,000

Swan Hill Rural City Council

Purchasing and installing stage 1 composting infrastructure.

Funding: $250,000

Wyndham City Council

Establishing a new resource recovery centre to process timber, green waste, cardboard, concrete, soils and other recyclables.

Funding: $250,000

Yarriambiack Shire Council

Purchasing a mobile glass-crushing unit, which will be shared between 5 municipalities in the Wimmera Mallee region, to add recycled content to road projects.

Funding: $175,000