- Government funding for six local councils to divert more waste from landfill
The Liberal National Government has contributed $420,000 to support a new waste sorting facility in Hazelmere that will divert thousands of tonnes of waste from landfill.
Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the Hazelmere facility for commercial and industrial waste would significantly reduce waste sent to landfill from six local council areas.
The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council, which covers the cities of Bayswater, Belmont and Swan; shires of Kalamunda and Mundaring; and the Town of Bassendean, operates the new waste centre at the Hazelmere Resource Recovery Park.
Mr Jacob said 50 per cent of the 20,000 tonnes of waste received at the facility each year was expected to be diverted from landfill, and as the facility reached full capacity, its ability to process waste would also increase, thus diverting even more waste from landfill.
"It's important we continue to support projects like this facility, which will recover re usable materials from the waste stream that would otherwise be sent to landfill," he said.
"This waste recovery centre is designed to receive and recover a range of materials from the commercial and industrial sector. Importantly, it can also accept materials from local government bulk and verge waste collections, allowing for increased recovery of municipal solid waste.
"This new operation is an important step towards the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council's plan to transform this site into a significant waste and resource recovery facility. I look forward to further developments at this site and its contribution to the State Government's landfill diversion targets."
The Minister said the facility, which used a combination of mechanical and hand sorting processes to screen materials, was expected to employ 25 people once it reached full capacity.
"Using hand sorting also ensures items such as clean timbers are recovered from the waste stream, providing additional material to the wood waste recycling facility located at the Resource Recovery Park," Mr Jacob said.
Fact File
- The Liberal National Government's recovery target for municipal solid waste in the Perth metropolitan region is 65 per cent by 2020
- For more information, visit http://www.emrc.org.au/hrrp.html
Minister's office - 6552 5800
