Media Statements - Curtin University receives $67,500 grant for soil flushing research

11/12/00

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes has announced that Curtin University School of Chemical Engineering has received a grant of $67,510 in the latest round of grants from the Waste Management and Recycling Fund.

The grant funding will go towards a project involving the research and development of soil flushing techniques for the remediation of pesticide and heavy metal contaminated soils.

In this project suitable reagents will be identified and tested for leaching the contaminants from soils.

Mrs Edwardes said Curtin University School of Chemical Engineering was one of 41 recipients of grants from the Waste Management and Recycling Fund totalling $1.02 million that were announced today.

The fund is raised from a levy on waste disposed to landfill. It is used to sponsor innovative waste reduction and recycling activities throughout the State.

“Each year almost $5 million is raised from the levy,” Mrs Edwardes said.

“Under the grants program, financial assistance is given to local communities, industry and local government organisations who have projects which will contribute towards the achievement of the State’s waste reduction targets,” Mrs Edwardes said.

“The grants are generally on a dollar-for-dollar basis and this preparedness of applicants to be equal partners in the projects demonstrates their commitment.”

Curtin University School of Chemical Engineering believes this project will develop the physiochemical processes to remove and treat the pollutants in the soil, avoiding the need for landfill disposal of contaminated soil.

Mrs Edwardes congratulated all successful recipients of grants in this funding round.

The total amount of grant funding under the program now totals over $6 million. An additional $2.2 million has also been allocated from the fund under the Municipal Recycling Services rebate scheme, which is a performance based incentive to local councils to reward them for their kerbside recycling collection efforts.

Mrs Edwardes reminded potential applicants that these grants would be advertised more frequently in future.

“The number of funding rounds has now increased from twice yearly to six times each year,” she said.

The round that has recently been advertised will close on Friday, December 29. Inquiries for grants should be directed to the Funded Programs section of the Department of Environmental Protection on 9222 8608.

Media contact:

Steve Manchee 9421 7777