Business Plan 2018-19

This business plan for 2018-19 sets out the programs and activities which support Green Industries SA’s vision for South Australia to be internationally recognised as a leader in green industry development, the circular economy and recycling and resource recovery. It has a focus on measures to build the resilience and capabilities of our local industry through infrastructure investment, market development, education, innovation and procurement. Prepared at a particularly challenging time with local government and the waste management and recycling industry impacted by from China’s National Sword policy, there is consensus among key stakeholders that all levels of government and industry should work together to address the issue in the short, medium and longer-term. The bans and restrictions on recycled materials by China, one of the world’s largest economies, resulting in record low commodity prices for recycled materials is having a detrimental impact on the global, national and local recycling marketplace. Green Industries SA’s role as an investor and catalyst for positive change through policy advocacy, has been central to discussions on how the affected sectors can adapt through longer-term structural adjustments to a more sustainable circular economy business model. Green Industries SA’s assistance in response to China’s National Sword policy is being delivered in 2018-19 through a $12.4 million support package1 which includes a range of measures to enable industry investment in remanufacturing and local re-use, as well as improved sorting and processing to enhance the quality of recovered materials. Measures include: • Infrastructure grants for local government and industry to maintain and build the capacity of South Australia’s recycling systems and reprocessing infrastructure specifically targeting infrastructure for post-consumer paper, cardboard, glass and plastics ($5.8 million). • A loan scheme to support projects with large capital requirements, which can have an immediate effect to increase local remanufacturing/reprocessing of targeted waste streams and job creation opportunities through construction and ongoing operation ($5 million). • Transport subsidies recognising the barrier of high transport costs for recycling in regional areas ($0.5 million). • Market development grants to stimulate an increase in the quality and market demand for recyclable materials and recycled content products ($0.3 million). • A state-wide Recycle Right® education campaign to maintain the community’s faith in the recycling process and help to reduce contamination levels through consistent messages which will ensure better quality recyclable material enters the recycling system ($0.8 million).