NSW EPA Organics Infrastructure (Large and Small) Round 7 grants announced
The NSW EPA has released the next round of the Organics Infrastructure (Large and Small) Program grant under the $337 million Waste Less Recycle More Initiative, 2014-17 (WLRM) extension.
A number of different grant project/stream combinations aim to provide support to local councils, businesses, government institutions, not for profits, and industry organisations. The program provides an opportunity for eligible entities to access Stream 1 funding of up to $3 million for infrastructure for food and garden organics processing, and up to $500,000 under Streams 2 to 5 for business organics recycling, increased capacity for food donation services, improved organic product quality and new or improved transfer stations for organics.
Stream 5 is a new stream which has been created to establish new or upgrade existing transfer stations in the Metropolitan waste levy area for food (or food and garden) organics.
Applications close Thursday 29 August 2019.
Further eligibility criteria and other grant funding details are summarised in the table below:
| Funding stream | Eligible applicants | Project requirements | Maximum funding per application |
| Stream 1 Food and Garden Organics Processing | Local councils, groups of councils, government agencies and waste processors | For new and enhanced infrastructure to process source separated food, garden or combined food and garden organics from households and/or businesses. | $3 million |
| Stream 2 Business Organics Recycling | Businesses, councils, NFPs, government agencies | Equipment to avoid generating food waste. Equipment and activities to improve the on-site management of organic wastes. | $500,000 |
| Stream 3 Food Donation | Food Charity Organisations (not-for-profits only) | Infrastructure to facilitate collection and redistribution of edible food. Infrastructure such as fridges, freezers, refrigerated vans and storage equipment. | $500,000 |
| Stream 4 Product Quality | Local councils, groups of councils, government agencies and waste processors[1] | Equipment to improve the quality of recycled organics above regulatory requirements. Intended to support businesses wanting access to new markets. | $500,000 |
| Stream 5 Transfer Stations | Businesses and councils | New transfer stations or upgrades to existing ones in the Metropolitan waste levy area to be used as transfer stations for food (or food and garden) organics. | $500,000 |
[1] Note: Previous Stream 1 recipients cannot apply for Stream 4 for the same site.
Stream 1 Organics processing infrastructure
Items that can be funded include new and/or enhanced major organics processing facilities such as anaerobic digestion, tunnel composting and windrow composting facilities.
- Upgrades to composting facilities to decrease the environmental risk where the facility is expanding processing capacity to include food waste.
- Sheds to enclose the receipt of material and/or early composting stages.
- Signage and barriers.
- Engineered compost pads.
- Shredders for input of materials to composting operations.
- Preliminary processing equipment e.g. food de-packaging and contamination removal equipment.
- Trommel screens.
- Aeration management equipment.
- Windrow covers.
- Training in the use of the new equipment.
- Detailed design costs.
Stream 2 Business organics recycling
Equipment, activities, and/or built infrastructure to avoid generating food waste and/or to reduce the amount of a business’ organic waste going to landfill by improving the on-site management of their organic wastes.
- On-site composting systems, on-site commercial sized worm farms, Dehydrators, desiccators, liquidisers or rapid organics processing units where the outputs meet Resource Recovery Exemptions and Orders.
- Anaerobic digesters.
- Equipment which leads to avoiding food waste.
- Contamination management equipment.
- Ancillary equipment such as on-site bins, signage and lifting equipment
- Training in the use of the new equipment.
Stream 3 Food donation
Infrastructure and equipment which contributes to increased capacity to collect, store and redistribute surplus food (which would have been sent to landfill) from businesses to people in need.
- Small delivery vans or trucks (including first year on-road costs).
- In-vehicle refrigeration.
- Energy efficient refrigeration equipment.
- Warehouse shelving.
- Forklifts.
- Training of staff in the safe use of equipment.
Stream 4 Product quality infrastructure
Examples of eligible infrastructure and equipment for Stream 4 Product Quality, include but are not limited to:
- Upgrades to composting facilities to decrease the environmental risk of output material.
- Windrow turners.
- Upgrades to signage and barriers.
- Management systems and infrastructure for receipt areas.
- Bag splitting/de-packaging equipment.
- Front end manual or mechanical sorting equipment.
- Air separation technology.
- Screens.
- Onsite laboratory/testing equipment.
- Training in the use of the new equipment.
- Procurement of expert advice on establishment of quality assurance management and testing systems where the advice is less than 5% of the project budget.
Stream 5 Transfer station
Examples of eligible infrastructure and equipment for funding, include but are not limited to:
- Sheds to enclose organics receival and bulking areas.
- Biofilters.
- Rapid shut doors.
- Odour studies.
- Hard stand areas and site access.
- The organics proportion of a new transfer station built for multiple municipal waste streams.
MRA has submitted more than 200 WLRM grant applications to date, winning more than $60m in funding for our clients.
We can provide a one-stop shop to maximise your chances of success and can assist by:
- Preparing grant proposals on your behalf;
- Reviewing grant proposals;
- Source equipment providers;
- Provide costings on infrastructure;
- Prepare the business case; and
- All of the necessary financial feasibility analysis requirements.
If your organisation is interested in any of the above grant programs, please contact Virginia Brunton on Virginia@mraconsulting.com.au or on 0438 496 834 or info@mraconsulting.com.au or on (02) 8541 6169.
