Up to $50,000 is available from the Bin Trim Rebates Program to increase workplace recycling by providing rebates to small and medium-sized businesses for recycling equipment.
Bin Trim Rebates Program
The Bin Trim Rebates program is a $9.4 million program supported by the Environmental Trust as part of the NSW EPA’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, funded from the waste levy. It is being made available to fund small scale reuse and recycling equipment for waste generated by small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
Background
The NSW Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2014-2021 sets a target to increase the commercial and industrial (business) recycling rate to 70 per cent by 2021. A 2014 commercial and industrial (C&I) waste audit, commissioned by the NSW EPA, found that a significant proportion of commercial and industrial waste is produced by small to medium sized businesses – 17 per cent by ‘mixed’ small to medium sized businesses and a further 53 per cent by other industry sectors such as manufacturing and retail; of which 99 per cent are small to medium sized businesses.
By June 2017, it is anticipated that the Bin Trim Rebate program will help up to 750 businesses improve their recycling through the provision of equipment, diverting up to 15,000 tonnes of material from landfill. The Bin Trim Rebates program is designed to accommodate a range of different equipment options. Rebate applications must:
- divert additional new tonnes from landfill
- be cost effective to fund equipment that will help improve source separation of recyclables, reduce waste and/or increase recycling in the workplace
- divert priority materials including paper, cardboard, plastic (including expanded polystyrene), food, organics and wood/timber, however, other materials will also be considered
- lead to improved recycling for source separation of waste, including ancillary equipment such as bins, signage and kitchen caddies, as long as they fall within minimum / maximum rebate amounts.
Funding
Businesses can apply for rebates of between $1000 and $50,000, for up to 50 per cent of the cost of equipment, and for up to five sites. A maximum of $250,000 is available for any one business over the life of the program.
Eligible Projects
Equipment eligible for a rebate includes material processing infrastructure that diverts waste from landfill as well as recycling infrastructure. This includes but is not limited to:
- balers
- compactors
- glass crushing machines
- commercial worm farms
- composters
- shredders
- EPS Compaction equipment
- recycling bins / bin equipment
- public place recycling bins if the material is collected under a commercial and industrial contract
- other equipment on a case by case basis that meets the terms and conditions of the Bin Trim Rebate program.
Eligible Applicants
Small to medium sized businesses (SMEs)
- small to medium sized businesses with 1-199 full-time equivalent employees that can provide waste data from a waste assessment or audit in the past two years, conducted through an EPA program or other by application
Facility Managers
- Facility managers responsible for small to medium sized business waste at sites such as business parks, commercial buildings and shopping centres. These applications must be supported by waste data from an approved EPA program or other on application.
- Facility Managers of multiple sites (such as child care or aged care services) where the site:
- has between 1-199 employees and operates as a small to medium sized business
- has its own waste contract
- has waste data from an approved EPA program or other on application
- is not owned by a listed company.
Recyclers – Collectors and Processors
- Recyclers diverting small to medium sized business waste from landfill and who are themselves a small to medium sized business. Recyclers must show that the equipment will be used to provide either a new service for small to medium sized business clients or enhance current services to divert additional tonnes from landfill.
Timing
Applications open on an ongoing basis.
More Information
- Source
- Guidelines
