$2billion recycling plan to turn economic gloom to boom
Friday, 03 April 2009 23:15
Launched today in Sydney, the National Recycling Initiative details (NRI) the industry’s commitment to produce significant environmental benefits and increase its workforce by 20 per cent.
The alliance behind the NRI said the plan for growth and new jobs made good business and environmental sense and urged the federal government to partner them in ensuring maximum benefits were delivered for all Australians.
“By investing heavily in new infrastructure over the next five years, Australian recyclers will be able to ensure more steps in the recycling process occurs in Australia, creating new economic opportunities, instead of going offshore,” Lee Smith from Visy Recycling, which will commit almost half of the $2 billion in new investment, said.
Signatories to the NRI have committed to:
1. Retain 10,000 current recycling industry workers
2. Inject $2 billion into new infrastructure
3. Increase recycling by two million tonnes per year
4. Employ 2000 extra direct staff and a further 4000 indirect jobs
5. Increase the value of recycling exports by $500 million per year
6. Direct benefit to Australian economy of $1.5 billion/yr and approx. $7 billion in new activity.
David West, the National Campaign Director of the Boomerang Alliance urged the federal government to support the NRI. “Recyclers are asking governments to commit $100 million per annum for the next five years. Its investment would be more than offset by increased government revenues from the sector, which are conservatively valued at $445 million per annum.”
Total Environment Centre Director Jeff Angel said the NRI would also significantly boost recycling in Australia. “Right now there is over 20 million tonnes of landfill that can be recycled rather than buried in the ground. Every tonne of material diverted to recycling will produce an extra $775 in economic value to the Australian economy. This is all about bringing recycling, one of the community’s most popular environmental actions, together with thousands of new green jobs.”
Anne Prince, CEO of the Australian Council of Recyclers said “The global economic downturn and collapse in demand for recycled commodities has put pressure on every link in the recycling chain. But, rather than slowing down and trying to simply ride out the storm, recyclers have a plan for major growth to boost recycling, protect and create Australian jobs.”.
The NRI has been developed by the Boomerang Alliance, with the support of the Australian Council of Recyclers (ACOR). The NRI brings together more than 20 of the nation’s biggest recyclers, Australia’s leading environment groups and a substantial cross section of local governments.
