THE State Government has marked National Recycling Week by doubling a recycling rebate program for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to purchase small-scale recycling equipment, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall announced today.
National Recycling Week, which kicked off yesterday, started 20 years ago to promote recycling and to educate people on ways to reduce waste.
Mr Marshall is calling for local businesses to register for a free Environment Protection Authority Bin Trim waste assessment to determine if their businesses are eligible for the rebate.
“This program is a great way for businesses to save money and reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill,” Mr Marshall said.
“Up to $50,000 (instead of $25,000) was now available through the Bin Trim rebate for each SME in NSW which wanted to improve its recycling rates.
“On average, those SMEs that receive a Bin Trim waste assessment increase their recycling rates from 36 to 49 per cent.”
This not only reduces the estimated 800,000 tonnes of SME waste from landfill every year, it also helps those SMEs that receive a waste assessment to reduce waste management costs by an average of $3,000 per year.
Mr Marshall said the Bin Trim rebate would encourage businesses to become more cost effective and environmentally aware.
“There are around 680,000 small businesses in NSW which is approximately 96 per cent of all NSW businesses, which clearly shows how integral small business is to the community and the economy,” Mr Marshall said.
To be eligible for the rebate, an SME must undertake a free waste assessment by an approved Environment Protection Authority assessor and develop a waste-reduction action plan.
The program, which is funded through the $35 million allocated to the Business Recycling Program, was established under the government’s Waste Less, Recycling More initiative. For more information visit: epa.nsw.gov.au/bintrim