Ballarat Materials Recovery Facility and Circular Economy Precinct the key to cut recyclables going to landfill

The City of Ballarat is calling for support from the Victorian and Australian Governments to build a Materials Recovery Facility in Ballarat. 

The facility, which would be built as the centrepiece of a Circular Economy Precinct at the Ballarat West Employment Zone, would reduce the amount of recyclables going into landfill and support the local remanufacture of recyclables into new products. 

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Daniel Moloney said too many recyclables were ending up in the region's landfill. 

“Each year 5000 garbage trucks full of waste collected from Ballarat homes and commercial operators - 50,000 tonnes worth – is tipped into Ballarat’s Regional Landfill,” Mayor Moloney said. 

“That all goes into a massive hole in the ground - the new cell at the Ballarat Regional Landfill, which is costing ratepayers $2.9 million to build and will take just two years to fill.” 

Mayor Moloney said about 10,000 tonnes of that waste - cardboard, glass, plastics and paper - is recyclable and should not be in landfill. 

“We can all do our part to change that: the biggest change you can make is to carefully sort your recyclables, and don’t put them in plastic bags when you put them in your yellow-lidded recycling bin.” 

Mayor Moloney said the City of Ballarat was doing its part too. 

“We’re seeking government support to create a Circular Economy Precinct - Victoria’s first - at the Ballarat West Employment Zone.” 

He said the City of Ballarat was also seeking support to build a Materials Recovery Facility to anchor the Circular Economy Precinct. 

The City of Ballarat’s advocacy for these initiatives was in line with its commitment to a range of sustainability-focused initiatives across its operations and in our community, to reduce emissions and build a cleaner, more efficient, and environmentally sustainable future.   

These include support for local businesses to transition to a circular economy, an LED streetlight replacement program, use of 100% renewable energy to power Council-owned infrastructure.  

Mayor Moloney said a Ballarat Materials Recovery Facility offered a range of potential benefits. 

“A local Materials Recovery Facility will receive and sort commingled recyclables from much of Western Victoria. It will create local jobs in recycling and manufacturing and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”  

“That would mean we can better sort our waste so around 10,000 tonnes less a year of recyclables, ends up in landfill.” 

“It’s a sustainable option, one that delivers on the Victorian Government’s recycling policy and strategic vision for this sector.”  

It will attract new investment and bring innovation and jobs to our city and our region and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

“We already have interest from companies wanting to invest in Ballarat by co-locating in a Circular Economy Precinct at the Ballarat West Employment Zone”.