The Tasmanian Liberal Government is getting on with our plan to grow a circular economy and prioritise waste management and resource recovery in our State.
The 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget includes $200,000 to improve efficiency, reduce waste and drive productivity gains in business.
The Business Resource Efficiency Program (BREP) will build on the success of our first BREP, which supported 11 small and medium-sized businesses in a range of sectors across the North and the North-West of Tasmania.
Today I visited Penguin Composites, an innovative Tasmanian company which participated in our first Business Resource Efficiency Program. As a result of the program, Penguin Composites reported a 35 per cent reduction of waste and generated additional returns from metal recycling which was used to offset costs.
The second BREP will get underway early next year and is expected support up to 20 businesses, with case studies to be made available online so that other businesses can learn from the Program’s insights.
Our Government recognises the need to move away from the traditional approach of “take”, “make” and “dispose”, to one where materials can continue to be used productively in the economy.
The 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget highlights the strong action we are taking, including the introduction of a Container Refund Scheme, a consistent state-wide waste levy, the use of crumbed rubber in our roads, support for commercial composting and phasing out single-use plastics in Tasmania by 2025.
Supporting the circular economy also complements the strong action we are taking on climate change across all sectors of our economy, as we work through the Government’s response to the Independent Review of the State’s Climate Change Act and target which was tabled in Parliament last month.
As the newly appointed Minister for Climate Change, i am committed to working through the Government’s response to the Independent Review of the State’s climate change Act and target which was tabled in Parliament last month. This includes working with our industries and businesses to ensure they can capitalise on our unique emissions and renewable energy profile, and I look forward to taking this work forward.
Only the Tasmanian Government has a clear plan to grow a circular economy, take action on climate change and secure our future.
Further details of the second program will be made available later this year.
More information about the first Business Resource Efficiency Program can be found here: