Aussie government increase rural landfill investment

The Victorian government in Australia has released funding to help rural landfill operators work at higher standards through improved infrastructure.

The state government has released a $3.5 million package which consists of a funding program called Transition Support to Improve Rural Landfill worth $3 million, as well as $500,000 for the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) to conduct a financial and environmental risk assessment.

This funding will help alleviate immediate concerns of councils over the state of rural landfills, as well as offsetting the cost of meeting higher standards. Minister for environment and climate change Ryan Smith commented in Government News: "The EPA will work closely with local governments and communities to better explain the environmental imperative to meet landfill management requirements."

Landfill operators can now apply for one-off funding of up to $250,000 per site, which will cover the costs of protective geomembranes as well as associated testing, installation and auditing of the lining. This is a financial recognition from the state of the funding constraints that rural communities face as waste management costs continue to spiral.

Posted by Joseph Hutton