Joint media release: Reusing Queensland's food waste for better farming outcomes

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water
The Hon Meaghan Scanlon MP, Queensland Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef 

The Federal and Queensland Labor governments are reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs and supporting agriculture in Queensland.

Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek and the Queensland Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Meaghan Scanlon today announced $1.5 million in funding to upgrade Earthborn Australia’s Palmwoods organics processing facility on the Sunshine Coast.

The project will create 6 new construction jobs and 6 new ongoing positions. The completed facility will be able to process an additional 22,000 tonnes of organic waste each year to create high-quality soil improvers.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP:

“In Australia, around 13 million tonnes of CO2 is created as a result of organic waste going to landfill.

“Labor wants to see a circular economy in Australia – more local jobs to support recycling, and less waste going to landfill.

“The increased composting capability of this facility will help us reach our national target of halving the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030.

“We’re not only reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions, but we are making Queensland soils more productive.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Meaghan Scanlon:

“We are delighted to provide funding for Earthborn Australia to expand its production facilities.

“Organic waste represents a significant proportion of waste generated and disposed to landfill.

“Earthborn Australia’s work is a perfect fit with the goals of our Queensland Organics Strategy and Queensland Organics Action Plan that provide a clear roadmap for how we can avoid generating organic waste and reduce its impacts on our environment.

“Food waste not only increases household budget costs – estimated at $2200 a year – it also has a serious impact on our environment as unwanted food and garden waste dumped in landfill produces damaging methane gas.

“By 2030, we want to halve the amount of food waste generated, divert 80 per cent of the organic material going to landfill, and achieve a 70 per cent recycling rate for organics.”

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Senator for Queensland, Anthony Chisholm:

“This initiative is a win-win for Queenslanders from the suburbs to the bush.

“This grant will increase the amount of diverted food and organic waste by 22,000 tonnes per year which is then processed into high-quality, compost which can be used to enhance agricultural soil, in landscaping, roadsides and urban parks.

“This is great for the environment, great for local jobs and for agriculture.”

To find out more about the Australian Government’s $67 million Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund go to: Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund - DCCEEW