THE STATE government announced last week that they would double the recycling rebate program for small and medium sized enterprises to purchase small-scale recycling equipment in Tenterfield.
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Member for Lismore Thomas George is calling for small and medium sized 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 local businesses to save money and reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill,” he said.
Tenterfield and District Business Association committee member Ben Silver said he welcomes any initiative that can increase local businesses sustainability going forward.
“I encourage small or medium size businesses to apply for a free waste assessment,” he said.
“As it is at no cost to the business they really have nothing to lose.”
Environment Minister Mark Speakman said up to $50,000 was now available through the Bin Trim rebate for each Small or Medium size (SMEs) business 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,” he said.
“This not only has the environmental benefit of reducing 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.”
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.
If the assessment concludes that recycling equipment will help divert more waste from landfill, the SME can then apply for a rebate to cover half its capital costs of acquiring the small scale recycling equipment.
