By Angela Dorizas

Communities in regional Victoria will move towards zero waste through a $2.1 million State Government program.

Announced by Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings yesterday, the Regional Towards Zero Waste Support Program forms part of the State Government’s broader strategy to minimise waste to landfill.

Mr Jennings said the program will fund 18 strategic projects in regional Victoria that reduce waste and improve municipal resource recovery.

“The environmental benefits of these projects will be an overall reduction in waste to landfill, more materials recovered for reuse and recycling into new products and a reduction in green and food waste sent to landfill that will reduce the amount of methane produced,” he said.

Funded projects include kerbside recycling improvements, organics processing, material recovery facility upgrades, local market development, recycling in public spaces and the establishment or upgrade of regionally strategic resource recovery infrastructure.

Mr Jennings said the program would also deliver economic benefits to regional communities.

“Local communities will benefit thought an increase in employment in green industries,” he said.

Victoria has an overall resource recovery rate of 61 per cent, according to the Towards Zero Waste Strategy Progress Report for 2007-08.

Mr Jennings said the structure of regional waste management groups were currently under review to ensure they were on track to achieve Victoria’s Towards Zero Waste targets.