Your Landfill Levy at WorkThe Victorian GovernmentSustainability Fund Activities Report 2012 to 13

The report is a public document and is available online www.sustainability.vic.gov.au. Hard copies are also available by contacting the Sustainability Fund on 1300 36 37 44 or sustainabilityfund@sustainability.vic.gov.au

Contents

Minister's Foreword1. Purpose2. Introduction3. About the Sustainability Fund4. Victoria's landfill levy at work5. Case studiesAppendixSustainability Fund allocations 2012 to 13

Minister's Foreword

It's a pleasure to present the 2012 to 13 Activities Report for the Victorian Government Sustainability Fund: Your landfill levy at work.

Unique to Victoria, the Fund plays a vital role in driving our sustainability agenda and has evolved into a major catalyst for change. Its legacy is evident in hundreds of projects statewide that have emerged as a result of funding towards building a strong and thriving economy and improving liveability for all Victorians.

One of our key initiatives through the Fund is the Conserve, Invest and Save strategy - a $38 million package to support programs that maximise the value of our resources and help to create new and sustainable employment across Victoria.

A number of our leading programs are already scoring runs on the board.

The Driving Investment for New Recycling program has leveraged more than $11 million in co-investment from private industry. In addition, it will create up to 70 new jobs and recover almost 2 million tonnes of valuable resources in the next 10 years. This is a well-designed, highly targeted initiative that will see Victorians reaping the benefits of our investment for years to come.

Seventeen small to medium-sized businesses are expected to save a combined $390,000 a year in materials and energy use through the first round of the Smarter

Resources, Smarter Business - Energy and Materials program (SRSB). In 2012 to 13 six materials and energy assessments were also undertaken across the state. These are the first step in helping these businesses to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and boost productivity. The program continues to grow, with 61 round two grantees announced in January 2014 expected to save a combined $2.1 million a year in materials and energy use. Round three of the program opened at the same time.

Building Victoria's Organic Recovery has resulted in 160 tonnes of household food waste in Mildura being diverted from landfill during a trial supported by the Victorian Government. Mildura Rural City Council is now investigating the provision of a regular organics collection service which has the potential for significant environmental, financial and social benefits for that region.

At a grassroots level, Victorian children are learning the value of our resources through ResourceSmart Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Victoria (AuSSI Vic). Almost half of all Victorian primary and secondary school students are now involved in this program. More than 1000 schools have now saved over $5.2 million in energy costs in the past six years (2008 to 2013) - averaging $1.3 million in savings every year.

Victoria's waste and resource recovery industry is worth $2.2 billion annually to our economy and employs more than 8,000 people. These projects and others highlighted inside this report demonstrate how we are translating words and policies into practical action and partnering with industry, community and local government to deliver real outcomes for Victoria.

The release of Getting full value: the Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy in April 2013 will complement and help to guide investments from the Fund in future years.

The Honourable Ryan Smith MPMinister for the Environment and Climate Change

1. Purpose

This Activities Report provides an overview of the support provided from the Victorian Government Sustainability Fund (the Fund), outlining the major allocations and distributions from the Fund in 2012 to 13.

The report is published annually and is part of Sustainability Victoria's commitment to operating transparently and demonstrating how the Victorian Landfill Levy is being invested in projects statewide.

2. Introduction

Since its establishment in 2005, the Fund has reinvested the landfill levy into hundreds of projects supporting business, local government and community, to support sustainable living.

Funds have been used to support projects that enhance Victoria's liveability and prosperity. The legacy of this investment is evident across the state, with numerous funding recipients able to leverage the outcomes of programs to build further success by reducing their costs, improving the environment and creating job opportunities. They have done so by engaging more people through better planning, new infrastructure, increased employment, education, and business innovation.

In 2012 to 13 the Fund continued to play a key role in supporting innovation, practical action and positive outcomes in Victoria's sustainability landscape - with particular focus on strategic waste management and resource efficiency. The continued rollout of programs in the $38 million Conserve, Invest and Save strategy is just one example of this.

The release of Getting full value: the Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy in April 2013 will complement and help to guide investments from the Sustainability Fund in future years.

The development of the draft Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan (SWRRIP) provides the background and evidence to support planning - at a statewide level - to create the environment in which industry can invest with certainty. It will also help to inform Sustainability Fund investments.

When finalised, the SWRRIP will provide a 30-year horizon of opportunities for government investment in waste management and resource recovery infrastructure to effectively manage the expected mix and increase in waste generated by Victorian households, businesses and industry. This will provide a pipeline of strategic investment opportunities for the Fund, allowing the government to partner with industry and community to nurture the health of the environment while securing a competitive and flourishing economy.

3. About the Sustainability Fund

Overview

The Victorian Government Sustainability Fund is a perpetual fund sourced from the Victorian landfill levy that is applied on a per tonne basis to municipal and industrial solid waste deposited in landfills.

The Fund receives a portion of the levy (after distributions to agencies responsible for Victoria's waste management system) to support programs and initiatives that facilitate resource efficiency and waste reduction, as well as assisting communities

to improve the environment and respond to climate change. These purposes are further refined in the Fund's Priority Statement.

Governance

The Victorian Premier and the Minister for Environment and Climate Change are joint administrators of the Fund and approve all allocations.

The governance arrangements for the Sustainability Fund are guided by three key elements:• The Sustainability Fund Priority Statement• The Sustainability Fund Guidelines, and• The Sustainability Fund Advisory Panel.

The requirement for these is prescribed in the Environment Protection Act 1970, which sets the framework for operation of the Sustainability Fund.

Sustainability Victoria is the responsible authority for the Sustainability Fund and maintains the Sustainability Fund Secretariat to manage the distribution of funds in accordance with the allocations approved by the Premier and Minister.

Sustainability Victoria is supported in this role by the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) and the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (D E P I).

The Sustainability Fund Priority Statement and Guidelines

The Priority Statement and Guidelines for the Sustainability Fund are critical to the management of the Fund.

The Priority Statement details how allocations from the Fund will be prioritised, and the Guidelines provide guidance to the Premier and Minister for Environment and Climate Change regarding how funding will be applied.

The Priority Statement of the Victorian Government Sustainability FundFebruary 2012

Objectives

The Victorian Government recognises the importance of partnering with business, local government and the broader Victorian community to improve our environment and use our resources efficiently.

The Sustainability Fund is a perpetual fund that receives money collected from Victorian landfill levies. The purpose of the Sustainability Fund is to support programs and initiatives that facilitate resource efficiency and waste reduction, as well as assisting communities to improve the environment and respond to climate change.

For the period of this Priority Statement, the Sustainability Fund will prioritise initiatives that address the following:1. As a first priority, the Sustainability Fund will provide funding to:a) support Victorians to reduce waste and dispose less waste to landfill;b) support innovators in the waste management and recycling industry and local government who are willing to invest early in better technologies, facilities and services; and/orc) remove logistical and systemic obstacles to recovering commercial value from otherwise abandoned material.

2. As a second priority, funding will be provided for initiatives to assist all sectors of the community to improve our environment, respond to climate change, use our resources efficiently and to support sustainability to advance the social and economic development of Victoria.

The Honourable Ted Baillieu MPPremier

The Honourable Ryan Smith MPMinister for Environment and Climate Change

Sustainability Fund Advisory Panel

The Sustainability Fund Advisory Panel (SFAP) is appointed by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Its role is prescribed by the Environment Protection Act 1970 and includes:• Providing recommendations for funding to the Premier and Minister,• Monitoring the progress of projects supported by the Fund, and• Providing general advice on the operation of the Fund and other matters.

Sustainability Fund Advisory Panel membershipExpiry of current term

Mick Murphy O A M (Chair) 11 February 2015Doctor Sarah Ewing 11 February 2015Jan Boynton 11 February 2015Anne Dalton 8 July 2015Joanne Anderson 8 July 2015

How funds are allocated

The Victorian Premier and Minister for Environment and Climate Change approve allocations in accordance with the purposes of the Fund as prescribed by the Environment Protection Act 1970. In addition, the Premier and Minister for Environment and Climate Change may seek advice on programs from the Sustainability Fund Advisory Panel.

Managing the Fund's investment for a prosperous resource efficient future

The Sustainability Fund Secretariat assists the SFAP by monitoring and reporting on the performance of programs supported by the Fund. Grantees and Victorian Government departments and agencies regularly report on the progress of programs. The Secretariat also manages the distribution of funds and payments based on performance milestones.

In 2012 to 13, a number of projects to which funding was allocated in previous years were completed. The Sustainability Fund Secretariat has continued to work with grantees supported in previous years to ensure that lessons learnt and outcomes are shared, and to better understand the long term impacts of projects.

In 2012 to 13, an evaluation of 23 funded projects demonstrated that Fund investments have resulted in discernible long term outcomes, including:• continued waste, water, energy and C O2 emissions savings,• ongoing viability of the projects beyond the life of the Sustainability Fund grant, and• the projects' influence on policy and program development at state and federal government level.

In many cases, projects attributed their success to the Fund's support (financial and in-kind), which allowed them to continue to operate, or to develop spin off projects and programs.

A new vision for waste and resource recovery

The recovery of valuable resources from waste for environmental, economic and social benefits is the key objective of the Victorian Government's new 30-year waste and resource recovery policy, Getting full value: the Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy (Getting full value).

Released in April 2013, Getting full value sets the government's vision for waste management in Victoria. It states that:• Victoria has an integrated, statewide waste management and resource recovery system that provides an essential community service by protecting the environmentand public health, maximising the productive value of resources, and minimising long term costs to households, industry and government.• The growing volume and changing mix of different waste materials in Victoria means that managing environmental and public health risks is even more important.

But, if managed effectively, also provides significant opportunities across all sectors.

Getting full value sets a vision for building on past successes and moving waste management in Victoria to an advanced system focused on resource recovery that protects the environment and public health, while getting the most out of materials. For Victorians, this will also translate to cost saving at home, work, and in their communities.

It's these opportunities that the Fund will be in a position to support. This strategic reinvestment of the landfill levy in activities to enhance the state's liveability and prosperity is also in keeping with the Fund's current Priority Statement.

Proposed changes to Sustainability Fund administration

In April 2013, the Minister for Environment and Climate Change appointed a Ministerial Advisory Committee to provide advice on the best institutional and governance arrangements to deliver on the objectives of Getting full value: the Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy. The Victorian Government has accepted the majority of recommendations made by the Committee, including:• appointing D E P I to undertake the lead role of advising the Minister for Environment and Climate Change on expenditure from the Fund• transferring the financial management of the Fund to D E P I, and• repealing the current provisions in the Environment Protection Act 1970 relating to the Sustainability Fund Advisory Panel.

The committee also made recommendations relating to the distribution of the landfill levy.

In April 2014, the Environment Protection and Sustainability Victoria Amendment Act 2014 was passed. This will transfer Sustainability Victoria's responsibility to manage the Fund to the D E P I on 1 July 2015.

For further details on these recommendations, including the committee's full report and the Victorian Government's response visit www.depi.vic.gov.au/waste

4. Victoria's landfill levy at work

Conserve, Invest and Save

Conserve, Invest and Save is a major Victorian Government investment to deliver better environmental outcomes by helping business and households to manage waste and resources more efficiently.

The Victorian Government announced more than $38 million funding for this package, most of which is provided through the Sustainability Fund.

In 2012 to 13 $6.9 million was distributed to support programs that maximise the value of our resources and help to create new and sustainable employment across Victoria.

The programs support investment in new recycling and waste processing infrastructure, the development of new and expanded markets for recycled products and assist households and businesses to make smarter use of resources. Successful outcomes from these programs are already being reported. They include:• Driving Investment for New Recycling ($1.2 million in 2012 to 13) - The program has leveraged more than $11 million in co-investment from private industry. In addition, it will create up to 70 new jobs and recover almost 2 million tonnes of valuable resources in the next 10 years.• Building Victoria's Organics Recovery ($200,000 in 2012 to 13) - Through just one of the funded projects, 160 tonnes of household food waste was diverted from landfill in Mildura. As a result of this trial, Mildura Rural City Council is investigating the provision of a regular organics collection service.• Smarter Resources, Smarter Business (Energy and materials) ($2.7 million in 2012 to 13) - Seventeen businesses received grants under round one. They are expected to save a combined $390,000 a year in materials and efficiency use.

While the allocations are made to Victorian Government agencies and departments to deliver the Conserve, Invest and Save programs, most of the funding goes directly to recipients in industry, local government and community through various grant programs.

Grants programs

Grants programs supported through the reinvestment of the landfill levy have made significant contributions to Victoria's economy and environment in 2012 to 13.

This financial year saw the completion of two EcoLiving projects administered by the Sustainability Fund. Eleven projects across the state shared in $3 million during this successful program.

The last two centres to open their doors to the public - Mildura and Albion - provide valuable information, support and education on sustainable living for their local communities. The Mildura centre, a purpose-built facility, has also earned a number of awards for its environmentally sustainable design.

The centres incorporate sustainable design features that can be replicated in the construction of new homes or during renovations and retrofits. They also highlight resource efficiency and the resulting cost saving and environmental benefits through a range of features - from draught-proofing to hydronic heating to composting.

The centres operate differently according to community needs - some specifically as purpose-built education centres (Mildura), others (Albion) are established and popular community centres where a range of groups regularly meet and learn about

sustainable living by seeing and feeling the building improvements that enhance useability and comfort - and reduce running costs!

Also supporting community to improve the environment is the $20 million Communities for Nature grants program. Round two of the program saw 80 groups receive up to $10,000 each (totalling $700,000) for small projects focusing on practical actions to achieve environmental outcomes in their local areas.

Businesses were supported to improve their resource efficiency through the first round of capital funding grants under Sustainability Victoria's $14 million Smarter Resources, Smarter Business program (SRSB). In 2012 to 13, 17 businesses were awarded a total of $380,000 to implement materials and energy efficiency projects. The successful businesses are expected to save a combined $390,000 a year in their materials and energy use. Projects funded include heating, lighting and cooling upgrades, insulation of storage tanks, packaging redesign and more efficient cutting equipment.

Of the total $14 million allocation for this program, $9 million was provided from the Sustainability Fund, and the remainder from Sustainability Victoria.

Other grants programs supported by the Fund in 2012 to 2013 (through new allocations or distribution of funding allocated in previous years) include:• Victorian Litter Strategy - Prevention of Roadside Litter grants• Regional Waste Management Groups support package• Driving Investment for New Recycling• Smarter Resources, Smarter Business

5. Case studies

Driving Investment for New Recycling

Driving Investment for New Recycling (DINR) is a $5 million fund, leveraging more than $11 million in co-investment from private industry, to increase the recovery of materials that are a valuable resource or pose a threat to our environment.

DINR will create up to 70 new jobs and recover almost 2 million tonnes of valuable resources in the next 10 years.

In 2013, Sustainability Victoria funded seven organisations through the second round of the DINR grants program. The projects to receive funding include:• $500,000 to Action Recovery and Recycling to establish a new facility to recover commercial and industrial waste currently being sent directly to landfill, including cardboard, paper, timber, glass and plastics• $54,845 to Alex Fraser Group to increase the use of recycling glass sand in a larger range of products such as road base and pavement mix• $265,000 to Sita Australia to recover valuable recyclables from the Barwon region by purchasing new recycling equipment

• $500,000 to Tyrecycle to double its capacity to recycle tyres into rubber granules• $500,000 to Visy Recycling to open a new facility to handle its own and others' waste, recovering valuable materials that can be recycled such as cardboard, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and timber• $174,600 to Waste Composting Technology to purchase equipment to decontaminate and grade organic material and produce two grades of finished material, either compost or mulch.

Building Victoria's Organics Recovery

In 2012, the Victorian Government announced $2.5 million in funding towards organics recovery in Victoria, as part of the Building Victoria's Organics Recovery (BVOR) Fund, under the Conserve, Invest and Save strategy.

The program consisted of a $2 million targeted funding round, working with the four major regional provincial areas of Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland on the development of large scale infrastructure, and $500,000 for an open funding round which offered grants of up to $100,000 for small scale projects in regional areas outside the targeted areas.

As part of the open round for BVOR, Corangamite, East Gippsland and Southern Grampians shire councils were granted funding to deliver projects to divert garden and food organics from landfill, educate householders about the benefits of organics recycling and turn household waste into valuable products.

In Mildura, a successful weekly organics trial was completed, resulting in 160 tonnes of household food waste and garden organic material being diverted from landfill. The project was collaboration between the Mildura Waste Management Group, Mildura Rural City Council (MRCC) and TPI Cleanaway. MRCC is now in the process of developing a Request for Information with respect to the provision of an organics collection service.

In 2013, Sustainability Victoria engaged consultants to work with Ballarat, Greater Bendigo and Greater Geelong city councils and the Gippsland Regional Waste Management Group (GRWMG) to develop feasibility studies and business plan proposals for funding. They aim to improve organics collection treatment and disposal in key regional centres.

Geelong City Council and GRWMG completed business cases for their proposed projects to manage and expand existing collection services. Bendigo has explored their options for introducing a third bin kerbside organics collection through the development of a feasibility study which considered the procurement of collection and processing of garden and food organics. These projects will continue throughout 2013 to 14.

Beyond Waste Fund

The Beyond Waste Fund, launched in 2012, and delivered by Sustainability Victoria has been designed to assist commercial and industrial and construction and demolition businesses reduce the amount of operational waste sent to landfill by supporting innovations that reduce, reuse or avoid overall waste generation.

Through the Beyond Waste Fund, more than 100 businesses will be assisted to identify opportunities to reduce waste from their operations.

In 2012 to 13, the fund supported a range of activities to reduce waste generation and encourage innovation in materials use.

One highlight in 2012 to 13 was the launch of a number of business programs delivered by organisations including VECCI, the Plenty Food Group and the Geelong Manufacturing Council. Activities included material assessments and workshops for Victorian businesses keen to better understand opportunities to use materials more efficiently and reduce waste from their operations.

In the construction and demolition sector projects were led by Metricon, Burbank Australia and RMIT.

Burbank Australia began construction of what is expected to be the first zero waste home in Victoria. Located in Melton's new Atherstone Estate, the home will be built using innovative construction processes that are expected to reduce waste to landfill by at least 80 per cent.

The average amount of waste from residential construction is 5.8 tonnes per house. Reducing this by at least 80 per cent or 4.5 tonnes of waste per house, not only represents positive environmental outcomes, it also makes economic sense.

The reduction will be achieved through a focus on design strategy to minimise waste, working with suppliers to select the most efficient building materials and applying lean principles to estimating and supply.

The Beyond Waste Fund will distribute $1.3 million across three years to projects contributing to waste reduction. This will be provided through the Victorian Government Sustainability Fund.

Illegal Dumping Strike Force

The Illegal Dumping Strike Force (IDSF) is a $6 million Victorian Government program run by EPA Victoria to combat the environmental problem of large-scale illegal dumping of industrial waste - a problem estimated to cost local councils more than $13 million a year to clean up.

The four year program, which started in 2010, targets both those individuals and operators that break the law due to lack of education or often through the deliberate and calculated dumping of materials such as construction and demolition waste, asbestos and contaminated soil.

In 2012 to 13, EPA issued 65 notices and more than 235 inspections for illegal dumping related incidents. EPA's strike force also partnered with Victoria Police to execute a joint operation in East Gippsland after many months of sophisticated intelligence gathering. Three arrests were made during the operation with charges currently pending.

Since the program began, there have been 13 prosecutions of individuals and companies for illegal dumping related activities, which can attract a maximum court penalty of $610,700 or seven years imprisonment for an individual, and more than $1.2 million for a corporation.

Central to the program's success has been the use of covert intelligence gathering techniques including the use of surveillance tools such as undercover cameras and soil x-ray guns to help EPA's Strike Force officers quickly determine whether dumped soil is contaminated with things like hydro carbons (petrols), metals and asbestos. Now, more than ever there are more ways to watch and catch people doing the wrong thing.

In September 2013, the strike force team finalised a partnership with D E P I to share EPA intelligence with D E P I's Compliance Support Group to identify links and trends and ultimately identify the "big fish" operators who undertake illegal dumping activities.

For 2013 to 14, EPA's strike force is looking very closely at generators of construction and demolition waste and construction companies, to make sure they are being responsible for the disposal of the waste they are generating; transporters through surveillance to make sure they are disposing of it at the correct places; and receivers of clean fill - to make sure they are complying and not accepting industrial waste and contaminated soil.

Additional funding has been allocated to the strike force for 2014 to 15.

Roadside Litter Prevention grants program

The Victorian Government's Roadside Litter Prevention grants program is managed by Sustainability Victoria with funding from the Sustainability Fund. The $600,000 program, delivered alongside the Public Place Recycling Grants program, makes up $1.6 million in litter prevention grants programs delivered through the Victorian Government's Victorian Litter Strategy 2012 to 14.

The Roadside Litter Prevention grants program is enabling local governments, waste management groups and Victorian Government agencies with community infrastructure and planning responsibilities to undertake a range of activities including education and awareness programs, litter measurement, monitoring and evaluation.

In January 2013 Roadside Litter Prevention grants were announced for:

• Peninsula Zero Waste (Mornington Peninsula Regional Waste Management Group)• City of Greater Dandenong• Wyndham City Council• Bass Coast Shire Council and South Gippsland Shire Council (joint application)• VicRoads• Barwon Regional Waste Management Group• Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group• Waste Reduction Group (South West Regional Waste Management Group)

Research indicates that seasonal road use variations affect litter volumes and that the best time to run roadside litter education and awareness programs is during summer - the peak time for road use. The 17-month Roadside Litter Prevention grants program allows for consecutive year data collection.

The projects are complemented by using creative of the 2013 summer litter campaign - a joint Sustainability Victoria and EPA initiative. The trial campaign aimed to educate Victorians about the consequences of litter and encourage the reporting of litterers to EPA.

Grant recipients were also given a refreshed Victorian Litter Action Alliance Roadside Litter Prevention Kit and access to quarterly EPA statistics to track the success of their project. A Local Litter Measurement Tool is currently being developed and will be provided to recipients in 2014. This tool will help grant recipients collect a consistent and easy to use approach to monitor and record litter.

More than 30 million units of plastic bags and packaging diverted from landfill

More than 122 tonnes of soft plastic (figure from December 2013) - or about 30 million units of plastic bags and packaging - has been diverted from landfill nationally through the successful REDcycle Program.

The program was trialled in Victoria using Coles supermarkets as drop off points for soft plastics. Following its success, it was expanded nationally with 480 stores now involved.

A problem waste stream not collected through kerbside recycling services, the soft plastic is recovered and pre-processed by RED Group and then upcycled by Victorian business REPLAS into a range of functional items. These include sturdy outdoor furniture, signage and traffic control products for school and community use.

REDcycle was born from the lessons learnt from the RED Project, an innovative education project supported by the Sustainability Fund through a $89,264 grant.

The RED Project was based on the collection of soft plastics from schools. In addition, students learnt about the importance of recycling and how it allows waste to be turned into something useful.

In nine months, schools involved diverted 6.6 tonnes of soft plastic from landfill. That's enough to wrap around the perimeter of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) 1,463 times!

Learn more about RED group's work through its website: www.redcycle.net.au

Smarter Resources, Smarter Business

With businesses under increasing pressure from rising energy and materials costs, finding ways to create efficiencies and improve productivity is a major challenge.

The Smarter Resources Smarter Business - Energy and Materials Program, helps small to medium sized businesses improve their energy and materials efficiency.

The program provides practical, onsite support for businesses to identify energy and materials cost saving opportunities, implement resource efficiency projects, and build business capability. It also provides funding for capital upgrades.

Under the first round of capital funding in 2012, 17 businesses were awarded a total of $380,000 to implement materials and energy efficiency projects. The successful businesses are expected to save a combined $390,000 a year in their materials and energy use. Projects funded include heating, lighting and cooling upgrades, insulation of storage tanks, packaging redesign and more efficient cutting equipment.

Materials and energy efficiency assessments have also been carried out with a wide range of businesses across Victoria. The assessments are the first step in helping businesses to identify opportunities to improve efficiencies and boost productivity. Businesses from industry sectors including manufacturing, food and beverage, retail, and cool stores have been assisted to review their operations and identify cost saving opportunities. For example, with the assistance of the Smarter Resources Smarter Business Building Business Capability Program, a manufacturer was able to identify annual savings of around $280,000 through improved batch monitoring, scheduling and waste minimisation processes.

To help build business capability and know-how, the program is partnering with a range of industry associations and business networks, including the Ai Group and VECCI. In 2013/14 Building Business Capability will offer businesses onsite advice, site visits, workshops and training in resource efficiency.

For more information visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/srsb

National success for Victorian sustainability project

The City of Melbourne's Smart Blocks program was established following the success of the Fund-supported Higher Density Residential Efficiency Solutions (Hi-RES) project - an 18-month initiative that sought to identify and develop solutions to the barriers preventing sustainability improvements in higher density residential

buildings.

The City of Melbourne partnered with the Cities of Yarra and Port Phillip, Strata Community Australia (Vic), Moreland Energy Foundation and Yarra Energy Foundation and received a $133,470 grant from the Fund in 2010 to deliver Hi-RES.

"I think Smart Blocks is something that the Sustainability Fund can be very, very proud of. A relatively small amount of money has been leveraged to achieve some significant solutions. Smart Blocks has instigated a transformational movement for this sector and the program has successfully rolled out nationally which I think is probably its biggest legacy."

Councillor Arron Wood, City of Melbourne

The Victorian Adaptation and Sustainability Partnership

The Victorian Adaptation and Sustainability Partnership (V A S Partnership) strengthens the cooperation between the State Government and Victoria's local governments to work together on climate adaptation and environmental sustainability issues that affect all Victorians. All 79 Victorian councils have joined the V A S Partnership, together with the Municipal Association of Victoria, the Victorian Local Governance Association and Local Government Professionals.

In March 2013, the Minister for Environment and Climate Change announced $6 million in funding to the V A S Partnership, to support local action through grants and partnership projects. This will build on the success of the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord, which has helped Victorian communities better protect and respond to their environments since 2005. These initiatives are being delivered by councils throughout the state.

Recent practical initiatives from previous grants range from new Styrofoam recycling programs, to making council and community facilities better for the environment through energy and waste saving plans and installing new technologies such as water saving systems and energy efficient lighting or solar panels.

Regions have also worked together through the V A S partnership to create better plans and develop decision making strategies across local government areas to support effective management of climate risks, such as drought, sea level rise or bushfire.

From the recently allocated $6 million, the V A S Partnership will also run a new, two-year, statewide mentoring initiative providing skilled adaptation mentors to work together with councils, supported by a training package and an interactive adaptation knowledge hub.

ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic

More than 1,000 primary and secondary schools (and almost 400,000, or half of all Victorian students) are now involved in ResourceSmart Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Victoria (AuSSI Vic).

Collectively, the schools have saved more than $5.2 million in energy costs in six years (2008 to 2013) - averaging $1.3 million in savings every year.

Managed by Sustainability Victoria with $8.3 million funding from the Sustainability Fund, the program is a Victorian Government initiative and an integration of state and federal programs delivered by sustainability organisations and educators.

The initiative supports schools to create a culture of sustainability by minimising waste, reducing energy and water costs, and improving biodiversity. It also recognises and rewards the great work of schools through the ResourceSmart Schools Awards and Sustainability Certification.

To encourage more Victorian schools to join ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic, the Victorian Government introduced the Energy Efficiency Grants Program in 2013.

In September 2013 almost 200 Victorian schools received grants of up to $10,000 to reduce energy use and promote sustainable practices.

A total of 400 grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded in 2013 and 2014.

ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic now provides an online data management system to help schools track their sustainability achievements, identify savings made and get formally certified and recognised for their efforts.

To find out more go to www.resourcesmartschools.vic.gov.au

AppendixSustainability Fund allocations 2012 to 13

New Commitments from the Sustainability FundOrganisation Project Funding

Support $Sustainability Victoria FirstRate5® 862,800Towong Shire Council Tallangatta Eco-education Hub 500,000

New allocations made under existing Sustainability Fund supported programsProjects overseen by the Department of Environment and Primary Industries

Funding Program: Communities for Nature Grants Program - Round 2Organisation Project Funding

Amount $Mid-Loddon Sub-Catchment Management Group

Protection and enhancement of mid-Loddon woodland ecosystems-filling in the gaps

5,576

Ashbourne Landcare Group Upper Campaspe River Riparian Zone Restoration

9,962

Wedderburn Conservation Management Network

Conserving Malleefowl at Wychitella NCR

10,000

Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forest Inc. (Mount Alexander Region)

Promoting natural regeneration through Forest Creek catchment by stopping the spread of St John's wort

4,200

Baynton Sidonia Landcare Group

Prendergasts Lane Gorse Eradication Extension Project

9,980

Sutton Grange Landcare Group Inc.

Weed Control in the headwaters of Axe Creek

9,200

Johns Hill Landcare Group Inc. Emerald's latest bushland reserve 9,925Australasian Native Orchid Society (Geelong Group)

Plains Grassy Woodland maintenance, Caladenia pumila propagation and restoration

9,204

Wedderburn P to 12 college Wedderburn College Indigenous Ecosystem Project.

10,000

Bendigo Mountain Bike Club Rationalisation and redevelopment of Mountain Bike Cross-Country trails in Bendigo Regional Park.

10,000

Barongarook Landcare Group Joining Forces Cleaning Up Barongarook Water Courses

9,944

Balcombe and Moorooduc Landcare Group

Balcombe Nature Trail: Habitat enhancement along Balcombe Creek, Mount Martha.

10,000

Alvie Tree Planters Lake Purdigulac revegetation 8,950Mornington Railway Preservation Society Inc.

Protection of Diuris Punctata Orchid and Snow Gum Grassy Woodland, Mornington Tourist Railway, 2013

7,198

Port Fairy Consolidated School Latham's Snipe Habitat Protection and Community Education Program

9,910

Victorian Mobile Landcare Group Inc. (VMLCG)

Parks Vic/Fintona/VMLCG Willows Programme 2013

6,132

Euroa Arboretum Restoring wetlands at the Euroa Arboretum

10,000

Ultima Lions Club Bird Habitat Nesting Project 6,944Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Care Group (JMSC)

Community Protecting Jawbone Marine Sanctuary

5,794

McKenzie's Hill Action and Landcare Group

Old Diamond Hill Community Parklands - The first step

10,000

Christmas Hills Landcare Group Nest boxes for Tuans in Christmas 9,830

HillsTurtle Bend Committee of Management

Native Hut Creek - "Turtle Bend" Restoration

9,262

Kulkyne Way Landcare Group Inc.

The Kulkyne Way Landcare Group: Vertebrate Pest Control Action & Turtle Nest Site Protection Project

10,000

Northern Plains Conservation Management Network

Patho Plains Fox Control Program (PPFCP)

10,000

East Loddon Landcare Group Calivil Recreation Reserve Restoration

9,980

Bullengarook Landcare Group Nest boxes for Arboreal Native Animals at Bullengarook

9,280

Wangaratta Sustainability Network

Restoring Our Waterways Carp Muster

8,920

Friends of Flinders Coastline Inc. Coastal Flinders Restoration Project - Mornington Peninsula National Park

6,530

Newstead Landcare Group Inc. Riparian Protection and Restoration in the Newstead Area Stage 4

10,000

Manton & Stony Creeks Landcare Group

Red Hill South Landcare Biolink project

10,000

Manangatang Landcare Group Racing after Rabbits in Manangatang

9,900

Birchip Landcare Group Mahoods Corner to Goulds Reserve Biolink

9,659

Leitchville Landcare Group Treecare 8,472Conservation Ecology Centre Revegetating and Restoring Manna

Gum Reserve8,385

Wonthaggi Seed Bank Inc. Construction of South Dudley Wetland Stage 1

10,000

Benambra Dinner Plain Omeo Landcare group

Habitat improvement to protect sub-alpine wet heathland within the Dinner Plain village

10,000

Breamlea Coastcare Moonah Woodland Conservation Project, Breamlea

10,000

Barengi Gadjin Land Council Restoring Country 10,000Friends of Paddock Creek Reserve and Moorabool Catchment Landcare Group

Restoration of Native Habitat of the Paddock Creek Reserve, Gordon

6,667

Friends of Williams Road Beach Communities consolidating retention habitat (Friends of Williams Road Beach)

7,722

Gippsland Plains Conservation Management Network

Saving the Peregrine Falcon 9,900

Friends of Iramoo Incorporated Cairnlea Grasslands Community 2013 to 2014

9,950

Burke Road Billabong Committee of Management Inc.

Burke Road Billabong Reserve - woodland management and rehabilitation

6,930

Merricks Beach Foreshore Reserve Committee of Management

Weed Control and Revegetation Management Blocks 1 and 2 Merricks Beach Foreshore

6,800

Warragul & District Landcare Group

Warragul Community Rabbit Control Program

10,000

Edward Hunter Heritage Bush Reserve Committee of Management

Edward Hunter Heritage Bush Reserve Restoration Works: Rehabilitation of weed infested site, fora enhancement and learning project, stage 1

10,000

Friends of Swipers Gully Restoration of Swipers Gully 10,000Lalbert Landcare Group Coordinated rabbit baiting at Lalbert 9,996Culgoa Landcare Group Culgoa's Bait-a-Bunny Program 9,985Friends of Dandenong Valley Parklands Inc.

Habitat improvement for Powerful Owls and Growling Grass Frog

9,950

Lancefield Park Recreation Reserve

Community initiated weed removal and enhancement of Lancefield Swap Area

9,690

Wattle Flat-Pootilla Landcare Group

Biodiversity Enhancement on the upper Yarrowee River (Phase 2)

9,675

Friends of Yatmerone auspiced under Advance Penshurst Incorporated

Protecting and reveging Yatmerone 6,590

Darebin Creek Management Committee Inc.

Nesting Boxes Along Darebin Creek

3,180

Indigo Environment Advisory Committee

Woodland Species Habitat Assessment, Enhancement and Protection Scoping Study

10,000

Rowsley Landcare Group New Reserve on Old Rowsley Gun Club Site

9,970

Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley Incorporated

Tea Gardens Boxthorn removal 9,937

Ripplebrook Landcare Group Ripplebrook Integrated Rabbit Control

4,736

Conservation Volunteers Protecting the Eastern Barred Bandicoot in Hamilton

9,510

Nature Glenelg Trust Reducing the impact of artificial drainage on Gooseneck Swamp, Grampians National Park

10,000

Phillip Island Nature Park Short-tailed Shearwater habitat rehabilitation at Ventnor West

6,380

Ross Creek Landcare Group Revitalising Ross Creek's creekside habitats

5,200

Funding Program: Roadside Litter grants (Victorian Litter Strategy)Organisation Project Funding

Amount $Peninsula Zero Waste (Mornington Peninsula Regional Waste Management Group)

A Cleaner Mornington Peninsula is in Your Hands

21,000

City of Greater Dandenong Roadside Litter Campaign 48,000Wyndham City Council Litter Busters Wyndham 45,283Bass Coast Shire Council andSouth Gippsland Shire Council (joint project)

Councils unite to fight roadside litter 35,000

VicRoads South Gippsland Highway Roadside Litter Prevention Project

28,500

Barwon Regional Waste Management Group

Litter prevention is everyone's responsibility! Building capacity for roadside litter prevention beyond councils in the Barwon region

48,500

Central Murray Regional Waste Management Group

Sunraysia Highway and Beyond Litter Project

33,500

Waste Reduction Group(South West Regional Waste Management Group)

Secure Your Load 49,320

Funding Program: Smarter Resources, Smarter Business Program - Capital Funding Round 1 GrantsOrganisation Project Funding

Support $Longwarry Food Park Milk Powder Storage and Transport

Optimisation50,000

John Devilee Refrigeration Devilee's Sustainable Manufacturing Project

25,000

Dennison Food Manufacturing Dennison Foods Bulker Bag Unloader Units

50,000

Multicultural Aged Care Services Geelong Inc.

Energy Efficiency Upgrade at MACS

6,600

The Good Guys Maribyrnong Good Guys Energy Efficiency Project - Maribyrnong

25,000

The Good Guys Bayswater Good Guys Energy Efficiency Project - Bayswater

25,000

The Good Guys Narre Warren Good Guys Energy Efficiency Project - Narre Warren

23,557

The Good Guys Bendigo Good Guys Energy Efficiency Project - Bendigo

21,374

Blue Pyrenees Estate Winery Blue Pyrenees Tank Insulation 23,780Altro Engineering Altro Energy Efficiency Project 8,930I C S Industries I C S Industries Energy Efficiency 12,640

ProjectSparkling Beverages Project Chiller 25,000Bright Licensed Supermarket Bright I G A Energy Reduction

Project25,000

Mount Martha Village Self Service

Mount Martha Energy Reduction Project

18,819

Rydyn Supermarket Store Relighting Program 8,800Flavourfull Hydroponics Greenhouse Climate Control

System Upgrade14,500

Haymes Paints Improving Heating and Cooling Efficiency

16,800

Funding Program: Smarter Resources, Smarter Business Program - Funding Application SupportOrganisation Project Funding

Support $Barfell Industries Pty Ltd Clean Technology Investment

Program andClean Technology Food and Foundries Investment program

1,500

Rollspack Pty Ltd Clean Technology Investment Program andClean Technology Food and Foundries Investment program

1,500

GBP Products Pty Ltd GBP Products Funding Application Support

1,500

Woods Furniture Pty Ltd SRSB Woods Furniture Funding Application Support

1,500

MiTek Australia Ltd MiTek Australia Funding Application Support SRSB

1,500

Icatron Pty Ltd SRSB Application Form Funding Application Support

1,500

Visy Board (Wodonga) Pty Ltd SRSB Application Form Funding Application Support

1,500

Funding Program: Smarter Resources, Smarter Business Program - Assessment and Implementation Application SupportOrganisation Project Funding

Support $Premara Pty Ltd Premara Labels Resource

Assessment17,700

Welvic Australia Pty Ltd Welvic Materials Assessment 18,000Gisborne Supermarket Unit Trust

Williamson's Foodworks 4,320

E D M I Gas Pty Ltd E D M I Materials Assessment 16,789GBP Products Pty Ltd GBP Products Energy Assessment 16,332

Nightingale Bros Pty Ltd Energy Assessment 9,666Murray Human Resources Inc. Murray Human Services Energy

Assessment5,000

Funding Program: Driving Investment for New Recycling (DINR) - Round 2Organisation Project Funding

Support $Action Recovery and Recycling Action Recovery and Recycling

Brooklyn Material Recovery Facility500,000

Alex Fraser Group Increasing the use of recycled glass in civil construction materials

54,845

Sita Australia SITA Geelong Heales Road Resource Recovery Facility

265,000

Tyrecycle Tyrecycle Capacity Expansion Program (TCEP)

500,000

Visy Recycling Coolaroo MRF - C&I Waste Project 500,000Waste Convertors Upgrade of Waste Converters

Recycling Facility500,000

Western Composting Technology

WCT Contaminant Removal & Product Refinement

174,600

Funding Program: Building Victoria’s Organics RecoveryOrganisation Project Funding

Support $Cleanaway Transpacific Industries

Mildura Weekly Organics Waste (WOW) Trial

100,000

Corangamite Shire Council Increasing organics recovery and composting capacity at Corangamite Regional Landfill

60,000

East Gippsland Shire Council Far East Gippsland Kitchen to Compost Organics Diversion

89,450

Southern Grampians Council Organics recovery in the Southern Grampians Shire

51,940

Funding Program: Regional Waste Management Groups Support PackageRegional Waste Management Group - RWMG

Project Funding Support $

Barwon Organics Processing at Alvie Landfill Colac Using GOSIP Concept

45,000

Barwon Regional Timber Market Development Strategy

40,000

Barwon Regional Transfer Station Strategy 40,000Calder Organics Management Strategy 60,000Calder Green Organics on Farm

Management Trial40,000

Calder Get It Right On Bin Night Campaign 25,000Central Murray Kerbside Pride Organics (Organics

Diversion)30,000

Central Murray Landfill and transfer station assessment

95,000

Desert Fringe Transfer Station redesign 125,000Gippsland Regional Landfill Rehabilitation Plan

(closed & soon to be closed landfills in Gippsland)

100,000

Gippsland Regional Landfill Business Case Workshop

20,000

Gippsland Silage wrap diversion from landfill 5,000Goulburn Valley Dieldrin Contamination in Compost

Investigation4,000

Goulburn Valley Compost use in broad acre cropping regimes

4,000

Goulburn Valley Waste Plasterboard Management Plan

3,000

Goulburn Valley Constraint mapping in the Mitchell Shire

15,000

Goulburn Valley Conflict management training for transfer station staff

15,000

Goulburn Valley Certificate IV Asset maintenance (Waste Management) Delivery in the GV

9,500

Goulburn Valley Kerbside organics trial collection for the Campaspe & Mitchell Shires

26,500

Goulburn Valley Regional Attitudinal Survey for Goulburn Valley

40,000

Goulburn Valley Regional Kerbside advertising campaign

8,000

Grampians 2nd Hand Saturday 10,000Grampians CROP (Cross Regional Organics

Processing) Project In Highlands and Grampians Regions

50,000

Grampians GRASP (Glass Recycling And market development Solutions for the end Product)

15,000

Grampians Kerbside Audit Program (KAP) 50,000Highlands Kerbside Community Education

Program35,685

Highlands Greenwaste Chipper Blender 65,000Mildura Sharps and Medical Waste 2,500Mildura Education Kit Upgrade 28,000Mildura Kerbside Organics Trial 25,000Mildura Polystyrene Compactor 25,000

Mildura Home Recycling Eco Bin 28,500Mildura Dog Pouches 1,000Mildura Food Waste Avoidance 10,000Mildura Kerbside Pride for Business 5,000Mornington Peninsula Get It Right On Bin Night

(Supporting Project)125,000

North East 360L Recycling Bin Trial 50,000North East NevRwaste Kerbside Recycling and

MSW Bin Audit50,000

North East Onsite Alpine Organics 25,000South Western Improved Data Collection 10,000South Western Organics Practical Technologies

and Market Development Opportunities

30,000

South Western Waste Facility Infrastructure Investment and Services

50,000

South Western Kerbside Pride 35,000

Published by Sustainability Victoria.

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