2022 to 2023
We’re proud to have launched Recycling Victoria's Strategic Plan at the 2023 Waste Summit Conference in Melbourne.
Head, Recycling Victoria, Tony Circelli joined the Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos MP, EPA’s CEO Lee Miezis, and Sustainability Victoria's Interim CEO Matt Genever as the morning’s Waste Expo Australia keynote keynote speakers.
Our Strategic Plan defines our purpose, objectives, and vision for a world-class circular economy system that helps build a more sustainable future for all Victorians.
The Plan, together with our Charter of Engagement, Community Engagement Strategy, and Regulatory Strategy, sets out the pathway to reform Victoria’s waste, recycling, and resource recovery services.
View all 4 strategic documents24 October 2023
The recently appointed Recycling Victoria Advisory Committee met for the first time late last week.
The 8-member committee will advise the Minister for Environment and the Head, Recycling Victoria Tony Circellie about Recycling Victoria’s strategic priorities to support Victoria’s transition to a circular economy.
With experience in regulation, the waste and resource recovery sector, and circular economy practices, the committee will bring diverse issues and perspectives to the fore as we establish and deliver our key functions.We welcome:
- Christine Wardle (Chair)
- Dr Scott Bryant
- Lina Goodman
- George Hatzimanolis
- Marc Higgins
- Simon Mackie
- Georgie Smith MEM
- Dr Mayuri Wihjaysundara
Find out more about our new committee.
5 October 2023
Our interactive map shows the current locations of Victoria’s waste, recycling, and resource recovery infrastructure facilities, including:
- landfills
- hazardous waste facilities
- material recovery facilities
- resource recovery centres (also known as transfer stations)
- reprocessors.
It's a key component of our Data Hub that provides data, intelligence, and insights for use by Victoria's waste, recycling, and resource recovery sector, businesses, government, and the community.
3 October 2023
Recycling Victoria is responsible for statewide waste, recycling, and resource recovery infrastructure planning, a key component of the Victorian Government’s ongoing reforms to the waste and recycling sector.
We are developing the Victorian Recycling Infrastructure Plan (VRIP), to be released in 2024.
It will provide long-term strategic infrastructure planning to guide and inform decision-making about waste, recycling, and resource recovery infrastructure over the next 30 years.
The VRIP replaces Victoria’s 7 regional waste and resource recovery implementation plans, and the Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan (SWRRIP).
Find out more about recycling infrastructure planning.
22 June 2023
The Waste to Energy Scheme regulates thermal waste to energy facilities. The purpose of the scheme is to control the amounts and types of waste processed in thermal waste to energy facilities. This ensures investment in waste to energy facilities does not exceed our needs as we avoid, reuse, and recycle more waste in the future.
Stage 1 of the scheme, which pertains to existing operators, commenced on 1 June 2023, following the commencement of the Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) (Waste to Energy Scheme) Regulations 2023.
Existing operators of thermal waste to energy facilities have until 4 December 2023 to apply to Recycling Victoria for a licence.
Find out more about the Waste to Energy scheme.
1 June 2023
Recycling Victoria is pleased to have the sector planning team from Sustainability Victoria (SV) join us to continue work to prepare the Victorian Recycling Infrastructure Plan (VRIP). The team joined Recycling Victoria on 6 February 2023.
The change reflects Recycling Victoria's new statutory responsibilities for infrastructure planning under the Environment Legislation Amendment (Circular Economy and Other Matters) Act 2022.
Tasks and functions performed by the sector planning staff at Sustainability Victoria will continue to be delivered following the transfer. Staff will continue to report to their existing manager, Luke Purcell who will report to the Executive Director, Strategy, Procurement and Planning, Deb Cailes.
The development of the VRIP signals a shift away from government determining what specific infrastructure is required and where it should be located, to a strategic approach that identifies infrastructure needs and gaps and provides information to the market to drive innovation and investment.
The VRIP will be a single plan with a 30-year horizon, replacing Victoria’s eight current infrastructure plans. It will provide long-term strategic planning, inform decision making and drive private sector investment in waste and resource recovery infrastructure across the state.6 February 2023
Tony Circelli has been appointed as the Head of Recycling Victoria to lead the transformation of the state’s waste and recycling systems.
Tony Circelli joins the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) from his current position as Chief Executive at the South Australian Environment Protection Authority where he has successfully led regulatory reforms for that state’s resource recovery sector, including their Container Deposit Scheme.
Tony will lead Recycling Victoria in its work to strengthen Victoria’s waste and recycling sector, driving innovation and industry security and supporting the introduction of the new container deposit scheme.
Recycling Victoria will also monitor and enforce the transition to a state-wide four bin household waste and recycling system.
Thanks to Philip D’Adamo for his hard work as Interim Head Recycling Victoria and for helping to lay the foundation for the transformation of Victoria’s waste and recycling sector.
23 August 2022
With the commencement of Recycling Victoria on 1 July 2022, to strengthen Victoria’s waste and recycling sector, all Victorians can expect a better and more reliable waste and recycling system.
The establishment of Recycling Victoria is a major step that will support the state’s transition to a sustainable and thriving circular economy.
Recycling Victoria will increase the reliability and transparency of the waste and recycling sector and maximise the ongoing use of products and materials that would otherwise be waste.
Getting value from materials that would be waste will reduce landfill, greenhouse gas, and pollution and help to combat climate change.
The establishment of Recycling Victoria is a key initiative of the Victorian Government’s transformative circular economy plan - Recycling Victoria: a new economy.
30 June 2022
Recycling Victoria benefits from the extensive experience, regional knowledge, and presence of staff from Victoria’s former Waste and Resource Recovery Groups (WRRGs) who continue to work with the waste and recycling sector via existing phone numbers as part of Recycling Victoria.
Support previously offered by WRRGs in metropolitan Melbourne and rural and regional Victoria will continue and benefit from Recycling Victoria’s coordinated evidence-based and strategic state-wide view.
Recycling Victoria acknowledges the great foundations set by Victoria’s WRRGs in supporting the sector and is well-positioned to build on this work.
30 June 2022
Updated