The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has welcomed the initial focus on recycling and clean energy in the Federal Government’s $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative announced today, and has reminded policymakers that recycling and bioenergy must play a greater role in Australia’s low-emission manufacturing future.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison laid out the initiative in Canberra today as part of the Federal Government’s COVID recovery plan.
Acting CEO of AFPA Victor Violante said that plan must include making better use of renewable energy and recycling, and that means recognising the positive contribution Australia’s sustainably managed forests and forests industries can make, as the ultimate renewable.
“With the right policy settings, bio-products and the renewable energy from wood residues and recycled materials, can play a much greater role in Australia’s manufacturing future,” Mr Violante said.
“Earlier this year we welcomed the Government’s $100 million Australian Recycling Investment Fund, which supports the manufacturing of lower emissions and energy-efficient recycled content products. Now we have to ensure that the right policy settings like investment facilitation in new sorting technology, emission avoidance credits, government support for recycling manufacture, domestic recovery and recycling of paper and paperboard, are implemented to support these recovery plans.”
“We’ve also called for a $10 million ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Biofutures Industry Development Fund, and a $10 million ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Biofutures Commercialisation Fund to underpin early stage commercialisation of leading-edge bio-based technologies. These proposed funds will help drive the development of high value uses for domestic wastepaper.”
“Again, we are calling on all levels of government to support proven, low emission waste to energy technologies, which should be recognised as a crucial part of the waste management infrastructure. We can’t just keep sending this resource to landfill,” Mr Violante concluded.
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