The Hon. Sussan Ley visited Planet Ark on Wednesday last week to celebrate World Environment Day and announce government support for our newest project, the National Circular Economy Hub & Marketplace.

The government has committed $1.6 million dollars to support Planet Ark’s work on the National Circular Economy Hub & Marketplace, which will be Australia’s leading platform to help businesses implement circular economy principles. The Hon. Trevor Evans, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, joined Minister Ley to lend his support to Planet Ark’s work in waste management and resource recovery.  Ministers Ley and Evans held a press conference to outline their commitment to supporting the waste and resource recovery industry and celebrate Planet Ark’s achievements with the Australasian Recycling Label and the upcoming National Circular Economy Hub.   These initiatives?will?address a key challenge facing recyclers and manufacturers – the availability and demand for recycled material. Planet Ark’s circular economy proposals will not only provide the reasoning, both environmental and economic, for doing so, but also help connect those that need materials with those that have them.  In doing so, we aim to transform Australia’s linear economy,?otherwise known as a?‘take, make, use and, dispose’?model to a circular economy where ‘dispose’ is replaced with ‘reduce,?reuse,?recycle and repurpose’. This helps keeps important materials like plastic,?metals?and paper in circulation?for as long as possible and?out of?landfill.?  Minister Ley said collaboration would be key to managing our waste more efficiently and effectively, as well as establishing a circular economy in Australia  “It’s a partnership, it’s a relationship,” Minister Ley said.  “The work that we will do building on my predecessors between all levels of government to make sure the circular economy and, if you like, the next evolution of recycling happens positively, happens well and happens with engagement with everybody.”  Minister Ley was announced as Australia’s newest environment minister on May 26 this year following the federal election.