PERTH (Scrap Register): New South Wales government to spend $9.5 million for better waste recycling projects to counter the effects of China’s ban on imports of recyclable waste.

Last year China had created a policy called the National Sword Policy to stop smuggling of foreign waste. China now says this flow of waste has seriously polluted its environment. It wants local industry to deal with its own waste rather than process the world’s.

Australian councils have been under growing pressure to put up rates to cover the increased costs of kerbside pickup of recycled waste following an importation ban by China.

Local councils to set up a team with industry to seek support to improve and strengthen recycling in NSW.

New aid, called the Product Improvement Program, provides $4.5 million for projects that reduce the amount of unrecyclable material left at the end of the recycling process. Another $5 million is available for programs to identify new uses for recyclable materials and increase the production and use of recycled products.

This includes $2.5 million under the Civil Construction Market Program and $2.5 million under the Circulate Program.