The APC received an overwhelming response to the latest 2014/15 APC Funding Round which has now closed. With over 60 request for proposal submitted, the APC shortlisted and invited over 50% of projects to move through to the application phase. The projects team are currently assessing the applications and will announce the successful project in due course.

Thank you to everyone who applied for project funding.

New Projects

APC have recently provided funding to the following projects;

• Keep Australia Beautiful for the pilot implementation of the Eco-Schools program in Australia. Visit the APC and KAB websites to find out more about the program.
• O- I Australia to build an optical sort cullet processing facility in Brisbane to process and recover all glass (10mm+ in size) currently recycled by consumers in South East Queensland and regional centres within approximately 500km of Brisbane.

Completed Projects

Please click the links to find out more about our recently completed Public Place Recycling Projects:

• AMP Marrickville Metro Shopping Centre Away from Home Recycling Program
• Queensland University of Technology Bin Exchange
• PSF (AFGC) on behalf of YUM Restaurants Quick Service In-store Recycling

New Litter Projects Officer

We would like to welcome Cayley Manson who recently joined the APC Projects Team as a Project Officer with a focus on litter. Cayley has come to the APC from local government, with experience in implementing environmental education projects to schools, businesses and communities within Australia and New Zealand. Cayley, as a Project Officer, is responsible for the identification and delivery of funding for litter projects which meet the goals of the Strategic Plan, as well as stakeholder engagement.

Buy Recycled

Do you find it a challenge to procure product and packaging containing recycled content? The APC has partnered with ECO-Buy to develop a series of guides to assist APC signatories to develop an active approach to buying recycled and ultimately increase their purchasing of products containing recycled content.

The Buy Recycled content resources include information about how to get started buying recycled, an introduction to recycled content materials and their applications, the opportunities available for including these purchases in different areas of your business, how to engage your suppliers in the process and how to track and report your purchases.

Waste Collection Inquiry Service

The APC has partnered with the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA) to develop a pilot Waste Collection Inquiry Service for NSW signatories. For a limited period, this service is now available to signatories Australia-wide. Designed to provide organisations looking to improve and develop their existing waste collection services with a range of service provision options, the resource asks a series of questions relevant to identifying an appropriate collection service for particular types or quantities of waste. This information is then forwarded to WCRA, which will contact you with potential waste collection options.

The resource can be accessed on the APC website. For further information please contact Brett Giddings.

E-waste Collection Service

Many signatories contact the APC seeking recycling options for items beyond packaging. Recognising that e-waste is one of the most commonly asked about waste streams, with a range of benefits accruing from keeping it out of landfill, the APC advises that signatories may find value in a free e-waste collection service available from EcoActiv.

This program allows organisations with more than a minimum quantity of e-waste to arrange for this to be collected and recycled for free.

More information can be found on the EcoActiv website.

APC Updates Workshops

The APC Member Services Team visited Brisbane in August to provide an APC Updates workshop session to our signatories. With twenty seven attendees, the workshop focussed on providing guidance on how to practically apply the APC KPIs and goals, implement and report against action plans, and better engage others within their organisation and along the supply chain. With a strong focus on peer learning, signatories held robust discussions sharing their experiences.

Additional workshops will be held in other states in the upcoming months. These will provide attendees with APC updates, an overview of action plan and reporting requirements; and a forum for signatories to network, problem-solve and discover opportunities.
Upcoming workshops will be held on the following dates:

17 September National Wine Centre Adelaide 9am-1pm
23 September Novotel Perth Langley 1pm-5pm
14 October Monash Conference Centre Melbourne 9am-1pm
16 October Monash Conference Centre Melbourne 9am-1pm

If you would like to attend any of the upcoming workshops, please register online.

High Performer Consultation Workshops

In July, the APC held High Performer workshops in Sydney and Melbourne. The APC used the workshops to seek feedback from our high performing signatories on managing engagement challenges, and provided information on the likely future direction of the APC. With over forty attendees to the workshops, discussion was vigorous, with a range of suggestions and input provided by our members. The results of the workshop will be used to inform the way the APC engages with signatories in the future.

Keep NSW Beautiful Premier's Dinner

You're invited to join KNSWB and its President, the Hon. Mike Baird MP, Premier of NSW, for an evening of first class entertainment and networking opportunities in support of the state's premier community and environment organisation.

Venue: The Ivy Ballroom, Level 1, 320 George St, Sydney
Date: Thursday 11 September
Time: Drinks will start at 6pm followed by dinner at 7pm
Dress code: Semi-formal

To purchase tickets, download the registration form, either fill it out online and save it to you computer, or print and scan the completed form, and return it to our events team at premiersdinner@knswb.org.au.

The APC is a proud sponsor of the KNSWB Premier's Dinner.

Recycling in a Global Economy: Global PSC Thought Leadership Forum

The Global Product Stewardship Council is holding a thought leadership forum featuring Adam Minter, the author of best-selling book Junkyard Planet in Sydney on the 27 October. 

Find out more

National Recycling and Recovery Survey (NRRS) begins

The APC Recycling Survey is an important project that enables us to track the packaging recycling rate annually, towards our target of 70% in 2015.

The APC appreciates the input from packaging manufacturers, brand owners, material recovery facilities and recyclers to provide data to the survey to ensure we best capture the packaging material flows from consumption to recovery.

The NPCIA has engaged IndustryEdge, Equilibrium and Sustainable Resource Use to undertake the survey for the period FY 2013-2014. For those stakeholders who contribute to the survey, they will be in contact soon to seek your valuable input.

APC Methodology Review

The methodology for conducting the recycling and recovery survey will be reviewed this year as part of a separate project. One of the areas we will be looking at is streamlining data collection to make it easier on survey respondents. We are planning to approach selected stakeholders in the coming months for feedback to this review.