City calls for circular economy

THE City of Ballarat is set to launch its Circular Ballarat Framework next month in response to residents’ calls seeking action on sustainability, the environment and climate change.

As part of the initiative the municipality will be encouraging people to embrace the ideas of a circular economy and reduce waste.

The City will also advocating for an increase in recycling as a means of creating manufacturing materials.

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney said transitioning to a circular economy mean businesses could generate more profit and the community is healthier.

“A circular economy allows us to decrease our dependence on resources such as raw materials, water and energy,” he said.

“It helps protect our environment, reduce waste and the emissions of greenhouse gases, and changes mindsets in relation to recycling and reuse.”

A circular economy in Ballarat has the potential to generate between $57 million and $100 million-worth of gross regional product and between 380 and 680 additional jobs.

The Circular Ballarat Framework has been created with help from the CSIRO’s Advisory Stream for Process Innovation and Resource Exchange Program.

“The CSIRO’s ASPIRE Program is an online marketplace for businesses to both sell and buy waste,” a City spokesperson said.

“This diverts materials from landfill, provides cost savings, and potentially creates new revenue streams.

“The City of Ballarat has taken out a 12-month subscription to ASPIRE, which is now active. This will allow any Ballarat-based business with less than 100 employees to use the platform for free until July 2022.”

Local ASPIRE data will be utilised by the municipality to gain a stronger grasp of the City’s waste habits and streams.

A materials flow analysis is also being conducted, exploring where resources come from, their uses, and where they end up.

A subsidised Circular Economy Ready, Set, Grow Business Program from enterprise incubator Runway will assist 20 businesses as they assess their operations and potential to transition to ways of running that align with a circular economy.

Sustainability Victoria’s Recycling Victoria Councils Fund and Grampians Central West Waste Resource and Recovery Group are supporters of the Circular Ballarat Framework, which will get its official launch on Thursday, 9 September at 5.30pm at Runway Ballarat, Albert Street.

Cr Maloney, Circular Economy Victoria’s Sean Trewick, and SECOS Group’s Ian Stacey will speak. For more information head to ballarat.vic.gov.au/business/circular-ballarat.