Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith has released the findings from the State Government review into Sustainability Victoria (SV), which will shift SV’s focus to more effective investment in waste reduction and improved energy-efficiency measures.

The review was undertaken to ensure SV had a clear vision and strategy, and to help the community make improvements in recycling, waste management and resource efficiency.

The review has found that Sustainability Victoria was failing to fulfil its legislative obligations under the Environment Protection Act (1970) and the Sustainability Victoria Act (2005) on waste management planning.

According to Mr Smith, the review has highlighted the need for better investment in waste reduction, increasing recycling and helping businesses improve energy efficiency.

“Effective waste management plays a significant role in achieving broad sustainability outcomes,” he says.

“For example, diverting organic material from landfills helps reduce methane production – a potent greenhouse gas associated with climate change.”

Key recommendations from the review include:

• Re-establishing SV’s state wide leadership in the area of waste strategy and program implementation in partnership with portfolio agencies.
• SV and the EPA working together to consider programs that support business to improve energy efficiency where there is a positive return on investment.
• Investing in building capability and developing measures to evaluate triple bottom line outcomes including environmental, economic and social benefits.
• Developing a long term investment strategy for SV’s programs funded from the Sustainability Fund to support waste and resource recovery.

SV will now focus on a set of priority program areas designed to help Victoria improve activities around recycling, waste management and saving valuable resources such as energy. It will be taking note of stakeholder feedback gained through the review process and will work to re-focus reinvestment of the landfill levy into the waste industry to drive better waste outcomes.

As a result, the Victorian Government will look to fund a range of initiatives that will provide targeted investments across a number of priority areas in organics, energy efficiency and resource recovery.

A copy of the SV review can be found online at www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
For more information on implementing sustainability initiatives in your business, visit VECCI Sustainability or call 03 8662 5196.