WA recycling facilities, mobile blackspots will share $44 million in funding boosts

WA recycling facilities and mobile blackspots on highways will get a boost from the Federal Government as ministers continue their blitz of the State. Nine recycling ventures will share $44 million to upgrade and expand their facilities to sort, process and recycle used plastics, tyres, paper and cardboard into valuable new products, such as high-quality plastic pipe. These include projects in Bibra Lake, Rockingham, Jandakot and the Pilbara. In Port Hedland, $675,000 will be used to buy land for a new tyre recycling and devulcanization facility where old tyres will be converted into material that can be used to make new rubber-based products instead of being sent to landfill. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the funding would help households and industry recycle more of their waste. The Government is also pledging $16 million joint funding with WA to improve mobile phone coverage along highways and major roads in regional areas. Applications for pilot programs in the scheme will open soon, and the results will inform the design of a national rollout.