WOLLONGONG lord mayoral candidate Andrew Anthony is urging state and federal governments to provide the necessary start-up capital to establish a purpose-built recycling facility in the Illawarra region.

Mr Anthony said the facility would play a crucial role in enhancing the region’s waste management infrastructure, promoting sustainability, and creating local job opportunities. He said the proposed recycling plant would collect and sort recyclable materials such as plastics, glass, metal, and cardboard, transforming them into raw materials for new products.

The Ward 2 resident is one of several candidates who will contest the lord mayor position at the 14 September local government elections. The independent candidate has been randomly selected as the first name on the ballot paper at this year’s local government election.

Mr Anthony was a councillor on Wollongong City Council from 2004 to 2008, and has attempted to run for the city’s top job four times.

“By repurposing waste into valuable resources, the facility would significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, resulting in considerable cost savings for local councils and lowering the region’s carbon footprint,” he said.

Additionally, Mr Anthony said the plant would address the challenges created by China’s decision in 2018 to stop accepting plastic waste from Australia and the collapse of REDcycle in November 2022 resulting in huge stockpiles.

“This project offers a tremendous opportunity to benefit both our environment and local economy,” he said.

“With state and federal support, we can secure the crucial start-up capital to build this facility, allowing it to function effectively and sustainably. By backing this initiative, we’re creating the infrastructure needed for improved waste management in the Illawarra, helping our community handle waste in a more responsible and environmentally friendly way.”

Mr Anthony noted that while most residents want to do the right thing and recycle, confusion persists about which materials can be placed in council-provided yellow bins. Currently, there is no collection for soft plastics, leading to a gap in effective recycling. He said the new facility would address this issue by handling a broader range of materials and providing clarity on recycling practices. He also highlighted that the region has plenty of suitable industrial land available, particularly around Port Kembla.

Mr Anthony said this availability of land makes Wollongong an ideal location for the new facility, allowing for swift development and further supporting the region’s push towards sustainability. Furthermore, the recycling facility would benefit neighbouring councils, including Shellharbour and Wingecarribee Shire, which are currently trialling collection points for soft plastics. By reducing the need to transport significant quantities of recyclable materials to Sydney, the facility would lower transportation costs, reduce carbon emissions associated with transport, and improve overall efficiency in regional waste management. While avoiding plastics altogether is the ideal situation, the recycling facility would address the immediate challenges arising from the current limitations in recycling services. By transforming materials like glass into new bottles, paper into cardboard packaging, and plastics into products such as park benches or additives for road base, the plant would strengthen the region’s self-sufficiency in waste management while fostering a more sustainable future.

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