Southern Downs Regional Council is leading the charge towards a more sustainable future with the launch of a $350k waste recovery pilot program designed to manage excess agricultural plastic waste currently landfilled, stockpiled or buried on farms across the region.

Funded by the Queensland Government through the Department of State Development, Infrastructure & Planning, the project will address key aspects of agricultural waste management, including on-farm retrieval, collection logistics, processing technology and the development of a sustainable business model.

The project will be guided by a Project Reference Group including representatives from the Granite Belt Growers Association, Granite Belt Sustainability Action Network, University of Southern Queensland, South Burnett Regional Council and the Queensland Government.

Findings from the pilot program will be shared with councils across the broader Darling Downs South-West region to translate key learnings and promote better agricultural plastic recovery practices.

Additionally, the project will trial on-farm collection and processing equipment suitable for baling or initial processing of plastic waste.

Centralised collection points will be established in each participating council area to aggregate quality feedstock at scale, with input from plastic recyclers. The necessary processing equipment will be purchased or leased to support the program’s objectives.

Southern Downs Mayor Melissa Hamilton expressed gratitude for the Queensland Government’s funding support, highlighting the program’s benefits for both agricultural producers and regional economic development.

“Investment to identify circular economy opportunities not only helps our agricultural producers, it also supports economic development in our region over the long term.” Mayor Hamilton said.

This article appeared in the Allora Advertiser, 19 February 2025.