Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB)

Twenty-three local communities around the nation have been awarded a Keep Australia Beautiful Beverage Container Recycling Grant to increase beverage container recycling in their local area.

The Keep Australia Beautiful grants program, funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, is in its second year with all communities across Australia invited to apply during the call for entries period. Grants range from $3,000 to $10,000 for projects that result in a measurable increase in beverage container recycling in local communities.

Applications were open to community groups, local associations, schools, small to medium enterprises and local government authorities and were awarded for:

• projects which address the specific issue of beverage container recycling and its by-products;
• practical local solutions that can be used as examples for others and leave a legacy;
• projects that do not duplicate existing recycling activities; and
• projects that result in measurable volumes of recycled materials

A proven ability to implement suitable projects, such as those who have participated in the Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Communities Awards - incorporating the Tidy Towns and Sustainable Cities programs, was also taken into account.

For larger communities, the grants provide recycling infrastructure for events, or for special venues such as large retail centres, sporting venues or education centres. In smaller communities, the grants provide assistance with transport or processing to overcome remote location or dispersed population.

In 2010, The Coca-Cola Foundation provided $184,162 for the small grants program to encourage away from home recycling with a total of 26 projects, representing all states and territories, chosen to receive grants.

This year, The Coca-Cola Foundation provided a total of $170,000, with grants provided to:

• NSW - Coffs Harbour Park Beach Community Group, Albury City Council, Toronto Tidy Towns, Young Tidy Towns and Armidale Dumaresq Council
• VIC - Loddon Shire Council, Baw Baw Shire Council, Hume City Council and Buloke Shire Council
• SA - Adelaide Shores West Beach Trust, District Council of Karoonda East Murray, District Council of the Copper Coast, Maitland & District Progress Association Inc. and the Regional Council of Goyder
• WA - Aubin Grove Primary School, Shire of Toodyay, Lions Club of Goomaling, Lancelin & Districts Lions Club and Gnaraloo Station Trust
• TAS - Scout & Guide Regatta Tasmania and the University Mowbray Sports & Community Club
• NT - Roper Gulf Shire and Victoria Daly Shire Council

Keep Australia Beautiful Chairman, Don Chambers, commended the communities on their efforts to encourage everyday sustainable practices.

"Not only are these projects helping local communities become more sustainable, they help ensure that they are recovering materials that can be recycled into new products, saving precious resources and diverting waste from landfill at the same time", he said.