Circular Economy has been a key regional focus for the Hunter JO since its inception, with a number of Circular Economy projects highlighted in the Hunter JO Strategic Plan. A circular economy exchanges the typical cycle of make, use dispose in favour of as much re-use and recycling as possible, reducing waste and extending the lifetime of products by recycling them in new and innovative ways.
The Hunter JO Circular Economy Working Group is Chaired by Cr Kay Fraser, Mayor of Lake Macquarie City Council, and focuses on a range of projects within the space. Together we are creating an opportunity for a more circular economy in our region.
Hunter Circular
The Hunter Joint Organisation, with funding support from the NSW State Government, have been rethinking waste and resource recovery in the Hunter and Central Coast.
The Hunter JO is helping accelerate the Hunter and Central Coast region toward a circular economy through development of the Hunter Central Coast Eco-system website. The website offers a database and engagement platform for circular economy participants in the region, and fosters change in how our region processes and repurposes waste as a resource.
This database-driven website is a key starting point for the development and growth of the Hunter and Central Coast Circular Economy. The concept is for organisations and individuals within government, business, community and tertiary education sectors to engage, participate and collaborate wherever possible. The very nature of a circular economy is to connect businesses and other organisations together to create circular systems and avoid linear ones and collaboration is the key to success.
The Hunter Circular website is designed to be interactive, enabling connection across the region to continually grow the Hunter Central Coast Eco-System Database. For those wanting to join this database, who are part of the circular economy in the region but are not yet involved in the site, please register on the website.
Visit the Hunter Circular Website here.
The Hunter Central Coast Ecosystem Report looks at the status of our region’s Circular Economy ‘eco-system’, as it relates to waste streams and resource recovery. By summarising where we are at the moment in terms of waste and resource recovery, we are able to look at what next steps are for us to further the region’s Circular Economy.
A copy of the Hunter Central Coast Circular Economy Ecosystem Report can be found here.
Hunter BioCircular
Regional Organics Processing Hunter BioCircular is a collaboration between Hunter and Central Coast Councils, industry, research and community stakeholders to embrace world-leading innovations to develop a flagship community resources recovery model.
By demonstrating a Circular Economy approach, Hunter BioCircular seeks to move the region toward zero waste to landfill, and in doing so provide long term economic, social and environmental benefits from processing waste locally, which will help transition our regional economy, delivering new local jobs, greenhouse gas reductions and improvements to our soils.
Technology, product and financial analysis completed to date has confirmed the potential benefits of proceeding further with design and delivery of Hunter BioCircular.
Circular Economy Facilitators Group
Work completed to date on the circular economy eco-system (CE) in the region has confirmed a network of committed, knowledgeable and capable people with the potential to drive the CE program forward. As a first step in harnessing this capacity, an informal “Hunter Circular Facilitators” group has been established, the role of which is to:
- share information
- harness the collective effort in the region
- drive and coordinate cross stakeholder efforts toward a circular economy.
- avoid duplication and foster the progress of the circular economy.
The group is made up of people who already have a role in the circular economy and have capacity to dedicate their time toward a regional approach.
To find out more about this submission and the Hunter JO’s Circular Economy Program, please contact:
Tim Askew, Regional Policy and Program Manager, tima@hunterjo.com.au P 4978 4034