Archived News for Green Sector Professionals - April, 2012
Canberra is set to roll out the country’s first free e-waste recycling service, allowing residents to dispose of their unwanted televisions and computers under a national scheme.
“This is the start of a nation-wide roll-out of services as part of an extremely exciting initiative under the Gillard Government’s landmark Product Stewardship legislation. Services like these will be rolled out across Australia, boosting television and computer recycling rates to 30 percent in 2012-13 and 80 per cent by 2021-22, providing a long-term solution to television and computer waste,” Minister for Sustainability Senator Don Farrell said.
“Televisions and computers contain valuable non-renewable resources, including gold and other precious metals, as well as hazardous materials including lead, bromine, mercury and zinc. By recycling them, we can recover useful materials and at the same time reduce health and environmental risks.”
Funding announced for WA wave plant
The Federal Government has announced $10 million in funding for Western Australia’s Carnegie Wave Energy’s Perth Wave Energy Project on Garden Island near Fremantle.
$1.86 million for threatened Victorian species
The Victorian Government has announced a $1.86 million research initiative to help strike a balance between the needs of the state’s threatened species and those of the timber industry.
Australia declared drought free
The Federal Government has announced the country is drought free for the first time in over a decade after the two final Exceptional Circumstances (EC) declarations expire.
CEM meeting held
The third annual Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) meeting has convened in London, bringing together energy ministers and business leaders from around the world with an aim of driving greater corporation between governments and the private sector on clean energy development.
CSIRO publishes water cycle findings
A team of scientists from the CSIRO and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory from California has documented changing patterns of salinity in the global oceans over the past 50 years in a paper published in the journal Science.
GHD announces water breakthrough
Global engineering consultancy firm GHD has announced a new technological innovation that will allow continuous water pump monitoring in real time.
Government moves to protect koala populations
The Federal Government has outlined plans to protect the country’s most at-risk koala populations after moving to include them on the national list of threatened species.
SA Reaches marine parks agreement
The South Australian Government has announced an agreement as been reached with the conservation, recreational and commercial fishing sectors on the future zoning approach for South Australia’s marine parks.
Victoria backs waste-to-energy pilot
The Victorian Government has confirmed $4.5 million in funding for a biomass plant that will convert organic waste into electricity.
$3.6 million for Maribyrnong environmental project
The Victorian Government has announced funding of $1.04 million towards a $3.6 million project to revitalise the Maribyrnong area, Melbourne’s second-largest river valley.
Landfill a moneymaker in carbon price scheme
The Federal Government has teamed up with the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) to explain how landfill can be used to reduce pollution and earn carbon credits.
Radioactivity centre officially opened
Federal Minister for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, officially opened the new $8.7 million Environmental Radioactivity Measurement Centre in New South Wales.
Combet tips Asia carbon trading pact
Federal Minister for Climate Change Greg Combet has announced he belives the formation of an Asian carbon trading scheme is inevitable , and that Australia’s system would eventually be linked with those in China and other major Asia-Pacific nations.
Crean calls for cooperation for Latrobe transition
Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean has called on local leaders to work cooperatively in the Latrobe Valley to help identify new opportunities to assist the area transitioning to a clean energy future.
Expert committee appointed for Clean Tech programs
The Federal Government has announced the appointment of an independent expert committee to assist and advice Innovation Australia to deliver $1 billion in Clean Technology Investment programs.
Geoengineering "risky" says Chief Scientist
Geoengineering is regarded as “risky” by the Office of Australia’s Chief Scientist, with the sector struggling under little governance or broader policy frameworks according to a recently published report.
Queensland demands environmental improvement
The Queensland Minister for Environment Andrew Powell has demanded chemical manufacturer Orica improve its environmental track record or face serious consequences.
Final Caring for our Country report released
The Federal Government has announced the release of the final Caring for our Country report into natural resource management.
CEFC Expert Panel releases report
The independent Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) Expert Panel has released its final report, with the Federal Government supporting all of the recommendations.
Government releases National Greenhouse Accounts
The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has released the National Greenhouse Accounts for the latest emission trends for the December Quarter 2011.