About Recycling Victoria
Recycling Victoria provides leadership and oversight of waste, recycling, and resource recovery services to support the circular economy.
Our aim is to strengthen Victoria’s waste, recycling, and resource recovery sector, build resilience, and create markets for recycled products through monitoring, reporting, and regulation of waste and recycling management.
Recycling Victoria is a business unit of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).
We support compliance against standards for waste, recycling, and resource recovery services. We monitor and report on the system, oversee compliance, and intervene if needed.
We have a range of regulatory powers and functions to improve and protect the stability, reliability, and integrity of waste, recycling, and resource recovery services.
We are focused on preventing risks of harm that may undermine our transition to a circular economy or disrupt our waste, recycling, and resource recovery services.
We assist local government and Alpine Resorts Victoria with strategic procurement and contract management.
The Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021 outlines activities that we will regulate. These include:
- waste, recycling, and resource recovery services
- Container Deposit Scheme
- Waste to Energy Scheme.
We work with stakeholders to improve data collection practices. Our aim is to maximise the value of that data to our partners and stakeholders.
We have a strong regional focus and presence across the state, which is central to Victoria’s transition to a circular economy.
Recycling Victoria works with the Environment Protection Authority Victoria, (EPA) and Sustainability Victoria, (SV) to share information, deliver a coordinated and evidence-led approach to managing risks in the sector, and deliver a circular economy for Victoria.
Our vision
A world class circular economy system that helps build a sustainable future for all Victorians.
Our values
We have a duty and responsibility to behave in accordance with the Victorian Public Sector Values. In our day-to-day operations, we will act in accordance with these values:
- Responsiveness
- Integrity
- Impartiality
- Accountability
- Respect
- Leadership
- Human Rights
Our strategic objectives
- Recovery - strong and robust circular economy
- Reliability - resilient waste and resource recovery system
- Economy - sector investment and growth
- Management - system capacity and capability
Community engagement at Recycling Victoria
What is community engagement?
For Recycling Victoria, community engagement means involving people in issues that affect them and working in consultation and collaboration with groups or individuals who share our goals to improve the waste, recycling, and resource recovery system and work towards a circular economy.
This involves connecting with our community to:
- build strong relationships
- share information and data
- strengthen our waste, recycling and resource recovery system.
What do we mean by community?
Community is made up of the people who live, work, and visit a place or have a common interest. This can include people who share a defined geographical area, such as a local government area as well as people who share common goals or interests such as an industry or professional organisation.
Who is Recycling Victoria’s community?
These are the individuals and groups who make up Recycling Victoria’s community.
| Portfolio partners |
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| Victorian government partners |
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| Key stakeholders |
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| Advisory committees |
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Our vision for community engagement
Recycling Victoria is committed to meaningful, transparent, and frequent engagement with our stakeholders. We know that the successful transition to a circular economy relies upon everyone working together.
We will identify the appropriate method of engagement depending on who is involved, the level of participation, accessibility requirements, and project goals.
Our preferred methods for engagement include, but are not limited to:
- Engage Victoria
- social media
- our website
- direct emails
- meetings and forums.
Principles of engagement
Our Charter of Engagement outlines our commitment to engage in a way that is:
- meaningful
- inclusive
- transparent
- informed
- accountable
- valuable.
The Charter of Engagement is aligned to the:
- Victorian Government Public Engagement Framework
- DEECA Charter of Engagement
- DEECA Traditional Owner and Aboriginal Community Engagement Framework.
Recycling Victoria's engagement strategy
| Regional, local | Statewide, strategic | Emerging issues and opportunities |
|---|---|---|
In person and
| Regular and structured
| Ongoing and as needed
|
The Victorian public and regional communities
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
| In a circular economy, all Victorians have a role to play in reducing waste and getting more value from resources. We will help the Victorian public to take part in the circular economy. |
| We will provide open, transparent, and accessible information via:
|
Local government and Alpine Resorts Victoria
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
| Local government and Alpine Resorts Victoria play a key role in household waste, recycling and resource recovery services. They invest in infrastructure. They are important to the success of Victoria’s four stream household waste, recycling and resource recovery service. They are also important to enabling an accessible container deposit scheme. |
| We will engage local government and Alpine Resorts Victoria through:
|
Waste, recycling and resource recovery industry
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
The waste, recycling and resource recovery sector brings expertise and investment to waste and recycling services. The sector will be at the forefront of process and technological innovation. Industry and peak associations also play a role in Victoria's circular economy. |
| We will engage industry through:
|
Traditional Owners
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
| We acknowledge the deep connection of Traditional Owners to Country. We recognise and respect the authority of Traditional Owners. We empower Traditional Owners and Victorian Aboriginal communities to make decisions about the things that matter to them. |
| We will take part in forums and conversations at the invitation of Traditional Owners. We will consult Traditional Owners on matters that affect Aboriginal communities in accordance with the DEECA Traditional Owner and Aboriginal Community Engagement Framework. |
Victorian government departments and agencies
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
| We engage across the Victorian government and with other regulators to deliver Victoria's circular economy policy and provide an easy to understand and consistent approach to regulation. |
| We will engage with government through:
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Local Government Advisory Committee
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
| Local government plays a critical role in delivering waste, recycling and resource recovery services for Victorian residents. The Recycling Victoria Local Government Advisory Committee will provide a voice for local government to support Recycling Victoria’s work. |
| We will engage this committee through:
|
Businesses
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
| All businesses, small and large, have a role to play in reducing waste and getting more value from resources. We will help Victorian businesses take part in the circular economy. |
| We will provide open, transparent, and accessible information via:
|
Recycling Victoria Advisory Committee
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
| The Recycling Victoria Advisory Committee will provide expert advice to the Minister for Environment and the Head, Recycling Victoria to support the state’s transition to a circular economy. This committee brings diverse issues, perspectives, and experiences to inform our role and functions. |
| We will engage this committee through:
|
Regulated entities
| Why we engage | What we will engage about | How we will engage |
|---|---|---|
Regulated entities will be required to meet mandatory standards that will give the community confidence that waste, recycling, and resource recovery is being managed safely and effectively with no disruption to services. This will create greater stability, reliability, transparency, and accountability in the market. |
| We will engage regulated entities through:
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When the strategy is working
We will know we have been successful if you:
- tell us we have communicated openly and honestly
- are clear about what we do and how we will work together
- are open with us and tell us about your issues and aspirations
- trust us to do our jobs and to work with you
- feel included and that you are part of our decision-making process.
How you can engage with us
- participate in engagement activities
- subscribe to our electronic newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter
- visit our website for updates
- contact us at recycling.victoria@deeca.vic.gov.au
- call our customer support phone line on 136 186.
If you are deaf or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service on 133 677 or visit www.relayservice.com.au
When we are engaging, we ask that you:
- be respectful of our staff, other community members, and stakeholders
- provide us with feedback on our engagement so that we can improve our processes.
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