Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Strategic Plan has been released by the goverment.

The plan builds on the goals and directions set out in the Victorian
Government's Towards Zero Waste Strategy. It will help ensure
Metropolitan Melbourne meets targets to divert 65 per cent of household
waste and 80 per cent of industrial solid waste from landfill by 2014.

The plan highlights the need for the Government to continue working with
local governments and industry to adopt a holistic approach to waste
management and minimisation programs, which will be important in
achieving this goal.

Another focus is the introduction of advanced resource recovery
technology designed to recover and reprocess organic waste, notably food
and garden waste. This is important not only because it reduces the need
for developing new landfill sites, but also because of the potential to
cut down methane emissions.

The Government's recent announcement of $10 million for the Victorian
Advanced Resource Recovery Initiative (VARRI) to create a business case
for development of new alternative resource recovery facilities is a key
step in implementing the course of action set out in the Metropolitan
Waste and Resource Recovery Strategic Plan.

Preventing organic waste from simply rotting in landfill through the
introduction of new technology to create products, such as renewable
energy and nutrient rich compost, is another step we can take to tackle
climate change.