Our goal: ‘To empower local businesses, community groups, First Peoples and residents to adopt circular economy practices.’

The guiding principle: 'Collaborate, educate, and inspire the community to participate in CE initiatives through accessible programs and shared solution.'

Potential opportunities:

• Education and Awareness Programs: Deliver community workshops, campaigns, and school programs on Circular Economy principles
• Circular Business Support: Collaborate with local businesses to create resource-sharing networks, repair cafés, and take-back programs
• Community Resource Hubs: Enhance remit of libraries of things, material repair centers, and community-led waste recovery initiatives
• Share and celebrate existing community-led initiatives that align with circular economy principles
• Incentive Programs: Develop grant opportunities or recognition initiatives to encourage circular business models.
• Support community led-cultural leadership and collaboration: support culturally safe spaces for First Peoples inclusion in circular economy perspectives and opportunities.

Our goal: ‘To empower local businesses, community groups, First Peoples and residents to adopt circular economy practices.’

The guiding principle: 'Collaborate, educate, and inspire the community to participate in CE initiatives through accessible programs and shared solutions.'

In September 2024 we launched our Circular Economy Business Accelerator Program.

Five key shared challenges among program participants:

1. Unsupported self-started initiatives – Many business and individuals have started circular initiatives, however efforts are rarely supported or recognised, leaving them disconnected and under-resourced
2. Low availability of material circulation services and spaces – Resources and services to enable material recovery are often inaccessible or unavailable. E.g. Equipment sharing, local processing infrastructure, and convenient drop-off or collection points are limited- creating barriers to scaling circular initiatives
3. Limited Bandwidth – Demands of running a business leave little room for innovation or experimentation with limited time and resources to explore or implement circular opportunities
4. Lack of funding – businesses struggle to invest in infrastructure, tools and processes to transition to more sustainable practices. There is little funding available particularly for small business.
5. Gaps in circular knowledge – Business are at various stages of their circular journeys’. While some are already implementing circular practices, others face challenges in measuring impact, identifying new initiatives and weaving circularity into their core narrative

Identified Ideas and Opportunities:

• Collaboration platforms – creating platforms that enable businesses to connect, share resources and collaborate on circular initiatives. Platforms could provide business with access to materials, ideas, partnerships – while tracking the visibility of their efforts

• Material circulation spaces and services – Expand the availability of accessible, well-distributed local material circulation spaces and services- such as equipment sharing programs, storage, processing infrastructure and convenient collection points

• Leverage circularity to take a load off business plates- shared or reused materials (supported by the opportunities raised above) can alleviate operational burden for business, reducing procurement and waste management costs

• Targeted funding opportunities – developing grants, subsidies or investment programs tailored to small business can support investment in critical infrastructure and pilot innovative circular initiatives

• Circular resources for small business – offering education, tools and practical examples that meet business where they are on their circular journey – such as workshops, measurement tools, storytelling.

Our goal: ‘Support the Circular Economy transition across key sectors in Bass Coast, including eco-tourism, construction & agriculture to foster the region as a resilient and thriving economy.’

We also recognise the important role of other local industries and institutions and welcome input from water utilities, health care services, and education institutions (adult learning centres, primary and secondary schools).

The guiding principle: Collaborate with local sectors- eco-tourism, construction and agriculture to support, identify and co-create Circular Economy solutions and innovations.

We have identified the important contribution our key sectors play in supporting the transition toward a circular economy – construction, eco-tourism and agriculture.

We also recognise the important role of local industries and institutions in Bass Coast, such as water utilities, health care services, and education institutions (including adult learning centres, and primary and secondary schools).

Eco-Tourism Ideas and Opportunities:

• Support the regional commitment to eco-tourism, sustainable and responsible tourism practices through Bass Coast Shire Council gaining accreditation from ECO Tourism Australia’s ECO Destination Certification program

• Update the Bass Coast Visitor Centre Business Plan and merchandising guidelines to embed CE principles that will support and showcase locally made, sustainable products in information centres/stores.

• Sustainable Visitor Experiences – Promote circular tourism initiatives such as eco-accreditation, zero waste events, and nature-based tourism that regenerates the environment.

• Waste free tourism – Support business in reducing single use plastics and implementing refillable, reusable alternatives & work with accommodation providers / restaurants to implement food waste strategies, composting programs and resource sharing networks

Construction Ideas and Opportunities:

• Sustainable Building Practice - Advocate for the use of recycled materials, modular construction and circular design in new developments

• Material Reuse and Recovery – Establish deconstruction guidelines for buildings and support a local marketplace for salvaged construction materials.

• Investigate opportunities for digital platforms/ tools for sharing of waste materials, including assessment of benefits such as financial cost savings for local business, reducing emissions and diverting waste from landfill. (One such example is Aspire which may south Eastern Councils are using).

Agriculture Ideas and Opportunities:

• Organic Waste Recovery and Soil Regeneration – Support farmers as an offtake for locally produced compost, biochar, and nutrient cycling to enhance soil health and reduce landfill waste.

• Local Food Systems and Circular Supply Chains – Encourage farm-to-table networks that minimise packaging waste and food miles.

• Water and Resource Efficiency – Promote circular water management, such as rainwater harvesting and the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture.