Official Publication of the
www.insidewaste.com.au City of Melbourne lord mayor Sally Capp (below) confirmed that the processing of household recycling in her council’s jurisdiction resumed in late September.
ISSUE 92 | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019
INSIDE 24 State of waste 32 Energy from waste 36 Circular economy
Perks of taking on food waste
Victoria: A state in crisis
PP: 100024538
ISSN 1837-5618
DOZENS OF COUNCILS AND businesses were hit with the realisation that the recycled content they were responsible for could no longer be sent to SKM Recycling facilities after the company went into receivership in August. The failed enterprise led to councils sending recyclable material to landfill and it left companies out of pocket, after it was revealed that SKM was $100 million in debt – of which Cleanaway Waste Management was owed $60m. SKM operated seven sites including three MRFs and a transfer station in Victoria; and a MRF in Tasmania. SKM accepted and processed commingled recyclable material from 33 councils and municipalities in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Due to the closures, councils have needed to react quickly to maintain pubic trust and to ensure material is being disposed of in the best means possible – given the sudden decrease in facilities recyclables can be sent to in Victoria. One way in which councils are minimising the amount of recyclable
material heading to landfill is through the implementation of glass collection bins, which aim to reduce contamination in mixed recyling bins. Throughout September, the Macedon Ranges Shire Council installed public glass recycling skip bins across the shire, and the Moyne Shire Council confirmed it will introduce a fourth kerbside bin for glass collection across the whole shire – rather than trialling it in Koroit only for six months, which was the original plan. Due to the closures of SKM facilities, Moyne Shire Council members voted, in September, to extend the trial across the whole shire. At a council meeting in late August, the Macedon Ranges Shire Council endorsed plans to remove glass from the current mixed recycling household bin collection service and investigate introducing a fourth glass-only bin service, with a trial involving 650 households currently underway. The council also allocated funds to cover temporary higher landfill
costs, cover additional required staff and resources, and install the aforementioned public skip bins. The Macedon Ranges council is working with a recycling company that will process the shire’s recycling as long as glass is removed and the other recyclables are not contaminated. Residents can also drop off glass free of charge to the council’s transfer stations in Kyneton, Woodend and Romsey for recycling. And as a last resort, the council indicated that glass can be placed in general red rubbish bins. A Macedon Ranges Shire Council meeting in late October will cover long-term options for recycling, including the possible introduction of an additional glass-only bin for the entire shire. While these councils, and others in Victoria, are moving forward with “glass only” recycling services, some leaders in the waste industry warn that the councils should tread cautiously. (Continued on page 20.)
MORE THAN 50 PER CENT of people say they don’t like leaving food on their plate because it’s a waste of good produce and a waste of money. Yet Australians produce more than seven million tonnes of food waste every year. Mountains of edible produce is being chucked out and it’s not new news. Inside Waste explored why such a valuable commodity ends up wilting and rotting away when organisations are striving to change community and business perceptions towards food waste. According to the National Food Waste Baseline - Executive Summary, published by Arcadis in March 2019, Australia produced 7.3 million tonnes of food waste across the supply and consumption chain in 2016-17. Of this, 2.5 million (34 per cent) was created by householders, 2.3 million tonnes (31 per cent) was created in primary production, and 1.75 million tonnes (24 per cent) came from the manufacturing sector. Attitudes towards food waste vary between age groups, gender and living situation, according to a NSW EPA report – Love Food, Hate Waste NSW 2015-16. The report indicated that in 2015, NSW residents aged 18-34 wasted 7.6 litres of food per week, compared to the average of 5.9 litres per week. It also indicated that men wasted more than women – at 6.3 litres per week compared to 5.6 litres. (Continued on page 28.)