Waste Management Review February 2023

Waste Management Review

FEBRUARY 2023

Taking aim

ResourceCo’s Henry Anning calls for more action and less talk to help Australia meet national waste targets.

2023 | FEBRUARY | ISSUE 70 www.wastemanagementreview.com.au

FEATURES

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TAKING AIM

Development, investment and delivery of recycling projects is crucial if Australia is to meet national waste targets. ResourceCo’s Henry Anning explains.

“FOR COMPANIES LIKE RESOURCECO THAT TARGET DIFFICULT STREAMS, THERE IS PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE AND INVEST IN MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. IT’S ABOUT HAVING THE FRAMEWORKS RIGHT.” - Henry Anning, Chief Executive Officer of Energy Systems, ResourceCo

In this issue 41 ADAPTABLE CONTROL Features 19 A NEW GENERATION

Environmental engineer Jelena Hercegovac is determined to use her role to make a difference.

VEGA’s sensor technology is providing improved safety and efficiency at Cleanaway’s St Marys site.

ATERIAL 44 MOPPORTUNITIES

Jonathan Schulberg explains how the Eriez Copper Reduction Circuit provides a competitive edge.

INDING STRENGTH IN 23 FWORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY 46 A STEP AHEAD LGI is setting its own agenda when it comes to workplace diversity.

THE BEST 28 MOFAKING WASTE

Townsville City Council’s resource recovery team is leading the city’s plan to change the perception of waste.

30

FORWARD FOCUSED

Talis Consultants’ team discuss the changes and challenges of working in an ever-changing waste industry.

32 A CLEAN SLATE

Soil washing technology supports the Victorian Government’s circular economy plan.

35 CDE IN KUWAIT

CDE and partners will work on one of Kuwait’s most significant environmental projects.

38

QUALITY AND COMMUNICATION

Good people, good communication, and Volvo excavators are key at EnviroManage Systems.

Wellington Shire Council keeps on top of the latest landfill management technology with a new BOMAG.

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REAL-TIME EFFICIENCY

Position Partners is providing machine guidance solutions to help empower landfill management and operators with live information.

50 NOTHING WASTED

Smart Resources Group Managing Director Ward Petherbridge discusses circular solutions for pallets, and his vision for a self-sufficient facility.

52 BUILDING BETTER

Caterpillar has set up its Australian head office in Tullamarine to embody the company’s commitment to sustainability and a low carbon future.

55 TEMPERATURE RISING

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ReSource Founder Troy Rowe calls for stronger e-waste recycling regulations to minimise the harm of temperature exchange devices.

58 NEXT LEVEL RECYCLING

RecycleSmart and residents of multiunit dwellings (MUDs) in New South Wales are taking recycling out of the too hard basket.

URNING TYRE WASTE 60 TINTO FUEL

Leube Zement’s Christian Wörgötter shares the company’s experience with finding a tyre shredder that saved both time and money.

IPELINE TO A 62 PCIRCULAR ECONOMY

D&M Waste Management has fasttracked a move into plastics recycling and has enlisted Applied Machinery to help start its journey.

64 COUNCIL IN FOCUS

A new $9 million landfill cell has been constructed at Central Coast Council’s Buttonderry Waste Management Facility.

NGINEERING THE 66 EFUTURE

Waste Management Review digs into the all-new Inside Construction Expo, set to lay its foundations in Melbourne on 20-21 September 2023.

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69 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 70 LAST WORD

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 3

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From the Editor

Changing of the guard When Susie McBurney, REMONDIS General Manager NSW/ACT accepted the Woman of Waste award at the 2021 Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards last year, she offered up some advice for women who are working in a traditionally male dominated industry.

“Work hard, have balance and if you’re told, ‘no’ find someone who will say yes,” she said.

Recognised as a trailblazer, Susie took on a leadership role at the family business as a 24-year-old in 2000, before it was customary to do so. Accepting the award, she admitted there were challenges along the way.

It’s a story all too familiar for many women. According to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia Women in Leadership survey, a lack of flexible work practices, workplace culture and societal expectations regarding gender roles are among the top eight barriers to women’s workplace equality.

Jenny Campbell, the Co-Founder of Encycle Consulting, recalls her early days in business working in the waste sector. She describes it as a “double whammy” – working on a discipline that at the time was not well regarded and for which there wasn’t much interest. And she was a woman.

Jessica North, LGI Co-Chief Executive Officer has said no to good jobs at large organisations because of a lack of flexibility and suitable, gender-relevant policies.

But the tides are changing. Today, countless organisations have women represented at all levels of leadership and the board.

As this edition of Waste Management Review showcases, the waste sector is benefitting from a wealth of female talent. From environmental engineers to business development managers, local government resource recovery teams and built environment consultants, women are changing the perception of waste and the industry.

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day on 8 March 2023, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, Waste Management Review is sharing some of the stories of women leading the charge in Australia’s waste sector.

Lisa Korycki

4 / WMR / February 2023

Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au

MANAGING EDITOR

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EDITOR

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ARTICLES

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FEATURE NEWS

Recycling Victoria: Building confidence

RECYCLING VICTORIA HEAD TONY CIRCELLI OUTLINED THE AIMS AND VISIONS FOR THE NEW AGENCY, AND WHAT THE INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY CAN EXPECT, AT WASTE EXPO AUSTRALIA IN MELBOURNE.

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Recycling Victoria head Tony Circelli addresses attendees at Waste Expo Australia 2022.

n an address at Waste Expo Australia in Melbourne last October, Recycling Victoria head Tony Circelli detailed the first steps necessary to kickstart the state’s circular economy transition – starting with the rebuilding and fostering of community confidence in resource recovery.

“If we’re going to talk about a circular economy, we have to be confident at the social level,” Circelli said. “And then industry will get their confidence from the materials coming in, in the right way.

“Confidence is the starting point. I think Victoria has moved a significant way down this pathway to restoring confidence, but there’s still work to be done.”

BALANCING POWER Recycling Victoria’s leadership and oversight role, Circelli said, is clearly articulated in 2021’s Circular Economy Act – an act that aims to provide stronger regulation of the state’s waste and recycling sector, and establish the foundation for Victoria’s transition to a circular economy.

This includes laws to enable the introduction of the state’s container deposit scheme, regulate waste-to-energy schemes, and guide the statewide roll-out of a fourbin system.

Circelli described Recycling Victoria’s responsibility as taking “an end-to-end view of the circular economy” – understanding

what it means, how to measure the outcomes, gathering data and intel from industry and governments, and bringing it all together to provide practical market intelligence for the sector.

This also means balancing leadership and oversight with regulation and enforcement – but doing so with a focus on collaboration across industry and government.

“The heart of it is about enabling, helping, encouraging, looking for opportunities for the industry, and for all of us, to be investing in the long-term,” he said. “One of the most interesting things about the Circular Economy Act is it puts www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 7

FEATURE NEWS

a lot of emphasis on shared responsibility.

This is not about a group of public servants overseeing and leading the sector – it’s about all of us.

“What have we all got to contribute here? What’s our part in progressing this agenda? And part of our role is to try and bring that together.”

The act provides Recycling Victoria additional powers to help streamline the state’s circular economy transition through regulation.

“It introduces a range of new powers that I don’t think any other state in Australia has – particularly around intervening in the marketplace when we see issues,” Circelli said.

He said that historically, states have sometimes had to “plead and beg” with industry to get change happening – but Recycling Victoria will have the power to escalate things.

“This is a transformational change, it’s very unique,” he said. “It gives the whole industry confidence.”

When it comes to bad apples who are actively compromising the integrity of the system, Circelli said the approach will change.

“They’re problematic for the confidence, stability, and growth of the whole system,” he said.

“And those people, when we come across them, will see a very different side to Recycling Victoria.”

REGULATE AND CELEBRATE Circelli said the regulatory side to Recycling Victoria is not intended to dominate the agency’s resources, but it will be there when it needs to.

“We’re a regulator for the purpose of achieving a more circular outcome,” he said. “What we’re really about, is understanding the behaviour of the regulated party that we’re working with.

In the vast majority of cases, these are people that are just trying to do right thing, but maybe don’t have the resources and capabilities – so it’s about how we can help them.”

In keeping with this approach, Circelli said celebrating the sector’s wins would be a priority.

“We’re going to be trying to shout out best practice right across the sector – whether it’s in local government or industry,” he said. “We want to make sure that people see that best practice is possible, it is viable, and what the benefits are.”

USABLE DATA To ensure investment and resources are put into the right places, Circelli said data integrity was critical for Recycling Victoria.

For this reason, the team responsible for gathering and managing data on the sector was migrated from Sustainability Victoria to Recycling Victoria in July 2022.

“Investment in this area should not be underestimated,” Circelli said.

“Sustainability Victoria has done a great job in building that plan for how we get better information – and how we can be more confident in what we’re doing because we’ve got confidence in the data that’s informing it.”

Circelli said there was still work to be done on this front, but the effort would yield usable data for the benefit of the sector.

“We’ll be putting out a market intelligence report every year that distils this information in a way that can be used by everyone. Government, industry, even

8 / WMR / February 2023

Tony Circelli said Recycling Victoria will balance industry regulation and celebration.

the community will be able to see for themselves how we’re going towards this concept of a circular economy.”

FIRST THINGS FIRST Recycling Victoria is set to play a multifaceted role in the years to come, but Circelli said the agency will first need to focus on some key priorities as it establishes itself – starting with an ‘aligned approach’.

“This requires engagement, working together, and understanding what we’re trying to do and why,” he said.

“And for government to understand what the industry is trying to do – the issues, problems, and barriers – and bring that into our thinking and our response.

“For a sector as big as we have in Victoria, it’s going to take a lot of effort and a lot of commitment to work together.”

Circelli said Recycling Victoria would approach this engagement in a deliberate way, ensuring the state’s regions in particular – with the specific challenges unique to each – would be prioritised.

“It’s very early days – we’re still building the organisation,” he said.

“But we need to walk and chew gum at the same time.

“We’re building, but we need to get out there and start talking as well – start bringing in that intelligence and that sharing of information.”

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FEATURE NEWS

Call to arms

THREE DECADES AGO ONE MAN COMPELLED A CAPITAL CITY TO CLEAN UP ITS ACT. TODAY, HIS DAUGHTER IS LEADING A NATIONAL ORGANISATION THAT IS EMPOWERING EVERYDAY AUSTRALIANS TO CLEAN, FIX AND CONSERVE THE ENVIRONMENT.

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hirty-three years ago, horrified by the rubbish around Sydney Harbour, avid sailor Ian Kiernan began what is now one of the most recognised national community engagement campaigns – Clean Up Australia.

More than 20 million Australians and 38.5 million hours of volunteer time have since been donated as part of Clean Up Australia activities.

And as Australia’s waste challenges continue to grow, the organisation’s work is as important today as it was when it started, says Ian’s daughter, Pip Kiernan.

As the Chair of Clean Up Australia, Pip says the organisation’s focus has evolved and is as much about preventing rubbish entering the environment as it is removing what has already accumulated.

“The circular economy is crucial to getting us where we need to be when it comes to waste and resources,” Pip says.

“We shouldn’t be talking about waste. It is all a resource that we must capture at its end-of-life and reuse.

“Dad was talking about those concepts of resource recovery, product stewardship and extended producer responsibility all those decades ago. He was a trailblazer.”

While Australia is tracking well in some aspects of waste management and resource recovery, there’s plenty of work still to be done in others, says Pip. Plastics remain a challenge. It’s estimated about 130,000 tonnes of

Pip Kiernan, Clean Up Australia Chair, says Australia’s waste challenges go beyond one day.

Australian plastic ends up in waterways and oceans each year.

Pip says several factors contribute to the challenge, including a rapid adoption of soft plastics and consumer confusion about what can and can’t be recycled.

“Plastic is readily available. We have used it in abundance without thinking enough about what we do with it at end-of-life,” she says.

“We really need to get better about reducing our use, then capturing and recycling what we can.

“There is so much community desire for that change. Most consumers I speak with are frustrated by the number of plastics. If industry and businesses can step up and accelerate that change to reuse and recycle, they will be rewarded by consumer behaviour.” www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 11

FEATURE NEWS

Pip Kiernan says Clean Up Australia is now as much about reducing waste as removing it from the environment.

Pip says there are good things happening, including the phasing out of plastics across the nation. But what she calls a patchwork approach is leading to consumer confusion and makes it difficult for industry.

She wants to see Australia ramp up the level of recycling and processing of soft plastics and more education to help simplify the process for consumers.

“Most people think it’s recyclable and put it in the yellow bin,” Pip says. “It’s ending up in the wrong spot where it contaminates good recyclables, breaks machinery, and inhibits the process of good recycling.

“Australians believe recycling is right, but we’re not getting it right.”

A lack of harmonisation across the country is adding to that confusion because there are different rules depending on where you live.

Pip points to the Australian Recycling Label (ARL), and the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) Recycle Mate app as success stories when it comes to helping consumer uptake of recycling.

12 / WMR / February 2023

While not mandatory, the ARL breaks down individual elements of packaging and what consumers can do with them. Recycle Mate uses Artificial Intelligence to identify waste and recyclables to find the best local disposal option, specific to the users location.

Both initiatives, Pip says, are examples of a groundswell of action to come up with solutions for recycling.

“In 2020 at the Federal Government plastics summit there was some great pledges from industry and community groups about what changes they would make to help tackle the plastics crisis we’re in,” she says.

“We can see some of those happening now, which is encouraging. Consumers reward the brands that are doing well.”

While Clean Up Australia is best known for its clean-up events and Week of Action, Australia’s waste challenges go beyond one day, and the organisation encourages communities, schools and businesses to step up and play their role.

The organisation recently launched a Buy Recycled site, which encourages

“If industry and businesses can step up and accelerate that change to reuse and recycle, they will be rewarded by consumer behaviour.”

Pip Kiernan, Clean Up Australia Chair

and promotes brands that are working towards the circular economy, and supported the launch of a repair network within Australia.

Pip hopes the Australian Government’s Remade in Australia campaign will also stimulate promotion of products with recycled content made in Australia and help continue the drive to a circular economy.

“That requires effort from industry, government and everyday Australians,” she says. “Within the next five years I’d like to see a drastic reduction in what we’re sending to landfill and a surge in what we’re recycling and capturing in Australia and turning into products.

“We can create jobs and industry for Australia rather than create more problems for future generations.”

Clean Up Australia Day 2023 will be held on Sunday March 5.

Business Clean Up Day is on Tuesday, February 28 and is open to businesses and organisations of all sizes.

To register, visit: www.cleanup.org.au

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COVER STORY

Taking aim

DEVELOPMENT, INVESTMENT AND DELIVERY OF RECYCLING PROJECTS IS CRUCIAL IF AUSTRALIA IS TO MEET NATIONAL WASTE TARGETS. RESOURCECO’S HENRY ANNING EXPLAINS.

A

ustralia is at a pivotal moment in its pursuit of national waste targets, says ResourceCo’s Henry Anning.

The Chief Executive Officer of Energy Systems says industry will play a key role in determining what happens over the next few years, but there is a need for more action, and less talk.

An additional 14 million tonnes of annual processing capacity is required if Australia is to achieve 80 per cent resource recovery by 2030. A figure Henry says the sector, states and country are not on track to meet.

Hand-in-hand with the need for extra recycling capacity is 14 million tonnes of additional annual recycled material procurement.

“There are two key areas being felt across a range of recycling and resource recovery sectors,” Henry says.

“There needs to be bold procurement targets and policy consistencies, along with investments.”

He says the pausing of soft plastics recycling program REDcycle should be a catalyst for change. In November 2022, REDcycle put a temporary hold on all soft plastics collection, citing an untenable imbalance between the growing supply and dwindling demand for the collected material.

At the time, the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Organisation of Australia signalled the need to move the paradigm in Australia rapidly towards the demand side of the supply chain and stop focusing simply on collection.

14 / WMR / February 2023

“If REDcycle has proved anything, it is that without sophisticated, significant industrial-scale offtake agreements and enough money in the system to fund good quality resource recovery, it just doesn’t happen properly,” Henry says.

“I’m all for ambitious targets, and what even might be called stretch targets, because you need leadership and commitment to drive change. But what we haven’t seen behind the targets is the mechanisms that will deliver the outcomes.

“There still seems to be a bit of a belief among policy makers that recycling is free or easy and that recycled materials magically disappear. Neither are true.”

Henry says there are good initiatives trying to drive change, including the Victorian Government’s Recycled First policy which requires businesses to optimise the use of recycled and reused materials for state infrastructure projects.

However, many initiatives preference rather than require the use of recycled materials. While leadership is a good starting point, Henry says there is not enough take-up of recycled materials further down the line of command.

“Ultimately the procurement team for a project, from a contractor through to a government department, makes the decision of whether they use recycled material or not,” he says.

“There are several layers where it could be removed. If the use of recycled material is a selection criteria, then it needs to be a key criteria and reinforced.

More focus is needed to deliver recycling infrastructure by 2030 if Australia is to reach national waste targets.

“Corporations that have procurement policies need to put the effort into buying recycled materials back as products.”

There also needs to be recognition that quality recycling will be more expensive than landfill. Henry says that without that recognition, and a preparedness to pay for doing the right thing, there will always be a way for the use of recycled materials to be pushed out.

He says landfill levies, stewardship schemes, and recognition of the carbon benefits of recycling and the carbon challenges of landfill could help drive high order recycling.

“All of those ultimately help drive the amount of money in the system to recycle properly and for people to invest in the infrastructure and to buy into recycled products,” Henry says.

He believes an independent review, commissioned by the Federal Government, into the role and integrity of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) under the Emissions Reduction Fund, can go some way to removing barriers to investment in recycling infrastructure.

Henry says it’s important to frame how carbon abatement from the whole economy, and in particular the waste and resource recovery sectors, is likely to be recognised going forward.

Currently, waste and resource recovery projects can only earn carbon credits for seven years.

Henry says if a company is making a 25-year investment in infrastructure, the current rate doesn’t match the life cycle of the project.

He would like to see resource recovery projects recognised financially for the

carbon abatements they achieve over the life of the project and recognition that landfills don’t achieve the same level of carbon abatement.

ResourceCo is a pioneer in carbon abatement solutions and credits for Australian businesses and is a leader in reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Committed to supporting Net Zero aspirations, it works with organisations around Australia on shared goals for greener supply chains by decarbonising through credible carbon transition plans under the Department of Climate Change, Greenhouse Friendly carbon abatement program.

“Carbon credits are one piece of the puzzle,” Henry says.

“They’re an important piece but all the different elements for resource recovery projects have to come together

Henry Anning, ResourceCo Chief Executive Officer of Energy Systems.

to make them worthwhile. Without revenue or procurement to drive a project, it will fail.”

While ResourceCo, a global leader in recovery and remanufacture of primary resources, is growing and delivering new projects nationally, Henry says the company, and the sector, could do more if barriers were lifted. www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 15

COVER STORY

A new ResourceCo facility in Brisbane will have capacity to process 250,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste annually.

Processing of construction and demolition waste is the cornerstone of ResourceCo. It is currently building a facility in Brisbane to divert commercial and industrial (C&I) waste from landfill. Supported by the Queensland Government’s Resource Recovery Industry Development Program, the facility is due to open in late 2023 and will have capacity to process 250,000 tonnes of material annually.

Henry says the Queensland facility will be a large contributor to recovering C&I waste but to reach the national recovery target, ResourceCo will need to build a similar capacity facility every year, and have others do the same.

“For companies like ResourceCo that target difficult streams, there is plenty of opportunity to do more and invest in 16 / WMR / February 2023

more infrastructure,” he says. “It’s about having the frameworks right.

“There’s been a lot of improvement in the past few years. States have introduced levies and there’s a level of consistency. But even with that, we’re not seeing the mass influx of large-scale capacity required.”

One of the challenges, as he sees it, is that there has been a focus on export waste, which accounts for less than five per cent of the nation’s waste.

He says licensing export waste was the right thing to do, but Australia shouldn’t lose sight of the remaining 95 per cent.

“Export waste is an important component and needs to be solved, but it’s taken up a lot of attention for a couple of years,” Henry says.

He says government funding also has been focused on particular waste streams which has taken a level of attention away from other areas.

There are signs of acknowledgement of the issues and more emphasis is being placed on product stewardship schemes, circularity and procurement, he says, but the industry needs to see outcomes and not more discussion.

In the short-term there needs to be a focus on delivering recycling infrastructure to be operating by 2030.

In the long-term, there will be a need for larger projects for residual materials.

“There’s a lot of change needed in the next 12 to 24 months to drive development, investment and delivery of projects so they are operational by 2030,” Henry says.

“The industry needs to get vocal, and vocal now, about what those barriers are and how we can work together to drive the change needed to allow all of us to hit those targets.”

Henry Anning ResourceCo’s Chief Executive Officer of Energy Systems

He’s optimistic about the sector and believes the targets are achievable.

“ResourceCo is growing at a rapid rate, but we could grow faster and do more,” he says. “We want to, and we want others to, because the opportunity and outcomes could be fantastic.

“The whole industry wants to hit the 2030 targets but there’s a level of frustration that we’re not on track to do

that. There’s also a level of concern that the blame will be put on industry, and that’s not fair.

“The industry needs to get vocal, and vocal now, about what those barriers are and how we can work together to drive the change needed to allow all of us to hit those targets.”

For more information, visit: www.resourceco.com.au

ResourceCo wants better frameworks to encourage industry to invest in recycling infrastructure. www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 17

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FEATURED TOPIC – WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE The team at Repurpose It is adamant there’s always a way to recover more from waste.

A new generation J

JELENA HERCEGOVAC IS DETERMINED TO USE HER ROLE AS THE GROUP HEAD OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY AT REPURPOSE IT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

elena Hercegovac thrives on challenging the status quo.

The Group Head of Environment and Sustainability at Repurpose It is adamant there is always a way to recover more from waste.

She’s made a career of advocating for more sustainable practices and giving back to the environment.

“It doesn’t just stop with what we have,” Jelena says. “As part of my team we’re constantly looking at new research and development techniques. People want greener solutions and want businesses to be more environmentally conscious.”

It was while working in the contaminated land industry that Jelena, an environmental engineer, crossed paths with Repurpose It. She says the company’s mission to change people’s perception of materials they initially regard as unwanted and turn them into something usable, aligns with her own passion in preserving natural resources.

Now she supports all facets of Repurpose It’s environmental compliance, risk management and sustainable best practice, working closely with the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

At the same time, she gives clients confidence that the products Repurpose It is producing have been handled appropriately, from both a regulatory compliance and quality perspective. This involves regular testing of material samples to satisfy EPA requirements.

She says the new Environmental Protection Act 2017 (EP Act) and the Environmental Protection Regulations 2021, which came into effect on 1 July 2021, have had a significant impact on environmental management and protection, particularly for the resource recovery and waste sector.

One of the main changes is the need for EPA operating licensing or permission to handle waste material that were previously regulated differently. Under the new EP Act, waste management hierarchy is one of

Jelena Hercegovac, Group Head of Environment and Sustainability.

the principles of environmental protection, which fundamentally aligns with the vision of Repurpose It. Jelena says the new EPA Act and Regulations, coupled with broader government policy, support a catalyst of change away from traditional waste management methods where rubbish ends www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 19

FEATURED TOPIC – WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

up in landfill and a demand for resource recovery, such as reuse of soil and other materials that have a recycled component.

“In previous generations there was a perception that anything waste goes to landfill,” Jelena says. “It’s something we’ve done for a long time in Australia because we’ve been rich in resources.

“Look at food organics and garden organics (FOGO). Almost all of that material used to go to landfill. Now we know there are different ways to treat this waste stream and there is a big push to recycle and eventually compost all FOGO in Victoria.

“Repurpose It is expanding the business to cater for that new direction and making sure we have capacity in that space. We’ve always looked for innovative ways to differentiate what we do.”

Jelena believes resource recovery will become more important with growing awareness about climate change, pollution and contamination, waste, resource depletion and biodiversity loss.

In her early career, she focused on pollution, contamination clean-up and protection of human health and the environment. She’s now drawing on her experience to influence more recycling and sustainability.

“In my early career we would classify waste and a lot of it did go to landfill,” she says. “In my role at Repurpose It, I’ve reconnected with the broader sector to try and promote other options for materials that would otherwise be landfilled.

“That initial career gave me the skills and understanding of the broader

Repurpose It works closely with Victorian EPA to ensure all of its products are compliant.

20 / WMR / February 2023

Resource recovery is a shared vision at Repurpose It.

issues. Now I’m at a place where I can educate others.”

To that end, Jelena has joined various industry representative bodies to exchange information about resource recovery.

Repurpose It also works closely with universities and schools and has an active role in liaising with councils and industry associations.

Within the next five years Jelena hopes to see more collaboration of regulators, industry, environmental consultants, and the community.

“Working solo does not achieve an outcome as quickly compared to everyone being aligned,” she says. “Having a platform to exchange information and give feedback to others can achieve a much greater outcome.”

She says representing the Repurpose It brand and its core values to the next

generation is one of the best aspects of her role. It’s also one she takes seriously.

As a woman in an often maledominated sector, she’s passionate about having strong, female role models and says encouraging women to join the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) network is something that still requires a lot of effort.

“In particular during the early stages of my career, the fieldwork environment was very much a male workforce,” Jelena says.

“I’m lucky that at Repurpose It half of our executive team is female. That’s indicative of what the company culture represents.

“In general, as an industry, there is more support and awareness than when I started as a graduate, but we need to keep working hard to attract more women.”

For more information, visit: www.repurposeit.com.au

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FEATURED TOPIC – WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

Finding strength in workplace flexibility

LGI IS SETTING ITS OWN AGENDA WHEN IT COMES TO WORKPLACE DIVERSITY WITH A HIGH PROPORTION OF WOMEN IN POSITIONS AT ALL LEVELS.

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essica North has said no to good jobs at large organisations because of a lack of flexibility and suitable, gender-relevant policies.

The Co-Chief Executive Officer of LGI says it was never individuals that caused her to look elsewhere, but rather rigid policies at an organisational level.

“Corporate decision-making is being made without a pragmatic understanding of the realities of working mothers,” Jessica says.

Her sentiments are shared. According to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia Women in Leadership survey, a lack of flexible work practices, workplace culture and societal expectations regarding gender roles are among the top eight barriers to women’s workplace equality. Other barriers include a lack of female leaders, gender

Abigail Cheadle rings the bell at the ASX.

stereotypes, affordability and accessibility of childcare and a lack of mentors.

Jessica, and LGI, are smashing those barriers – 38 per cent of the company’s total workforce is female, its board comprises 33 per cent women with the executive team having 44 per cent. The company prides itself on a culture of collaboration, care, and flexibility.

As a board member, executive and working mum, Jessica is leading by example, but she says the workplace culture is driven by the entire team, spearheaded by Adam Bloomer, LGI Chief Executive Officer, Founder and Managing Director.

Jessica was the only woman in a team of five when she started at LGI. She says that about 12 months into her role Adam admitted it was the first time throughout his career he had worked on equal footing with a female. He found Jessica’s contribution eye-opening.

“Particularly when I became chair of the board of directors, he appreciated the less aggressive, more inquiring approach,” Jessica says. “Adam was also aware of the juggles I had as a working mum and it highlighted to him that it’s very difficult for a lot of professional women to have a full-time role and juggle a parenting role.

“There are professionally excellent women who don’t want to go back into an inflexible environment.”

Abigail Cheadle, Non-Executive Director of LGI and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee, took on an

Jessica North with LGI’s ASX certificate.

advisory role to assist the company in its initial public offering (IPO), which was successful in October 2022.

She’s spent more than 30 years working in a traditionally male-dominated sector around the globe. She says she’s been lucky to have been welcomed and appreciated in her workplaces and has worked with some incredible female leaders. But the higher up the corporate ladder she progresses, the fewer women there are.

As a single mother of two, Abigail is an advocate of the ‘village’ approach to career and family.

“There’s a bit of a stigma about asking for help but having a family and career really does take a village,” she says. “When I had children, I couldn’t take time off www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 23

FEATURED TOPIC – WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

Katrina Nelson, Grace Tap and Danielle Kasuba out in the field for LGI.

work. It wasn’t in the equation because I didn’t have the financial ability, I needed that support.”

Jessica says LGI takes into consideration other aspects of life that can be less obvious to male employers. There’s a conscious decision that roles that can be flexible are offered in such a way that they are appealing to mothers.

Danielle Kasuba, a former kindergarten teacher, joined LGI as a contract field technician about three years ago.

She began one day a week while her children were young, taking flare readings and balancing gas fields to optimise biogas recovery at LGI’s landfill sites. In 2022 she took on a full-time field position maintaining grounds, assisting with connections and servicing flares.

“It’s the most flexible job I’ve had,” Danielle says. “You can work around your family. The work-life balance is amazing.

“It’s a very different job but I love it because no two days are alike. I can spend the morning at a $100 per head breakfast in Brisbane city and then be driving an excavator in the afternoon.”

Jane Brimblecombe, Financial Controller, was one of the first to be employed under LGI’s flexible work arrangements in 2016. Six years later she considers LGI her work family.

“It’s a culture of respect and one where everyone is given the opportunity to grow,” Jane says. “There’s plenty of opportunity to let people advance, but I’ve also grown as a person by working at

LGI. That’s not something you can say about many workplaces.”

Kindness and cuppas are two common threads when discussing LGI’s workplace.

Jane says she was interviewed over a cuppa, and it’s since become an integral part of the culture.

Jessica refers to Jane as the grand tea master and says it’s one way of ensuring staff are looking out for each other.

“One of our big focuses has always been on having a collaborative culture,” Jessica says. “We really believe in looking after our people.

“We invest a lot in mental health and wellbeing. It’s about doing the right thing, whether it’s environmental or the intention of the business.”

Katrina Nelson, who joined LGI in 2020 as Business Development Manager to continue to drive LGI’s growth, says it’s no accident that the 42 and growing LGI workforce feels like family.

When she was brought on board the interview process was as much about her understanding the culture of the business as it was about her professional credentials and energy industry experience. And yes, it involved a cuppa with one of the other working mums “LGI prides itself on workplace culture and flexibility. It’s something we offer that is a selling point,” Katrina says.

“I’ve always worked in places that had values and wanted to uphold them, but at LGI we are absolutely living the values and putting people first. These values

Jane Brimblecombe was one of the first to be employed under LGI’s flexible work arrangements in 2016.

extend to the long-term relationships we develop with our customers who are mostly local councils.

“The importance of mental health, work-life balance and empowering people are all platitudes you hear, but it is actually lived at LGI.” Grace Tap, Data and Carbon Analyst, can attest to LGI’s ability to empower people.

She began as a casual after deferring university studies in architecture and construction management during COVID-19. She’s now changed career paths, is working at LGI full-time and with help from the executive team is looking to advance to a role in project management.

She says the workplace culture is a big reason why she has stayed on.

“There are so many people working at LGI that are in different stages of their life,” Grace says. “Listening to other peoples’ experiences, I’m glad this is my first full-time job.

“For someone who eventually wants to be in a managing role, to have a woman like Jessica who is CEO of the company and so approachable, as a role model is awesome.

“Watching Jessica, and how she treats people, and learning from Katrina and how she interacts with others so early in my career, has been encouraging.”

For more information, visit: www.lgi.com.au

24 / WMR / February 2023

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FEATURED TOPIC – WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

Waste less, achieve more

ENCYCLE CONSULTING IS WORKING TO DESIGN-OUT WASTE IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. CO-FOUNDER JENNY CAMPBELL EXPLAINS.

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enny Campbell says she learned early in her career to be confident and advocate for the environment.

“It was a double whammy,” the CoFounder of Encycle Consulting recalls of her early days in business.

“I was working on a discipline that at the time was not well regarded and for which there wasn’t much interest. And I was a woman.

“I remember being in a design team meeting and the person running the meeting said, ‘we’ll start in a minute.

We’re just waiting for the waste blokes to turn up’. I was that waste bloke.”

A lot has changed in 14 years.

Today, Jenny and the Encycle team are sought after for their expertise in waste management systems for businesses across multiple sectors including property, mining, education, hospitality, aviation, and government.

They count Crown Resorts, Lendlease, Coles and Rio Tinto among a growing list of national clients.

The focus over the years has been working with design teams on new and existing buildings to help improve their waste performance.

Jenny says a lot of work in the early days was dedicated to educating people that waste is an essential service and how to incorporate it into their buildings. Back then, waste management plans weren’t a requirement of development applications.

She says the introduction of waste management plan requirements and

26 / WMR / February 2023

Women, including Encycle staff, who worked on the Kings Square buildings in Perth. (Image: Peta North)

councils no longer wanting rubbish bins on streets, had huge implications for how buildings were designed.

“It was quite interesting because architects really didn’t have any idea about how to service waste,” Jenny says. “There was no idea about how big a waste truck was, how much

waste and recycling was produced from the building and where it needed to go.

“We’ve built our business around servicing developers and architects in the design of new buildings.”

Alongside the design work, Encycle specialises in waste

minimisation strategies, waste data analysis and reporting for both the private sector and government.

Jenny says there’s been a change in direction in the past few years as more people become aware of the impacts of waste and its ramifications for sustainability.

Where once sustainability was all about energy, now architects and building owners are starting to look at waste and building materials used. Some are even factoring scope three emissions into their plans.

“Originally, when I mentioned waste, I did feel like nobody was really listening,” Jenny says.

“We got a lot of push back.”

Jenny had previously worked in the waste management branch of the Western Australia Department of Environment (as it was known back then) before moving into the private sector working on sustainability in the built environment.

Jenny says she, and Encycle CoFounder Anne-Marie Bremner, could see the opportunities in helping the private sector improve waste management systems from an environmental perspective.

They were determined to make a difference and aimed to be the goto company when it came to waste, recycling and circular economy.

Jenny was a member of the Sustainable Development Working Group at the Property Council for many years and Anne-Marie was on the board of the Waste Authority in Western Australia.

Despite Anne-Marie returning to live in the UK in 2014, the business continued to evolve, working on projects across Australia, particularly in WA and New South Wales and moving into broader areas, such as delivering specialist policy work for federal, state and local governments.

Jenny says the recent mind shift toward sustainability in the

built environment is being driven by the industry, local councils requiring waste management plans, and the strengthening of Green Building rating tools.

With increased media attention on climate change, plastic pollution, and natural disasters more people are also making the connection between waste and the environment.

Previously, the community and industry conversation has been about recycling. The conversation now is turning towards waste prevention and circularity, but Jenny says there is a long way to go.

She says the built environment is a major contributor to waste and emissions, but also offers plenty of opportunity to contribute to a circular economy, not just in valuing the embodied energy in the materials used, but in the operation of buildings whether they are multiunit dwellings, offices, stadiums, or hospitals.

“Waste is an issue that impacts everything,” Jenny says.

“It’s a by-product of everything we do as a society, but people don’t often make the connection between

waste and the environment. There’s an opportunity for a new model where we don’t have bins of rubbish but instead containers of valued products of materials that can be reused or refurbished.”

The evolution and diversity of the industry continues to drive Jenny. She’s excited for what lies ahead with the introduction of new technology, new systems and people engaged in conversations about the circular economy.

Just as she drew inspiration from the late Pam Keating, a pioneer in waste consulting and once President of the Victorian branch of Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association, Jenny also hopes she has set an example for her team.

“It’s important to have those role models. This job would have been more difficult without one,” Jenny says.

“Certainly, in the early years it was quite tough.

“I hope I have made it a little easier for the next generation.”

For more information, visit: www.encycle.com.au

The Encycle Consulting team is excited by the opportunities the circular economy will bring.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 27

FEATURED TOPIC – WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

Making the best of waste

TOWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL’S RESOURCE RECOVERY TEAM IS FRONT AND CENTRE OF THE CITY’S PLAN TO CHANGE THE PERCEPTION OF WASTE.

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andfill and waste management sectors traditionally may have been dominated by males. But just as the language surrounding waste is changing, so too is the gender balance.

The City of Townsville, on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, is indicative of the shift, with women taking the lead in the city’s resource recovery team.

Hayley Page, Senior Strategy Coordinator of Waste and Resource Recovery; Katrina Jones, Resource Recovery Systems Analyst; and Ashlee Stockwell, Resource Recovery Projects and Education Officer, say they fell into the field by accident.

But all three women say once a person is introduced to the industry, they’re likely to stay.

“Personally, I’d never been to a landfill,” says Katrina. “I only ever thought about my wheelie bin when I had to put it out for collection on a weekly basis.

“But once you are part of the industry, you realise how big it is. Once I was in, I was pretty much hooked.”

Katrina’s been in resource recovery for 10 years, the past three with Townsville City Council. As the city’s waste systems analyst, she deals with data governance, ensuring the city is meeting its regulatory requirements.

She says the reintroduction of a waste levy in Queensland is currently 28 / WMR / February 2023

Ashlee Stockwell, Resource Recovery Projects and Education Officer, says younger families are a great demographic to be champions of change.

the biggest driver of change within the industry.

From a city point of view, she says it’s a challenge. Townsville operates one landfill and five transfer stations, catering for a population of just over 200,000. It manages about 300,000 tonnes of waste material each year, of which about 165,000 tonnes is disposed to landfill with a recovery rate of 45 per cent.

“We’re a big facility so we’re dealing with a lot of data,” Katrina says. “The process of auditing is long and detailed.

I’m making sure we are compliant, but with the day-to-day operational needs of the facility in mind.

“Sometimes the two aren’t as harmonious as they could be.

“The goalposts keep changing.”

Hayley agrees the landscape is changing quickly. She’s been in the industry for 15 years, both with local government and the private sector. As strategic co-ordinator it’s part of her role to ensure the city and its councillors are abreast of changes so they can make informed policy decisions.

Among them, is a focus on resource recovery. The council’s Corporate Plan goals include a circular economy that advances business and moves toward zero waste.

“We try not to talk about waste any more,” Hayley says. “Waste is no longer viewed as rubbish to be discarded, instead, it is recognised as a resource able to deliver the community economic and environmental benefits.”

In February 2022, the city endorsed a new strategy to guide investment in waste and resource recovery infrastructure through to 2040, including achieving zero waste, developing a resource recovery precinct and introducing kerbside collections for organics.

Hayley says the end goal is to find alternatives to landfill.

“We’ve always had strategies at national and state level but now there is so much emphasis on meeting diversion targets and extending the life of our critical infrastructure,” she says.

“It’s about ensuring we have more domestic capacity to process resources instead of making them someone else’s problem.”

One of the challenges is retrofitting facilities and processes to comply with new regulations, largely at cost to the city. Hayley says there is still a public perception that waste services are free.

“People don’t realise it’s a cost to council,” she says. “People accept that they pay to flush their toilet and get water, but they don’t see waste as an essential service they should pay for.”

Education plays a key role in getting the community on board the city’s sustainability journey.

Ashlee sees her role as an education officer as bringing waste front of mind

Hayley Page, Senior Strategy Co-ordinator of Waste and Resource Recovery, says the end goal is to find alternatives to landfill.

so that it’s no longer out of sight, out of mind.

“It’s not waste, it’s like fossicking for gold,” she says.

“We’re resource mining.”

She delivers that message to the community through talks and tours of the city’s recycling centres and having boots on the ground for projects that reduce waste and improve resource recovery and recycling.

While programs are aimed at everyone, she says school programs are a good starting point to encourage the next generation to consider waste differently.

Young families also are receptive Katrina Jones, Resource Recovery Systems Analyst, says the waste levy is a big driver of change within the industry.

to new initiatives, such as the city’s recent Food Organic Garden Organic (FOGO) trials.

“Younger families are a great demographic to be the champions of change,” Ashlee says.

Hayley will take a business case for the FOGO service to council early in 2023. If approved, it will take two years to roll out.

Ashlee says seeing a major project come to fruition is one of the rewards of the job.

All three women agree the immediate future of the industry is challenging, but exciting.

“Councils used to be rates and rubbish but it’s changing,” Hayley says. “We have to change the way the community thinks about waste, it’s so much more than just collecting their bin.

“We are aiming to be front and centre with our community to change perceptions as we provide more sustainable services into the future.

“We simply can’t afford to continue to just do what we have always done.”

For more information, visit: townsville.qld.gov.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 29

FEATURED TOPIC – WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

Forward focused

TALIS CONSULTANTS’ WASTE MANAGEMENT TEAM DISCUSS THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES OF WORKING IN A DYNAMIC INDUSTRY.

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ustralia’s waste management and resource recovery landscape has undergone rapid transformation in the past few years.

As the nation takes responsibility for its waste, the environmental and regulatory goal posts continue to change. That’s where Talis Consultants comes in.

The Western Australia-based company has built a team that is industry focused and recognises that awareness is critical to resource recovery strategies.

The waste management team has gained recognition for its service and project delivery including providing waste strategies, community recycling and drop-off facilities, waste transfer stations, recycling and recovery facilities, landfills and more.

WMR met some of the team:

COURTNEY WILLIAMS Senior Waste Management Consultant Courtney admits she hadn’t thought about working in the waste management industry, but as she neared the completion of her Bachelor of Applied Science, a technical officer role was advertised at her local council to join the waste team.

“I didn’t know what to expect from the role, but loved it from the day I started,” she says.

When she started with the council in 2007 there was a focus on service delivery, with little attention on resource recovery. Over the years there has been a significant shift towards resource recovery and circular economy, with these now at the forefront of a majority of strategic decisions.

Courtney says the change in focus needs to be met with more funds for 30 / WMR / February 2023

Courtney Williams has noticed a significant shift toward resource recovery.

education and system improvements relating to avoidance, reuse and circularity.

She says while the spotlight is often on the implementation of services or infrastructure, which are critical to the industry, education is sometimes overlooked.

“Education is critical to this industry,” she says. “There is something about witnessing someone having the ‘light bulb moment’ and making the connection that their actions and decisions have an impact on the wider issue.

“Every small change can make a difference to this industry.”

Courtney hopes to see a shift towards personal responsibility and acknowledgement that waste is a resource to be managed sustainably.

“There needs to be a shift in people’s perceptions that once their bins are emptied at the kerbside, their waste is someone else’s issue to deal with,” she says.

Lyndell Coates says there’s a need for more markets for recycled materials.

LYNDELL COATES Senior Waste Management Consultant Twelve years ago, Lyndell Coates thought an opportunity to work on a waste project would be interesting. Now she can’t imagine doing anything else.

In that time, she’s worked in both Canada and Australia and seen a greater awareness that current consumption and disposal practices require a rethink.

Drawing comparisons between the countries, Lyndell says that while Australia’s residential collection, being fully automated, is more advanced, the implementation of food organics, garden organics (FOGO) and product stewardship programs lag.

She says if Australia is to move toward a circular economy, there needs to be more focus on creating markets for recycled materials such as plastics and glass. Hand in hand with that is the need for more education about living sustainably and creating less waste.

“Education is critical to changing people’s attitude and behaviour towards managing waste,” Lyndell says.

“We all make many decisions on a daily basis that influence how much waste we generate and where it ends up. Identifying different target audiences and tailoring messaging to these is key.”

One of the biggest challenges, Lyndell says, is that it takes time and money to effect change. She would like to see more support for local government to manage the waste that communities create, as well as making industries that generate a lot of waste more responsible for the end-oflife disposal.

MEGAN MATHER Waste Management Consultant Megan Mather started her career in local government as an Environmental Officer within the Water and Waste Directorate.

Increasingly interested in the operations and environmental management of the council’s waste management facilities she eventually became the Senior Waste Management Officer.

“I am in constant awe of how passionate and innovative the industry can be, and the continued challenges faced across the states,” Megan says.

She’s witnessed many changes that have forced the industry to evolve, including the introduction of China’s National Sword Policy, implementation of export bans, the extension and growth of the waste levy across all states and continued efforts to transition towards a circular economy.

While there have been advancements in Australia’s waste management, Megan says several areas need more attention.

“I would like to see a consistent approach to waste management adopted from a federal level,” she says.

“That could include standards for kerbside collection infrastructure, waste levies, changes to legislative processes to support the development of onshore

Megan Mather wants to see standardisation across the industry.

processing infrastructure and markets and encourage end users to increase the uptake of recycled content.”

Megan says she’s excited to see how the waste management industry responds in the coming years to the implementation of targeted waste management and resource recovery activities and the development and commissioning of multiple waste management infrastructure projects.

JENNI WROE Senior Waste Management Consultant After completing an environmental engineering degree, Jenni Wroe was offered a casual position with Talis Consultants in the waste division.

She says she had little understanding of the waste management and resource recovery industry but soon learned that waste affects everyone – from everyday bin collection to the impact of climate change.

In her short time at Talis, Jenni says she’s seen many positive changes within the industry, and an increase in interest from the general community on how waste is managed.

“Waste management is a shared responsibility and I think that the increased interest in what is happening with waste is such a positive shift,” she says. “The closure of overseas markets

Jenni Wroe says a strong remanufacturing sector is key to a circular economy.

taking our recyclable materials and subsequent regulation of the export of certain materials by the Australian Government shows we need to manage our resources in our own community.

“I’m fortunate to have found myself in the waste management and resource recovery industry at such a progressive time.”

Jenni says the development of a circular market is progressing, but more needs to be done to absorb Australia’s domestic recycled material that is being collected.

She says building a strong remanufacturing sector and extending producer responsibilities will be key to better outcomes in the future.

Communities play a role too when choosing what they buy and influencing the way manufacturers, retailers and governments take action.

“There’s no argument that underpinning all this change is a constant need for education,” Jenni says.

“Keeping the communities connected enables them to better understand the impact waste has and to change the perception of waste and stimulate innovation in the industry.”

For more information, visit: www.talisconsultants.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 31

FEATURED TOPIC – SOIL REMEDIATION A new project will target more than 160,000 tonnes annually of contaminated soil.

A clean slate M

SOIL WASHING TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP SUPPORT THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT’S CIRCULAR ECONOMY PLAN.

ore than 160,000 tonnes annually of contaminated soil will be targeted in a project to divert waste from landfill and meet a growing demand for construction materials in Victoria.

EarthSure, a joint venture between contaminated land remediation service provider Ventia and resource management company Veolia, has secured up to $1,155,846 in the second round of the Circular Economy Infrastructure Fund – Hazardous Waste Stream.

The State Government initiative, delivered through Sustainability Victoria, funds projects that target contaminated soils and other forms of hazardous waste.

The grant will be used by EarthSure to relocate an existing patented soil washing plant to its contaminated soil and hazardous waste processing facility in Dandenong South, in Melbourne’s south-east.

Adam Fletcher, Ventia’s General Manager Environmental Services, says the wash plant will provide a cost effective and sustainable solution for the reuse of Category C soils in infrastructure projects.

It will also enhance the existing capabilities of the Dandenong

32 / WMR / February 2023

South site to remediate Category A and B contaminated soils using thermal desorption.

“Innovative technologies like our soil washing plant maximise resource recovery from waste streams,” Adam says.

“Aggregate, sand and road base are all products in high demand. The soil washing plant is expected to divert more than 160,000 tonnes of Category C soils from landfill per annum, generating valuable materials that can be reused in infrastructure and building projects The wash plant will provide a sustainable solution for the reuse of Category C soils.

while saving virgin source material from quarrying.”

EarthSure is aiming for up to 98 per cent of treated soils to be reused.

The EarthSure facility was established in 2018 and built on capped former landfill cells on a portion of the Veolia Taylors Road landfill in Dandenong South. The site has historically operated as Victoria’s only licenced Category B landfill.

Steven Marshall, Veolia’s General Manager for Resource Recovery in Victoria, says the existing facility offers

EarthSure is aiming for up to 98 per cent of treated soils to be reused.

thermal treatment of soils contaminated with organic compounds and a stabilisation of soils contaminated with heavy metals. Both processes are usually only economically viable for Category A and B soils, meaning Category C soils are sent to landfill.

“The wash plant will deliver the highest possible waste hierarchy outcome, reusing about 25 to 30 per cent of the state’s annually generated contaminated soils,” he says. “It will also deliver significant savings in demand for virgin resources.”

The soil washing technology used at EarthSure was initially developed by Ventia to treat PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contaminated soils at RAAF base Edinburgh in South Australia.

About 12,000 tonnes of PFAS contaminated soil was washed in a worldfirst trial and treated soils were reused as backfill at the site, eliminating the need for expensive offsite disposal options and truck transportation of soil.

Steven says the plant can be reconfigured to treat soils that contain

both physical contaminants, such as oil and debris, and chemical contaminants including hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals.

“The process produces a series of clean reusable products including sands, gravels and aggregates, and a small waste stream that can be treated with the existing thermal desorption process at the EarthSure facility,” he says.

The soil washing plant will provide 25 jobs during relocation.

Relocation of the plant was scheduled to start in December 2022 and the facility is expected to be commissioned by the middle of 2023. Upon completion, the plant will operate 24-hours a day, providing 15 ongoing operating roles and 20 indirect roles for maintenance, support and feedstock and product transportation.

Steven says the project is an important step in helping Victoria embrace a circular economy.

“The soil washing operation provides a pathway for soils to be removed from site, decontaminated and reinstated, removing

the need for importing thousands of tonnes of quarried product,” he says.

“The EarthSure facility tracks all waste received from the moment it leaves the host site until the point of final destruction, disposal or reuse. With a recent report suggesting the quantity of hazardous waste generated in Australia will continue to increase, we’re looking forward to building on the plant’s early successes.”

The Circular Economy Infrastructure Fund – Hazardous Waste is supported

by Recycling Victoria: a new economy, the state government’s circular economy policy that aims to transform how the state reuses, repairs and recycles.

Funded projects are aimed at increasing the recovery and reprocessing of hazardous waste for reuse; the use and quality of recycled materials for remanufacturing and to make new products; and economic development opportunities.

For more information, visit: www.ventia.com/earthsure www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 33

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FEATURED TOPIC – SOIL REMEDIATION

CDE supports Kuwait land remediation CDE wet soil processing technology will be used to treat up to 800,000 tonnes of contaminated soil per year at the Kuwait project.

CDE AND PARTNERS WILL SUPPLY TWO CONTAMINATED SOIL WASH PLANTS FOR ONE OF KUWAIT’S MOST SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS.

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leading provider of wet processing equipment for recycling operations, quarries, and mines on the global market, CDE is working with partners to support the clean-up effort of an estimated 114-square kilometres of polluted land in Kuwait.

The plans were announced to coincide with World Soil Day, celebrated worldwide on December 5, to promote sustainable soil resource management and emphasise the significance of healthy soil.

About 26,000,000 cubic metres of soil was contaminated with crude oil following the destruction of some 700 oil wells in Kuwait in the early 1990s.

The environmental disaster has resulted in one of the most extensive remediation programs globally, involving the cooperation and expertise of a consortium of international partners.

CDE wet processing technology will be used to treat up to 800,000 tonnes of contaminated soil per year.

It is working alongside industrial and engineering services firm Gulf

Center United Industrial Equipment Co., CDE’s long-standing partner in Kuwait. The other partners are KAKLAMOR JV/C, a joint venture between Kuwaiti EPC contractors Khaled Ali Al-Kharafi & Brothers Co. and Finnish remediation specialists Lamor.

ADVANCED SOIL REMEDIATION KAK-LAMOR JV/C appointed CDE to design and engineer a turnkey wash plant for the North Kuwait Excavation, Transportation and Remediation (NKETR Zone 1) and South Kuwait www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 35

FEATURED TOPIC – SOIL REMEDIATION

reduction of harmful contaminants; a cost-effective alternative to multitreatment or disposal processes; the production of quality washed construction sand and aggregates for reselling and reuse; and reduces the carbon footprint of a processing operation by producing recycled sand and aggregates closer to market.

Jason Hartmann, CDE Business Development Manager for Eastern Australia, says the company is working to remove forever chemicals.

Excavation, Transportation and Remediation (SKETR Zone 1) projects.

The coarse soil fraction will be processed using 100 tonne per hour and 140t/h solutions to eliminate contaminants, resulting in high-quality washed construction sand and aggregates that can be reused.

Furthermore, CDE’s expertise in the design of eco-friendly washing solutions will contribute to a reduction in the overall operation’s carbon footprint through significant efficiency gains.

It is anticipated that the two plants will be commissioned in early 2023.

Ruchin Garg, CDE’s Regional Manager for the Middle East and Africa, says the scale and ambition of the remediation program demonstrates how robust and effective CDE technology is at processing contaminated soils.

“This is a field in which CDE has an established track record of success,” Ruchin says. “Our proven solutions each year process approximately 20 million tonnes of contaminated material and various waste streams worldwide.”

He says CDE’s soil-washing technology offers reliability in the 36 / WMR / February 2023

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS The need for soil remediation on contaminated land has increased significantly. There is now advanced knowledge of current and emerging contaminants, in conjunction with an ever-increasing demand for urban housing.

Brownfield sites and metal-polluted hotspot areas are increasingly being used for redevelopment opportunities.

The risk of contaminants leaching into water sources can lead to contamination of human drinking sources. There are also risks for the bioaccumulation of chemicals in animals that can eventually make its way into the food chain.

AN AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT In Australia, soil remediation is driven by environment protection authorities to deal with the side effects of fracking and other industrial activities. CDE is working with local partners to focus on removing forever chemicals such as PFAS and other contaminants from waste streams.

“Victoria is very strong in this space,” says Jason Hartmann, CDE Business Development Manager for Eastern Australia. “We already collaborate with environmental specialist Enviropacific on the thermal desorption process that works to eliminate PFAS and other pollutants from multiple waste streams.”

Thermal desorption is a process whereby heat is applied to contaminated soils, slurries, and other industrial wastes to remove contaminants. At Enviropacific’s facility, waste undergoes

conditioning in CDE’s HydroTip NDD receival and washing plant before its thermal treatment. Washed, dried and screened material is fed into the thermal desorption unit, which uses heat to vaporise contaminants with a low boiling point.

The remediation process separates contaminants from the solid material.

They can then be recovered and reused for construction and other purposes. At the same time, they minimise the volume of bulk material sent to landfill.

“This adds to the broader zerowaste ambition of CDE technology,” says Jason. “Guided by our purpose to build our best world, a ton at a time, it is our view that CDE wet processing technology will prove an essential component as we support more companies within Australia and around the world with their circular economy goals.”

A GLOBAL LEADER Working across five regions globally, CDE has been co-creating with customers for 30 years to deliver collaborative, imaginative, and unique processing systems. Its portfolio includes what is believed to be the world’s most extensive contaminated soil wash plant in New York.

The CDE global headquarters is located in Northern Ireland and is the regional HQ for the United Kingdom and Ireland. CDE’s Centre of Excellence in Texas serves the North American market. It also has regional offices in Europe, MEA, and Australasia.

CDE is an established and awardwinning company, as such it was requalified for Platinum status in the world-recognised Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards 2022. This was the 14th year that CDE won a Best Managed Companies award.

For more information, visit: www.cdegroup.com

Realise your landfill’s potential for carbon abatement and renewable energy Did you know that your landfill can actually help reduce local greenhouse gas emissions? If not captured, biogas from landfills can account for 60-80% of a local council’s carbon footprint.

Even small (open or closed) landfills can produce enough gas to support financially viable biogas extraction. Some sites will produce enough gas to create dispatchable, renewable energy for decades.

LGI’s biogas extraction systems capture and combust the methane-rich biogas converting it into less harmful carbon dioxide. Every tonne of CO2 equivalent that an LGI system prevents your landfill from emitting, could earn Australian Carbon Credit Units.

Don’t underestimate the value of your landfill. Biogas extraction from landfill is proven technology and is available now to drastically reduce your carbon emissions.

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FEATURED TOPIC – SOIL REMEDIATION

Quality and communication

ENVIROMANAGE SYSTEMS AIMS TO DELIVER CONSISTENT, QUALITY SOIL REMEDIATION SERVICES WITH THE HELP OF GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD COMMUNICATION, AND VOLVO EXCAVATORS FROM CJD EQUIPMENT.

EMS has built a strong relationship with Volvo distributor CJD Equipment.

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reater Western Sydney’s EnviroManage Systems (EMS) has provided innovative and sustainable remediation and demolition services for the private and government sectors for more than 15 years.

The business has found success through adherence to a core set of values, which means doing things the right way for all stakeholders – customers, staff, and environment alike.

Chief Executive Officer Jason Kennett leads a small, dedicated team of remediation specialists and environmental scientists that values quality results.

“We’re a boutique remediation company that does a lot of boutique projects,” Jason says.

These projects can involve anything from tracing and removing kilometres of asbestos piping through farmland, to 38 / WMR / February 2023

decontaminating old racetrack sites for safe residential development.

“Simply carting and disposing to landfill was where it started,” Jason says.

“But we’ve evolved over time. We’ve developed our own unique process to treat materials to best transform brownfield sites to meet certain criteria.”

One point of focus for EMS is minimising material sent to landfill – both for the sake of the environment and the client’s budget.

Where possible, reusable soil is kept onsite for use by civil contractors, or dispatched to recycling companies. This leaves only irredeemably contaminated material that requires disposal at authorised landfills – potentially saving clients from large disposal fees.

It is also key, Jason says, to minimise any impact on the surrounding

community and environment. This can involve suppressing dust with water carts, or monitoring air quality for contaminants such as asbestos fibres.

“There’s legislation in place, but we also want to make sure we do the right thing,” he says. “It’s important to us that things are done properly.”

This extends to the safety of EMS staff, who undergo dust and disease monitoring every 18 months.

Jason says keeping the EMS business relatively small helps enable better quality control, and ultimately better results.

“We’re a small company, which makes it easier to keep good lines of communication,” he says. “We talk to each other regularly throughout the day, and we try to support each other as best we can to streamline the whole process.

“We run a very progressive IT system setup, which means everyone knows what everyone else is doing.”

Jason says this all helps EMS deliver projects within budget and on time.

“We always aim not to exceed timeframes – unless we encounter unexpected contamination,” he says.

Even when such surprises occur, Jason says clients will at least have been prepared for the possibility thanks to a carefully prepared remediation action plan.

In the business of soil remediation, given much of the process is largely intangible, Jason says it’s important to

ERIEZ_

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ensure clients understand where their easy to deal with,” Jason says. “Having money is going, and that the job is one point of contact for one line of getting done. machines also means if we run into any “It’s on us to make sure clients are wellissues, we know who to call, and we know informed,” he says “They’ve really got to exactly what to expect from them.” be across the process as well.

Jason estimates EMS has taken “Transparency is a big key. We keep delivery of about 12 machines from CJD good documentation of what goes on, Equipment in that time. and ensure we keep accurate field notes.

“We chose Volvo excavators because “And a fair bit of trust goes into it. Our they’re well appointed,” he says. “They’re customers trust us, and we trust our staff. extremely comfortable, easy to operate, I think our reputation – and our repeat smooth, and consistent. customers – reflect that too.”

“We’ve also found we can get parts Just as Jason and the EMS team rely on pretty quickly and reliably.” the trust of clients, the smooth operation EMS recently took delivery of two of the business demands equipment that ECR145E 15-tonne reduced tail swing can be trusted. EMS has maintained excavators – meaning the rear of the a strong relationship with equipment cab only protrudes minimally over supplier CJD Equipment, the Australian the tracks. distributor for Volvo excavators.

“We’ve gone for a couple of the “I’ve dealt with Steve Wilson at CJD reduced swing machines because we’re for 15 years, and he’s a gentleman – very sometimes working on the ground with ERIEZ_ DPS_ECS_Ad_WMR1_23.qxp_Layout 1 12/23/22 2:46 AM Page 1

people around, and often operating in camera mode,” Jason says.

He says the slight compromise on cabin size is worth making for jobs on closequarters sites – helping to avoid causing any sort of obstruction or coming into contact with anything or anyone.

Jason is also impressed by the power that Volvo’s excavators offer for their size.

“On a 22-tonner, the breakout power for digging and loading is probably just as good as a 25-tonne machine,” he says.

Jason says the Volvos are also as reliable as they are powerful.

“We actually traded one in recently that had about 15,000 hours on it,” he says. “And we could have kept on using it, it still worked well – it was just a matter of upgrading to newer technology.”

For more information, visit: www.enviromanage.com.au

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FEATURED TOPIC – TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Adaptable control

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VEGA’S SENSOR TECHNOLOGY IS PROVIDING IMPROVED SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY OF OPERATIONS AT CLEANAWAY’S ST MARYS SITE.

leanaway’s St Marys Liquids and Technical Waste Services treatment facility in Sydney’s west processes hazardous solid waste for developers, infrastructure businesses and waste companies.

The team has developed its own wastewater treatment plant, something Branch Manager Nethan Kana says allows them to evolve and upgrade as waste streams or treatment processes change.

“We are a NSW EPA licenced facility that treats hazardous solid waste, such as contaminated soils and drill mud – we’re the only licenced processor of asbestos contaminated drill mud in the state,” he says. According to Nethan, protecting the environment is paramount

to Cleanaway, and when dealing with any hazardous waste, the prevention of overflows or spills is critical. He says Cleanaway facilities are expected to ensure compliance with the Protection of the Environment Operations (POEO) Act, as well as social and community expectations.

When the Cleanaway St Marys team was looking to streamline and strengthen its stormwater and treated water management with sensor technology, Nethan reached out to VEGA’s Tony Scarborough – NSW Business Development Manager – on a recommendation from the staff at Cleanaway’s nearby South Windsor site.

“Tony came in, he was able to consult on the project, and provide a scalable

The site’s stormwater pit is monitored by a VEGAPULS 21 sensor, which is connected to a PLICSMOBILE T81 radio telemetry unit.

The site’s stormwater pit is monitored by a VEGAPULS 21 sensor.

and upgradable solution,” Nethan says.

Nethan knew from the beginning that Tony understood the liquid wastewater treatment process, operational challenges, and what the Cleanaway team wanted to achieve on site. He also knew exactly which off-the-shelf products VEGA could supply to minimise disruption.

“Not only does he know exactly what the VEGA products can do, but he knows exactly where the limitations are, which is very important,” Nethan says.

Once Cleanaway St Marys decided to go ahead with the VEGA set-up, Tony was there every step of the way.

“To be honest, if he had just said ‘this is the product you need’ and left the rest to somebody else, I don’t think we would have progressed beyond that first consultation,” Nethan says.

“Tony provided technical support to our electrical contractors, and he commissioned and calibrated the sensors himself. He also managed the installation of the software, set up all the emergency notifications, and provided training to our staff. He handled it all for us.” www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 41

FEATURED TOPIC – TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Each tank’s VEGAPULS 21 connects to a VEGAMET 841 for local monitoring.

THE SET-UP Cleanaway’s St Marys site uses VEGA technology for two main applications.

The first is for its stormwater pit, where surface and stormwater run-off is collected and tested in accordance with the site’s stormwater management plan, before being released offsite.

Here, Tony installed a VEGAPULS 21 compact radar sensor for continuous level measurement, along with a PLICSMOBILE T81 radio telemetry unit.

When the site is unmanned, or during extreme weather events, the system can send email and SMS notifications to key personnel to alert them when the pit is full and needs releasing.

“It’s an invaluable part of our stormwater management on the site,” Nethan says.

“If we have a sudden thunderstorm, or we haven’t opened up a valve, we are alerted to the risk of overflows straight away.”

The second is for the site’s wastewater tanks – an essential part of the processing of contaminated drill mud. Mud is dewatered with a series of screens and sieves, then the water is treated to make it suitable discharge via a trade waste agreement.

Each of the site’s tanks is also equipped with a VEGAPULS 21 level sensor, which connects to a VEGAMET 841 for 42 / WMR / February 2023

local monitoring. One of the tanks, located a short distance from the others, has its signal relayed between two VEGAMET 841 units so it can be monitored together with the rest in a single location.

This tank is also connected to its own PLICSMOBILE T81 for alerts.

The remaining three are networked via VEGAMET 624 ethernet controllers.

“This set-up eliminates the need for the manual checking of each tank level,” Nethan says.

“We don’t have to climb up and look inside the tank, so we’re not working at heights. It makes the whole operation more reliable, efficient, and far safer for our operational staff.”

The whole system is accessible through the VEGA Tools mobile app, as well as Cleanaway’s computers via VEGA’s cloudbased VIS (VEGA Inventory System).

“This system provides that extra level of protection,” Nethan says. “If there’s a malfunction or some unforeseen incident, it helps prevent contaminated water escaping, which could require a costly clean up.”

measurement solutions is their flexibility and adaptability.

“We’ve developed our treatment system through our own research and development, and we’re in the process of automating it,” he says.

“With the equipment that Tony’s provided, as our system is fully automated, the VEGA set-up can adapt.

“And that’s because he really understood our motivation. He’s got the background; he’s got years of experience. He knew exactly where to position everything to get the most reliable, accurate data – as well as the best way to ensure everything was compliant.”

Nethan says Tony’s ongoing support has also been invaluable – whether in providing additional training or telephone support.

“We weren’t driven by price on this particular project,” Nethan says. “It was about the service, and the quality of the componentry. And the VEGA sensors provide that reliability, day in day out.

It’s just set and forget thanks to VEGA’s ongoing support.”

SENSING THE FUTURE Nethan says a big strength of VEGA’s

For more information, visit: www.vega.com/en-au

Four treated water tanks are each fitted with a VEGAPULS 21 to monitor levels.

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FEATURED TOPIC – TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Material opportunities

JONATHAN SCHULBERG EXPLAINS HOW THE ERIEZ COPPER REDUCTION CIRCUIT PROVIDES A COMPETITIVE EDGE IN THE SCRAP METAL MARKET.

Jonathan Schulberg says the Eriez CRC process can help scrap metal operators maximise profit.

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or more than 80 years, Eriez has been a global leader in separation technologies, designing and delivering process solutions for a range of industries.

The company’s equipment can be found across the world, playing important roles in everything from food, textile, and pharmaceutical production, to mining, recycling, and resource recovery.

44 / WMR / February 2023

Jonathan Schulberg, of Eriez, says the scrap metal industry is an ideal example of where the company’s process enhancements can have a big impact.

“The Eriez Copper Reduction Circuit (CRC) is revolutionising ferrous recovery in the scrap metal industry,” he says.

“It’s benchmarked both metal recovery rates as well as grade improvements.”

Jonathan says the CRC process consists of a PokerSort™ Magnetic

Drum Separator positioned to extract long troublesome rods, rails, and other “pokers”, followed by a single or pair of P-Rex® Permanent Magnet Drums that recover up to 99 per cent of the ferrous material.

The CRC process also includes a Shred1® Ballistic Metal Separator to improve the ferrous product’s grade by reducing its copper content typically below 0.2 per cent.

“The process is designed to deliver operators with a competitive advantage in the market by improving quality and lifting recovery rates,” Jonathan says.

The PokerSort is designed to remove pokers such as leaf springs, tie rods, steering and axle components, and other troublesome long shapes immediately after the shred to minimise pegging, blockages and damage to materials handling and other downstream equipment.

Jonathan says that typically, as scrap exits the shredder, alignment guides on the incline conveyor tend to position pokers parallel with the flow. This increases the chance of pokers piercing and tearing the conveyor belt.

However, the Copper Reduction Circuit ensures that when the pokers reach the end of the transfer conveyor, they are magnetically pulled over and out of the process stream by the PokerSort into a discharge chute to be processed separately.

“The Eriez P-Rex is the strongest drum magnet available to the industry,” Jonathan says. “Its permanent rare earth magnetic circuit delivers 40 per cent greater strength than typical electromagnets.”

Jonathan says the P-Rex also provides full width edge-to-edge coverage and a strong pick-up capability.

“What this means is greater recovery rates of up to 99 per cent,” he says.

“And every tonne processed generates proportionally more profit.”

The unique Traction Plate® option, combined with the P-Rex, is designed to aid cleaning by reducing the “clumping” effect on the cleats which entrained less fluff and dirt producing a cleaner product.

The addition of an Eriez Shred1 Ballistic Separator provides the operator

the ability to automatically produce a premium low-copper ferrous product.

Its high-speed processing sends clean, high-grade ferrous material on a different trajectory than mixed metals such as meatballs and wire harnesses that contain a proportion of copper.

Jonathan says these mixed metals degrade the ferrous product and often render the frag fraction to lower value uses.

“Premium low-copper ferrous is highly valued by most steel mills,” he says. “The more ferrous material recovered from the shred, the greater the profit. The lower copper content in the scrap steel reduces the need for added pig iron and DRI (direct reduced iron) in the steel making process.

“The Shred1 not only offers low copper frag, but data shows labour costs

can be reduced, as only 25 per cent of the total material flow ends up reporting to the picking station.”

Jonathan says this results in better accessibility for picking copper bearing materials efficiently, which could translate to fewer pickers being required.

“The Eriez Copper Reduction Circuit process represents the greatest opportunity for scrap operators to increase their bottom line,” he says.

“It sets a new standard in scrap metal separation with PokerSort, P-Rex, and the Shred1 Ballistic Metal Separators working in unison. This system leads to better recovery and a higher-grade ferrous product while delivering it at a lower cost per tonne.”

For more information, visit: www.eriez.com.au

Meet RecycleSmart, an on-demand collection service for tricky-to-recycle items. With our Power Pickup service, we collect clothes, soft plastics, e-waste and misfit items from your resident’s doors and ensure they are recycled properly.

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FEATURED TOPIC – TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

A step ahead

WELLINGTON SHIRE COUNCIL IS KEEPING ON TOP OF THE LATEST LANDFILL MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY WITH THE HELP OF A NEW BOMAG BC 573 RB-5 LANDFILL COMPACTOR FROM TUTT BRYANT EQUIPMENT.

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overing 10,924 square kilometres in Victoria’s Gippsland region, Wellington Shire is the state’s third largest municipality – one known affectionately by its council as The Middle of Everywhere.

The shire is serviced by eight waste facilities, its main one being the Kilmany Resource Recovery Facility, which processes between 22,000 and 24,000 tonnes of waste each year.

Samantha Nock, Acting Manager, Natural Environment and Parks at Wellington Shire Council, says the council recently took over management of the engineered landfill at Kilmany after several years of it being outsourced.

With a view to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, the council took this opportunity to seek an upgrade to the site’s mid-sized landfill compactor.

“The compactor previously used on the site was quite a bit older and did not run that efficiently,” Samantha says. “This meant higher fuel usage and higher costs – burning more fuel can also put a greater strain on parts of the engine, creating higher maintenance costs.”

After extensive research, the council chose the BOMAG BC 573 RB-5 – a brand-new 28-tonne landfill compactor – which it took delivery of last November.

According to John Glossat, Tutt Bryant Equipment’s National Business Development Manager for BOMAG, Wellington Shire’s BC 573 RB-5 – complete with the latest Mercedes/

46 / WMR / February 2023

MTU Stage 5/Tier 4 final engine – is the very first of its kind to reach Australia’s east coast.

“They wanted to be on the forefront with their emission reduction, and they’ve invested that little bit of extra money to be a step ahead,” John says.

The biggest advantage of the new Mercedes/MTU engine is the upgraded exhaust after-treatment system. John says it’s the first BOMAG machine to be fitted with a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) which, together with the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR), reduces emissions dramatically.

Samantha says that for Wellington Shire Council, this new engine was a major factor in choosing the BOMAG. “The Mercedes/MTU Stage V/ Tier 4 final engine, with its exhaust Wellington Shire Council took delivery of the BC 573 RB-5 in November 2022.

treatment, achieves near complete removal of particulates and harmful gases, which aligns well with the council plan and sustainability strategy,” she says.

Samantha says the Wellington Shire team was also impressed by BOMAG’s unique wheel and articulating frame setup, which is designed to maintain continuous contact with the ground and optimise load distribution.

“As opposed to a more traditional drum setup, the BOMAG was appealing because it provides a higher level of oscillation, which is important when managing undulating loads on the tipping face,” Samantha says.

John says that the articulation and oscillation offered by BOMAG’s compactors is one of their biggest selling points.

BOMAG’s articulating frame helps maintain contact on uneven surfaces.

“Landfills are not even, so without this level of flexibility, you can imagine the kind of stress you’d get on the frame,” he says.

The wheels themselves are fitted with BOMAG’s specially designed compressor teeth combined with adjustable scrapers and wire cutters, which John says ensures wheels are kept clean and performing at their peak.

Another important feature of the BC 573 RB-5 is BOMAG TELEMATIC – the company’s remote monitoring, tracking, and diagnostics system.

“All new BOMAG compactors are fitted with this technology as standard,” John says. “It means every machine is always just a mouse click away. For large regional councils such as Wellington, I think it’s especially important to be able to access their machines remotely.”

John says this also enables Tutt Bryant to monitor remotely for faults, which allows quick troubleshooting as problems occur, or service teams to be deployed with the right tools and parts.

“It costs time and money for a council to send somebody out to a site

to check up on a machine, so remote access makes things much easier,” John says.

“It also provides a daily overview of the machine’s workload, time spent idling, how much fuel was burned.

“This makes it easy for councils to measure what the machine is achieving, and that they’re getting the right results for their capital outlay – and for the local ratepayer.”

For Wellington Shire Council, BOMAG TELEMATIC offers a range of benefits – both in efficiency of operations, and in operator training.

“This is an important feature to ensure we’re keeping track of metrics related to the business case that was approved by council,” Samantha says.

“The information also allows us to review the usage of different operators, which can be used to help train less experienced staff on how to operate more efficiently.”

This combination of features alone made BOMAG’s BC 573 RB-5 an appealing proposition, but Samantha says the Wellington Shire Council team

was equally impressed by Tutt Bryant’s customer service.

“What immediately stood out with Tutt Bryant was their communication and desire to understand our operation,” she says.

“After our initial inquiry about purchasing a compactor, Terry Polios from Tutt Bryant came out on site to review the type of landfill we were running and the type of waste we were accepting.”

Samantha says Tutt Bryant’s commitment to finding the right solution based on this detailed, datadriven review gave council confidence to make the best choice – not only for now, but for the challenges ahead.

“Although Kilmany is a relatively small landfill, it was good to know the people we were dealing with cared enough to take the time to discuss our requirements in detail,” Samantha says.

“From there, selecting the BOMAG was a relatively easy decision.”

For more information, visit: www.tuttbryant.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 47

FEATURED TOPIC – TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Before implementing LandfillGrade in 2016, the Tamala Park Landfill team relied on traditional survey techniques.

Real-time efficiency M

POSITION PARTNERS IS PROVIDING MACHINE GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS TO HELP EMPOWER LANDFILL MANAGEMENT AND OPERATORS WITH LIVE INFORMATION.

aximising efficiency and increasing safety are key drivers for waste management and landfill facilities.

Powerful, easy-to-use machine guidance technology can be a simple but highly effective way to increase productivity and reduce or eliminate interaction between people and plant on site.

At Summerhill Landfill, in Wallsend, west of Newcastle in New South Wales, machine guidance technology was first introduced in 2014 following a competitive tender for a GPS-based landfill management system.

Position Partners was awarded the tender to supply, commission and support Carlson LandfillGrade onto a dozer and compactor, along with office-based software for reporting.

Brad Wood, Summerhill Landfill Operations Manager says that maximising the use of existing landfill space is of critical importance.

“Using Carlson will, without doubt, prolong the life of Summerhill Landfill. We will be able to compact more waste in the same space,” he says.

48 / WMR / February 2023

“By using Carlson, we know that we are fully compacted at the end of each day, which means we are also maximising airspace.”

Brad says machine operators are empowered by real-time access to the information they need.

“Through the in-cab screens the drivers can see when they have reached grade and can then progress to the next section of garbage; this improves our compaction rate and really does save a lot of time,” he says.

Brad also relies on the office software, Carlson Command, to keep track of on-site progress and get timely reports on the information that matters for management.

“In the office, I use Carlson software to monitor what is going on out in the field,” he says. “It is a brilliant tool to check site progress and make sure that the machines are on grade and the cut fills are on track.”

At Tamala Park Landfill in Western Australia, Operations Manager Brendan Twine reports similar benefits to productivity since implementing machine guidance. Prior to installing the LandfillGrade solution, the Tamala

Park team relied on traditional survey techniques. In 2016, Mindarie Regional Council began trialling grade control technology on its machines to monitor the effect it would have on compaction ratios, available air space, and overall productivity.

Brendan says that some of the reporting requirements could have been fulfilled with alternative options such as aerial mapping using survey drones, however he feels machine guidance has provided the team with more benefits and day-to-day productivity gains.

“The system gives operators constant cut and fill information in a concise format via the in-cab screen, as well as relative position information in respect to the overall fill plan,” he says.

With the field-based employees empowered to work more autonomously, Brendan can monitor the overall planning and productivity of the operation.

“The online software enables me to monitor the compactors and how effectively they are working,” he says.

“I have a high level of confidence when it comes to our compaction ratios and

making the most of the available air space in the landfill.”

Position Partners has successfully deployed Carlson machine guidance technology at numerous landfill and waste management facilities throughout Australia and New Zealand. Brad explains the value in having a local supplier to support the onboarding of new technology.

“Position Partners was always on hand to provide training to help guide me through the new landfill system, and within no time at all I was up to speed,” he says.

Brendan says the solution, once installed, is largely standalone and user-friendly for machine operators and managers alike.

“It’s a largely self-sufficient system and one that’s very easy to use,” he says. “For operators, there’s not a lot of training required, and the system gives them the information they need simply and succinctly.”

Machine guidance technology has been in use at Summerhill Landfill since 2014.

Andrew Granger, Business Manager for Mining, Landfill and Solar at Position Partners, says that Carlson systems have a demonstrated track record on Australian and New Zealand waste facilities and can be installed on a wide range of landfill plant of various makes and models.

“The Carlson LandfillGrade machine guidance system helps our customers improve the efficiency

and safety of their landfill sites,” he says. “This is achieved through the maximisation of vertical space, leachate management, avoidance zones for gas wells and hazardous material placement and access to better, more accurate data.”

For more information, visit: www.positionpartners.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION - SUSTAINABILITY

Nothing wasted

SMART RESOURCES GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR WARD PETHERBRIDGE DISCUSSES CIRCULAR SOLUTIONS FOR PALLETS, AND HIS VISION FOR A FULLY SELF-SUFFICIENT RECYCLING FACILITY.

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hen Ward Petherbridge joined his father Geoff’s waste tip business in 1997, he brought with him a background in environmental science, and a vision for a versatile and adaptable recycling facility.

Within a few years, Ward had started Smart Recycling – a dynamic, multipurpose recycling business, which now forms part of Smart Resources Group.

Smart Recycling occupies three sites across Melbourne – depots in Brooklyn and Epping, and a primary facility in Dandenong.

The Dandenong site – the original tip site that Ward’s father bought in 1982 – has grown into the sustainabilitycentric shared facility known as the Waste Converters.

Three other businesses share the Waste Converters site with Smart Recycling: EcoCrush, which specialises in concrete recycling; EcoDynamics, which specialises in mulch products for landscaping; and

Smart Recycling’s relationship with CEA began with the purchase of a JCB telehandler.

50 / WMR / February 2023

Commercial Tippers, which specialises in green waste and construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

Ward is Managing Director of Smart Resources Group, and oversees the operations of the Waste Converters site, where he explores every opportunity to reduce waste and get the most out of every resource. This has led Smart Recycling to develop its niche in recycling timber pallets and packaging waste.

“We recycle about half a million pallets a year,” Ward says. “And in conjunction with EcoDynamics, we convert about 25,000 tonnes of timber into other products.”

Initially, collected pallets were mulched, but the business gradually developed its process into a circular system, repairing, and even manufacturing new custom pallets for the brick and tile industries. Now, the whole operation is driven by a dedicated smartphone app, Smart Pallets App.

“We have 20 vehicles that collect pallets all over Melbourne,” Ward says.

“We populate the app with the delivery location data, collect them once they’ve been used, and then repair and reuse them.”

POWERING SUPPORT Ward says his company’s relationship with equipment distributor CEA began about five years ago with the purchase of a JCB telehandler.

“We started using the telehandler to bag sand for our brick and tile customers, as well as for pallet deliveries,” he says.

Ward says CEA’s service and support network across multiple brands has led to subsequent purchases – his business having since added a JCB loader and an Atlas Copco QIS-125 generator for use in the site’s biofuel production.

“We have a biomass boiler, which uses wood chip as fuel,” he says. “The Atlas Copco generator is dedicated to running

our shredder, as well as a new stacker we’ve recently purchased.”

The heat from the boiler is used for pallet heat treatment kilns and timber drying kilns. Ward says his facility is Australian Quarantine certified, meaning timber packaging from Smart Recycling can be sent anywhere in the world.

“This is a process that every other heat treatment facility in Australia is using gas for,” he says. “We believe we’re the only ones in Australia using biomass.”

This is just one example of Ward’s ambition to find solutions for any material passing through the gates of the Waste Converters site.

“There’s always more timber available in the waste stream than there are markets for it,” he says. “So, we like to diversify.”

Ward says his team continues to experiment not only with various biofuel mixes, but also exploring uses for the ash generated in the process – including blending it with aggregate and making it into road base.

“We have our finger in a lot of different pies,” he says. “Which is great for when one area of the economy is quiet, we’ve usually got something else that’s still ticking along – diversity has really been the key to our success.”

KEEPING IT CIRCULAR “Nothing goes to waste” has become something of a mantra for Smart Resources Group and the businesses operating at the Waste Converters site.

Ward says of all the material processed between the four companies, only five per cent residual waste is sent to landfill.

“That residual is predominantly builder’s waste – a mix of strapping and plastic that’s contaminated with dirt or other material,” Ward says.

“In the future though, I can see that going into waste-to-energy facilities like the one in development at Maryvale.”

The site also makes use of one million litres of rainwater catchment for toilets and water trucks, as well as 100 kilowatts

Smart Recycling has developed a circular system for pallets, including collection, repair, and remanufacture.

of energy from solar panels to power the majority of the pallet recycling operation.

“With everything we do in the business, it’s all about trying to achieve best practice – it makes economic sense as well as environmental sense,” Ward says.

“We also have our own wastewater treatment systems onsite because, as an old landfill site, we’re not on mains sewerage.

We use our greywater for watering our substantial boundary of trees.”

Ward says the 35-acre site is surrounded by a 20-metre planting strip, stretching several kilometres.

“We put in another 2500 trees this spring,” he says. “It’s an industrial site, but we still try to make it as presentable as possible. A waste facility doesn’t have to look ugly.”

ALWAYS EVOLVING Ward says his aim is to operate both Smart Recycling and the Waste Converters site in a way that leads by example for both his staff and the industries they serve – something evident in the big plans he has for the business over the next few years.

“We’re looking at putting in a new fully automated, robotic sorting, dismantling and repair line in 2024,” he says. “We’ve designed a building to fit the line, which

will be fitted out with 750 kilowatts of solar, as well as charging stations for electric vehicles.”

Ward hopes providing free charging stations will incentivise his staff to consider making the switch to electric vehicles.

“That’s a really important part of the design,” he says.

“We want to make sure free charging is just part of working at Smart Resources Group – a great incentive both to come to work, and to switch to a more environmentally friendly vehicle.”

This additional solar energy will also allow Ward to repurpose his diesel-fuelled Atlas Copco generator as a back-up generator for the site.

“Our ultimate aim is for the site to be completely independent – produce as much of our own power and water as possible, and for any residual waste streams to be used for biofuel,” Ward says.

“I’d really like the site to be a bit of a role model for how it can be done. And once we achieve that with one site, my aim is to replicate it.”

For more information visit: www.smartrecycling.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 51

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION - SUSTAINABILITY

Building better

CATERPILLAR HAS SET UP ITS AUSTRALIAN HEAD OFFICE IN TULLAMARINE TO EMBODY THE COMPANY’S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND A LOWER CARBON FUTURE.

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ith 100,000 square metres of buildings across 57 acres, the sprawling Caterpillar Australia head office in the north-western Melbourne suburb of Tullamarine is a vital hub for the company’s Asia Pacific operations.

For many years, the site has been a proving ground for a range of sustainability initiatives – an area of focus for Caterpillar, as laid out by its 2030 sustainability goals.

Chaminda Senanayake, Facility Project Engineer and Environmental Coordinator, says the Tullamarine site reflects the company’s global dedication to the environment – something evidenced by Caterpillar being named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the 22nd time in 2021.

“Sustainability is one of five Values in Action, and a strategic area of focus at Caterpillar,” Chaminda says. “We are committed to further reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while helping our customers meet their climate-related objectives.

“The Tullamarine facility is focused on increasing efficiency and reducing grid-based energy as we strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, and reach water and waste goals.”

On a broad scale, Caterpillar aims to support its customers through a global transition to a lower carbon future through investments in new products, technologies, and services.

The company has provided remanufacturing and rebuild options across Cat® brands around the world for 50 years – a service that offers a range of environmental benefits, including 85 per cent less energy and water use, 61 per 52 / WMR / February 2023

Pallets and boxes are broken down to increase density in the site’s bins.

cent less greenhouse gas emissions, and 85 per cent less material use ¬ according to Caterpillar.

These goals are underpinned by a dedication to positive behaviour change throughout the organisation, from the factory floor to personal waste management in the office.

SMALL CHANGES, BIG IMPACT Chaminda says his team is always looking for ways to improve and optimise waste reduction, aided by regular audits and ongoing discussions with staff.

“This includes working with the warehouse and office teams to segregate waste into the appropriate receptacles, breaking down boxes and pallets to increase density in the bins, and recycling other common items to reduce general waste,” he says.

“There are no plastic straws anywhere on the site, and takeaway coffee cups from our café operations are biodegradable.”

In 2020, desk-side waste bins were removed from offices, a change Chaminda says was well received by staff.

“This has prevented the dumping of about 600 kilograms of plastic bag waste annually,” he says. “It required some education, but also gave employees some ownership over the progress towards our waste goals.”

Chaminda says that for every project undertaken on the site, the team explores ways to reduce its environmental impact, whether by providing appropriate recycling solutions through waste management partners or finding ways to reuse materials onsite.

This can involve repurposing clean soil for levelling elsewhere on site, or mulching

green waste from tree pruning for use in gardens.

“Wood, steel, electrical and non-ferrous metal waste all play a significant part in our recycling operations,” Chaminda says. “Wooden pallets and crates that are broken or beyond repair are recycled. We use roller packers to compact our timber bins, which helps increase material density and decrease bin pick-up frequency.”

Electronic waste is collected in two streams: one for all computer parts, and another for non-ferrous metals such as copper cables and other electronic components.

“We are also extending our efforts to recycle as many things as we can by recycling mobile phones, ink toner, and batteries across the entire site,” Chaminda says.

“These small initiatives reduce the cost of disposal for managing and transporting waste on projects, plus any recycling rebates – from steel or copper, for example – are returned to Caterpillar.

“Additionally, when material is segregated properly at the source, more gets recycled and less goes to landfill – which also results in indirect emissions reductions.”

A BRIGHTER FUTURE Another key initiative for reducing emissions at the Tullamarine facility in recent years has been the installation of LED bulbs across the site.

More than 4000 high-bay 600-watt light fittings have been replaced with 125-watt LED fittings, many with individual sensors; and more than 500, 72-watt office light fittings have been replaced with 24-watt LED fittings.

Chaminda says that in 2019, this reduced energy use at the site by about 65 per cent, and costs by 50 per cent.

“Now, the site has been converted to 100 per cent LED lighting, with most fittings covered by a seven-year warranty, thus reducing the ongoing maintenance costs and increasing both profitability and productivity,” he says.

Rainwater is collected and used to water the site’s gardens.

The team has also started using some of the facility’s roof space for a pilot solar project.

“Working with Cat Microgrid Solutions and Cat dealer EPSA (Energy Power Systems Australia), we installed a pilot 5-kilowatt solar generation plant on our main café roof, using Cat solar panels,” Chaminda says.

“This has been achieving an annual output of around 6.5 megawatts. Even though this is a small output compared to our annual electricity use, it is a step toward reducing on-site emissions.”

OUTSIDE THE BOX While waste reduction initiatives have been ramping up across multiple sectors recently, Caterpillar has had a horse in the race for many years. Since 2006, the Tullamarine facility has been collecting rainwater runoff and currently has capacity to collect more than 600,000 litres.

“More than 18 million litres of rainwater has been used across the entire site for flushing toilets, gardening, and numerous production activities since installation,” Chaminda says.

“Without this rainwater collection, that water would otherwise have come from

potable water supply sources. In addition to rainwater, mandatory fire system testing that previously discharged water into the stormwater system has been diverted back to the water tanks, reducing potable water use by around 50 per cent.”

Monthly monitoring of the site’s 19 water, gas and electricity meters ensures any possible leaks underground or on roofs are detected and fixed early.

Additionally, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment across the site is being upgraded to remove R-22 ozonedepleting refrigerant gas by 2024.

During another on-site infrastructure project in 2019, electrical distribution boards and underground services were upgraded to accommodate future electric car charging stations.

For Chaminda and his team at Caterpillar, the ongoing sustainability initiatives at the Tullamarine facility are evidence of a company tackling environmental issues from the inside-out and setting a positive example for the broader industry.

For more information, visit: www.caterpillar.com/en/company/ sustainability.html www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 53

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – E-WASTE

Temperature rising

The incorrect disposal of temperature exchange devices is releasing harmful volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere.

E

RESOURCE FOUNDER TROY ROWE CALLS FOR STRONGER E-WASTE RECYCLING REGULATIONS TO MINIMISE THE HARM OF TEMPERATURE EXCHANGE DEVICES.

lectronic rubbish is piling up around the world at a rate of 40 million devices per year, according to Clean Up Australia.

One of the fastest growing waste streams globally, it’s more likely to pollute the environment than biodegrade if sent to landfill, with toxic chemicals seeping into soil, water and air if mishandled.

Despite increased awareness of the dangers and a focus on recycling, only 54 per cent of e-waste is collected in Australia. Recent figures from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment reveal that of the e-waste collected, 46 per cent ends up in landfill, 43 per cent goes to low efficiency recycling such as scrap metal, and only 11 per cent is handled by dedicated e-waste processes.

It’s an “acceptable norm” that Troy Rowe, Founder of e-waste recycling company ReSource, says is unacceptable.

He says the incorrect disposal of some e-waste, particularly temperature exchange devices (TEDs) such as fridges, freezers and air-conditioners, is releasing harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere.

While there are regulations around the release of VOCs, Troy says anyone from small scrap metal operators to huge shredding plants around Australia, can process TEDs. He’s calling on Australia to follow overseas standards and minimise the risk of releasing VOCs by restricting recycling of these devices to certified recycling facilities with the proper environmental controls.

“It’s a problem across Australia that we allow these devices to be managed in a very unmonitored way,” Troy says.

“This is one of the areas of recycling where Australia is years behind.”

VOCs are a large group of chemicals known to be responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. Troy says that in Europe, governments are taking it upon themselves to invest millions into purpose-built TED processing facilities because they realise the damage VOCs can cause to the atmosphere.

He says part of the problem in Australia is that TEDs can get ‘lost’ in traditional shredding processors.

“If you mix one fridge in a pile of thousands of tonnes of steel products it gets lost in the pile,” he says.

“If you put emissions testing equipment on the dust extraction www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 55

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – E-WASTE

Troy Rowe, ReSource Founder, wants tighter controls for recycling temperature exchange devices.

system it will look like VOC levels aren’t high because they’re spread across thousands of tonnes. The reality is, it’s still releasing the same amount of gases.”

Troy says it’s common practice to degas TEDs before shredding. However, there is always residual VOCs in the tanks and foam insulation from fridges and freezers.

In Europe, after degassing, TEDs are put through a specialised shredder plant in an oxygen-free environment where any residual gas is extracted out of the chamber and into specialised filtration systems.

Activated carbon filtering is a similar concept but uses a carbon filter during the shredding stage. It’s this process that Troy is implementing at a purposebuilt e-waste recycling facility in Derrimut, Victoria.

Spread across 15,000-square-metres, the facility is set to fill a critical role in Australia’s recycling landscape 56 / WMR / February 2023

treating e-waste as its own beast.

It will have multiple stages with various technologies to liberate and then separate different materials, including those with low recovery rates.

Troy has worked with specialist dust collection and emissions control company Nederman to include an Australian-first, dual-stage activated carbon filtering system in the processing plant.

“It will contain at least 95 per cent of VOCs as a minimum,” Troy says.

“We’re trying to take some steps, as opposed to blowing VOCs out to

the atmosphere. We are trying to be proactive in the way we manage TEDs that come onto our site. It’s come at great cost and no benefit to us other than feeling good that we’re doing the right thing.”

Troy wants Australian regulators to start enforcing the monitoring of VOC emissions at scrap metal sites and introduce laws that mean TEDs go to facilities that have appropriate protections for the emission of VOCs when recycled.

At the very least, he thinks it should be law that TEDs are degassed before any form of processing, at best, there should be appropriate fundings to help companies put in place emissions controls to stop VOCs going into the atmosphere.

“The second biggest e-waste volume, by tonnage, in Australia today is TEDs, but it doesn’t appear important enough to the government to take action,” Troy says.

“It’s not good enough to say, ‘regulations around VOC emissions are in place’, or ‘the cost benefit analysis doesn’t stack up’. These emissions are extremely harmful so they need to be monitored and real action taken to minimise the risk they pose.

“The environmental costs in relation to TEDs in particular is a concern of mine when you see how serious the rest of the world is taking the risks VOCs present.”

For more information, visit: www.re-source.au

ReSource will install an Australian-first, dual-stage activated carbon filtering system in its Victorian processing plant.

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – RECYCLING

Next level recycling

RECYCLESMART AND RESIDENTS OF MULTI-UNIT DWELLINGS (MUDS) IN NEW SOUTH WALES ARE TAKING RECYCLING OUT OF THE TOO HARD BASKET.

The recycling station at an Erskineville multi-unit dwelling has expanded over the years.

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bout $74,000 per annum saved in waste collection fees and an average of five fewer 240-litre bins going to landfill each week – they’re impressive statistics for an environment notoriously labelled too difficult for recycling.

Together with on-demand recycling service RecycleSmart, the residents of a 263-apartment building in Erskineville, New South Wales, are proving multiunit dwellings (MUDs) can be great recyclers. What began as a way to dispose of polystyrene has grown into

58 / WMR / February 2023

a recycling solution for coffee pods, soft plastics, cosmetic packaging, and everything in between.

But according to resident Wendy Showyin, the building’s recycling station is doing more than saving money and landfill space, it’s helping build a community.

“With an apartment complex of our size we can see what we’re doing is making a difference,” Wendy says. “That reflects through each building, from the occupants, to management, and makes the whole property better.

“Everyone’s proud of the fact that their building is setting a good example to the rest of the community. We have a lot of people who are invested in it.”

Limited space for infrastructure and collection services has traditionally forced MUDs into the too hard basket when it comes to recycling.

Waste contamination can also be a problem if there is limited buy-in from apartment residents.

RecycleSmart has been working with several councils across New South Wales to offer residents an on-demand

service for tricky to recycle items such as clothing, e-waste, and soft plastics – right from their door. In three years, the company has diverted more than 360,000 kilograms of waste from landfill.

Ricky Recalcati, RecycleSmart Head of Operations, says the company began trialling the pick-up service in several MUDs across the City of Sydney in 2021 and has had positive results. The company now works with about 12 MUDs across four council areas and is in discussion with several others to start services in 2023.

“Building managers are seeing behavioural change from residents,” Ricky says. “There is noticeable reduction of contamination in their recycling and red-lid bin usage.”

He believes part of the success of the recycling service in MUDs is having building managers make a clear distinction between regular rubbish collection and a recycling station. It can be as simple as putting signs up in the corner of a garage area, to setting up a storage room with smaller bins and containers to separate recycling streams.

“If there is a big garbage bin area it takes only a few people not doing the right thing to contaminate recycling,” Ricky says. “If we put recycling bins in the garbage room it just becomes another bin.

“We want to make it very clear this is a recycling station.”

Wendy says the journey with RecycleSmart began with several individuals opting into the service but has since transitioned into a scheme that is looked after by the building manager and the cleaners (less red bin work leaves time for tidying the RecycleSmart area).

She suggests starting with a few recyclable items and encouraging ownership of the scheme from residents.

On demand recycling has successfully been adapted for multi-unit dwellings.

“Each building will have to work with its own community dynamic. We found keeping it light has been our best tactic, also keeping it friendly and positive,” Wendy says. “Our service has changed so much as more people have come on board and offered new ideas.

“As RecycleSmart grows, we grow with them. With 263 apartments in the building, I find we’re big enough to have an impact but not too big to manage. It’s been a game changer.”

For Wendy’s building, the recycling station is in the loading dock, the only common level for the building, and near the entrance, which ensures safety and ease of collection for RecycleSmart drivers.

RecycleSmart now collects soft plastics and polystyrene weekly and coffee pods, coffee cups, batteries, printer cartridges, cosmetic packaging and fluorescent globes when requested. (The RecycleSmart soft plastics collection is not linked to the national REDcycle scheme, which was paused in November 2022, and so has been unaffected in the City of Sydney.)

Ricky says the program is adaptable to any size building, but he has seen most value for buildings with more than 20 units. For buildings with less than 20 units, he suggests residents sign up for individual subscriptions.

He says the process to set up a MUD recycling service is straight forward. A RecycleSmart team member will help access available space onsite and show how to get the community involved.

They book a pick-up when required and the drivers take care of the rest.

Every time a RecycleSmart driver collects bags of recyclables the bags are sorted and weighed. The volume of plastics, e-waste, clothing, and problem waste is logged, as is the number of bags collected and pick-ups.

Ricky says the data collected helps encourage more involvement.

“Residents can see the good they are doing,” he says. “They can see that in this week 100 kilos that would have gone to landfill has instead been recycled. It’s tangible evidence.”

For more information, visit: www.recyclesmart.com www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 59

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TYRE RECYCLING

Turning tyre waste into fuel

Eldan tyre shredding and recycling equipment offers solutions for everything from TDF-production to making rubber granulate and powder.

(Image: ©Leube Zement GmbH)

LEUBE ZEMENT, IS ONE OF EUROPE’S OLDEST CEMENT FACTORIES, WITH MORE THAN 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE MAKING AND USING TYRE-DERIVED FUEL. CHRISTIAN WÖRGÖTTER, HEAD OF ASSET MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE AT THE ST LEONHARD-PLANT, SHARES THE COMPANY’S EXPERIENCE.

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he world is projected to generate about one billion end-of-lifetyres (ELT) each year, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Tyre Industry Project, 2018.

While ELT pose a challenge for the path to a circular economy, but they also offer huge potential – not least in the search for alternative fuels.

Burning shredded ELT as fuel, or tyrederived fuel (TDF) has been used in the cement industry for many years with good reason. When burned, TDF has almost the same heat value as oil, is 25 per cent more effective than coal and most cement kilns don’t need to be modified to use TDF. Companies are also reaping the financial benefit for collecting and disposing of tyre waste. This, combined with rapidly rising energy costs and environmental awareness, has led to an increase in use of TDF.

A MODERN TYRE SHREDDER Leube Zement is one of the oldest

producers of cement in Europe. The Leube company was founded in Ulm in 1838.

The cement plant in St Leonhard, Austria, was bought in 1864 and has been used for cement production since.

The Leube cement plant in St Leonhard started processing ELT to shreds in 1998.

It had tried to buy shreds from other companies for a short time but realised that buying TDF would never work due to delivery problems. The company installed its first tyre shredder and began manufacturing TDF in-house. It’s now producing about 5000 kilograms of TDF an hour – about 6000 metric tonnes a year.

“Scrap tyres have the advantage of a high calorific value and are easily accessible,” says Christian Wörgötter, Head of Asset Management and Maintenance at the St Leonhard cement plant. “As such, they pose an attractive alternative to expensive fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Furthermore, as opposed to other substitute fuel, tyres don’t add any chlorine, no matter if you use passenger car

tyres, truck tyres or even tractor tyres.”

Christian says cement is sensitive to chlorine contamination. Even small amounts of materials such as PVC or packaging containing salt in refuse-derived fuel can bring the chlorine content above the 0.1 per cent maximum threshold.

THE RIGHT SOLUTION Christian first came across Eldan Recycling at a fair in Dortmund in 2017 where he was on the lookout for a new tyre shredder.

“In general, the two-shaft shredder we were using was worn out after 20 years of operation. It practically ripped the tyres apart, often resulting in massive blockage and wire entanglement,” he says.

He says Leube was on the lookout for a tyre shredder that was easy and economical to maintain, could fit within its 100 per cent automatic set-up with as little modification to the plant as possible, and could be fed with its existing crane.

Denmark-based Eldan Recycling made its first shredder to cut tyres for

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Encycle

TDF in the 1970s when the oil crisis gave a local gardener the incentive to look for alternative ways for heating his greenhouses.

He collaborated with Eldan to modify its existing cable shredder to cut the tough tyres, paving the way for further innovation in the field. Today, Eldan is one of the world’s largest suppliers of tyre shredding and recycling equipment with solutions for everything from TDFproduction to making fine, steel and textile-free rubber granulate and powder.

“All other suppliers said they could only make the required shred size when building in a screening area after the shredding area, and they also needed a return conveyor to the shredder for the oversize,” Christian says. “This would not only require a lot of modifications and potentially an additional employee to handle the TDF, but also additional

investment in equipment, with the added maintenance and spare parts that follows.”

Eldan suggested a Super Chopper SC2109 – the largest single-shaft Eldan shredder with nine rotor knives providing the cutting force on the tough material.

It can be supplied with screening bars for shreds down to about 100-200 millimetres, and can be prepared for feeding by crane, belt conveyor, or a tyre-feeding silo depending on the customer’s requirements.

“When I saw the Eldan machine, I liked it much better,” Christian says. “The tyres are cut, and the cutting equipment is easily maintained, so you always have a proper cutting edge. This is especially important if you have truck tyres with finger-thick bead wires that are impossible to rip apart.”

With the Eldan Super Chopper, Leube kept its existing automatic crane set-up, although technicians from Eldan and Leube did some modifications of the

Your Partners In Reducing Waste.

feeding section to optimise the automatic function of the system.

Leube continued to produce the required TDF size of 100-200 millimetres without additional screening equipment and return conveyors, or the need to hire additional personnel.

The tyres are cut rather than ripped apart, ensuring less wire entanglement and a cleaner cut shred. Maintenance time and costs were also reduced.

Christian says Leube now spends on average about 50 per cent of the costs in spare and wear parts compared to the former machine.

“We have had our old machine running for 20 years, and I assume that will also be possible with the Eldan Super Chopper,” he says.

For more information, visit: www.eldan-recycling.com

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – PLASTIC RECYCLING

Pipeline to a circular economy

D&M WASTE MANAGEMENT HAS FAST-TRACKED A MOVE INTO PLASTICS RECYCLING AND HAS ENLISTED APPLIED MACHINERY TO HELP START ITS JOURNEY. DANIEL TAYLOR, GENERAL MANGER, EXPLAINS.

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&M Waste Management started in 2001 as a bulk waste transport business, with current General Manager, Daniel Taylor, taking over in 2012. The business has since evolved to become a leading player in the waste management industry and has more recently made the move into the recycling arena.

The company has several contracts with local government authorities throughout Perth and the north-west of Western Australia for bulk verge 62 / WMR / February 2023

D&M Waste Management has purchased a Genox recycling plant specifically for pipe shredding.

waste collection including green waste, general waste and recyclables.

Daniel says while the move into plastics recycling was something the company had been considering for a while, it was fast-tracked by the national export ban on waste high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastics in 2021.

The ban coincided with the launch of the Federal Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund, which D&M successfully obtained. This funded a significant part of the Genox recycling

plant that the company purchased.

“We were extremely grateful for the financial support we received from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, which allowed us to enter the recycling market quicker than we anticipated,” Daniel says.

The Genox brand has been distributed and supported exclusively

by Applied Machinery since its entry into the Australian market. Today more than 300 companies in Australia have Genox equipment installed, making it one of Australia’s leading suppliers of recycling machinery.

Daniel contacted Applied Machinery to see what options were available for a plant built specifically to handle pipe shredding. Once a proposal was received, Daniel and his team looked carefully into experiences other companies had with Genox and Polystar equipment.

“We contacted a couple of recycling businesses that were already operating this brand of equipment and the feedback was extremely favourable,” Daniel says. “It gave us the reassurance to proceed with the purchase.”

D&M selected a recycling plant with several standard Genox modular components, including a shredder specifically for plastic pipes. The J-Series pipe shredder is a multi-rotor design with long-life counter knives, ideal for

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shredding different diameter and sized pipes. After the pipes are shredded and granulated, they go through a sink float tank and then a friction washer, centrifugal dryer and finally into a hopper for melting. The molten plastic is then re-pelletised to produce clean dry pellets.

The waste plastics are sourced from several areas including decommissioned HDPE pipes from old bore fields; pipe that was not suitable for reuse along with old bin lids; and various plastic off-cuts from local industry.

In something of an alignment of the planets and a case of vertical integration, D&M’s move into recycling coincided with an opportunity to partner with sister company Hydra Storm which had recently installed a new plastic pipe extrusion line producing a range of HDPE

corrugated pipe for stormwater drainage applications.

Daniel says the clean, dry HDPE resin that the Polystar plant produces is ideal for feeding into the Hydra Storm pipe extrusion line, with any excess resin being offered to the market at a discounted rate, compared to imported, virgin HDPE resin.

The recycling plant was up and running from 10 August 2022. The throughput has gradually increased since that time and the plant is now matching the capacity of the extrusion plant – the ideal scenario.

“With both companies operating from the same facility this entire setup would have to be one of the best examples of true circular economy processing,” Daniel says.

He says his experience with Applied

was positive.

“The whole process from quotation through to delivery was pretty much seamless,” he says.

“While we handled installation ourselves, we called upon Applied’s after sales service for help in resolving a couple of minor issues and we found the service excellent. Having local support that we can call on quickly is very important to us and a key component of our decision to partner with Applied.”

With a successful move into recycling the future looks bright for D&M. Daniel says the company has a number of other initiatives in the wings which will establish it as a key player in the recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.appliedmachinery.com.au

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COUNCIL IN FOCUS

Looking to the future A NEW $9 MILLION LANDFILL CELL HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED AT CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL’S BUTTONDERRY WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY

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entral Coast Council has completed one of its most significant projects recently undertaken – a new landfill cell at Buttonderry Waste Management Facility, costing $9 million.

With the local existing landfill cell, which was constructed in 2013, reaching its end of life, the council designed and constructed a new modern engineered cell – about five hectares, or seven football fields – in size.

It’s one of three cells currently planned which, combined, will provide about three million cubic metres of landfill space.

Andrew Pearce, council’s Waste and Resource Recovery Unit Manager, says the project was challenging on many levels, with the priority always to ensure the new cell met environmental requirements and community expectations.

“Council’s team, together with our contractors, faced many challenges during the project including COVID-19 impacts to contractor staff, higher than average wet weather and two significant natural disaster events, but have succeeded in delivering the project on time, on budget and meeting expectations,” he says.

Works on the project included the excavation and stockpiling of about 415,000 cubic metres of soil and rock; placement of 20,000 tonnes of leachate gravel, 1.8 kilometres of leachate collection pipelines and a leachate pumping station; and access roads, stormwater management and electrical infrastructure, and litter fencing.

64 / WMR / February 2023

JCB A drone captured an image of the finished landfill cell at Buttonderry.

The new cell, expected to serve the community’s needs for the next 4.5 years, has three engineered leachate barrier liners totalling 153,000 square metres that are designed to protect the environment. These are a geosynthetic clay liner, high-density polyethylene liner, and a cushion geotextile.

“The cell has a total airspace of 820,000 cubic metres which is the equivalent to 430 Olympic-sized swimming pools,” Andrew says.

“However, the best outcome would be that this cell is never filled. Rather, we want to work with the community to reduce waste in landfill.”

He says while the council offers many options for helping the community to deal with waste items, the Buttonderry site is also used by commercial customers

for waste that has limited other disposal options.

“We take a significant volume of asbestos waste, of which there is no resource recovery options available,” Andrew says. “We also take many unusual items, with recent examples including hundreds of beehives in response to the varroa mite biological outbreak, as well as whales, dolphins, and a number of endangered leatherback sea turtles which have washed up along our coastline.

“We have scientists from Taronga Zoo and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning regularly onsite undertaking autopsies and sample collection.”

The Central Coast Council services a population of about 330,000

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and operates two integrated waste management facilities – Buttonderry and another at Woy Woy. The Buttonderry site is spread across 270 hectares and is licensed for landfilling, green waste, processing of biosolids and material recovery.

Andrew says the site currently receives about 230,000 tonnes of waste and resources per annum of which about 135,000 tonnes is landfilled and 50,000 tonnes of garden organics and sewage biosolids are composted.

He says the Buttonderry waste management facility has attracted interest from major waste management companies, both nationally and globally, due to its scale and proximity to population centres and transport links.

“We’ve had a lot of people in the industry visit our site. There’s a lot of opportunities for the future,” he says.

The new, modern engineered landfill cell is about five hectares, or seven football fields, in size.

David Farmer, Central Coast Council Chief Executive Officer, says the construction and delivery of the new Buttonderry cell ticks off a major project by the council, as well as delivering an important essential service for the community.

“This facility has been fully funded by council from revenue received in prior years from the operation of council’s

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waste management facilities,” David says.

“The community has made it very clear to council that they want us to focus on managing waste in the environment.

“We are listening and acting by introducing new recycling and waste management initiatives and processes using new technology and partnering with other stakeholders.”

EVENTS

Engineering the Future

WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW DIGS INTO THE ALL-NEW INSIDE CONSTRUCTION EXPO, SET TO LAY ITS FOUNDATIONS AT THE MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE ON 20-21 SEPTEMBER 2023.

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s Australia continues its transition towards a circular economy, industry leaders from both the waste management and construction sectors have been voicing the need for the increased use of recycled material in infrastructure projects.

Innovators from around the country continue to devise solutions for once landfill-bound materials, from soft plastics to end-of-life tyres, and initiatives such as Victoria’s Recycled First Policy are pushing for outside-thebox thinking on procurement.

For Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector, it points to a future The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre will host Inside Construction Expo on 20-21 September 2023.

66 / WMR / February 2023

of growing collaboration with the construction and infrastructure industries – one that the inaugural Inside Construction Expo will aim to foster.

According to Show Director Lauren Winterbottom, the circular economy will be an area of focus for the event, which is slated for 20-21 September 2023 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“We are specifically looking to showcase companies that manufacture solutions for the construction industry out of recycled products,” she says. “We know this is a component of many

major contract tenders now, and one that will only grow.”

Lauren says this push for sustainability in construction is central to the event’s ‘Engineering the Future’ theme – one that will revolve around a showcase for the achievements and opportunities presented by Victoria’s Big Build.

“Victoria’s Big Build program is ploughing ahead with speed,” Lauren says. “Inside Construction Expo will provide a platform to explore these projects, and a forum to connect equipment companies with the contractors who have won tenders to work on these major infrastructure projects.”

One such project, the construction of the Mordialloc Freeway in Melbourne’s south-east, is often held up as an example of how the Recycled First Policy can be implemented effectively.

According to Victoria’s Big Build, the project was responsible for recycling 570 tonnes of plastic waste into noise walls; laid 75 tonnes of 100 per cent recycled plastic draining pipes; used more than 321 tonnes of sustainable roadbase and asphalt – including recycled glass from more than 202 million bottles; and diverted 97 per cent of its construction waste from landfill.

Elsewhere, groups such as Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) and the Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AfPA) are working to boost the uptake of end-oflife tyre-derived crumb rubber in road construction.

2023

The event will showcase Victoria’s Big Build program, its achievements, and the opportunities it offers the industry.

With the export of whole-baled tyres one of many casualties of 2021’s COAG (Council of Australian Governments) waste bans, domestic recyclers are now exploring avenues to increase local demand for this problematic waste stream.

Lauren hopes Inside Construction Expo can help play a part in showcasing the benefits of this push for circularity in construction, and keep the wheel of demand turning for recycled products.

“It’s important to us that the event is contributing to the future growth of the industry,” she says. “And it’s clear that in order for that to be the case, we need to ensure that companies providing these environmentally friendly solutions have a seat at the table.”

BACK ON SITE In 2022, the construction industry faced

its share of challenges – many of which could last through 2023 and beyond.

Skilled labour shortages and supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 have forced the sector to adapt and evolve to keep pace with a booming national infrastructure pipeline.

Lauren says there is no better time for a new in-person event such as Inside Construction Expo, not only to provide a forum for discussion around these challenges, but to celebrate those who have overcome them.

“The past two and a half years have shown us that people value in-person events more than ever,” she says. “While virtual events helped to fill the void, they just can’t compare to a face-to-face networking opportunity.

“Inside Construction Expo will provide a forum to address some of the big challenges facing the construction

and infrastructure industry, and to help ensure that the future of the sector is strong.”

The two-day event will feature more than 100 speakers across four streams, an awards gala, and more than 15,000 square metres of exhibition space, including a large construction equipment showcase – one Lauren hopes will turn some heads.

“We want to do everything we can to help connect our exhibitors with their target customers,” she says. “We’re always thrilled when exhibitors tell us they’ve sold a piece of equipment, or signed a new supply contract as a result of their participation in an expo. It reinforces that we’re bringing value to the industry, and helping it to grow.”

For more information, visit: www.insideconstructionexpo.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 67

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www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 69

LAST WORD

Tackling the challenges head-on

TONY KHOURY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WASTE CONTRACTORS AND RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION, OUTLINES SOME OF THE PRIORITIES FOR THE WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCE RECOVERY SECTOR FOR 2023.

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o invest with confidence, industry needs a level commercial playing field, says Tony Khoury, Executive Director, Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association (WCRA).

He says a key step is the enforcement of all regulations by all government departments, backed up by regulations and laws that provide certainty, the opportunity for payback and a commercial rate of return.

“It’s just one of the challenges,” Tony says, “the waste and recycling sector faces as national waste and recycling targets edge closer.”

In 2023, he says priorities for WCRA will be based on addressing: • Better access to skilled and experienced labour which has become an issue due to COVID-19 health issues, public health order restrictions, lower migrant intake, and the reassessment of work/life priorities by many across the community.

• The threat to industrial relations harmony posed by the multiemployer bargaining process legislation proposed by the Federal Government.

• Further increased regulations leading to complexity and higher compliance costs.

• I ncreasing insurance premiums; mainly the loss impacts caused by fires. e federal ban on the export of • Th

70 / WMR / February 2023

Tony Khoury, Executive Director Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association, says industry needs a level playing field.

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unprocessed recyclables, and the proposal to tax recyclables that will be exported.

The many materials that are not designed for recycling.

D ecreasing revenues for commodities with increased shipping costs and supply chain issues.

A resource recovery order and exemption system that allows the NSW EPA to make material changes without undergoing a proper regulatory impact study.

The EPA’s proposed response to the 22 recommendations from Dr

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Wilkinson for resource recovery reform in New South Wales. e absence of an implementable Th waste management infrastructure plan for NSW. e absence of a practical disaster Th waste management plan for NSW. C&D recycling in NSW and the ongoing issues with asbestos including detection, zero tolerance and absence of a due diligence defence. likelihood that there will be a A change of NSW Government in March 2023, hence a new NSW Minister for the Environment.

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Waste Management Review 2023 | FEBRUARY | ISSUE 70

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