Waste Management Review June 2020

JUNE 2020

Navigating the brave new world Mandalay Technologies’ Simon Kalinowski sees opportunities for waste sector digitalisation

FEATURES Prioritising recycled infrastructure Max Spedding looks to the future A new era for organics in NSW Maintaining mental health in COVID-19

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COVER STORY

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DISCOVERING WHAT’S POSSIBLE

Local governments are increasingly leveraging digital vouchers to reduce liability, supported by data to provide tailored services to their customers.

40

UNLOCKING THE VALUE IN ORGANICS Veolia highlights the company’s comprehensive strategy and range of technologies to work towards a circular economy by diverting organics waste from landfill across Australia.

In this issue

Features

18 RECYCLED FIRST

Recycled First aims to bring a unified approach to the application of recycled materials on road infrastructure projects.

22

TWO DRUMS WITH TEETH

ELB Equipment’s Komtech Crambo shredders are working over-time at Van Schaik’s Bio Gro’s Melbourne organics facility to keep up with a steady influx of material.

24 CATERPILLAR MULCHING

Janelle Horne of Q Mulching details the green waste company’s 17-year relationship with Caterpillar and Hastings Deering.

“OUR UNDERLYING BELIEF IS IF WE CAN GIVE INSIGHTS TO OUR COUNCILS OF INCREASINGLY PRECISE BEHAVIOUR OF THEIR CUSTOMERS, THEN THEY CAN USE THAT TO DEVELOP NEW OR EXISTING SERVICES THAT DRIVE LONG-LASTING BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE.” -Simon Kalinowski, Mandalay Technologies CEO

ORGANICS 26 GROWING 38 RESTORE THE SOIL DEMAND Peats Soil & Garden Supplies has seen a spike in demand for organics product.

Stakeholder communication is proving to be a critical factor in the production of nutrient rich compost for soil regeneration.

28

44 EYEING THE PAST

NET ZERO DIVERSION Jeff Goodwin of Wastech Engineering speaks with WMR about bolstering organics recovery with high power equipment.

A FOGO 30 GROWING COMMUNITY

Bega Valley Shire Council’s FOGO service highlights the role of stakeholder engagement in building community support for resource recovery.

32

A NEW ERA FOR ORGANICS IN NSW

Through the Net Zero Emissions Plan and upcoming 20-year waste strategy, the DPIE is planning for the next phase of organics recovery in NSW.

Retired waste industry leader Max Spedding recalls how he overcame challenges in the past.

EXPO 50 WASTE FORGES AHEAD

MR speaks with Cory W McCarrick, Waste Expo Australia Event Director ahead of the 2020 event.

52 TRANSLATING CLEANTECH

MR speaks with Veena W Sahajwalla about a decentralised approach to sustainable materials research.

Regulars

55 P RODUCT SHOWCASE 57 LAST WORD www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 3

PUBLISHER

Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

EDITOR

From the Editor

Organic opportunity

Toli Papadopoulos toli.papadopoulos@primecreative.com.au

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Holly Keys holly.keys@primecreative.com.au

DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

ART DIRECTOR

Getting organics out of landfill has long been highlighted as one area that would go a long way to solving our contemporary waste management challenges.

While focusing on the “one per cents” of the waste stream still supports critical behaviour change, such as with plastic bags (which is less than one), methane generated by food waste presents a global problem.

As commented by MRA Consulting’s Virginia Brunton, globally food waste generates about eight per cent of anthropogenic GHG emissions – around the same as road transport emissions.

It’s therefore timely that governments are working to significantly reduce food waste to landfill. The NSW Government is targeting net zero emissions from organics waste by 2030, while the Victorian Government’s Recycling Victoria policy will halve the volume of organic material to landfill by 2030, with an interim target of 20 per cent reduction by 2025. This aligns with the national target to halve Australia’s food waste by 2030.

Diverting organics from landfill, whether it be through compost or other areas within a waste hierarchy, also comes with significant employment opportunities.

Australian Economic Advocacy Solutions was recently commissioned by the Australian Organics Recycling Association to undertake an investigation into the economic impact of the industry. One of the key talking points from the report is the modelling of increasing organic rates nationally to 70, 80, 90 and 95 per cent.

At 70 per cent, organics recycling businesses would generate an extra $771 million in sales. This would save an additional 1.5 million in greenhouse gas emissions.

Ramping it up to 95 per cent would create $1.7 billion in additional revenue and provide $1.6 billion in supply chain opportunity. An extra 3.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions would be saved, which would take 741,524 cars off the road.

A testament to the industry’s progression is pages 22 – 41, which highlights private and public sector initiatives taking organics out of landfill through higher order principles. With the right building blocks in place, the future is bright for this area of largely untapped potential.

4 / WMR / June 2020

Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au

DESIGN

Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Chelsea Daniel-Young chelsea.daniel@primecreative.com.au p: +61 425 699 878

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER

Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

HEAD OFFICE

Prime Creative Pty Ltd 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia p: +61 3 9690 8766 f: +61 3 9682 0044 enquiries@primecreative.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au

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ARTICLES

All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

COPYRIGHT

Waste Management Review is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy.

All material in Waste Management Review is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher.

The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Waste Management Review are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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News

VIC Govt defers EP Act commencement Commencement of the Victorian EPA’s new Environment Protection Act 2018 has been postponed until 1 July 2021, due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19.

The Act was originally scheduled to commence 1 July this year.

According to a Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning statement, the decision is part of the state government’s focus on delivering a suite of initiatives designed to ease the burden on business, industry and Victorians as they address the impacts of the pandemic.

“As a result of this decision, the EPA will continue to regulate under the Environment Protection Act 1970, including all subordinate legislation (regulations and statutory policies including state environment protection policies and waste management policies) until the new commencement date,” the statement reads.

“The Victorian Government is The EPA will continue to regulate under the EP Act 1970 until the new commencement date.

6 / WMR / June 2020

committed to the EPA’s reforms and the long-term benefits they will provide for all Victorians. This is not a cancellation of the environment protection reforms. As with many aspects of working life at the present time, it is a responsive adjustment to the current circumstances.”

The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) has welcomed the announcement, with CEO Gayle Sloan noting that WMRR has been engaging with the regulator.

“Originally slated to commence this July, the new Act represents a significant shift in approach towards prevention, as well as a more flexible, risk-based approach to compliance – both of which are welcome, but will take time for industry and government to work through together to get the balance right,” she said.

“Additionally, with the current challenges being faced by all of Australia, including our essential industry, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is consumed with the job at hand of keeping our services operating and ensuring the safety of our staff and the community.

We need to remain focused on this task at this time and not further regulatory change.”

According to Ms Sloan, the deferral further illustrates that the Victorian Government listens to the needs of industry and considers its concerns and recommendations.

“WMRR appreciates the government’s decision to defer the

commencement of the new EP Act by a year, which affords all of us – industry and governments alike – time to work through the sticking points and ensure that the Act meets all its objectives and the industry is given sufficient time to plan for the changes,” she said.

“Importantly, the EPA is keenly aware that now is not the time to be effecting significant regulatory changes, and as we continue to face mounting challenges related to the pandemic, business as usual is unrealistic.”

WMRR is encouraging other governments to reconsider the need to progress additional regulations that will place undue financial and operational pressure on operators already facing difficult times.

“We would encourage other jurisdictions to urgently pivot towards a post-COVID-19 world for our essential industry, by actioning strategic policies and plans that will build a solid foundation for a strong and sustainable environment, as well as fast tracking the capital funding, planning, and approval of waste and resource recovery and remanufacturing infrastructure,” she said.

“Doing this now, we hope, will enable us to come out of this pandemic with a strong and viable sector, which will positively offer a much-needed boost to local economies, creating local jobs that will be welcomed now and into the future.”

It's time for waste vouchers to go digital Organisations’ voucher programmes provide huge benefits to residents. Current systems are too hard, too expensive and too exposed to fraud.

Introducing Resident Services - Voucher Management The introduction of waste voucher programmes and the ongoing management of waste entitlements can present a big challenge for Councils. Processes can become a labour-intensive part of servicing resident communities and there is often a lack of useful data captured.

“A common question we are asked by Council is how can they improve customer service interactions with their community.“ Simon Kalinowski, CEO

Mandalay is proud to introduce you to Resident Services. Initially offering the Voucher Management application, a simple yet powerful tool for issuing, managing and measuring waste vouchers and entitlements.

A number of councils have participated in pilot programmes in Voucher Management with huge success. It is now ready to be offered to the rest of our customers. www.mandalaytech.com.au/products/voucher-management

It's time. Talk to us now to go digital.

Please contact us: enquire@mandalaytech.com

www.mandalaytech.com.au | enquire@mandalaytech.com

News

Fed Govt invests $25M to clear environmental assessment backlog The Federal Government has made a $25 million “congestion busting” investment in a bid to break through a multi-billion-dollar backlog of environmental assessments.

According to Environment Minister Sussan Ley, just 19 per cent of key assessment decision points were being made on time in the December quarter last year.

“By March 2020, we are making 87 per cent on time and the department is on track to make that figure 100 per cent by June 2020, with no relaxation of any environmental safeguards under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC),” she said.

Additionally, Ms Ley said there was a backlog of 78 overdue key decisions

in December 2019.

“That backlog has already been reduced by 47 per cent and is on track to be cleared by the end of this year,” she said.

“Cutting green tape is not about removing protection for the environment – it is about getting rid of unnecessary delays – delays that currently cost environmental groups, businesses and the economy hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Ms Ley said business confidence in a balanced assessment approach makes companies more proactive in identifying and complying with environmental safeguards under the EPBC Act. “Professor Graeme Samuel will prepare an interim report into his

review of the EPBC Act by the middle of this year, and I expect he will, in the course of the review, identify a range of measures that we can take to prevent unnecessary delays and improve environmental standards,” she said.

Ms Ley added that she would be prepared to make changes ahead of the final EPBC review report, if sensible opportunities presented themselves.

“We are getting congestion out of the system and we will continue to do so as the economy comes through the COVID-19 crisis, but we will also continue to ensure that our environment is protected and that proponents comply with environmental legislation,” she said.

WA named preferred site for new biomass facility An Australian-United States joint venture has chosen Collie, Western Australia as its preferred site for a new facility that uses high-temperature technology to produce renewable diesel fuel from biomass.

Australian company Frontier Impact Group has partnered with US-based REEP Development to expand the use of the pyrolysis technology into the AsiaPacific region.

According to State Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan, the high-temperature pyrolysis technology involves burning

8 / WMR / June 2020

biomass or waste to produce syngas, which can then be used to produce 100 per cent renewable diesel fuel.

“The US is home to the only largescale plant of this kind in the world, with the capacity to produce up to 27 million litres of renewable diesel fuel and 10,000 tonnes of biochar each year,” she said.

The Western Australian Government has announced $100,000 in funding from the Collie Futures Small Grants Program for a feasibility study to assess the viability of the project. The program aims to diversify the region’s economy.

If the project gets off the ground, Ms MacTiernan said it would create 48 plant jobs, 30 construction jobs and 120 indirect jobs.

“Through the Collie Futures Fund, we are beginning to see some very exciting initiatives for boosting the local economy, including this unique proposal for producing renewable diesel fuel,” she said.

“Bringing sustainable technologies and investments such as this is a fantastic way to help Collie, and WA, transition lower carbon outcomes through new industries.”

News

SA EPA releases WtE position statement Proponents of thermal waste-to-energy (WtE) activities in South Australia must engage the community in “genuine dialogue” and ensure the provision of accurate and reliable information, according to the South Australian EPA’s recently released thermal WtE position statment.

“A proposal to undertake a thermal WtE activity has the potential to generate interest and concern within the community, including non-government environmental organisations or other interest groups,” the statement reads.

“WtE projects requiring development approval will be subject to community consultation and/or notification as required by the Development Act 1993 and the EP Act during the development, assessment and licensing notification processes respectively.”

Additionally, refuse-derived fuel produced with EPA approval will no longer be considered waste under clause 4(a) of the Waste to Resources Policy, meaning its use in thermal WtE activities will not attract the payment of the waste levy.

“Thermal WtE activities receiving waste in accordance with the Resource Recovery Criteria, Thermal Efficiency Criteria, and holding an EPA Resource Recovery Approval will not be liable for payment of the waste levy, with the exception of thermal WtE activities receiving kerbside collected MSW,” the statement reads.

“For thermal WtE activities receiving kerbside collected MSW from a council or any other party contracted by a council, it is an additional requirement to

10 / WMR / June 2020

The strategy aims to help development proponents and planning authorities understand the position of the EPA.

demonstrate that the council’s kerbside collection system achieves the current MSW diversion target published within the Waste Strategy.”

Released following industry consultation in 2019, the statement aims to help planning authorities, licensees and development proponents understand the position of the EPA and the regulatory requirements for thermal WtE activities.

“The EPA will use this position statement to assess development assessment referrals and activities of prescribed environmental significance requiring a licence under Schedule One of the Environment Protection Act 1993 relating to WtE activities,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, South Australia’s Waste Strategy supports the efficient recovery of energy from residual waste and niche waste streams through best available technologies that suit local conditions, and can deliver environmental benefits and economic opportunities.

“In keeping with the waste management hierarchy and circular

economy objectives, thermal WtE activities using waste that would otherwise be disposed to landfill are supported once sufficient material resource recovery has been undertaken,” the statement reads.

“The production and use of refuse derived fuel from waste that would otherwise be disposed to landfill will be supported where it includes appropriate material resource recovery, as set out by this position statement.”

When assessing a development application referral involving one or more prescribed activities, the EPA has the power to request further information, direct conditions for approval by the planning authority, or direct the refusal of the application as a referral body according to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

“Following the receipt of formal development approval, the conduct of any prescribed activity of environmental significance will also require an environmental authorisation from the EPA in the form of a licence,” the statment reads.

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News

ARENA opens Bioenergy Roadmap consultation ARENA has appointed a consortium of ENEA Consulting and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to assist in delivering the roadmap.

On behalf of the Federal Government, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is seeking input from stakeholders in Australia’s bioenergy sector to underpin the development of the Bioenergy Roadmap.

In 2019, ARENA’s Board agreed to a request from Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor to invest in the development of the roadmap and identify the role the bioenergy sector can play in Australia’s energy transition, according to an ARENA statement.

“The Bioenergy Roadmap will help to inform the next series of investment and policy decisions in the bioenergy sector in Australia,” the statement reads.

“It will be an important input

12 / WMR / June 2020

into the Australian Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap, and will potentially help us capitalise on opportunities to enhance Australia’s energy security and further reduce our emissions.”

Key focus areas will include the potential for biofuels to decarbonise the industrial and transport sectors and contribute more broadly to Australia’s liquid fuel security and identifying economic or regulatory impediments to future growth. ARENA will also assess where Australia has a competitive advantage.

ARENA has appointed a consortium of ENEA Consulting and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to assist in delivering the roadmap.

The consortium will canvas views from a wide range of stakeholders through a series of workshops, direct interviews and an open submission process.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the roadmap is expected to provide clear findings for industry and government to drive outcomes for the development of Australia’s bioenergy industry.

“The development of the Bioenergy Roadmap presents an opportunity to allow industry leaders, researchers and the public to provide insight into the current state of bioenergy in Australia and how best we can grow the sector in the future,” he said.

A final report will be provided to Minister Taylor later this year.

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COVER STORY

Simon Kalinowski says waste is evolving into a dynamic digital system.

Discovering what’s possible L

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE INCREASINGLY LEVERAGING DIGITAL VOUCHERS TO REDUCE LIABILITY, SUPPORTED BY DATA TO PROVIDE TAILORED SERVICES TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.

ike every other sector, councils across the country are navigating the brave new world of COVID-19 and social distancing.

Delivering essential public health services such as water, sewerage, and waste, many of which are continually evolving to deal with a climateconscious general public, is no easy task.

For some councils, the concern is to continue to do so without delaying or reducing rates, fees and charges.

For example, the Local Government Association of Queensland has laid out a COVID-19 battleplan,

14 / WMR / June 2020

highlighting its desire to partner with the Queensland Government to lead communities in recovery. As reported

by Waste Management Review in the May article Supporting business continuity, software provider Mandalay Technologies has been focused on aiding the transition. With many businesses forced to digitise their operations overnight to meet social distancing requirements, Managing Director Simon Kalinowski sees it as an opportunity for councils to improve their core services.

“Waste is an essential service,

and one in which improved service outcomes and revenue are very much intertwined,” he says.

As a result of COVID-19, Simon acknowledges that many councils will be faced with external pressures to support their community, whether it be bad debts, fluctuating commodity prices, or otherwise, which will impact their bottom line.

“The performance of their operations, including the efficiency of those services, is going to come under increasing pressure, so we need to see better performing councils,” he says.

WAVES OF CHANGE Simon says digital relationships with customers, and their customers, across the entire supply chain are opening up a range of possibilities.

It comes as the waste profile, which has seen significant changes over the decade, prepares for another wave of change.

With more people working from home, and many potentially to continue to do so in the future intermittently, more waste is finding itself in the municipal solid waste streams. Many state governments, including Queensland, NSW and Victoria, are re-setting their longterm waste planning framework.

“Waste services have traditionally called for a set and forget approach.

But now we’ve got changing expectations on what to put in each bin, multiple types of services, and changing operating conditions at facilities impacted by COVID-19,” Simon says.

He says that the traditional narrative in waste has been to focus on the average household, but this is a misguided approach, as every end user is different.

“If you think about the community and consumers, we have an expectation that we can do things in real time, and waste is gradually evolving into that dynamic,” Simon says.

Simon remains inspired by the possibilities that digitisation continues to create. Mandalay has been progressively expanding its product offering to track waste data from source to fate. Taking existing commercial and industrial, and construction and demolition waste data, it is being integrated with municipal solid waste to create a holistic view of waste management within the regions.

“Our underlying belief is that if we

Real time issuing and redeeming of vouchers is supported by cloud-based data.

can give insights to our councils of increasingly precise behaviour of their customers, then they can use that to develop new or existing services that drive long-lasting behavioural change,” Simon says.

“I was working with a regional facility that services many councils, and they have a few different profiles of customers they have to serve. They had come up with a very limiting program for that community, and so when you educate them about what’s possible, their whole world changes.”

Mandalay is seeing a surge in its existing waste voucher offering for residents and community groups, coupled with detailed waste mapping based on voucher use.

Waste vouchers have traditionally been printed on paper and mailed out to homeowners, or available on request. Often, this can cost thousands of dollars to ensure the vouchers are only used by the intended recipient and not copied or forged.

Mandalay has sought to resolve this, and a number of other issues, by digitising waste services. Simple concepts such as updating terms and conditions, getting a record of receipts read or accepted, or making program specific changes, can be communicated in real-time.

DIGITAL RELATIONSHIPS Moreover, waste mapping is creating digital relationships with the people and properties within a community.

Since being released in 2018, its resident voucher program has supported local governments with digital vouchers – which has solved a variety of issues.

“One of the limitations of councils offering vouchers is, previously, they’ve been able to print them all out and send them to the residents when they send out the rates notice every year,” Simon says.

“But as rates notices are moving to electronic/online they couldn’t offer that service, or align that service offering.”

He says the challenge was then to offer an on-demand service, while also being able to ascertain the profile and behaviour of communities in a more targeted way. These are the considerations Mandalay looked at when it began to digitise these services, aiming to offer councils better data and insights about their communities.

Mandalay’s voucher application can be distributed via rates notices or ondemand requests, while offering cancel, re-issue, and override options where a council decides an exception to the rules is needed.

This aims to resolve several challenges. The first is substantial overheads and the risk of managing

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 15

COVER STORY

multiple systems and data points across multiple locations.

Secondly, reducing the complexities of administering waste systems that extend across several teams, including Waste, IT, Finance, and Customer Service.

Thirdly, this increases the integrity of voucher programmes and reduces opportunities for fraud.

By delivering a faster and more personalised experience for councils, residents and the community, local governments can form stronger community ties while finding operational savings.

Like most digital products, integration is important, and Mandalay’s voucher management application natively links in with its CS Ticketing system. This enables rules set for the voucher program to be enforced at the facility gatehouse when the voucher is redeemed.

Additionally, real-time issuing and redeeming of vouchers is supported by cloud-based data.

Added to integration is the need for collaboration to avoid confusion, with the ability for use by multiple internal users across various teams, whether it be waste or customer service, to administer and manage entitlements.

User access can be managed via permissions and provide access to data while locking down functionality based on an organisation’s internal process requirements.

Multiple voucher programs can be created to suit each type of entitlement offered by councils.

Detailed waste mapping provides councils with unique data insights into their local government area and ultimately helps them service their communities better.

“You need to understand who your customer is before they come to the site and preferably what they’re there to do,” Simon says.

16 / WMR / June 2020

“Councils often think of their ratepayers as this is where their revenue base comes from, so they have an understanding and relationship with all of them. But in over 35 per cent of residents, the occupier and generator of the waste is not actually the ratepayer, it’s either the tenant or the property manager.”

Mandalay’s property database maintains a unique understanding of every property, allowing unique relationships to be built against that property.

Detailed property information is captured in the application, along with a history of voucher use, which provides an auditable system and a means of confidently challenging incidence of fraud.

Importantly, operators can understand where waste is being generated and which facility it is being presented at. The system adheres to international data security standards, including the General Data Protection Regulation – one of the world’s strongest set of data protection rules.

Simon says this allows bespoke services to be introduced at the click of a button.

“The classic one we’re seeing digitised fully is recycling dropoff facilities where operators can track the behaviour of that backfill property, link green waste drop-offs or introduce another more discreet waste related service.”

Additionally, by understanding the relationship between properties, councils can draw on information about the end user and even introduce targeted services. This spans anywhere from multi-unit dwelling pick-ups to targeted waste education campaigns.

“Councils are seeing this as a chance to actually bring essentially new revenue to their sites and we think that’s particularly exciting.”

Bundaberg Regional Council is one of several councils that will be using Mandalay’s waste vouchers, with vouchers currently sent out with rates notices.

Kerry Dalton, Coordinator Waste and Recycling Environmental Compliance at Bundaberg Regional Council, says that council is hoping to see multiple benefits to using the waste vouchers.

She says there are myriad potential benefits in moving to an electronic system, including allowing for council to electronically mail out vouchers to its E-rates customers.

Additionally, the ability to cancel and reissue vouchers if a resident has lost or not received the voucher is another benefit.

“This happens quite regularly, and we have had no way of tracking vouchers to know if they have already been redeemed,” she says.

The vouchers will offer the ability to track usage and start identifying areas with higher uptake and produce more accurate reports from the voucher module. Kerry anticipates the end of day reconciliation process should be cleaner with the ability to scan the vouchers, with more of the benefits to be better understood by council’s next rates round in July/ August.

Simon says that while many councils are understandably focused on present challenges, the future of waste behavioural insights is abound with opportunity.

“There’s a whole raft of data and insights that we’ll be able to generate in the future, as well as being able to benchmark the performance of organisations and all manner of things.”

For more information on Mandalay’s vouchers head to www.mandalaytech. com.au/products/voucher-management or contact enquire@mandalaytech.com

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UP FRONT

Construction sector to prioritise recycled RECYCLED FIRST AIMS TO BRING A UNIFIED APPROACH TO THE APPLICATION OF RECYCLED MATERIALS ON ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW HOMES IN ON THE PROGRAM.

W

ith Victoria’s big build delivering more than 100 road and rail projects across the state, there are significant opportunities to grow the use recycled and reusable materials in construction projects.

In early March, the Victorian Government announced the Recycled First program. Recycled First will build new requirements into future projects under the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, with the goal of bringing a uniform approach to the use of recycled products. The program will mean recycled and reused materials that meet existing standards, whether it be recycled aggregates, glass, plastic, timber, steel, reclaimed asphalt pavement or organics, take precedence over new materials.

The program complements the Victorian Government’s Recycling Victoria: A new economy policy, which includes the introduction of a fourbin system, supported by a planned Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), waste-to-energy investment and a dedicated waste authority and new Act. Recycled First doesn’t set mandatory minimum requirements or targets, it focuses on a project by project basis. In this way, the aim is to allow contractors to liaise with recycled material suppliers and determine if there are adequate supplies of the products needed for their project. For these projects, bidders

18 / WMR / June 2020

will need to demonstrate how they’ll optimise the use of recycled materials.

Additionally, contractors must report on the types and volumes of recycled products they used.

Organisations interested in delivering major transport infrastructure projects will need to demonstrate how they will prioritise recycled and reused materials while maintaining compliance and quality standards.

According to the Victorian Government, work is already underway with current construction partners to get more recycled content used on major projects, in addition to the new Recycled First requirements.

The M80 Ring Road, Monash Freeway and South Gippsland Highway upgrades are using more than 20,000 tonnes of recycled materials and 190 million glass bottles are being used on surfaces of the $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade.

Recycled demolition material has also been used in recent months to build extra lanes along 24 kilometres of the Tullamarine Freeway, as well as the Monash Freeway and M80 Ring Road.

Around 14,000 tonnes of excavated soil from the Metro Tunnel site in Parkville is being applied on pavement layers on roads in Point Cook.

Alexis Davison, Director, Program Services and Engineering, Major Road Projects Victoria, says Major Road Projects Victoria is working closely

with the Department of Transport to review the current specifications for recycled and reused content to allow for greater use and remove barriers to their implementation.

“We’re aiming to deliver sustainable and innovative transport infrastructure for Victoria – and Recycled First will explore new and better ways to do that,” Alexis says.

“Specifications already allow the use of some recycled materials, and we’re compiling reference guides for road and rail infrastructure to ensure our project teams and contractors are aware of them.”

Claire Ferres Miles, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainability Victoria (SV), says the first-of-its-kind policy builds on SV’s ongoing work in research and market development to find new uses and create markets for recovered materials in the construction sector.

She says that SV will expand its work to support the groundwork for new recycled products and materials, through testing, trials and commercialisation.

“Through Major Roads Project Victoria and Recycled First, we now have a direct line for these products to be utilised in major Victorian Government projects, and in parallel, SV will work in partnership with the local government sector to increase the use of recycled content in their procurement,” she says.

Alexis Davison from Major Road Projects Victoria, Negin Zhalehjoo and Michael Caltabanio from ARRB are proud to be part of Recycled First.

Claire adds that SV will continue to build on its partnerships with the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) and the university sector to ensure performance-based standards and specifications are in place. Claire points to the state government’s 10year Recycling Victoria plan, which includes a landmark $300 million industry package.

“The introduction of Recycled First by the Victorian Government sends strong, positive signals that align with SV’s successful Research, Development and Demonstration program. This has achieved a significant increase in the use of crushed concrete, crumb rubber and recycled glass sand in construction projects,” she says.

Alex Fraser remains one of Victoria’s leading suppliers of recycled construction materials: recovering, recycling and supplying up to three million tonnes of construction materials made from recovered, construction and demolition and glass waste each

year. The use of these materials is reducing the carbon footprint on new infrastructure projects by up to 65 per cent. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, the company’s efforts are reducing construction materials to landfill, truck traffic and extraction of limited natural resources.

With its Melbourne sites in Clarinda, Laverton and Epping, Alex Fraser’s network of facilities circumference the city and are ideally placed to reliably supply major projects. From the Western Roads Upgrade, the Southern Roads Upgrade, Level Crossing Removal Authority projects, and freeways like the Monash and Mordialloc Freeway and North-East Link, the company is poised to support Recycled First.

Alex Fraser Managing Director Peter Murphy says recycled construction materials are being used in great quantities in all sorts of projects throughout Victoria, and increasingly in other states.

“The vast majority of the construction industry is well aware of the consistent high quality of recycled materials, as well as the many commercial and environmental benefits they offer,” Peter says.

“An initiative like Recycled First sends an important message from government to industry that investing in Victoria’s circular economy and reducing the environmental impact of construction through responsible product choices is a priority.”

Peter says that now more than ever, it’s important that those building our cities are aware of the sustainable options available to them. He cites the Joint Ministerial Statement on Extractive Resources – which highlights the Victorian Government’s priorities to address constraints in virgin extractive resources, including by facilitating substitution with recycled product.

“Virgin material close to Melbourne is already limited. Switching to recycled not only attracts environmental savings but reduces the strain on metropolitan extractive industries,” he says.

Major works such as the Tullamarine Freeway, the M80, The Dingley Bypass and the Monash Freeway have exemplified the Recycled First concept, as they have included large quantities of recycled materials.

“Current projects like the Mordialloc Freeway, many Level Crossing Removal projects, the Monash Freeway upgrade, and the Western Roads upgrade include masses of recycled content, including millions of glass bottles from kerbside collections,” Peter says.

Additionally, Peter says forward thinking municipalities like Bayside, Monash, Yarra and Maribyrnong are actively seeking out sustainable materials to build greener roads in their cities.

When it comes to the debate on mandatory targets, Peter says Alex Fraser does not advocate for mandating

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 19

UP FRONT

the use of recycled materials across the board. He says project managers should make decisions based on quality, timelines, cost and environmental factors.

“We’ve seen mandated approaches in other jurisdictions result in perverse outcomes. For example, there may not be much benefit in mandating the use of recycled material on a project that is many kilometres from a recycling facility, but only around the corner from a quarry.”

He says it would be encouraging to see a stronger policy position on the protection of critical resource recovery infrastructure.

“We know for recycling to work at all, facilities need to be positioned close to where recyclable material is generated and close to where markets exist for recycled products,” he says.

“Planning policy has to support other policies to ensure continued investment in resource and recovery infrastructure in Victoria is viable.”

Peter points out that even with the introduction of recycling schemes like the CDS and a glass bin, recycling glass fines in construction remains critically important to the effective management of glass waste. He says that experience with the rollout of the CDS interstate indicates that higher overall glass recovery volumes are achieved but recycling options need to be found for the kerbside glass that is seen to be inferior to the cleaner CDS derived glass.

“More than 40 per cent of recovered glass is unable to be traditionally recycled back into bottles, because the fragments are either too small to be optically sorted, opaque, or covered in paper and plastics. In Victoria this equates to around 140,000 tonnes per annum,” he says.

“Recycling this mass of glass fines into construction sand will be

20 / WMR / June 2020

important in reducing landfill and providing the construction industry with a sustainable alternative to already limited supplies of natural sands.”

Peter says Victoria has long led the way in the use of recycled material in infrastructure.

“It would be great to see the same enthusiasm in other states, where greater barriers to the uptake of recycled material exist. It’s especially encouraging to see other states drafting improvements to their specifications” he says.

“The quality and performance of recycled material has been well proven over decades. Clear policy positions from government along with supportive and straight forward specifications will make a significant difference to the use of recycled materials in major projects beyond Victoria.”

The Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) focuses on supporting the commercialisation of intelligent transport solutions. As sustainability becomes an increasing priority for the roads sector, it has had an increasing recycling focus over the past few years. Through its Port Melbourne research lab and partnerships with the roads sector, ARRB has been testing recycled crushed glass, crumb rubber asphalt, reclaimed asphalt pavement and a range of other materials.

ARRB CEO Michael Caltabiano says stakeholders are focused on ensuring they can do their best to reinforce circular economy principals.

“For the roads sector that means using recycled product as much as we can,” Michael says.

ARRB is involved in a number of key Victorian projects, including a trial of recycled crushed glass in asphalt on local roads in west Melbourne with Brimbank City Council. Additionally, Tyre Stewardship Australia, ARRB and the Victorian Department of Transport are conducting the first crumb rubber asphalt trial on an arterial road.

Michael says ARRB has also been funded by Queensland and WA state road agencies to look at the polymer characteristics of the plastic waste stream and how it might be incorporated into bituminous projects.

“The flame burns brightly in keeping the recycled products agenda going in the roads sector,” Michael says.

“Government is focused on it and so is ARRB – our task is to design the specifications for the future. We need to understand the science of how these product perform and produce the guidelines and specifications for local governments and state governments to use and put in their tender documents.”

Alex Fraser remains one of Victoria’s leading suppliers of recycled construction materials.

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Locally Produced Compost Australian Standard (AS4454) Now Supplying - NSW, Vic, Qld, ACT

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Two drums with teeth ELB EQUIPMENT’S KOMTECH CRAMBO SHREDDERS ARE WORKING OVER-TIME AT VAN SCHAIK’S BIO GRO’S MELBOURNE ORGANICS FACILITY TO KEEP UP WITH A STEADY INFLUX OF MATERIAL.

Sage Hahn, Operations Manager of Bio Grow’s Victorian site is pleased to see a range of environmental benefits from the company’s product.

L

andscaping and permaculture suppliers have reported unprecedented demand for their products in recent months, with an increasing number of Australians looking to become self-sufficient in light of COVID-19.

According to a recent article published in The Canberra Times, the surge prompted Australia’s largest online gardening club, Victoria’s

22 / WMR / June 2020

Diggers Club, to advise that it was no longer accepting new product orders.

While the new wave of home gardeners is challenging supply and demand for some, it’s welcome news to waste management and horticulture specialists Bio Gro. Operating out of South Australia and Victoria, Van Schaik’s Bio Gro (Bio Gro) produces nutrient rich products tailored for a

wide range of horticultural and agricultural applications.

According to Sage Hahn, Operations Manager of Bio Gro’s Victorian Operations and Melbourne facility, the application of Bio Gro products to soil results in a range of environmental benefits. These include, she says, improved soil health, water savings, improved crop productivity and an enhanced ability to mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon within soils.

In addition to functioning as a distribution centre for premium potting mixes, Bio Gro’s Melbourne facility operates as an organics resource recovery centre.

“We manage green and timber waste for two councils out of the Eastern Organics Tender, with that material processed at our site and sent off for further composting,” Sage says.

“We deal with roughly 40-50,000 tonnes of organics per annum and produce between 35 and 40,000 cubic metres of premium product that goes out to production growers, landscapers and nurseries.”

To process its organic waste material, Bio Gro operate a Komptech Crambo dual-shaft shredder, purchased through Australia’s exclusive Komptech distributor ELB Equipment.

When material comes in, Sage says Bio Gro decontaminate it manually, before using the Crambo to break down material sizing and generate a more uniform stream.

“Particular sizing is extremely

important as it allows us to get more material onto trucks, with the organic material tipped out at the other end ready for composting,” she says.

“Komptech equipment is the best we’ve seen for green waste. It’s extremely robust and the machinery is clever in the way it works through contamination. Machinery maintenance is also very easy, and the fuel efficiency is fantastic.”

Komptech Crambo dual-shaft shredders are designed for shredding all types of wood and green waste.

The machines feature two slowrunning drums with shredding tools to minimise fine particle and noise and dust emissions, while resisting contraries.

Simon Humphris, ELB Product Manager, says the Crambo enables easy adjustment of the output particle size, with operators able to exchange the screen basket to suit the specification.

“The Crambo is powered by a modern Caterpillar engine, with a complete muffling of the engine compartment keeping noise emissions to a minimum,” he says.

“Through load dependent rotation speed regulation, the hydraulic drum drive ensures that full advantage is taken of the engine output.”

When shredding waste wood, Simon says the shredder’s wear-resistant surface hardened teeth provides a high level of resistance to contraries.

“Counter rotating shafts, together with the special shape of the teeth, produce a perfect feed, even for fractions with high board content,” he says.

Similarly, Simon explains that the shredder facilitates a high throughput for bulky vegetation via a generously dimensioned feed area, folding hopper and counter rotating teeth.

“The teeth size the material and press it in a cutting and splitting action against the cutting edge and screen

Komptech Crambo dual-shaft shredders are designed for shredding all types of wood and green waste.

“Komptech equipment is the best we’ve seen for green waste.

It’s extremely robust and the machinery is clever in the way it works through contamination.”

Sage Hahn Operations Manager of Bio Gro’s Victorian Operations and Melbourne Facility

baskets located underneath,” he says.

“Slow turning results in a lumpy shred initially, however, the material does not exit the shredding area until the particle size matches the hole size of the screen basket. This enables the quantity of shredded material in the desired particle size to be maximised.”

The shredding drum, with rotation speeds up to 44 rotations per minute, has specially developed bearings to keep the drum in place even under extreme loads.

Strong planetary gears boost drive train life, Simon adds, providing dependable service through thousands of operating hours.

Bio Gro’s shredder has been performing above expectation, Sage says, maintaining consistent efficiency in the face of high capacity

operations. She adds that the ELB team’s technical expertise and training is second to none.

“ELB come out to our facility and do on-site training with operators.

There are not many businesses that do that level of training. And we find it to be absolutely integral to the performance we get out of the machine, because our operators actually understand how it works,” Sage explains.

Furthermore, Sage says ELB’s spare parts service works to maximise uptimes.

“With overseas equipment you can get caught out with spare parts, but because Komptech is so entrenched in the organics sector, ELB has a lot of spare parts in Australia, which means there’s much less downtime,” she says.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 23

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Caterpillar mulching JANELLE HORNE OF Q MULCHING DETAILS THE GREEN WASTE COMPANY’S 17-YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH CATERPILLAR AND HASTINGS DEERING.

Q Mulching operates a range of Caterpillar equipment to manage around 60 to 70,000 tonnes of green waste.

W

ith organics to landfill diversion a central target of waste and resource recovery strategies nationwide, instilling children with a passion for recycling is now more important than ever.

This is the central focus of Q Mulching’s Marvin the Worm program, which, in line with Australian curriculums for science and geography, seeks to spread positive source separation behaviours to students along Queensland’s Fraser Coast.

With an interactive trailer reminiscent of Healthy Harold and a workbook written by Q

24 / WMR / June 2020

Mulching’s Rheanon Kerslake, the program travels to schools to teach children about the benefits of recycling and compost.

“When Q Mulching first began its composting process, we had some issues with contamination in the material we were receiving, which inspired me to develop the program to coincide with Fraser Coast Regional Council’s messaging around source separation,” Rheanon says.

“By using this book and program, we’re helping to lay a foundation.

Teaching the importance of recycling to younger generations means they can realise what they are doing now, and then follow that into adulthood

and teach their children.”

The Marvin the Worm education program builds on Q Mulching’s management of green waste processing for the entire Fraser Coast local government area.

Highlighting the company’s innovative spirit, Janelle Horne, Q Mulching Owner and Administrative Manager, says prior to Q Mulching, green waste processing was few and far between in the region.

Operating two major composting sites in addition to six smaller waste transfer stations, residents bring their green waste to Q Mulching free of charge through Fraser Coast Regional Council.

“We grind the material once a fortnight at our major sites, before composting the product to the Australian Standards 4454,” Janelle says.

Q Mulching is processing around 60 to 70,000 cubic metres of green waste material at a time at one of their facilities, with 40,000 cubic metres at the other.

To effectively manage that level of material, she says Q Mulching operate a range of Caterpillar equipment. Janelle highlights Caterpillar’s Next Gen 23T Excavator as a critical component of material management at Q Mulching’s facilities. Built for heavyduty performance, Caterpillar’s Next Gen 23T Excavator brings increased speed, efficiency and high productivity to high-production applications. With up to 15 per cent less fuel consumption than

comparable models, Caterpillar’s Next Gen Excavator functions in line with Q Mulching’s commitment to sustainable processing and resource recovery.

That said, while the quality of Caterpillar’s equipment is essential, Janelle emphasises Caterpillar dealer Hastings Deering’s commitment to service. She adds that as seven days a week operation, reliability is critical for Q Mulching.

“We’ve used other manufacturers in the past, and unfortunately, the reliability isn’t always there, whether that’s break downs, downtime or the availability of extra parts,” Janelle says.

“The great thing about Caterpillar and Hastings Deering is that when we need a part, and we’ve ordered it by 2pm, it will usually arrive the following day. Not many other companies can offer that level of service. Plus, when we purchase a new Caterpillar machine, we are confident that the machine will last its term.”

Working together for more than 17 years, Janelle says Q Mulching and Hastings Deering have developed an effective and symbiotic relationship.

“When Hastings Deering has new staff, they bring them to our site and introduce them to the team.

This means that when we have to order new parts or have any kind of problem, we know exactly who to contact and the faces behind the phone call,” she says.

In addition to service reliability and the quality of their machinery offerings, Janelle says Hastings Deering are always ready to point Q Mulching in the right direction when new equipment becomes available.

“Hastings Deering works to look after their current customers, as opposed to always looking out for new customers.”

Rheanon feels similarly, highlighting the Caterpillar teams’ individual approach.

“I find them very personable, of course they’re still salespeople at the end of the day, but they’re very genuine. They actually want to come in and help our operations, as opposed to just providing machinery,” she says.

This is a sentiment mirrored by Stuart Manton, Hastings Deering’s Territory Manager, who says the value of Caterpillar lies not just

with their equipment, but their commitment to functioning as solutions providers.

“People know that when they purchase a piece of Caterpillar equipment, they’re purchasing a machine that is engineered to the highest standards. However, we don’t believe in resting on our laurels,” he says.

“Our approach goes above and beyond providing a piece of equipment. We believe in developing relationships with our clients and working with them to create the best outcomes, both economically and environmentally.”

As Caterpillar’s presence in the waste and resource recovery sector grows, Stuart hopes to continue working with environmentally aligned customers.

“We at Hastings Deering and Caterpillar are continually innovating in the waste and resource recovery space, be that new approaches to landfill compaction, or providing solutions for composting facilities such as Q Mulching,” he says.

“The waste sector is growing, and team Caterpillar is well positioned to grow alongside it.”

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Growing organics demand PEATS SOIL & GARDEN SUPPLIES HAS SEEN A SPIKE IN DEMAND FOR ORGANICS PRODUCT, AS THE COMPANY’S MANAGING DIRECTOR PETER WADEWITZ CONTINUES TO HELP ADVANCE THE INDUSTRY.

W

ith the NSW Government targeting net zero emissions from organic waste by 2030 and Victoria’s Recycling Victoria policy, focused on a four-bin system, organics policies are accelerating.

In WA, the three-bin system is the government’s preferred kerbside collection system with all councils in Perth and Peel delivering it by 2025.

SA has consistently led the nation with a 79 per cent organic recycling rate and this is in part due to government frameworks, but also market development. Its 2005-2010 Waste Strategy promoted threebin standardisation. A decade on, metropolitan councils and many regional councils have the system.

Peats Soil & Garden Supplies has been at the coalface of South Australian organics recycling for

Peats Group’s Whyalla facility comprises a compost and renewable energy manufacturing site.

26 / WMR / June 2020

decades. Peter Wadewitz, Peats Group Managing Director, says COVID-19 has created the perfect storm with an increase in organics waste. He says this comes against a broader backdrop of increased public policy settings.

The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) recently conducted a workshop in Mannum, SA and several throughout the state last year in conjunction with Jeffries, Bio Gro and a range of other composters.

“We’re all very busy. Things have worked well in Australia and it’s all under the AORA banner,” Peter says.

He says that AORA, of which he is the National Chair of, will play an increasing role now more than ever in driving Australia’s sustainable future with immense opportunities for the organics industry as a whole.

Peats Group is predicting that amid

a challenging year for many, this will be one of its busiest years in sales. He says the company has put on almost 10 people as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and can’t keep up with demand.

“Our tonnages has gone up massively as a result of the virus – we’ve seen an increase of up to 15 per cent,” he says.

AORA recently released a report into the economic impact of the organics recycling industry. It conducted modelling for a 70, 80, 90 and 95 per cent increase in organics recycling rates, which could bring up to $1.7 billion in additional revenue and save 3.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Peter says that for some regional communities, for example those with less than 20,000 residents, it hasn’t been economical to move it from one end of Australia to another.

“We’ve got to find technologies that help regional councils compost and recycle organics, particularly small cities and towns. If these cities are not prepared and don’t have the resources, it will remain uneconomic.”

Peter says with enough research conducted into the benefits of organics, the biggest barrier remains education.

“I think we’ve completed enough fact sheets and research and development (R&D). We can take it further in R&D, but to get the

Efficient Drying - Whatever the Material

majority of the material out we need to educate councils and farmers on how important this is.”

Peats Soil & Garden Supplies has been in the horticultural business for almost 50 years.

Through its four sites – Willunga, Brinkley, Dublin and now Whyalla, the company has over the years developed an array of broad-acre products, collaborating closely with scientists and the broader organics recycling industry to ensure products are certified to Australian standards.

Peter recalls around 25 years ago taking a gamble on green waste, working with Australian Native Landscapes Managing Director Patrick Soars on the recycling of potting mixes.

“The compost proved in the wine industry to have brilliant yields, quality and soil. We suddenly realised there was a big opportunity here and since then we can hardly keep up.”

Last year, Peats Group announced its fourth compost and renewable energy manufacturing site, located at Whyalla City Council’s Mount Laura Waste and Resource Recovery Centre. The site includes an Advanced Composting Facility which accepts green, organic and food waste and digests it using anaerobic digestion to produce biogas for sale into the energy grid.

The compost product can be sold into surrounding agricultural markets for soil improvement and carbon enhancement.

In December, Veolia signed a $50 million contract with the City of Darwin to manage and operate the region’s Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility for seven years. Peter says that Peats Soil & Garden Supplies will take the green organics out of the landfill and compost it. This will add to its existing operations with commercial organics and process upwards of 10,000 tonnes.

He adds that there are millions of litres of water that could be saved and drought proof Australia by getting more organics into our soil.

As part of AORA and the advancement of the organics recycling industry, the next step is also to replicate the association’s roadmap project, which connected farmers to composters across the country via geographical listings.

“We want to get both federal and state funding out of it and find out what’s working in some states and what isn’t, barriers to market and review what we did 15 years ago and see what we have achieved. The timing is right to do that now.”

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FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Net zero diversion JEFF GOODWIN OF WASTECH ENGINEERING SPEAKS WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW ABOUT BOLSTERING ORGANICS RECOVERY WITH HIGHLY EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT.

The Turbo Separator boasts a 99 per cent recovery rate for dry and liquid products.

I

n its recently released Net Zero Plan Stage One: 2020-2030, the NSW Government outlines its plan to achieve net zero emissions from organic waste to landfill by 2030.

“Organic waste, such as food scraps and garden trimmings, makes up about 40 per cent of redlidded kerbside bins. When sent to landfill, the decomposing material releases methane that may not be captured,” the plan reads.

“However, when this waste is managed effectively, through proper composting and recycling processes, methane emissions can be substantially reduced, soils can

28 / WMR / June 2020

be regenerated to store carbon and biogas can be created to generate electricity.”

The plan follows similar initiatives in Victoria. With the state’s Recycling Victoria strategy targeting a 50 per cent reduction in organic material sent to landfill by 2030, with an interim target of 20 per cent by 2025.

Jeff Goodwin, Wastech Engineering’s National Product Manager Projects, is enthused by the announcements, highlighting Wastech’s long standing commitment to sustainable organics processing.

Food waste is a significant issue in Australia, Jeff explains, noting that a

recent Rabobank Food Waste Report revealed that Australians wasted $10.1 billion in food waste in 2019.

“It’s heartening to see governments across the country committing to food waste reduction initiatives, which is something we at Wastech have been passionate about for a long time,” he says.

“Now is the time for waste companies and food waste generators to heed the call and start investing in efficient and high capacity food waste processing solutions.”

With a 99 per cent recovery rate for both dry and liquid products, Jeff says Wastech’s ATRITOR Turbo

Separator is one such solution.

Available exclusively through Wastech, the Turbo Separator range comprises four models, making it suitable for a wide range of depackaging applications including separating organics from food waste packaging and paper from gypsum.

“The Turbo Separator combines centrifugal forces, self-generated airflow and mechanical processes to remove organic material from packaging – allowing the recovered material to be recycled,” Jeff says.

“The machine can recover anything from bread loafs in plastic wrap, beans in tins cans, milk in cartons and even pet food in plastic pouches. The only material it can’t process is glass, given its sharding effect.”

Several Turbo Separator installations have been purchased recently by recycling companies across Australia, Jeff says.

“When people are eating at a food court it’s common to throw everything into one bin, creating a mix of food and packaging waste that has been traditionally difficult to recover,” he says.

“Using the Turbo Separator however, operators can take a garbage bag containing food waste and packaging, tie up the garbage bag and run it through the machine.

“This allows shopping centres, which produce high levels of food waste, to recover that material and divert it from the general disposal stream.”

However, these bags often contain contamination such as glass bottles, so Jeff says it’s prudent to consider an inspection station prior to the Turbo Separator to remove unwanted materials first. He adds that as a rule of thumb, for every kilogram of food waste, 10 per cent is packaging.

“When you remove packaging from the organic material, you’re able to recover 90 per cent of each kilogram

Wastech has been working in the food waste space for years.

of food waste, which then saves that material from entering landfill.”

The Turbo Separator includes a variable-speed shaft fitted with paddles, which rotates above a number of screens. The shaft, Jeff says, typically runs between 100 and 1000 rotations per minute, generating air flow as well as centrifugal and mechanical forces.

“Packaged material is fed by an infeed conveyor into the separation chamber, where rotating paddles open up the packaging,” he says.

“The force of the paddles then creates a squeezing effect, which separates packaging from its contents and allows the packaging to retain its integrity.”

This, Jeff says, is an added benefit, with the Turbo Separator’s squeezing as opposed to shredding process producing organic material free of shredded packaging residue.

Depending on material type, the recovered organics can be used for animal feed, nutrient-rich compost or anaerobic digestion.

Jeff explains that the separator

is also well suited to product destruction, such as water or soda from half drunken bottles. It can also be used at a commercial level to recover beverages that are past their sell by date or have been damaged or incorrectly packaged.

“For operators dealing with wet material, Wastech can fit the Turbo Separator with a pump that removes liquids from the recovered organic throughput. The design of the machine is extremely flexible, for instance, if an operator is only dealing with dry material, the pump isn’t required. Or, if they are working in a confined space, the separator can be re-configured into a different arrengement,” he says.

According to Jeff, Wastech is ready to assist as Australia continues the fight against food waste.

“Wastech has been working in this space for years and we’re in it for the long haul. We believe a future free from food waste is possible and are excited to work with waste companies and food generators to achieve it,” he says.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 29

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Growing a FOGO community I

BEGA VALLEY SHIRE COUNCIL’S FOGO SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN BUILDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR RESOURCE RECOVERY.

n August 2019, Local Government NSW held its annual awards ceremony to highlight outstanding achievements across local government.

For its FOGOmentary and premier, the RH Dougherty Award for Innovation in Special Events award went to Bega Valley Shire Council.

The event, organised in conjunction with council’s FOGO service commencement, saw over 500 people in attendance, including service ambassador Costa Georgiadis.

According to Local Government NSW judges, the project demonstrated the value of getting children involved and allowing the community to take ownership of the FOGO program in a creative way. “[It was] an innovative and progressive event which was a credit to all involved,” the judges said.

With the aim of transforming anything once living into nutrient rich compost, Bega Valley’s FOGO service was launched in 2018. As a result of the service, Joley Vidau, Bega Valley Shire Council Waste Strategy Coordinator, says council is now achieving 33 per cent diversion, with a contamination rate less than 0.4 per cent.

“Our landfill was originally designed to last at least 30 years, however at the current rate of filling, council identified that it was going to last 20 years, which meant we needed to take progressive action,” she says.

While on one hand the service

30 / WMR / June 2020

Bega Valley compost technicians Luke Hamilton, Ty Marshall, Mick Yarra, Gemma O’Reilly and Glenn Alexander.

was born out of necessity, Joley explains that when Bega Valley Shire Council consulted with the community on its new waste strategy, better environmental outcomes were a top priority.

To successfully implement the FOGO service, and with funding from the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, Joley and the Bega Valley team developed an extensive communications and engagement plan.

“Two weeks before we rolled out the kitchen caddies, we used every media platform available, including radio, print and social media,” Joley says.

“We also ran TV ads featuring local kids from across the whole shire. We had around 20 different schools involved, and they became our

champions by proxy and helped us get the message across.”

The key to engagement, Joley says, is delivering messages in a way that allows the community to understand what council is trying to achieve.

“My approach was to look at the FOGO service through two lenses, environmental and economic,” she says.

“On one hand we can’t afford to keep building landfills, they are expensive, and on the other, diverting organics from landfill has significant environmental benefits.”

While community acceptance is key to the success of any new waste and resource recovery service, Joley says Bega Valley Shire Council also worked hard to develop their processing capacity on the back end.

She adds that the Bega Valley compost team were recently recognised by AORA, taking out the outstanding local government initiative in organics collection award at the association’s 2018 NSW industry awards. With support from composting specialists C-Wise and their mobile aerated floor system (MAF), the council operate an organics recovery facility in Merimbula.

“Our Merimbula Organics Processing Facility has some limitations in regard to space, so C-Wise’s MAF system was a good solution for us,” Joley says.

As a compost aeration system, MAF uses fans with a unique impeller design to push air through movable perforated pipes underneath the compost pile.

According to Mick Yarra, Bega Valley Shire Council Organics Processing Coordinator, aerated static pile systems using perforated pipes and anaerobic digesting are an effective way to emulate mother nature.

“On average, it takes mother nature 500 years to process decaying and

composting organic matter on the forest floor to make just one inch of topsoil.

“At our Organics Processing Facility we have a similar goal of producing a high-quality soil amendment, just a little bit quicker.”

Using a controlled environment to accelerate the composting process, Mick says the Merimbula facility can produce a batch of pasteurised composted product in 10 weeks.

“All our composts go through a curing stage for many months and must meet all the required testing parameters before being released for sale,” he says.

Andy Gulliver, C-Wise Director, says with the vast majority of organic waste still sent to landfill, organics are a greatly underutilised resource.

“C-Wise supports businesses, government and communities by supplying complete composting solutions based around building the capacity of the local community through training and support,” Andy says.

“Our systems provide a viable entry

into composting for new operations and allow existing composters to increase production efficiency and the quality of their products.”

Successful composting requires know how and experience, Andy says, and C-Wise are committed to supporting their partners through technical guidance and development.

“There is a significant amount of knowledge required to get the process right before ever unleashing a microbe. As such, we prioritise ongoing communications and the provision of technical know-how,” he says.

Joley says C-Wise are always available to provide input when processing questions or issues arise.

She adds that the service from C-Wise has been exceptional.

“When we were setting up the FOGO service and facility, C-Wise sent a team over to provide technical support and train staff, which was very beneficial. We have a great relationship,” she says.

Bega Valley uses C-Wise’s MAF technology to transform FOGO into nutrient rich compost.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 31

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Last year DPIE awarded almost $3 million to FOGO collection projects, with services now planned or up and running in 50 local government areas.

A new era for organics in NSW THROUGH THE NET ZERO EMISSIONS PLAN AND UPCOMING 20-YEAR WASTE STRATEGY, THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENT IS PLANNING FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF ORGANICS RECOVERY IN NSW.

T

he NSW Government’s recently released Net Zero Emissions Plan signalled a paradigm shift in state emissions policy.

With a plan to hit net zero by 2050 and 35 per cent reductions on 2005 by 2030, the NSW and Federal Governments will invest almost $10 billion over 10 years to reduce emissions

32 / WMR / June 2020

in the state. For the organics recycling sector, the headline target is net zero emissions from organics waste by 2030.

As organics waste comprises around 40 per cent of the red-lidded kerbside bin, the next steps for statewide recovery will focus on lifting recovery rates. This is being explored through consultation on the NSW 20 Year Waste

Strategy, looking at regulatory settings, infrastructure needs, end uses and renewable energy.

Amanda Kane, Manager Organics at the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), heralds it as an exciting step forward for organics recovery in NSW. “The plan aligns waste with a major

climate action program for the first time, while also recognising that there are multiple benefits for organics recovery,” Amanda says.

She says the net zero emissions organics target links in well with the National Food Waste Strategy target to halve food waste by 2030, supported by the National Waste Strategy Action Plan.

Action points to meet net zero emissions will align with the 20-Year Waste Strategy, which closed for consultation on 8 May. The Cleaning Up Our Act Issues Paper, which was a key part of the consultation, canvassed options for the management of organics in the future. This may include mandating source separation at a generator level and standardising household and business collections – supported by critical infrastructure and

“The plan aligns waste with a major climate action program for the first time, while also recognising that there are multiple benefits for organics recovery.”

Amanda Kane Manager Organics at the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

concepts such as joint procurement.

In the meantime, the NSW Government is providing $24 million in funding to support local councils and the alternative waste industry.

The funding package, which opened in mid-May, aims to help affected councils and the industry to implement or improve kerbside organics waste collections, purchase new

$24 million Alternative Waste Treatment transition package New funding available • $12.5 million Organics Collections grants • $5 million Local Council Transition grants • $6.26 million Research and Development grants: - $2.51 million for new or alternative uses for household mixed waste - $3.75 million for Organics Infrastructure grants Find out more at: epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/grants

equipment and upgrade facilities.

It includes $5 million in Local Council Transition grants to support councils impacted by Mixed Waste Organics Outputs (MWOO) regulatory changes with a range of project options, including strategic planning, options assessment, community engagement, rolling out new organics collection services or improving their

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

existing organics services.

Amanda says with the bulk of funding for Waste Less, Recycle More coming to a close, a new round of collection grants will help to continue to support councils upgrading to food and garden organics (FOGO) collection in NSW. On the commercial side, organics infrastructure funding for onsite systems was awarded last year to major institutions such as AMP Capital Investors, the City of Sydney, David Jones Food Hall and Taronga Zoo. “Our goal has always been to increase processing capacity to match the increased supply where it’s needed, and we will continue to need to do that as we work towards the Net Zero Emissions goal,” Amanda says.

The infrastructure investment in the last round of Organics Infrastructure grants funding included $6.5 million for

infrastructure announced last December – helping to build organics capacity in metropolitan Sydney. One recipient was Australian Native Landscapes, which received $2.9 million to expand the capacity of its Badgerys Creek facility to process 45,000 tonnes more food waste into compost each year.

BetterGROW was also the recipient of a $1.5 million grant towards a 30,000 tonne per annum organics resource recovery facility at Wetherill Park.

Late last year, DPIE also awarded almost $3 million to five more collection projects, with FOGO services planned or up and running in 50 local government areas in NSW. The funding boost aims to support local government while the 20-Year Waste Strategy remains in development. DPIE, with the EPA, will continue to undertake research into organics to improve investor confidence

in collection and processing.

As part of this, a series of new datasets have been released that will inform the next steps for resource recovery and organics diversion.

This comprises an analysis of the performance of food and garden organics collections in NSW. DPIE engaged consultants Rawtec to independently review and analyse kerbside red and green lid bin audits undertaken by councils across NSW. Released in April 2020, the Analysis of NSW Kerbside Green Lid Bin Audit Data Report audited 38 areas/councils to understand the performance of kerbside residual waste and organics services. Performance was measured at an individual household level by audited area/council and according to the bin size/frequency of collection.

Across all audited councils, the

The map on page 32 shows how far organics has come in NSW since 2010/11.

34 / WMR / June 2020

Food Waste in NSW The problem

“Our goal has always been to increase processing capacity to match the increased supply where it’s needed, and we will continue to need to do that as we work towards the Net Zero Emissions goal.”

Amanda Kane Manager Organics at the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

average proportion of available food and garden organics diverted from landfill was 85 per cent.

On average 44 per cent of available food waste was diverted from landfill, though this varied across the areas from five to 78 per cent. Garden organics rated higher in diversion rates, with 98 per cent of available garden organics diverted.

Contamination news was highly positive, with only a 2.2 per cent contamination rate by weight in the FOGO bin.

The research concluded that FOGO services were performing well in organics diversion. However, there are opportunities to improve diversion rates through food waste education. It showed that reducing access to landfill disposal options through smaller residual waste bins and user selected services led to higher food waste diversion.

The best configuration was a small 120/140 litre residual waste bin, collected fortnightly and a large 240-litre FOGO bin collected weekly.

Amanda says the new report reaffirms that most people are doing the right thing and targeted education would improve results.

As part of ongoing education, DPIE has launched the FOGO Education Deep Dive – a project involving 24 FOGO council educators from around NSW. The project will explore household behaviour in the kitchen and kerbside and test various interventions to further reduce contamination and increase recovery.

“Everything is aligning to recognise the value of organics as a waste stream and the opportunities for recovery, valorisation and beneficiation,” Amanda says.

What’s in your red lid bin?

33

45%

%

rubbish

22%

Food waste costs households $ per year

food and garden waste

dry recyclables

3,800

1.2

million tonnes of food waste goes to landfill.

That = 9,600 blue whales

What the NSW government is doing Committed to halve food waste by

105.5m investment in

$

27m

$

to support kerbside collections

organics recycling

2030 $ m 9

Food waste avoidance and donation

Food donation

7

$ m

for compost markets

43

17m

Households in councils in NSW have food organics and garden organics collections

meals saved a year

57m

$

organics processing

What you can do

Put it in the green lid bin where available

Compost or start a worm farm

Avoid food waste at home and work • plan your meals • make a shopping list • use up leftovers

Support a food charity

Use compost to: • regenerate land • increase water retention in soil • grow healthy veggies

Like Love Food Hate Waste www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au

Waste Less, Recycle More

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Digital FOGO PETER CRUWYS OF SOURCE SEPARATION SYSTEMS OUTLINES THE COMPANY’S NEW SOFTWARE-BASED APPROACH TO FOGO MANAGEMENT AND ITS HIDDEN BENEFITS FOR COUNCILS.

Source Separation Systems have developed unique software for FOGO programs.

T

rucks are rolling out of Source Separation Systems’ warehouse in Lake Macquarie NSW, on their annual quest to deliver over 80,000 Compost-A-Pak rolls to one of Australia’s largest food organics and garden organics (FOGO) programs.

While the sustainability outcomes and financial benefits of such programs are well documented, Peter Cruwys, Source Separation Systems Managing Director, says leveraging the company’s unique purpose-built software is delivering a number of hidden benefits for councils.

“Driven by a passionate team with an exceptionally strong communication strategy, Lake Macquarie Council reduced waste to landfill from domestic collections by 22,380 tonnes in its first year

36 / WMR / June 2020

alone,” Peter says.

“Enabled by their customised Kitchen Caddies with full colour educational labels imbedded into the lids, and Australian Certified compostable liners, the contamination levels have been as low as 1.2 percent on average.”

The resulting compost, Peter says, is being used to enrich the natural beauty of the region through council gardens and public spaces, and domestically as compost is made available to residents.

“Such financial and environmental benefits are well understood.

However, many councils are also discovering there are other benefits in FOGO distributions when leveraging the latest technology,” he says.

After years of walking household to household, and subsequently hours

of thinking time, the team at Source Separation Systems have developed unique software for FOGO programs.

Refined over the past few years in partnership with several councils, Peter says the software is designed to leverage the unique opportunities presented by FOGO programs.

This means every household in a community is visited as part of the program.

“While each specific project is fundamentally customised, as well as timestamped GPS confirmed deliveries, this software audits the council database – identifying and taking pre-programmed actions as mismatches are identified,” he says.

So, what does that actually mean in the field? Peter explains that legacy information, systems and imports, department specific software,

historical process oversights and clerical errors often mean that most council databases are well out of date, with a proportion of inaccuracies.

“The identification of database mismatches, such as new dwellings, multi-unit dwellings, and commercial buildings, when confirmed through GPS locations and real time photographic confirmation, is a source of new rates and waste services revenue for councils,” Peter says.

He adds that the identification of vacant blocks can reduce unnecessary waste collection costs.

“The identification of illegal dwellings and subdivisions are important for further assessments, including fire safety risks,” he says.

“Given our team are at the premises and comparing it block by block to the council database, it makes sense to have us capture any discrepancies, or ‘mismatches’ as we call them, and feed that information straight back to the council.”

Peter explains that this works to ensure the delivery of Source Separation Systems products are more accurate and stock controlled, particularly in situations such as unidentified multi-unit dwellings.

The system is enabled by Australian certified compostable liners.

Developed in consultation with several councils, Source Separation Systems customises the software to meet project requirements and priorities.

“Like many modern apps, the software is built to be intuitive, so our teams are now faster, more accurate and safer during deliveries,” Peter says.

“In addition, with councils more involved in planning the programs and setting their priorities, we can be much more responsive to individual communities.”

As such, Peter says the benefits for councils have been significant.

“For most FOGO programs, while

there might be a small premium for our unique service, the costs in reduced service fees and increased rates revenue for councils more than offsets this cost in the first year. And it’s an ongoing saving,” he says.

Peter adds that it’s been great to be a part of such a positive initiative.

“The program certainly does have financial benefits, but ultimately, I’m pleased we can make the case for FOGO even more compelling,” he says.

“Hopefully, that means more communities will establish FOGO programs and we can continue to build on the staggering environmental benefits being delivered.”

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Axtec OnBoard axle load indicators solve this problem.

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FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Restore the soil STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL TO THE PRODUCTION OF NUTRIENT RICH COMPOST FOR SOIL REGENERATION. JR RICHARDS AND SONS AND JINDALEE AG EXPLAIN.

Mark Darwin, Daniel Hibberson and Ross Skinner have developed a collaborative composting partnership.

M

ore than 30 per cent of the world’s land is moderately to highly degraded due to erosion, salination, compaction and chemical pollution, according to Restore the Soil: Prosper the Nation.

The 2017 report, written by National Soil Advocate Major General Michael Jeffery for the Prime Minister, argues that the combined effects of global insecurities – population increase, finite resource depletion and the effects of climate change – mean improving agricultural soil quality is imperative to global security.

“Soil is a critical national strategic asset,” Mr Jeffery explains in the report.

To progress the renewal process, the report outlines a number of recommendations, including engaging in regenerative farming practices through the application of organic composts and

38 / WMR / June 2020

bio amendments.

The is a belief shared by JR Richards and Sons (JRR) and Jindalee Ag, two companies committed to the production of nutrient rich compost. While two separate entities with unique and varied histories, JRR and Jindalee Ag have partnered to maximise their distribution capabilities. JRR, a name synonymous with waste management and resource recovery, has been providing collection and processing services to local government and private operators since 1958. They currently service kerbside collections for over 20 councils, with three state of the art in-tunnel composting facilities in NSW. On the other hand, Jindalee Ag was established four years ago by Daniel Hibberson, who was driven by a passion to help farmers understand their soil and the microbial workforce

beneath the ground. Jindalee Ag works collaboratively with recycling and waste management operators such as JRR to support the transition to more profitable and sustainable practices within agriculture, horticulture and viticulture.

Mark Darwin, JRR Facilities Manager, says the two companies connected after a chance encounter in Queensland.

“When JRR first started processing FOGO for local governments in 2012, while we understood the technical processes and systems required to produce nutrient rich compost, we didn’t fully understand the end markets,” Mark says.

“As an organisation, we recognised the necessity to educate and build market awareness to be successful. We had estimated this would require several years of marketing, field trials, soil analysis and subsidising product to gain market penetration, something that we were committed to undertaking.”

JRR then met Daniel, and through discussions learnt he had already established significant market leads and value-added processes, selling to customers such as Costa Group and Lawson’s Grains. From there, JRR and Jindalee Ag struck up a partnership, Mark says, with AS4454 and NASAA Organically Certified RichEarth compost produced at JRR facilities and sold through Jindalee Ag’s distribution network.

FORGING AHEAD WITH FOGO Launched almost 10 years ago, JRR’s RichEarth composting business grew out of the Grafton Organics Recycling

Facility (ORF) development. Located in the Northern Rivers Region of NSW, the facility was established through JRR’s Clarence Valley Council FOGO processing contract.

“Since then, our organic recycling and compost business has gone from strength to strength, with three ORF’s now fully-operational, producing high quality mulch and compost products,” Mark says.

All RichEarth compost batches are sampled and tested to ensure they meet the strict quality control requirements of the AS4454 Standard. Mark adds however that JRR and Jindalee Ag are dedicated to exceeding market expectations.

“Put simply, our approach is setting high standards and then bettering them. We are finding that there are facilities focusing on a gate fee for their revenue and then flooding the market with cheap product. We knew that to realise a return we needed to differentiate ourselves from the market and provide a value proposition to farmers by committing to and producing higher quality product.”

To achieve this, Mark says JRR and Jindalee Ag work to keep communication lines open through extensive stakeholder communications strategies.

Jindalee Ag and JRR are committed to producing nutrient rich compost.

“This involves working with councils to manage contamination and inform public education programs, as well as consistently engaging with collection drivers, contamination sorters, facility operators and the EPA,” Mark explains.

“Our processes include undertaking regular quality and site inspections, sharing test results and product images between sites and weekly teleconferences with stakeholders.

These actions are all taken with the express intention to collaboratively discuss operations and identify issues.”

Furthermore, JRR and Jindalee Ag

The two companies run on-site field days to educate the public.

run on-site field days to educate the public and keep them engaged with the organic’s recovery process. According to Mark, proactively engaging with the public has a twofold effect.

“By observing the organics recovery process firsthand, people are more likely to understand the effects of contamination, and in turn, more likely to engage in better source separation practices. On the flip side, that engagement is also beneficial for us, as we get a better read on the public’s needs and how we could better service them,” Mark says.

“JRR and Jindalee Ag are committed to producing compost of value. The importance of returning organic matter and vital nutrients to the soil cannot be underestimated.”

With the NSW Government injecting over $24 million to support local councils improve FOGO kerbside services, Mark highlights JRR’s proven record of providing holistic FOGO solutions for local government.

“We believe in the importance of stakeholder communication in producing quality compost beneficial to Australian soils and work hard with all parties to produce the best organically certified compost we can,” he says.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 39

FEATURED TOPIC – ORGANICS

Organics recovery is part of Veolia’s ‘Resource the World’ business strategy.

Unlocking the value in organics VEOLIA HIGHLIGHTS THE COMPANY’S COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AND RANGE OF TECHNOLOGIES TO WORK TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY BY DIVERTING ORGANICS WASTE FROM LANDFILL ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

W

aste and recycling has never been more topical across the Australian political and public landscape. With international recycling markets closing their doors to Australian recyclable exports, governments are encouraging the development of viable recycling markets within our shores. This has included putting in place stronger policies to increase the diversion of organic waste from landfill.

An example is Victoria’s recently released Recycling Victoria strategy which included a $129 million package for kerbside reform. This announcement included a target for 100 per cent of households to have access to separate food and organics recovery service or composting by 2030, as well as halving the volume of organic material going to landfill by 50 per cent between 2020 and 2030.

40 / WMR / June 2020

Over in NSW, the government is targeting net zero emissions from organic waste to landfill by 2030, with a variety of supporting policies.

The trends across organics diversion are welcome news for leading environmental solutions organisation Veolia, which has been at the forefront of sector innovation for decades.

Laurie Kozlovic, Chief Innovation and Strategic Development Officer, Veolia Australia and New Zealand, says organics recovery is firmly part of its business strategy to ‘Resource the World’.

“For Veolia, it is not only about landfill diversion, but importantly, improving soil health which is extremely relevant in an Australian context,” he says.

Carbon storage in soil offers a host of ecological benefits such as release of nutrients, water retention,

and absorption of organic and/or inorganic pollutants. Its sequestration also supports other ecosystem services derived from soils, such as farming production, drinking water supply and biodiversity. This occurs by increasing the amount of organic matter in the soil, thus improving its quality.

The Rabobank 2019 Food waste report identified that food waste costs Australians $10 billion annually. Of course, the approach to tackling the problem is to avoid the generation of organic waste in the first instance, and education is key. Once organic waste is generated however, the right technology and capability can provide numerous beneficial circular economy and climate resilient outcomes.

In Australia, Veolia operates a comprehensive range of technologies including a number of in-vessel composting facilities as well as an

anaerobic digestion facility which produces both electricity and fertiliser. Veolia’s compost products are beneficially reused in a number of urban amenity, agriculture, rehabilitation and environmental remediation applications across the country. Additionally, the company collects organic waste from its broad customer base which includes councils, commercial and industrial businesses. This experience also extends to its water business where organics such as biosolids are managed and beneficially reused.

Laurie says that removing organics from landfill crucially reduces carbon emissions. He adds that equally, compost plays an important role in providing food security, improving soil carbon and crop productivity, and reducing the effects of drought.

“Organic waste recycling is a great example of how we can value the inherent properties of waste and keep the materials circulating through the economy,” he says.

Additionally, Laurie says that identifying the waste streams for recovery early on enables the right infrastructure to be developed.

The end result is an integrated and holistic solution crucial for any zero waste ambition.

With organics recycling rates being

Veolia has partnered with iguis to distribute on-site organic food digester technologies.

around 52 per cent in Australia, there is ample opportunity for improvement and innovation.

Mark Taylor, Head of Solid Waste Treatment, Veolia ANZ, says that the best outcomes are when customers take ownership of their wastes from a process and recovery point of view.

He says this then becomes a prime partnership for finding optimal solutions together.

Veolia’s innovations include Soil Advisor – an app that has been in development internationally for a number of years through Veolia’s agronomic hub. It provides farmers with a tool to optimise compost application by analysing the long-term effect of the compost. Importantly, it looks at compost’s impact on changes to soil organic matter and soil carbon storage. This digital tool supports the internationzal “4 per 1000, Soils for Food Security and Climate” initiative launched during COP21 in late 2015.

The idea is that a four per cent annual increase in the amount of carbon in all soils worldwide would compensate for yearly increases in human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

An example is Veolia’s partnership with iugis Group, for the exclusive distribution of onsite organic food digester technologies, including the

Veolia’s Bulla Organics Facility turns thousands of tonnes of organic waste into high-quality compost.

ORCA product in Australia and New Zealand. The mobile, onsite organic digester solution is suitable for customers in a range of market sectors. The iugis technology mimics a natural digestion process, biologically converting organic food waste into liquid tradewaste. It supports landfill diversion as well as providing an onsite solution for Veolia customers that may be in remote or rural areas, or some distance away from a dedicated composting facility.

As with all waste issues, a systematic and comprehensive approach is needed to deliver meaningful outcomes. Veolia is ready to work further with governments, businesses and communities to convert the various organics policy ambitions, as well as their customer objectives into practical and relevant solutions.

However, Mark says Veolia needs all stakeholders to work together to create the framework and conditions necessary for the actions to be successful.

“Veolia will invest, however we need stable and reasonable policy, regulatory and contractual conditions.

These conditions will enable long term and sustainable investments which are value creating for all partners,” Mark says.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 41

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – C&D RECYCLING

Upward mobile expansion AFTER EXPANDING INTO THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET IN LATE 2019, TURMEC’S BRIAN THORNTON OUTLINES THE COMPANY’S MOBILE APPROACH TO EDDY CURRENT SEPARATION.

W

ith more than 45 years’ experience planning, designing, building and installing engineering and recycling solutions, Turmec’s recent expansion into the Australian market is part of a long line of developments for the company.

Born out of County Meath just north of Dublin, Turmec began as a scaffolding manufacturer, before setting its sights on the recycling industry in the early 2000’s.

Its current mission statement, a world without landfill, defines Turmec’s current operations, with the company estimating it has diverted over 43 million tonnes of waste from landfill to date. After a series of successful contracts in Australia, Brian Thornton, Turmec CEO, says the company thought the time was right to expand, launching its Australian operations in August 2019.

“With new legislation in place and waste companies starting to invest in new technologies to maximise their recovery rates, we felt it was the right time to make the leap and set up a new arm of the company there,” he says.

Brian notes that Turmec is well positioned to work with Australia’s growing construction and demolition (C&D) and commercial and industrial (C&I) recycling sectors.

“At Turmec, we design customised C&D and C&I recycling plants with a 98 per cent recovery rate, which means

42 / WMR / June 2020

minimised landfill costs and maximised commodity revenue,” he says.

“We have years of experience, along with record tonnage processing and percentage of commodity recovery.”

He adds that Turmec opened their Australian office to commit to the market and not just fly-in-fly-out.

“We are well established with many plants in Oz already and are here to stay,” he says.

For the Australian C&D and C&I markets, Brian highlights Turmec’s latest innovation, the Mobile Eddy Current Separator, as an efficient, mobile and low maintenance solution.

“We’ve taken mobile waste processing to a new level, with our Mobile Eddy Current Separator able to achieve high capacities within a compact design,” he says.

“A world without landfill” defines Turmec’s operations.

“The machine is just three metres wide and high, yet can process 300 cubic metres of material an hour.”

Developed with Turmec’s longstanding partner IFE, the new machine has already had 4000 hours of reliable operation in the field, processing both C&D and C&I waste. According to Brian, the team is now in the process of developing a Mark II machine.

“The design is focused on providing operators with an unmatched combination of flexibility and robust performance from a mobile plant.”

Operators have the option of jacking legs to give an extra two metres

stockpiling height, and still maintain the machine’s compact footprint.

Designed to bolt onto the back of mobile shredders for the wood industry, or for post-processing glass, incinerator bottom ash or solid recovered fuel, the plant separates ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

“The mobile package comprises a vibrating feeder with an unbalanced motor drive, magnetic rotor, and conveyors for collection of ferrous and non-ferrous materials, with another for discharging residual waste,” he says.

Built to ensure the highest standards of durability, the mobile separator plant is ideally suited to waste processors serving multiple sites, demolition specialists, and operators of any scale in need of additional capacity from a standalone, robust and reliable plant.

“Turmec’s Mobile Eddy Current

Separator is the product of many years’ experience designing, manufacturing and installing waste processing plants,” he explains.

“Our innovative design ensures the plant delivers high-quality output and a trouble-free, low maintenance service life.”

In addition to the Mobile Eddy Current Separator, Turmec can offer full service turnkey facility solutions.

“Every Turmec plant is custom designed to address specific C&D and C&I needs, and is planned with future growth in mind,” he says.

“We can adapt to any budget, floor plan or stage of the project, whether that means a completely new plant design or an insert into an existing plant.”

Brian adds that Turmec accounts for available labour and manpower,

Every Turmec plant is custom designed to address specific C&D and C&I needs.

working around any existing operation to minimise disruption.

“We take pride in being able to see the bigger picture and offer innovative yet proven waste stream solutions that work to accommodate all our clients’ needs and concerns,” he says.

“Waste is an ever-changing industry, which means Turmec must innovate to offer its clients the best solutions, keeping them ahead of legislation and marketplace driven needs.”

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PROFILE

Eye into the past invokes opportunity RETIRED WASTE INDUSTRY LEADER MAX SPEDDING RECALLS HOW HE OVERCAME CHALLENGES IN THE PAST, AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES LIE AHEAD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS.

M

ax Spedding started his career in ready mixed concrete and finished it with the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council, leading the influence of Federal Government policy reform on waste and resource recovery. He’s lived through multiple economic crises, including the 1973 oil crisis and 1987 stock market crash.

Spedding started his career more than 50 years ago in 1970 in the Shire of Korong north of Bendigo. After working in local government for a year, he joined Pioneer Concrete – now Hanson – in Australia and Europe, and in 1971 went to the UK followed by Italy in 1973-74.

He immersed himself in concrete and quarries for the next decade, focusing on managing profit and loss in his various divisions.

While Australia and the globe as a whole are now undoubtedly facing one of the worst collective economic and health crises since the Great Depression, there are always lessons we can gleam from the past.

So far the response from Australian federal, state and territory governments to the health crisis has been swift. At the time of writing, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia was less than 7000, with almost 6000 recovered. Notably, the health crisis is very much intertwined with the economic one.

“In fifty years, we’ve never seen

44 / WMR / June 2020

Max Spedding reflects on his decadelong career in waste management.

anything quite like this [COVID-19], but it is interesting to compare when you reflect on problems of the past,” he says.

He recalls working in Italy under 30 per cent inflation and fuel price changes. The 1973 oil crisis began after the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting countries proclaimed an oil embargo targeted at nations perceived as supporting Israel during the Yom Kuppur War. While the US, UK and Canada were targeted, an article published by the Università del Salento indicates Italy was highly affected due to its lack of primary sources of oil.

Spedding says conditions were also challenging with the terrorist and

guerrilla organisation Red Brigade also active – a group responsible for kidnappings and robbings throughout Italy.

“You just couldn’t keep up with inflation, although it took a year or so to get through it – we got there.

“Of course it was economic rather than medical, but you’ve just got to live by the day and wait for new opportunities to arise.”

“It’s surprising how you have a period of intense inflation and it sort of clears the deck and establishes a new platform on the value of your investments and you can then go forward again. It’s a matter of being able to batten down the hatches and hold on and then look apon the new reality that comes out and take advantage of the difficulties.”

Spedding continued with Pioneer which was followed by a brief stint in South Africa before returning to Italy in 1980 and eventually returning back to Australia in 1984, in Pioneer’s Sydney concrete division.

“The more we became vertically integrated, the trickier it got. Because if you were a local manager responsible for your profit and loss that was fine. But when you become vertically integrated there was someone else selling you material where you couldn’t really negotiate a typically commercial price.

“So when I got to Sydney in 1984, the Sydney concrete division was

losing enormous amounts of money a month – 100s of thousands of dollars per month.”

He says when he arrived in Sydney, Pioneer had lost four per cent of its market share. This was offset, he says, by the successful quarrying division.

“What Pioneer taught me is to make sure you have all the information on the table and remain focused on what the intent of it is. If you’re intent is to make money, you have to make money overall as a group – not just in one area.”

In 1987, he decided to put his learnings to greater use joining a company called Hooker Corporation Operation in a newly formed resources division.

“That was all doing well but unfortunately George Herscu invested heavily in America in supermarkets and they went belly up and the holding company went into bankruptcy.

“That left our little resources division, which was quite profitable with positive cash flow, hanging out there.”

He says all team divisions members were brought into the corporation under a negative pledge arrangement which saw him presented with a request for $340 million despite the division having a value of around $20 million.

“At the same time, within a few months of that we had the 1987 crash and all of my options I had negotiated in taking on this new role went out the window.”

“But the net result was we sold off the resources division and only one bit of it failed, all the rest of it continued and is now in the hands of others.”

He says going through a liquidation and the 1987 crisis, amid incredibly high interest rates, was extremely difficult to manage but he emerged in 1989 with a role with Browning Ferris Industries (BFI) – now owned by SUEZ in Australia – running the development of new landfills in Australia and New Zealand. He developed the Lyindhurst

Landfill in Taylor’s Road, one of the first lined landfill in Australia which is still in existence today.

In 1992, he found opportunities managing waste-to-energy market developments for BFI in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines. Two years later, he took over as Managing Director of BFI in Australia.

“That got me into the international waste industry. The interesting thing there was we had the Asian share market economy meltdown in 1996/97. My response to our American owners at that time was caution in developing WtE in Asia, which proved to be correct.

Because when the crunch came and the projects/companies we were involved in failed, we virtually had no exposure.”

“That’s one crisis that was avoided because we were probably a bit too conservative, but sometimes you have to be.”

Landfill and recycling consolidations continued until BFI’s US owners withdrew their overseas operations.

The company’s ownership changed hands quickly over a decade being owned by SUEZ through to 1998, Waste Management Inc in 1999 and then sold back to SUEZ in 2000.

“A new owner each year for three years. How about that. Interesting time,” Spedding recalls.

He characterises the period from 2000 onwards where recycling was “getting somewhere”.

He recalls attending a larger conference in 1996 with BFI with over 500 managers from around the world. Every third person was asked to stand up.

“The CEO says just imagine you all just lost your jobs: that’s how much the industry is going to go to recycling and unless we embrace recycling, all you guys will be out of work.”

More than 20 years’ later, he says recycling is still a real challenge

Max started his career in ready mixed concrete.

for the industry.

He says we need to keep it simple and the three RRRs – reduce, reuse and recycle showed what practically can be done. He says that while metals worked in the global economy and with fibre works locally also proving to be successful, plastics have always been a challenge and seemed to be an impossibility.

“Throughout my life I’ve always targeted the 80 per cent solution as the one that gives you the highest amount of efficiency and return and sustainability.

As soon as you start to focus on the top one or two per cent, you get in trouble.”

But recycling really changed around a decade ago when organisations like SKM found a reliable outlet in China. At that point, Spedding was doing some consulting work and CEO of the Australian Landfill Owners Association (ALOA).

“This model was you basically to did the minimum amount of sorting and produced a bulk product with five per cent contamination or less. You offloaded it to China which had very cheap labour and poor environmental condition,” he says.

“The interesting thing that most people don’t think about is that it’s not only the cheap labour. So much material is coming to Australia as a major market for the Chinese manufacturing sector.

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PROFILE

“All of the containers had to be taken back to China and they all went back empty so basically you got almost free backloading in those containers of this material.

“So using China as a low labour but also as a low cost destination because of the empty container. It was a perfect marriage, if you like.”

From 2008 to 2015, Spedding had a seat at the table with the Federal Government on climate change discussions as part of ALOA. He officially formed the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council in early 2017 with the backing of its national members – Alex Fraser Group, Cleanaway, J. J. Richards and Sons, Solo Resource Recovery, Suez, Toxfree, Remondis, ResourceCo and Veolia.

In mid 2017, China announced to the World Trade Organization its intention to ban the import of waste products from the US, Japan, Australia and other source countries, to take full effect by the end of 2017.

“This change that came about where the focus of recycling was to bulk it up and take it to China and use their cheap labour and transport was an anomaly. It was there, it was exploited.”

He says councils went from paying $40 a tonne to offload their recyclables to suddenly being paid $10 a tonne for the material.

“As we’ve seen in the last year, it’s not sustainable.”

He says this had been coming for some time, but everyone was wedded to the system and a lot of councils were in a very beneficial position.

“This was the public perception that recyclables had a value. There’s no doubt they do, but where is the value positive is the issue.”

“It doesn’t start positive to the householder, it’s positive somewhere along the line from taking the material

46 / WMR / June 2020

to sorting and processing and down into a producing a raw material again.”

During 2017, the recycling sector faced multiple challenges following a series of fires, including the well known Coolaroo fire. Now, the challenges have increased with some similarities, but adding COVID-19 into the mix.

“The issue [now] is COVID-19 has disrupted the economy totally. But the biggest thing, is that I think coronavirus has spelt the end of globalisation as we previously knew it,” he says.

“Through the 90’s globalisation was a concept being pushed by everyone, countries, companies and individuals.

We had the beginnings of a truly global economy.”

He adds that COVID-19 has exposed the weakness of globalisation and our dependence on supply lines and cheaply produced components overseas. “As we come out of the coronavirus and look at all of these policies, recycling in particular. We are going to have to re-consider the world and the approach to globalisation.”

He points out that while everyone has been talking about a circular economy, that was practical up until China closed its doors on waste exports. “While China was producing and was part of the circular economy, that was fine, but as soon as they closed the doors

and wouldn’t take the waste back, the circular economy couldn’t include them.

“Therefore, it’s no good talking about circular economy in a global situation. But now we have a situation where globalisation will certainly be on the table for review and our circular economy that we’ll be talking about can be geographically smaller.”

He says that as supply chains are broken by COVID-19, Australia can consider looking at more local specialised manufacturing including from recycled materials. Additionally, it can prompt a re-think of sustainable local services, whether it be closer food supplies, medicine or equipment, offering an improving climate in the process.

“I’m hopeful one of the positives that will come out of this is a refocus in Australia on manufacturing and product sustainability.”

Spedding says there is an opportunity for a new approach and a greater focus on a resilient, self reliant Australia as a result.

“There will be a lot of positives that will come out of this as long as we return to work not thinking it’s all the same and try to go back to where we were.

“We need to be looking at where we can be, and how it can be better.”

Max believes globalisation as we knew it in the context of waste will have to change in the future.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Maintaining mental health WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW SPEAKS TO MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR ABOUT STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WELL-BEING FOR THOSE WORKING REMOTELY OR IN A CUSTOMER SERVICE ROLE DURING COVID-19.

W

hile COVID-19 has caused significant challenges for society from a public health and business continuity perspective, one of the elephants in the room is mental health. The impact of losing one’s job or feeling isolated can be overwhelming for many, but taking steps to manage one’s well-being can go a long way to reducing stress, anxiety or associated issues.

As former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the current Chair of Beyond Blue said in a recent statement, as humans, we’re hardwired to crave stability.

“If you’re feeling worried and unsettled that is perfectly understandable,” she said.

At an event for young people called WE Day, she said she spent quite a bit of time with Sophie Trudeau, the First Lady of Canada.

“When she became unwell and tested positive for COVID-19, I was concerned about potentially becoming sick a long way from home,” Ms Gillard recalled.

“What I found reassuring was that the public health advice was so clear.

The recommendation to me was to self-isolate for 14 days from the time of contact.”

She said the experience reinforced how a significant part of the solution to this pandemic rests with us.

48 / WMR / June 2020

“Our individual acts can have a powerful collective impact, helping protect those most at risk in our community,” Ms Gillard said.

With around three million Australians living with anxiety or depression, the risk during this time is even greater not just for those three million individuals, but many others out there.

While it is important to acknowledge that not everybody has the benefit from working from home, with many in the resource recovery sector having to interact with members of the public, taking care of oneself, both physically and mentally, can build resilience.

With 6000 employees across the country, including many thousand on the frontline delivering essential waste management services to communities and businesses, Cleanaway’s response to the COVID-19 impacts was focused on safety, clarity and assurance.

The company recognised that confusion and uncertainty from the range of messages in the media was putting additional stress on Cleanaway teams. Additionally, it knew it had a role to play in providing assurance so that its people could remain calm and focus on protecting their health and safety.

Cleanaway’s Johanna Birgersson, Executive General Manager Human

Resources, says the company’s ‘Home Safe’ value has never been a more central focus.

“We outlined a clear Emergency Management Plan (EMP) that was aligned to guidance provided by the relevant authorities, but framed around our own business requirements as an essential services business. We set up a COVID-19 information hub on the intranet which contained detailed FAQs with responses, clarifying what the latest rules and guidelines meant for Cleanaway,” Ms Birgersson says.

For situations that are beyond its ability to control, Cleanaway’s Employee Assistance Program, Lifeworks, gives its people access to independent and confidential support.

In February it had implemented the web and app-based well-being platform through Lifeworks, giving all employees and their family members – however remote – access to health content and support through their computers and phones.

“As an essential service provider, our teams are on the frontline working with customers and the community every day, without the option to work from home. Ultimately by providing a safe working environment, clear messages and reassurance throughout a difficult time, Cleanaway have worked to remove additional or undue mental health strain for employees,” Ms Birgersson says.

TIPS TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN WORKERS In Victoria, Gallagher Workplace Risk works closely with the Victorian Waste Management Association to provide its members with support.

Paul Marsh, Practice Leader, Workplace Risk Southern Region, deals with workplace compensation, injury management, rehabilitation and return to work. He and Brianna Cattanach, Gallagher Workplace Risk, are both occupational therapists with a background in mental health. Ms Cattanach handles the education and training arm of Gallagher Workplace Risk.

“One of the challenges of remote working is it’s incumbent upon managers to be able to pick up the early warning signs that someone is struggling and that’s a lot easier to do when you’re seeing someone face-to-face,” Mr Marsh explains.

“Having said that, I think it’s ever more important to try and conduct a Facetime or Zoom chat and even try and pick up the tone of voice in a phone call and not be afraid to ask if they’re OK and be more direct in these times.”

Ms Cattanach stresses that it’s OK to not be OK – this is a challenging experience for all of us.

“Sharing common experiences can provide a level of relief and re-assurance that you’re not the only one going through this experience, right through to having a level of social engagement that creates meaning and builds resilience,” she says.

Ms Cattanach stresses that first and foremost, supporting your workforce to maintain good psychological health and safety is always more effective than waiting to respond to indicators of poor mental health.

“Knowing your workforce and

being able to identify changes in their mental state is never more important than during times of crisis and challenge,” she says.

“It is essential to make well-being conversations part of the norm and encourage regular and honest communication between workers and their managers.”

BECOMING SOCIALLY ENGAGED, RATHER THAN SOCIALLY DISTANT Ms Cattanach says the term “social distancing” can carry with it a negative connotation as it’s important to be “physically distant” but “socially engaged” so to speak.

“Be mindful of the known psychological implications of social isolation and promote physical distancing and social engagement over social distancing,” she says.

She says that prioritising people KPIs over operational matters will drive the best overall outcomes for safety, productivity, financials, culture and a return to normal down the track.

“However, don’t assume that all managers are well equipped in this space – consider online learning modules or checklists and resources, which can support them to have more meaningful conversations and more effectively identify risks,” she says.

Experts say the term social distancing carries with it a negative connotation and we should instead focus on physical distancing and social engagement.

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EVENTS

Visitors can expect to find more in-depth streams at Waste Expo this year covering policy and waste strategy.

Waste Expo forges ahead WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW SPEAKS WITH CORY MCCARRICK, WASTE EXPO AUSTRALIA EVENT DIRECTOR AHEAD OF THE 2020 EVENT.

C

OVID-19 has had flow on effects for every sector of the industry, with no business immune to social and economic challenges. Social distancing regulations have also forced a re-think of traditional approaches to work and gatherings.

While the long-term impacts of COVID-19 are yet to be fully understood, the waste sector is committed to keeping its essential service running.

It is in this environment that Waste Expo Australia forges ahead, driven by a belief that providing a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing will help industry better understand its collective challenges.

With new COVID-19 cases slowing down in Australia, Cory McCarrick, Waste Expo Australia Event Director, says progressing cautiously, yet optimistically, with the event is the best option for industry.

50 / WMR / June 2020

He says the health and safety of exhibitors, visitors and staff is Waste Expo Australia’s number one priority.

“We are working closely with the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and government to ensure that Waste Expo Australia has the highest health protection activities, public health messaging, hygiene and medical control measures in place,” he says.

Cory highlights that the very purpose of Waste Expo Australia is to bring industry together, to share knowledge and to do business.

“This has always been important.

However, the opportunity to collaborate, share ideas with industry peers and hear from industry leaders during the current climate will help the industry get through the COVID-19 situation quicker and be better prepared for the future,” he says.

“Many Australians are working

from home and self-isolating, and Waste Expo Australia may be the first opportunity to see industry peers and to have a drink at one of our networking events. I’m sure everyone is looking forward to that.”

As one of the most comprehensive free-to-attend conferences for the waste management, resource recovery and wastewater sector, last year’s Waste Expo Australia saw a record number of delegates.

“Our team work exceptionally hard to improve Waste Expo Australia every year, and we were very proud to be announced as finalists for Australia’s best trade show at the Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia’s annual Awards for Excellence last December,” Cory says.

The 2020 event is set to build on that momentum, with the program to cover a broader range of topics, sessions and speakers than previous years.

Cory says the team have been working hard to raise the bar for the 2020 event. He says visitors can expect to find more in-depth streams covering policy and waste strategy, the circular economy, organics and health and safety.

“We will also continue to work closely with various industry associations and stakeholders to ensure that we’re offering the most relevant information and attracting the right people to the event.

“Some of our partners will be hosting co-located workshop and networking events too,” he says.

Cory says exhibitors and attendees can be confident that Waste Expo Australia’s Waste Summit program, as well as various co-located industry events, will deliver a highly qualified audience.

He adds that the event will also provide networking opportunities to generate new business leads and strengthen relationships.

“The Waste Summit conference program is designed to deliver

highly engaging, informative and educational talks, and will evolve again in 2020 to feature additional streams, new topics and more speakers,” he says.

“Many of our partners will be hosting their own industry events at Waste Expo Australia 2020 including workshops, networking events and the annual Victorian Waste Management Association dinner.”

Cory adds that the team are also working with various state-based associations to increase Waste Expo Australia’s interstate attendance and ensure the conference is the country’s leading national event.

“We cover the industry’s most pressing issues, which change every year depending on what’s happening in the industry. National Sword was a hot topic in previous events, and undoubtedly, COVID-19 will be featured heavily in 2020,” he says.

According to Cory, the Waste Expo Australia team is currently in the process of organising their 2020 speaker program.

“We pride ourselves in the research we do with our industry to find out what they want to see at the Waste Summit and who they feel they will learn from,” he says.

“We look for industry experts that have a powerful story to tell and deliver the necessary learnings and experience that our delegates can take back to the workplace and start implementing straight away.”

Last year’s event offered 35 hours of free, engaging and educational sessions, Cory says, with more than 100 speakers. “Many businesses have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 and suppliers are relying on our event to generate the leads they need to support their businesses,” he says.

“From an exhibitor’s point of view, it’s the opportunity to network and build relationships with one of the largest gatherings of waste management and resource recovery professionals in the country.”

Waste Expo Australia is set to return to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre 21-22 October.

The Waste Expo Australia Waste Summit delivers engaging and educational talks.

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EVENTS

Translating cleantech WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW SPEAKS WITH VEENA SAHAJWALLA ABOUT A DECENTRALISED APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY. Veena Sahajwalla supports a range of innovative ideas, including microfactories and other decentralised waste management.

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ith textile waste fast becoming one of the Earth’s most pressing environmental concerns, Sustainable Schoolwear is providing a small-scale solution by manufacturing school clothes out of recycled polyester and plastic bottles.

Developed in 2013, the small business recently expanded its operations through a new partnership with NSW Government initiative NSW Circular and the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT).

According to Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director of both NSW

52 / WMR / June 2020

Circular and the SMaRT Centre, initial results from a pilot project to reform used and old school uniforms into flat panels to create new school desks have been positive.

The next phase of the project is testing the “school uniform” flat panels to make school desks that are viable. Veena says the technology to do this illustrates the benefits of finding new uses for items often destined for landfill by ‘upcycling’ waste streams in innovative ways.

Sustainable Schoolwear is just one of many organisations joining NSW Circular in pilot projects.

Other projects involve working to

transform e-waste plastics into value added manufacturing feedstock and products, and reforming and recycling agricultural wrap.

NSW Circular’s pilot projects aim to translate cleantech innovation into tangible real-world outcomes by treating waste as a resource and diverting it from landfill and stockpiling. Highlighting the success of these projects, Veena says new ways are needed to accelerate Australia’s growing cleantech industry.

“When we clearly demonstrate the application of sustainable materials research to practical localised

solutions, it provides inspiration to others looking to engage in the field.If a council can see the innovative projects another council is engaged with, they think: we can do that, too.”

Veena, who in addition to her roles with NSW Circular and the UNSW SMaRT Centre, sits on the National Cleantech Conference & Exhibition (NCTCE) advisory panel, stresses the importance of engaging with endusers. “We can do all the technology and science work we want, but we also need to demonstrate its application and translate that for the end user,” she says.

Veena says the future of the Australian Cleantech industry depends on the sector’s ability to connect with communities, decisionmakers and investors and have a measurable impact and drive its own growth. Now in its second year, NCTCE will take place at the Brisbane Conference and Exhibition Centre on 22-23 March 2021.

The two-day program will focus on cleantech as an instigator of innovation, economic development, creative collaborations and inclusive prosperity.

“Cleantech science and technology can be overwhelming at times, so coming together at a conference such as NCTCE, talking to experts and highlighting case studies, is a good way for people to understand what’s going on,” Veena says.

Approaching cleantech in a decentralised manner is critical, Venna says, highlighting that Australia’s geographical nature demands localised solutions.

“What will work in a capital city will be different to that in a regional town. It’s about shifting our traditional large-scale mindset and creating new market opportunities and solutions that will very often slot

into existing demand,” she says.

“There isn’t one answer for everything. You need to design processes around the specific requirements of each project and the ecosystem you’re working in, which in turn works to empower local regions.”

The long-term goal of Veena’s work with NSW Circular, the SMaRT Centre and NCTCE, is to enable local businesses and communities to produce the products and materials they need using their own resources derived from local waste.

This can be achieved, Veena explains, through novel research into sustainable materials and manufacturing processes and then building industry partnerships to operationalise new manufacturing technologies.

“This unique approach aims to disrupt today’s centralised, vertically integrated industrial model and its global mass markets, with agile technologies driving the decentralisation of manufacturing.”

Tiffany Bower, NCTCE Program Director, feels similarly, noting the role of cleantech innovation in building a resilient national economy.

“NCTCE is not focused on just one solution because change will take a holistic approach across technologies, behaviours and policies,” she says.

“Many people don’t realise there are government agencies at all levels already doing great work in this area. There is funding available and resources they can access to help build their cleantech innovation and business.”

Tiffany adds that NCTCE’s speaker program aims to spotlight best-practice case studies, innovative partnerships and new business models.

“It’s really important to us that this conference is accessible to the small businesses and start-ups that comprise the majority of the cleantech industry. We have kept ticket prices as low as possible, while ensuring a world-class education and professional development program.”

Veena sits on the National Cleantech Conference and Exhibition advisory panel.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – EXCAVATORS

CATERPILLAR’S MH3022 WHEEL MATERIAL HANDLER When it comes to material handling equipment, Caterpillar knows success depends on high productivity and dependable performance.

The MH3022 anchors the smaller end of the new Cat wheel material handlers and operates as an agile solution in space-restricted areas. Despite its small frame, the M3022 offers good reach, making it an effective handler for all indoor sorting and waste applications.

The wheeled material handler is designed to cope with the harsh environments of industrial, scrap and waste recycling operations, which call for safe and reliable products with low operating costs.

The MH3022 offers fuel efficiency and reduced exhaust emissions, with its engine meeting all Tier 4 Final emissions standards. Furthermore, the powerful engine is optimised with a 10 per cent fuel consumption improvement over the previous series.

The hydraulic valve compartment and routings offer a simple and clean design to help ensure durability. While the smart main hydraulics system reduces the load on the engine when not needed, translating into lower fuel consumption.

The MH3022 also features a dedicated swing pump.

The MH booms include high pressure hydraulic lines for opening and closing functionality.

Having two separate pumps, one for the swing and the second for the other functions, allows faster and smoother combined movements.

Additionally, the MH booms include high pressure hydraulic lines for opening and closing functionality and medium pressure lines for implement rotation. A short MH boom is available to match indoor applications, while retaining the same performance and lifting capabilities.

Contact - Caterpillar Ayden Piri P +61399539175 E Piri_Ayden@cat.com W www.cat.com/en_AU

CJD EQUIPMENT’S VOLVO ECR235E EXCAVATOR Volvo’s ECR235E excavator, available in Australia through CJD Equipment, features an optimised compact design that enables short swing radiuses. This allows operators to manoeuvre in and out of narrow areas simply, increasing uptime and productivity.

For more power and enhanced productivity, the machine’s system design – specific to the ECR235E – and durable under carriage ensure significant tractive force when climbing gradients and traveling over rough or soft terrain.

Additionally, the machine’s Stage V engine and enhanced hydraulics system produce smoother operations and increased efficiency.

Featuring proven advanced technology, and built on decades of experience, the engine also boasts increased power, while reducing both fuel consumption and emissions.

For waste operators, often working in harsh, stop-start environments, the enhanced hydraulics system increases pump power for faster and smoother operations – resulting in quicker cycle times and higher throughput.

The excavator’s cab features slim pillars and large glass planes to provide a clear view of job sites, which in turn supports a high degree of workplace safety.

CJD Equipment operates nationwide with strategically placed branches, dealers and service centres.

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www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 55

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LAST WORD

Focusing on the future through positive reform IN RESPONSE TO THE NSW GOVERNMENT’S ISSUE PAPER CLEANING UP OUR ACT, A NUMBER OF PRIORITY STEPS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, WRITES ROSE READ, CEO OF THE NATIONAL WASTE AND RECYCLING INDUSTRY COUNCIL.

T

he NSW Government’s issue paper Cleaning Up Our Act: The Future of Waste and Resource Recovery outlines the current challenges facing the waste system and proposes a vision for the future NSW circular economy including options for reform.

What is pleasing about the paper is that the NSW Government clearly recognises the current waste and resource recovery system is inadequate to meet the state’s growing needs, let alone the transition to a circular economy. Business as usual won’t fix it, and if we fail to act now to disrupt this trend, the NSW waste system may not be able to cope.

From an infrastructure perspective, the nuts and bolts of the waste system, the issues paper clearly recognises the system’s current limitations and gaps. From collection challenges and the lack of capacity to process, recover and treat waste, to the limited resilience in the system to ensure service continuity and reliability. It also acknowledges the essential nature of waste and recycling infrastructure, the workforce supporting it, and community well-being.

Importantly, the government’s vision gives more weight to waste avoidance

Rose Read says the NSW Government’s vision gives weight to waste avoidance and creating markets.

and creating markets. The NWRIC welcomes this, and it is consistent with the current National Waste Policy.

It also clearly acknowledges that responsibility for waste isn’t just with those who collect, recycle and dispose of waste or the community.

More so, it identifies that those enterprises that make, sell and construct are key players who must adopt a stronger sense of environmental responsibility for their products across the entire supply chain and material lifecycle.

The paper also places explicit

emphasis on waste being seen as a resource that should positively contribute to a sustainable future.

This shift reflects the principles of a circular economy, building social, environmental and economic capital, as opposed to simply reducing environmental harm.

The options proposed in the issues paper are comprehensive and far-reaching, reflecting complex interrelationships and the need for system-wide reform that meets growing public expectations.

The challenge now is to prioritise

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 57

LAST WORD

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The options proposed in the issues paper are comprehensive and far-reaching, reflecting complex interrelationships and the need for system-wide reform that meets growing public expectations.

The challenge now is to prioritise these options.â&#x20AC;?

Rose Read CEO of the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council

these options, ensuring an implementation-oriented plan that can deliver measurable outcomes over the next five years from 2021.

Considering our current status, we need to look to the future and design a process that can navigate a clear pathway to change and reform.

In its response to the issues paper, the NWRIC identified a number of priority steps to a more sustainable, affordable and reliable waste and recycling sector.

From a material perspective, priority should initially be given to organics, plastics and glass.

Specifically, this means diverting organics from landfill and increasing the recovery of plastics and glass. This will require system-wide changes and collaboration with other jurisdictions.

Creating markets for recovered materials is also key to making services affordable and sustainable.

The challenge here is not only to address the current quality and supply issues, but more importantly to enable recovered plastics and glass to effectively compete with virgin materials as an affordable alternative.

Several reforms are required to achieve this price parity. Improved source separation at the point of

58 / WMR / June 2020

collection, increasing processing capacity, and agreed minimum recovered resource supply specifications will go a long way.

But most importantly, we need to require those who make, sell and construct to use more recovered materials in their packaging, products and infrastructure. This can initially be driven by taking a stronger product stewardship approach and mandating minimum recycled content in plastic containers. Requiring all government funded infrastructure projects to demonstrate how they will optimise their use of recycled materials and report on the type and volume of recycled materials and products used, will also be essential.

To encourage private sector investment and technological innovation, the government must provide for dedicated precincts in local and state planning policies, streamline the planning approval and environmental licensing process, and reform the current resource recovery order and exemption framework.

Such changes will help deliver certainty to industry; a much-needed requirement.

Reliability in the system is also paramount. The NSW Government

must increase landfill capacity, and proactively support the importance of energy recovery as a viable solution to treat residual waste that cannot be recycled including, contaminated organics.

Finally, greater effort is required to eradicate sub-standard and illegal practices. The approach taken

by Victoria to support a waste crime prevention inspectorate is commended. For too long unlicensed and illegal waste activities have been allowed to occur across the state, harming the environment and putting the community at risk.

The NWRIC considers that all waste and recycling operations must be conducted in accordance with state, national and international environmental, health and safety regulations. Failure to do so is unacceptable.

Of course, essential to any effective strategy and action plan will be clear objectives, targets, data collection to review performance year-on-year, timely progress and adequate funding.

NSW is in a strong position to make these changes quickly. With more than $750 million raised per annum through the state waste levy and only 20 per cent being currently spent on waste and recycling activities, there is ample scope to implement the necessary changes.

This will serve to encourage the greater private investment necessary to create a more sustainable, reliable and affordable waste and recycling system.

The current climate clearly demonstrates that waste and recycling is a service essential to the health and well-being of NSW. In this regard, the issues paper provides a positive outlook on how NSW can future proof its waste and recycling system as it transitions to a circular economy and recovers from COVID-19.

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