Waste Management Review August 2020 by Prime Creative Media

AUGUST 2020

Rethinking recovery Infrastructure Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Elissa McNamara on the next steps for waste.

FEATURES Hazardous waste management Future proofing facilities Is the sector confident? Collaborative procurement

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COVER STORY

RECOVERING VICTORIA’S WASTE

Infrastructure Victoria’s Elissa McNamara outlines how the state could recover up to 90 per cent of its waste if $1 billion is spent on recycling infrastructure in the next two decades.

UNLOCKING THE FUTURE OF YOUR FACILITY Mandalay Technologies’ Brendon Horswell discusses how to unlock longterm investment rewards through the company’s range of Facility Product Suite Extension Products.

“WE KNOW THAT THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT IS STARTING TO INVEST MORE MONEY IN BEHAVIOUR CHANGE PROGRAMS. THEY WANT HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES TO BE RECYCLING CORRECTLY.” - Elissa McNamara, Infrastructure Victoria

In this issue

Features

16 FUTURE FORECASTING

With hazardous waste volumes increasing each year, Veolia is drawing on its sector expertise to accelerate technical treatment.

BSORBING TOXIC 18 ACOMPOUNDS

Scott Whittaker of Clean Stream Technologies outlines a non-toxic approach to hazardous waste management and chemical neutralisation.

20 ATMOSPHERIC COMPLIANCE

With illegal refrigerant venting posing a significant challenge to the environment, A-Gas details the importance of Arctick compliance.

22 DETECTING ASBESTOS

With the introduction of Portable Analytical Solutions’ microPHAZIR’s, Bingo Industries is meeting and exceeding its environmental obligations.

FROM AUSTRIA TO ADELAIDE

Recent Order of Australia recipient Peter Wadewitz discusses the benefits of his relationship with CEA.

30 TECHNOLOGY PAYBACK

Eriez Magnetics explains how modern separation equipment can increase ferrous and nonferrous recovery rates for MRFs handling MSW.

32 PRIORITY SHREDDING

FOCUS enviro’s Robbie McKernan and UNTHA’s Gary Moore explore what to prioritise when investing in a new shredder.

40 COLLABORATIVE MODEL

WRRG’s new Contacts M and Procurement Director speaks with WMR about his plans to grow the authority’s collaborative procurement model.

Regulars

42 PRODUCT SHOWCASE 61 LAST WORD

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PUBLISHER

Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

MANAGING EDITOR

Melanie Stark melanie.stark@primecreative.com.au

EDITOR

From the Editor

Funding modernisation With the announcement of the Federal Government’s new $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund, Australia’s waste and resource recovery industry is set for a period of unparalleled growth. Designed to support investment in new infrastructure to sort, process and remanufacture materials, Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley expects the fund will generate $600 million in recycling investment. The announcement comes just six months ahead of the first round of export bans – with unprocessed glass waste set to be banned by 1 January 2021. Estimates suggests that Australia will need to recycle around 650,000 additional tonnes of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres onshore each year by mid-2024, when the full export ban comes into effect. To meet this challenge, the Recycling Modernisation Fund seeks to drive a strategic, national approach to growing waste management and recycling capacity through technology and infrastructure. And as such, serves as a signal that government has listened to industry calls for market intervention. The Federal Government has also earmarked an additional $35 million to implement the National Waste Policy Action Plan, and $24.6 million to improve waste data and track progress against the national waste targets. Industry response has been swift, with many suggesting the fund is a massive and unprecedented milestone for recycling. While the fund is certainly welcome news to the sector, a number of key implementation questions remain unanswered. As highlighted by Shadow Assistant Minister for the Environment Josh Wilson, there is little detail on how demand for recycled content will be supported through meaningful procurement targets and related mechanisms. While the Federal Government has committed to developing new markets, for the fund to fulfil its lofty ambitions and drive a national resource recovery target of 80 per cent by 2030, mandated use of recycled materials may be required. That said, the fund is a significant step forward, one that is sure to see the industry expand to meet the needs of a modernised waste marketplace.

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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

Industry responds to QLD Energy from Waste policy

The policy aims to provide certainty on how EfW will be assessed and regulated across QLD.

The Queensland Government has released its highly anticipated Energy from Waste (EfW) policy following a June webinar with the state’s Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch. The EfW policy aims to capture embodied energy from residual materials that would otherwise have been landfilled, as Queensland transitions towards a circular economy. During the webinar, Enoch gave a candid update of the current state of play in Queensland. She noted that the policy aligns with the waste management hierarchy and Queensland’s strategic priorities, and provides industry with certainty on how EfW will be regulated and assessed in the state. As well as establishing an EfW hierarchy to address the differing

technologies available, the policy outlines seven outcomes to guide proponents on how environmental authority applications for EfW facilities will be assessed and regulated. It also details requirements that will need to be met to demonstrate the operational performance of proposed facilities. Mark Smith, Waste Recycling Industry Queensland (WRIQ) CEO, said the policy provides an important building block for the Queensland waste and resource recovery sector, and importantly sets out expectations from government to market. However, Smith said a key challenge for state and local government and the private sector, who are the largest funders of infrastructure in Queensland and Australia, will be how the changes and improvements

to waste and recycling management are communicated to the Queensland community. Smith highlighted recent research from CSIRO which shows community trust and acceptance of new or upgraded waste facilities is dependent on their confidence in industry and the government bodies regulating the sector. “WRIQ is committed to improving the sector’s public brand and wants to ensure our members are supported by government when they decide to make investments to support the Queensland economy,” he said. Smith added that it’s important for government to understand and recognise their role in building community awareness around the role the waste sector plays in maintaining Queensland’s economy and way of life.

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News

Parliament passes National Radioactive Waste Bill The National Radioactive Waste Management Amendment (Site Specification, Community Fund and Other Measures) Bill has passed through the Federal House of Representatives. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012, and give effect to the government’s commitment to establish a single, purpose built National Radioactive Waste Management Facility. “Governments have been attempting to find a solution to this issue for decades and our government has taken a significant step in bringing the process to a conclusion,” Keith

Pitt, Resources, Water and Northern Australia Minister said. The legislation will confirm a site near Kimba in South Australia as the home for the facility. “The site was one of 28 across the country that was voluntarily nominated, followed by extensive engagement and consultation with the surrounding community that has shown broad support for the project,” Pitt said. “There has also been extensive engagement with other stakeholders during this process, including with Traditional Owners.” South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young disputed Pitt’s claims, stating that the facility does not

The Bill will allow the Fed Govt to establish a single, purpose built National Radioactive Waste Management Facility in South Australia.

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have broad community support. Hanson-Young added that communities living along potential transport routes had not been consulted. “The Greens referred the legislation to a Senate Inquiry for scrutiny of the laws and the process that led to this point,” she said. “That Inquiry has not yet reported, nor has it held hearings in affected communities.” The legislation will soon head to the Senate, with Pitt calling on Labor and cross-benchers to support the project. “Suggestions that a site in the Woomera area could be used for the facility are simply not practical due to the increase in Defence Force training activities that will limit access to the area,” he said. “The passage of this Bill, and the construction of the facility, is crucially important to the future of nuclear medicine in Australia, which will benefit two in three Australians.” In a statement released earlier this year, then Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan said 80 per cent of Australia’s radioactive waste stream is associated with the production of nuclear medicine. “Nuclear medicine is used in the diagnosis of a variety of heart, lung and musculoskeletal conditions and treatment of specific cancers,” he said. “This medical waste, along with Australia’s historical radioactive waste holdings, is currently spread over more than 100 locations across the country, like science facilities, universities and hospitals.”

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News

CSIRO and Microsoft partner to tackle plastic waste

The agreement, signed by Microsoft Australia’s Steven Worrall and CSIRO’s Larry Marshall, is designed to accelerate critical research with the use of AI.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies will be harnessed to tackle global challenges including plastic waste and illegal fishing, as part of a new partnership between CSIRO and Microsoft. The agreement, signed by CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall and Microsoft Australia Managing Director Steven Worrall, is designed to accelerate critical research that will use AI and machine learning. “By partnering with a world-leading scientific organisation like CSIRO, we believe we will be able to bring deep and lasting impact to Australian

10 / WMR / August 2020

organisations, communities and the environment by accelerating progress in critically important areas such as managing plastic waste,” Worrall said. Marine debris will be targeted by analysing videos of rivers and stormwater drains to identify and track waste flows into waterways. According to a CSIRO statement, the research will be used to inform intervention efforts, such as placement of river rubbish traps and reverse vending machines, where the public can recycle bottles and cans in return for a fee. The partnership will also work

towards tackling illegal fishing by analysing information gathered from high resolution cameras and underwater microphones, to assist fishing management in Australian marine reserves like the Great Barrier Reef. Marshall said the partnership brings decades of scientific expertise in solving real-world challenges together with the latest breakthroughs in AI. “Everything CSIRO does is through partnerships across Australia and around the world, so it’s great to share such a broad vision for making the world a better place with a visionary partner like Microsoft,” he said.

VIC essential services commission commences stage two of review The Victorian essential services commission has commenced stage two of its waste and recycling services review, and is now undertaking targeted stakeholder consultation. Last year, the Victorian Government asked the commission to provide advice on how to address issues of competition, system-level resilience, service quality and greater transparency in the waste and resource recovery sector.

In October 2019, the commission provided initial confidential high-level options for the design of a regulatory regime for the sector. “In response, the government has asked us to provide further advice on legislative options and explore potential governance arrangements,” a statement from the commission reads. According to the statement, the commission’s advice will consider the full costs and benefits of options to make waste and resource recovery

more transparent, and ensure councils provide these services to expected standards. Additionally, the commission will assess how a new statutory framework could address identified inadequacies in the sector, and how the government should regulate it. “We will undertake targeted consultation with stakeholders over the coming months before providing our final advice to the government in August,” the statement reads.

COVER STORY Infrastructure Victoria has recommended upgrading or building 87 new processing facilities.

Recovering 90% of Victoria’s waste INFRASTRUCTURE VICTORIA’S ELISSA MCNAMARA EXPLAINS HOW VICTORIA COULD RECOVER UP TO 90 PER CENT OF ITS WASTE IF $1 BILLION IS SPENT ON RECYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NEXT TWO DECADES. BRITTANY COLES REPORTS.

“T

he recent pandemic has accelerated what was already a big change. Victoria is shifting to a greener economy and it’s time to accelerate that,” Elissa McNamara, Infrastructure Victoria (IV) Resource Recovery & Recycling Advice Project Director says. IV’s advice on recycling and resource recovery infrastructure, prepared for the state government in May, suggests that Victoria could recover up to 90 per cent of its waste if $1 billion is spent on recycling infrastructure in the state by 2039. Additionally, the state will need to boost its recycling capacity by more than three million tonnes per year by 2039 to meet recovery targets and address stockpiling and illegal dumping issues.

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It is now three months since IV released its advice, which recommended upgrading or building 87 new processing facilities for six priority materials: plastics, paper and cardboard, glass, organics, tyres and e-waste, to achieve a 90 per cent recovery target over the next two decades. “We’ve certainly had no shortage of interest from local governments, industry stakeholders and the private sector, who are responsible for building a stronger and more sustainable recycling and resource recovery industry for Victoria,” McNamara says. More than 1500 stakeholders have attended various briefings and webinars held by IV in the past three months to discuss its infrastructure advice.

Importantly, McNamara says there has also been strong interest from investment funds and market analysts looking to identify development opportunities in the sector. Through multiple IV stakeholder briefings and discussions, state government responsible agencies are already acting on parts of IV’s advice. McNamara says IV is pleased with the response and call to action so far, but adds that the sector now has a weight on its shoulders to initiate change in an unprecedented era of uncertainty. THE NEXT PHASE Currently, 69 per cent of Victoria’s waste is recycled into useful products but only one third of the state’s 79 councils offer a food and garden

organics collection service. Victorian councils collected 580,000 tonnes of household commingled recyclables in 2017-18, equivalent to 230 kilograms per household. As more waste is being produced and recovery rates have stagnated, the state’s resource and recovery sector is under increasing pressure. In May, IV CEO Michel Masson said the advice delivered by IV contains all the elements for Victoria to develop a world-class recycling and resource recovery system within the next two decades. “We need to use less, recycle more and collect our waste smarter, so that we are recovering its value and not relying on export markets to deal with our waste,” Masson said. The report’s 13 recommendations were developed in consultation with government and industry stakeholders. IV’s October 2019 interim report informed the Victorian government’s recently released Recycling Victoria policy and is aligned with associated programs like Recycled First. From its findings, IV determined that Victoria will need to boost its recycling capacity by more than three million tonnes per year by 2039. Although the 2020s have been labelled the decade of change by some sustainability experts, the COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be a challenge for recycling and waste operators, who have experienced unprecedented levels of kerbside material, especially soft plastics. During recent lockdown measures, Australian households threw out more than 10 per cent more rubbish and recyclables via kerbside bins. Assistant Waste Reduction Minister Trevor Evans launched a report by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) in May to track the progress of the national 2025 packaging targets.

Elissa McNamara says COVID-19 is an opportunity for businesses to re-evaluate their approach to resource recovery.

“We need change at both the supply and demand ends: behavioural changes from Australians to get it right at kerbside and to return soft plastics to supermarkets, and policy changes from governments,” he said. National packaging targets can be met if Victoria can transform its resource and recycling sector. “Government agencies such as Sustainability Victoria and Waste and Resource Recovery Groups (WRRGs) across the state are already building on our specific infrastructure recommendations as part of their future planning,” McNamara says. She adds that the next step for the agencies is developing more detailed plans for vital infrastructure investments by industry and government. According to IV’s advice, Victoria’s capacity and capability to manage recovered organics and e-waste will be exceeded by 2025 and 2030 respectively, as a result of policies such as the National Waste Policy and Victoria’s e-waste to landfill ban, introduced in 2019. “We know that the Victorian Government is starting to invest more money in behaviour change programs. They want households and businesses to be recycling correctly,” McNamara says. That will for change is matched by

Victorians – IV conducted a survey that found 93 per cent of people feel it is important to reduce non-recovered waste, and 89 per cent are open to changing how they sort waste. McNamara acknowledged that during COVID-19 many businesses are closed or partially operating due to restrictions, but there are opportunities to rethink the way they have been managing their waste capabilities that will be most costeffective and contribute to successful environmental outcomes. “In some ways this pandemic has been an opportunity for many businesses to re-evaluate their approach to recovery. In particular, the transport sector has really put a lot of effort into using more recycled material in major infrastructure projects and has progressed from a start-up phase to where the use of recycled material is now a more standard business requirement for construction,” McNamara says. CONSISTENCY IS KEY Victoria already recovers more than $1 billion worth of resources each year, but IV says there is huge potential to grow this figure by reprocessing and reusing materials locally or by selling them overseas. McNamara says individuals and businesses are willing to change the way they sort their waste. However, consistency is key, and she thinks there is a massive potential for facilities and organisations to leverage the growing amounts of waste being stockpiled or sent to landfill. “It is very important to be consistent and focus on both state and national approaches,” she says. Investment in improved data will also be needed. “The Victorian Government’s

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COVER STORY

Elissa McNamara says collaboration is essential to providing a consistent waste and recycling service across Victoria.

planning and policy decisions need to be informed by reliable data on recycling and resource recovery. Gaps in data create issues for policy and strategy implementation, particularly in monitoring progress towards targets,” the IV Resource Recovery & Recycling Advice states. Every Australian state and territory will have its own challenges across the next decade, but McNamara says interstate colleagues are willing to share learnings and contribute to the national waste action policy. She notes that there is national focus on boosting landfill levy consistency and examining how consistent approaches could be economically viable for infrastructure investments. McNamara says collaboration is essential to providing a consistent service across Victoria. “Certainly, what we identified in our report is that having a consistent service across Victoria in terms of the appearance of household bins and what materials go in them, allows service providers and the public sector to be more specific with requirements,” she says. By processing materials from both Melbourne and local areas, regional

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Victoria can provide products, such as compost for agriculture, closer to end users, reducing transport costs and creating new jobs and services. McNamara highlights that it won’t be possible to have every single recycling and household service the same, as residential complexes across regional and metro communities differ. “What we can do is offer the same services such as food and garden waste collection. If we’re accepting the same materials it makes it easier to support the behavioural change needed to boost recycling and recovery,” she says. INDUSTRY COLLABORATION According to Rose Read, National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) CEO, IV’s report and advice is comprehensive, but it comes very much from an infrastructure lens. “Simply building better collection systems to clean up inputs and more processing infrastructure will not increase recovery rates. You also need to build markets at the same time to match demand with supply,” she says. While NWRIC supports all of IV’s recommendations, Read says focus must be placed on strengthening markets for priority materials, cleaner inputs,

greater recovery of energy from nonrecyclable waste and better planning by strengthening the status of, and processes around, Victoria’s Recycling Infrastructure Plan. The state government has listened to industry and learnt from recent challenges, as demonstrated by the Recycling Victoria program. “This will fix many of the major systemic problems Victoria currently has, but to really drive and create a circular economy, it must look at waste as more than an essential service but also as an important resource industry,” Read says. McNamara confirmed that the Victorian Government has been working on the next stage of infrastructure planning, which is setting the state up for post COVID-19 recovery and investment in a sustainable long-term future. “There is an opportunity now for government and private waste agencies to begin piecing the puzzle together, by focusing on short term opportunity during this economic disruption,” she says. “There clearly is an increased appetite from government agencies to partner with industry in order to get the best outcome,” McNamara says. This has been seen in construction project specification in state infrastructure projects. McNamara stresses the opportunity for the private and public sector to collaborate in ways they haven’t before, to develop cost-effective infrastructure and facilitate a stronger waste and recovery market in Victoria. “Our work shows there is not one single approach to achieve these outcomes, all levels of government, business and households will need to work together if we are to realise the huge opportunity before us,” IV stated in the report.

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FEATURED TOPIC – HAZARDOUS WASTE

Future forecasting WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE VOLUMES INCREASING EACH YEAR, VEOLIA AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND IS DRAWING ON ITS SECTOR EXPERTISE TO ACCELERATE TECHNICAL TREATMENT.

n 2017-18, Australia produced 7.5 million tonnes of hazardous waste, representing 11 per cent of total waste generated. This is a 34 per cent increase on 2014-15 figures, according to Blue Environment’s 2019 Hazardous Waste report. “Hazardous wastes trended strongly upwards in the eight years to 201718, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately nine per cent per year since 2013-14,” the report reads. The upward trend comes in spite of downtowns in heavy manufacturing, suggesting new hazardous waste streams are emerging alongside new industries.

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As such, one could surmise that in 10 years, the makeup of Australia’s hazardous waste sector will look markedly different than it does today. Future thinking and investment in technology and infrastructure is therefore critical to the safe and sustainable management of hazardous waste, according to Anthony Roderick, Veolia COO - Industrials and Energy. “It’s not about what the market looks like today, but rather analysing trends to anticipate what it will look like in five to 10 years,” he says. “Take ports for example. Australia manufactures very little now, and our ports are already filled with vessels

containing bulk chemicals, hazardous materials, quarantine and contaminated bilge waste, and that’s only going to increase in the next decade.” Roderick adds that as populations grow, it is paramount for service providers such as Veolia to consider how they can effectively divert hazardous waste volumes out of communities for reuse in new markets and processes. “There’s very little landfill space remaining in most metro catchment areas, and one questions why hazardous materials and residues are going to landfill at all. If we don’t manage the situation correctly now, it will create a

While the Brooklyn Industrial Services Hub successfully receives and processes 50,000 tonnes of hazardous waste each year, Veolia has its eyes on expansion.

multitude of problems in the future,” Roderick says. “We need to build infrastructure, develop better education programs for industry and communities, and must keep dialogue open with the marketplace.” To proactively match future markets, Roderick says Veolia is investing in two key areas: capacity and capability. “By investing in new and innovative technologies, and leveraging our global experience, Veolia is setting up to meet the needs of the future,” he says. “In turn, we are increasing safety, improving environmental outcomes and developing more efficient treatment processes.” Veolia is investing in waste and resource recovery infrastructure across all materials, streams and regions. Roderick highlights upgrades to the

company’s Brooklyn Industrial Services Hub as illustrative of this commitment. Veolia’s Melbourne Brooklyn Industrial Services Hub has been operating since 1997 and is licensed by the Victorian EPA to receive hazardous waste in all forms including packaged waste and bulk sludges, liquids and soils. The facility utilises two treatment stages, with the first, conventional treatment, employing processing technologies such as chemical stabilisation of contaminated solids, physico-chemical treatment of sludges and resource recovery including decanting, crushing and recycling. The second advanced treatment stage involves thermal desorption, which utilises heat to increase the volatility of contaminants so they can be separated from waste materials such as sludge or filter cake. Contaminants are then recovered, and where possible, beneficial reuse outlets are found. Produced outputs include liquid hydrocarbons for reuse, further treatment or disposal, water for reuse within the Veolia plant and inert material for reuse, further treatment or disposal. Roderick explains that the primary objective of this technology is to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and deliver better environmental outcomes. “Veolia’s Thermal Desorption Plant removes concentrations of toxins in hazardous waste, reducing health and environmental impacts” he says. While the treatment plant successfully receives and processes roughly 50,000 tonnes of hazardous waste each year, Veolia has its eyes on expansion. “We’re currently in the process of redesigning, installing and commissioning new reactor tanks, filtration processes, fuel control

systems, conveyors and pipe work,” Roderick says. “The upgrades were conceptualised around three key areas: increasing safeto-work operations, developing more efficient treatment processes and further reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill in Victoria.” A key focus of the upgrade project is better treatment outcomes and improved remediation of client waste streams including ports, road, rail and air infrastructure sites. “In Victoria alone, the Big Build pipeline is rapidly accelerating. It’s very important that we understand the challenges associated with remediation at these sites, particularly around challenging waste streams such as PFAS,” Roderick says. Veolia offers diverse solutions for remediation of PFAS contamination based on scientific data and the results of trials and testing. To complement fixed treatment, its fleet of mobile treatment assets can be deployed to site for in-situ treatment. Treatment can also be configured based on the concentration of PFAS, the presence of other contaminants and organics in the source-water and the treatedwater specification. Once the Brooklyn hub upgrades are complete, Roderick says Veolia’s capacity to remediate PFAS contamination will increase significantly. He adds that as the market is constantly changing, clients and the community are looking for improved efficiency and sustainable innovation. “It’s important to reframe the conversation and not look at just waste, rather resources that hold commodity value in their own right,” Roderick says. “Building a more sustainable society is about understanding market trends, aligning with those needs and exceeding market demand.”

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FEATURED TOPIC – HAZARDOUS WASTE

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Neutralising hazardous waste toxicity

SCOTT WHITTAKER OF CLEAN STREAM TECHNOLOGIES OUTLINES THE COMPANY’S UNIQUE NANOTECHNOLOGY APPROACH TO ON-SITE HAZARDOUS WASTE AND TOXIC CHEMICAL NEUTRALISATION.

hemicals are an integral part of everyday life, with over 100,000 different substances in use today, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Harmful substances and hazardous waste report. “Much work remains to be done to understand and mitigate these negative impacts, such as widespread contamination of land, water and air,” the report reads. “This work is especially critical today, as new and potentially hazardous substances continue to emerge.” To mitigate harmful effects, chemical and hazardous waste removal companies have continued to work with industry and governing bodies to help their clients manage chemical waste to the most stringent standards, while minimising hazardous exposure to workers. A significant innovation is this space is Clean Stream Technologies’ (CST) FAST-ACT technology, which has the ability to lessen or remove toxicity from hazardous waste.

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Developed in conjunction with the United States military to target the destruction of chemical warfare agents, FAST-ACT’s reactivity has expanded to the containment and neutralisation of a wide range of toxic chemicals and waste streams. FAST-ACT is a non-toxic, noncorrosive and non-flammable dry powder formulation that is effective against a wide range of toxic chemicals. According to Scott Whittaker, CST General Manager, hazardous waste removal companies in South East Asia, India and the Middle East are using FAST-ACT technology in two ways. The first approach is to use FASTACT powder in pressurized cylinders, much like a fire extinguisher. Using this method, FAST-ACT is sprayed directly onto chemical waste to remove or reduce off gassing of vapour hazards and significantly reduce exposure to workers. “In the event of air-borne vapours, the same response is used,” Whittaker explains. “The second approach involves

mixing FAST-ACT powder – which is non-soluble – into water to create a slurry, which is then directly mixed into the liquid toxic waste.” Since 2008, CST has been the sole business development company for the Timilon range of nano chemistry-based metal oxides across Australasia, South East Asia, India and the Middle East. “This has included applications for removal of toxic vapours in the oil and gas industries involving acids, caustics, sulphurs, mercaptans, PFAS and many more,” Whittaker says. FAST-ACT, which stands for first applied sorbent against chemical threats, absorbs and destroys toxic compounds by chemically reacting and converting them into either a non-toxic residue, or a waste with significant reduced toxicity. Made using earth minerals, the product is non-toxic to humans. “Since the dry FAST-ACT powder neutralises threats upon contact, onsite incident management and clean up times are reduced,” Whittaker says. He explains that this works to

eliminate the possibility of desorption “Considerable data has been of captured agents. compiled on the reactivity of these As a result, he says decomposition materials towards many hazards products are less toxic or nontoxic, including acidic and caustic gases, and are typically in an easily chlorocarbons, organophosphorus disposable form. compounds, simulants and chemical “Since its inception, CST have warfare agents,” Whittaker says. conducted research and development “Most importantly, the technology in reactive nanoparticles and related is extremely effective against major technologies, and have developed vapour threats such as hydrogen worldwide opportunities for sulphide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen engineered solutions to remove and dioxide.” neutralise toxic chemical vapours,” FAST-ACT’s manufacturing Whittaker says. techniques produce advanced materials Due to increased surface area, unique with small crystallite sizes, which morphology, additional functional agglomerate into micron size particles groups on the surface, large porosities, and have high porosity. small crystallite sizes and altered “This porosity allows for the entire electronic state, nanomaterials – a particle to be utilised in the reaction,” nanometer is one-billionth a meter explains. RecoveryAdBleed.qxp_Layout 1 6/24/20of12:13 AM– PageWhittaker 1 exhibit enhanced chemical reactivity. “We’ve also tested FAST-ACT for

PFAS neutralisation, to positive results.” Whittaker adds that FAST-ACT technology is currently being used by over 30 organisations across Australasia, South East Asia, India and the Middle East. In addition to the traditional FASTACT product, CST has developed a FAST-ACT decontamination mitt, which contains the powder and facilitates an immediate response for workers coming into contact with toxic industrial chemicals. Developed for the US military, Whittaker says the decontamination mitts are used to remove and neutralise toxic chemicals from clothes and skin. For more information email info@ cleanstreamtechnologies.com or contact Whittaker at 0425 236 248.

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FEATURED TOPIC – HAZARDOUS WASTE

Atmospheric compliance WITH ILLEGAL REFRIGERANT VENTING POSING CHALLENGES TO THE ENVIRONMENT, KATE PATTERSON OF A-GAS RAPID RECOVERY OUTLINES THE IMPORTANCE OF ARCTICK COMPLIANCE AND RESPONSIBLE RECOVERY.

he refrigeration industry plays a sizable and increasing role in today’s global economy – with recent developments in synthetic refrigerants demanding the attention of policy makers. As mandated under Federal law, the refrigeration and air conditioning industry must recover, return and safely dispose of ozone depleting and synthetic greenhouse gas refrigerants.

As a by-product, the avoidable venting of fluorocarbon refrigerants into the atmosphere is an offence punishable by law. According to Alex Doran of the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC), one kilogram of refrigerant R410a has the same greenhouse impact as two tonnes of carbon dioxide – the equivalent of running a car for six months.

A-Gas equipment can recover refrigerants up to 10 times faster than conventional recovery methods.

20 / WMR / August 2020

“Refrigerants leak into the atmosphere from faulty or poorly maintained equipment, or when equipment is improperly disposed of,” Doran says. “The refrigerants contained in most air-conditioners and refrigerators can be extremely harmful to the environment if released. “Many refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbons damage the ozone layer, while others are extremely potent greenhouse gases.” To manage the responsible recovery of refrigerant, the ARC works on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to deliver the refrigeration and air conditioning industry permit scheme. “We regularly communicate with local councils and audit tips and waste transfer stations to ensure compliance with the regulations, and ensure refrigerant is recovered before white goods are dumped or recycled,” Doran says. Kate Patterson of ARC certified company A-Gas Rapid Recovery says the importance of conserving every kilogram of refrigerant should not be underestimated. “This is where refrigerant recovery has such a vital role to play,” she says. Under Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management

Regulations, all persons handling refrigerant must hold a current Refrigerant Handling Licence, issued by the ARC on behalf of the Federal Government. Recovery companies that comply with licensing and other removal regulations, such as responsible reporting, receive Arctick approval though the ARC. Despite growing awareness of the hidden dangers of incorrect refrigerant handling, Patterson says the sector is still facing significant challenges. Namely: the illegal venting of refrigerant when disposing of white goods and air conditioners. “Knowing and understanding current laws and regulations is challenging for anyone handling refrigerant,” Patterson says. “The laws imposed on our industry create significant challenges. With knowledge of the rules and regulations, A-Gas can help bring operators out of violation and into compliance.” A Gas utilises Arctick certified technicians and bespoke recovery equipment to meet the needs of their customers. All recovered refrigerant is documented and tracked to meet governmental regulations. With over 25 years’ experience in the supply and lifecycle management of refrigerants, Patterson says A-Gas are well placed to manage growing regulatory responsibilities. A-Gas offers a full suite of refrigerants and industrial gases to the refrigeration and air conditioning market. Additionally, the company has a large fleet of returnable cylinders for refrigerant and industrial applications. “Our high standards of quality and integrity are maintained and supported through the A Gas specialist on-site laboratory and rigorous Quality Control program,” Patterson says. “We have a team of technicians who are fully equipped to go on-site at short notice and undertake recovery jobs of all sizes.” Patterson adds that the A-Gas team take responsibility for all aspects of recovery work including hazardous waste documentation and electronic job-site reporting. “If you are completing recovery jobs in-house, it is essential that best operating practice is always followed,” she says. “Effective and safe recovery requires comprehensive risk assessments to be in place prior to the job starting. “Having the right paperwork and relevant site inductions to prove competence is a key part of any recovery job to prevent risk to operators, their customers and the environment.”

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FEATURED TOPIC – HAZARDOUS WASTE

Portable Analytical Solutions’ microPHAZIR facilitates rapid identification of six types of regulated asbestos fibres.

Detecting the problem of asbestos WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF PORTABLE ANALYTICAL SOLUTIONS’ MICROPHAZIR ASBESTOS TESTING, BINGO INDUSTRIES IS MEETING AND EXCEEDING ITS ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH OBLIGATIONS.

n the wake of COVID-19, Federal, state and territory ministers have highlighted the construction industry as critical to economic recovery. In April, for example, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told the ABC that the biggest construction boom in the state’s history would need to be even bigger. He added that new projects and jobs would enable the state to bounce back strongly. Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the Federal Government was powering ahead with vital infrastructure projects in an effort to maintain the country’s long-term economic health.

22 / WMR / August 2020

While infrastructure investment will likely aid post-COVID recovery, more construction and demolition projects have an unintended side-effect for the waste industry – asbestos. Asbestos has been banned by most Australian states and territories since the late 1980s, however, bans did not include chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos), which remained in use until 2003. It’s now an issue that affects one third of Australian houses, according to estimates from the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency. Jim Sarkis of Bingo Industries says as a waste industry leader, Bingo is serious about the asbestos problem.

As such, the company has rolled out microPHAZIR testing at all its facilities across NSW and Victoria. Acquired through Portable Analytical Solutions (PAS), Bingo’s Thermo Scientific microPHAZIR AS’ empower non-experts to perform safe testing for immediate feedback. In addition to allowing operators to exercise a duty of care for workers, the public and environment, the devices help avoid costly and unnecessary shutdowns and subsequent business interruption. “One of the reasons we acquired the microPHAZIR’s is that we see ourselves as an industry leader and want to be raising and acceding that

benchmark constantly,” Sarkis says. PAS’ microPHAZIR facilitates rapid identification of six types of regulated asbestos fibres - chrysotile, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, actinolite and amosite. Using the power of near-infrared spectroscopy to perform accurate on-site analysis, the unit is completely self-contained. Weighing 1.2 kilograms, the microPHAZIR AS is highly portable and very simple to operate. With a testing time of approximately seven seconds, the microPHAZIR AS is able to display whether asbestos is present and which type of asbestos it is. Prior to purchasing the microPHAZIR’s, Sarkis says Bingo relied on industry knowledge acquired by staff to identify materials potentially

containing asbestos. Following the introduction of the devices, however, Bingo’s ability to accurately identify and isolate asbestos containing material has significantly increased. The microPHAZIR’s portability facilitates field-based testing, thereby reducing the need to rely on outsourced laboratory testing. “Laboratory testing can be costly and slow, which is a challenge as our recycling centres are fast moving. The immediacy of the microPHAZIR is one of its biggest benefits,” Sarkis says. “The microPHAZIR fitted seamlessly into our process. “We have it close to our receiving areas, and if there is material we suspect to contain asbestos, the team can test the sample and receive

confirmation in seconds.” The initial implementation of the microPHAZIR was quick, Sarkis says. He adds that Bingo and PAS ran training courses with the team and had onsite testing up and running within a day of receiving the devices. Paul Martin, PAS Managing Director, says PAS is proud to work with Bingo to support their efforts in detecting and protecting the public from asbestos. “The microPHAZIR AS is a perfect tool for detecting asbestos used in building products with great reliability,” he says. “With the growing use of the microPHAZIR across the waste industry in Australia, by both public and private waste facilities, we are glad that more asbestos is being detected before putting peoples heathy at risk.”

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – SOFTWARE

Unlocking the future of your facility BRENDON HORSWELL OF MANDALAY TECHNOLOGIES DISCUSSES HOW OPERATORS CAN UNLOCK LONG-TERM INVESTMENT REWARDS THROUGH THE COMPANY’S FACILITY PRODUCT SUITE EXTENSION PROJECTS.

s standards around waste and resource recovery change, so do the needs of operators working in the sector. Recognising the needs of clients is critical for Mandalay Technologies, with data analysis and client facing product development forming the basis of the company’s business model. Brendon Horswell, Head of Support and Implementations, explains that Mandalay cultivates its cloud-based products through on-going interaction with its clients. With over 32 years’ experience in the waste and resource recovery sector, Horswell has developed a strong understanding of the industry and the specific and complex needs of individual operators. “We work closely with our clients to help them overcome their operational challenges and develop our products in accordance with that,” he says. Mandalay’s Facility Product Suite, for example, was developed to address a range of customer pain points. These include lack of trust in data, poor and inadequate reporting and an inability to integrate to finance systems. “It’s a hybrid cloud solution offering an interface to process transactions, capture data at manned and unmanned facilities and record data according to various state-based and

24 / WMR / August 2020

Brendon Horswell says forward thinking is crucial for the ongoing development of waste facilities.

national regulatory requirements,” Horswell says. In addition to its core product suite, Mandalay offers a range of Extension Transactional Products, including EFTPOS integration, Image Capture, Multi Weigh, Site-Based Pricing and UAT Environment. According to Horswell, Mandalay’s EFTPOS extension product was designed to integrate Facility Product Suite ticketing with EFTPOS terminals via a third-party product called Linkly. This allows ticket price information to pass automatically from ticketing to an integrated EFTPOS terminal and pass the payment back to the ticketing transaction record. “A lot of facilities have an older style of EFTPOS, where the driver drops of the material, the transaction

is processed within Mandalay’s software, and then the operator has to type the amount into a pin pad,” Horswell says. “With our EFTPOS integrated system, however, when the operator processes the transaction within the Mandalay ticketing software, they simply hit the EFTPOS button, which automatically sends the information to the pin pad machine.” Horswell explains that the integrated system reduces the possibility of keying errors, as operators aren’t required to manually enter transaction amounts into EFTPOS terminals. He adds that the product speeds up transactions and streamlines auditing. “If at the end of the day a facility should have taken in $20,000 but have only taken in $10,000 through EFTPOS because someone typed in the wrong amount, there’s often no way to capture that money back, particularly if it’s an unknown client,” Horswell says. “Our EFTPOS integration removes that risk to ensure an accurate and steady cash-flow.” Another key extension product is image capture, Horswell says, which is designed to capture images from CCTV cameras installed at waste and resource recovery facilities. Images are recorded at the point a weight is stored or when a transaction

“Ensuring the correct processes are in place is an investment in the future and removes the potential of having to go back and fix problems after they arise.” Brendon Horswell Head of Support and Implementations, Mandalay Technologies

is completed, allowing clients to verify transactional data. Mandalay’s clients often have a camera facing the front of the incoming vehicle that can capture the licence plate, Horswell says, and a second camera that captures the load of the vehicle. He adds that the key advantage of image capture is the ability to resolve billing disputes using the image and location details attached to each transaction. “If a customer has been charged for tyres, for example, and they come back

to the operator claiming they didn’t have any tyres, our client can look back through the transaction history and show that tyres were in the load,” Horswell says. The information is available through Mandalay’s Transactional Search function, which allows users to quickly find a specific transaction or set of transactions related to the customer, keyword, vehicle, ticket number or date range. Items are filtered by site and presented in an easy-to-use table format that allows for quick

Mandalay’s image capture product allows operators to resolve billing caption using image and location details attached to each transaction. disputes

processing of key information. “Another important extension product is UAT Environment, which allows clients to set and test pricing changes in advance,” Horswell says. Fees and charges generally increase from the 1st of July each year, and through the UAT Environment platform, Mandalay’s clients can test changes through the ticketing system to ensure pricing comes out as expected. “This means the client can prepare pricing changes in advance and are not left scrambling at the last minute hoping the new pricing structure is going to work,” Horswell says. Another advantage of UAT Environment is the ability to test upgrades of Mandalay’s core software program. “We can test the new software in UAT first, so the customer can see the new version and make sure it works with their processes,” Horswell says. Once clients are happy with the UAT test, Mandalay can upgrade the new version in production. “Ensuring the correct processes are in place is an investment in the future and removes the potential of having to go back and fix problems after they arise.” Future thinking is crucial for the ongoing develop of a facility, Horswell explains. He adds that while investment in Mandalay’s extension products is an additional capital cost, the products save operational costs through streamlined processes and auditability. “It’s a long-term investment strategy in the future of your facility,” he says. This article is the second in a threepart series exploring Mandalay’s Facility Product Suite. To find out more about how Mandalay can support your business, email: enquire@mandalaytech.com

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 25

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ORGANICS

From Austria to Adelaide RECENT ORDER OF AUSTRALIA RECIPIENT PETER WADEWITZ DISCUSSES THE BENEFITS OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH KOMPTECH AND CEA AND THE UPSIDE OF INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.

arlier this year, Peats Soil & Garden Supplies entered into a 12-month trial with the University of Queensland. By adding targeted microbes to create a new formulation of green organics compost, the trial seeks to examine how ‘smart compost’ can improve long-term soil quality. Peter Wadewitz, Peats Group Managing Director, believes the new formula will lead to a longer shelf life and increase the nutrient density of the compost. If the approach is adopted across industry, he estimates the amount of food and organic waste turned into compost could grow by 200,000 tonnes each year. The trial is one in a long line of innovations from Wadewitz, who in June this year, was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list –

receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the organic recycling industry. Wadewitz, who in addition to his role at Peats Soil was the Australian Organics Recycling Association’s founding director in 2012, has been leading the way in organics recycling for decades. He explains that composting is the circular economy in action. “There is nothing more rewarding than being part of an industry that sees plants and organic materials as a resource rather than waste,” Wadewitz says. “We’re transforming this resource into composted products that feed the soil, which in turn grows more plants and nutrient rich food. And so, the cycle continues.” Through its four sites – Willunga, Brinkley, Dublin and Whyalla, Peats Soil has developed an array of broad-

All Komptech Cribus Mobile Drum Screen components, from the hopper to the discharge belt, are electrically driven.

26 / WMR / August 2020

acre products, collaborating closely with scientists and the broader organics recycling industry to ensure products are certified to Australian standards. To help maintain a steady supply of nutrient rich materials, Peats Soil and CEA – formerly ELB Equipment – have forged a decade long partnership. “We’ve been working with CEA for years and always rely on them to supply high-quality equipment, backup and support,” Wadewitz says. Peats Soil, which receives and processes much of metropolitan Adelaide’s green organics, currently operate three Komptech Crambo Shredders, a Topturn X55 windrow compost turner, a Cribus 5000 mobile drum screen and two Multistar star screens, all purchased through CEA. In regard to his ongoing relationship with CEA and Komptech, Wadewitz highlights the role of international expertise. “Komptech is widely used in the organics industry world-wide,” he says. “When you’re operating that equipment, not only are you getting a quality machine, but also access to what is happening across the world and how different processes are working in different markets, which is very important.” Wadewitz adds that while Komptech equipment and componentry is manufactured in Austria, CEA holds a large quantity of

Peter Wadewitz received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the organics industry in June.

spare parts in Australia. “One of the biggest things when buying any piece of machinery is the back-up,” he says. “It’s not just about the specific shredder, screen or turner itself – it’s very important to have consistent and streamlined access to spare parts.” Peats Soil’s Komptech Cribus Mobile Drum Screen is used to process many of the company’s products, ranging from industrial scale agricultural solutions to consumer facing compost, mulch and potting mixes. “We make a lot of product that goes

through the Cribus, and it does an excellent job,” Wadewitz says. “The production rate is very good, and the brains within the equipment are very clever in the way it can adjust the flow depending on throughput and output requirements.” All Cribus’ components, from the hopper to the discharge belt, are electrically driven. This works to minimise the energy, wear and servicing costs of the machine, backed up by a newly developed direct drum drive. With large access flaps and doors and simple screen drum and conveyor belt replacement, the Cribus offers significant servicing and operational safety. “We’ve had the Cribus for around 12 months, but as with any new piece of equipment, it takes a while to fully integrate it into the process flow,” Wadewitz says. “It’s been working full time for the last six months and is operating exceptionally well.” Peats Soil’s Komptech Multistar screens, L2 and L3, play a similarly important role in the company’s process. Highlighting the fundamental role

of screening in the treatment process of waste, recyclables and biomass, Simon Humphris, CEA, says star screen technology is playing an increasing role in the organics sector. “The waste and resource recovery business are growth industries and Komptech’s star screen technology occupies a unique position in that sector,” he says. Humphris adds that one machine and one pass are sufficient to divide the material into two or three fractions. “Through a patented cleaning system, throughput and selectivity are high, even with high moisture material,” he explains. To change the particle size, Humphris says operators simply press a button. “The machine does the rest. The electrical drive gives quiet, efficient and economical operation, with magnetic separation, wind sifting and separation of the rolling fraction making star screens multi-functional workhorses,” he says. Wadewitz’s two Multiscreens currently work independently of each other. However, he says the company is looking at looping the two screens together for further trials.

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – RECYCLING

The Mobile Eddy Current Separator combines high performance with durability while separating ferrous and non-ferrous particles.

Next generation eddy currents TURMEC CEO BRIAN THORNTON DISCUSSES THE COMPANY’S LATEST INNOVATION IN EDDY CURRENT SEPARATION.

irst observed by the 25th Prime Minister of France Francois Arago in the 1800s, eddy currents, via eddy current separation technology, are now a staple of the waste and resource recovery industry. Eddy currents are loops of electrical current induced within conductors by a changing magnetic field in the conductor. In the waste and recycling sector, the technology is often used to sort non-ferrous metals and other materials. Following Arago’s observation that most conductive bodies could be magnetized, French physicist Leon Foucault discovered that the force required for the rotation of a copper disc becomes greater when it is made

28 / WMR / August 2020

to rotate with its rim between the poles of a magnet. At the same time, the disc becomes heated by the eddy current induced in the metal. The technology has been developed extensively since, with eddy current separators now employed by waste and recycling companies world-over. The varying physical properties of waste materials mean some nonferrous metals are easier to separate than others. Ultimately, the ability to separate materials largely comes down to whether the materials are low enough in density and the electrical conductivity of the machine. To simplify the separation challenge, waste and recycling

industry specialists Turmec recently launched an efficient, mobile and low maintenance solution – the Mobile Eddy Current Separator. “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,” says Turmec’s CEO Brian Thornton. “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. And according to Thornton, the team is now in the process of

developing a Mark II machine. The Mobile Eddy Current Separator’s design provides operators with a 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, while still maintaining the machine’s compact footprint. “This machine combines high performance with durability while separating ferrous and non-ferrous particles,” Thornton says. “Our innovative design ensures the plant delivers high-quality output and a trouble-free, low maintenance service life, while being easy to transport between plants.” The separator is designed to bolt

onto the back of mobile shredders for the wood industry, or for postprocessing glass, incinerator bottom ash or solid recovered fuel. “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,” Thornton adds. 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 needing 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,” Thornton explains. “We are specialists in recycling solutions for the global waste industry, providing bespoke systems that enable our customers to efficiently recover high-quality material from waste.” He adds that Turmec are dedicated to finding the best recycling engineering solutions for its clients’ requirements. “Turmec’s aim is to provide the most cost-effective and high-quality solutions,” Thornton says. “As part of our renowned aftersales support, we also provide full training to our clients and their staff, ensuring the smooth running of any installations, plant or solutions provided.”

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITIES

Turning technology into payback ERIEZ MAGNETICS EXPLAINS HOW MODERN SEPARATION EQUIPMENT CAN INCREASE FERROUS AND NONFERROUS RECOVERY RATES FOR MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITIES HANDLING MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE.

ollecting, processing and recovering metals, both ferrous and nonferrous (NF), has spurred owners, operators and developers of material recovery facilities (MRFs) to install equipment to mine valuable resources from municipal solid waste (MSW). Metals generally represent up to 9.6 percent of the total household waste stream and – until relatively recently – much of this material ended up in landfill. However, according to Ezio Viti, Eriez Asia Pacific Regional Sales Director, councils are making enormous efforts to remedy the situation by sharing responsibilities, introducing separation at the source and initiating the recovery of commingled waste at MRFs. “To recover metals and materials, many MRFs employ labour intensive processes such as hand sorting stations, which are essentially picking belts,” Viti says. He explains that as target materials get smaller and workers become fatigued, picking belts become less effective. “The expectation from a picking belt system is typically a maximum of 95 per cent. Once target sizes reduce, process rate demands increase, target is discoloured and absenteeism is factored in, the effectiveness drops below 65 per cent,” Viti says.

30 / WMR / August 2020

Eriez collaborates with scientists to produce separation equipment capable of meeting the challenges of modern resource recovery.

In contrast, he says the effectiveness of an automated total metal recovery system remains constant, and is typically designed to deliver a minimum of 95 per cent at each separation point. “Today, municipalities are beginning to utilise some of the most innovative solutions when it comes to separation of ferrous and NF metals – including stainless steel, copper wire, aluminium, zinc and other valuable metals – from waste streams,” Viti says. He adds that allocating capital for technology helps local waste recyclers become more efficient and lower-cost resource processors because newer equipment reduces energy consumption and recovers higher levels of marketable-grade metals and plastics. Research and development teams from high-tech manufacturers like Eriez are behind many recycling industry breakthroughs.

“These innovations contribute to a decrease in the cost of sending metals and plastics to landfills because they recover valuable resources,” Viti says. “Thereby offsetting operating costs and delivering increased profits for MRFs across many councils and municipalities. “These systems not only maximise recovery but also occupy as small a footprint as possible, while offering high and sustainable process efficiencies and improving health and safety standards.” Using Eriez technology, both mixed waste and single stream MRFs can recover nearly 95 per cent of all metals. “By sending less to landfill, operations save money and enjoy a new revenue stream from metal reclamation,” Viti explains. He adds that technological

advancements in separation equipment can now recover valuable fine ferrous and NF metals smaller than 25 millimetres. “By reducing the overall volume of waste sent to landfill, disposal costs go down and the recovered by-product becomes added revenue,” Viti says. “The payback is realised at both ends of the business case. Of course, each situation must be analysed on its own merits.” Eriez experts are always on-hand, Viti says, to assist operators in finding the ideal solution for their specific application needs. Engineers and technicians at Eriez have collaborated with the scientific sector to produce separation equipment that is capable of meeting the challenges of modern resource recovery. “The recovered metal, glass, paper and plastic fragments become

commodities that can be recycled back into original products or re-purposed into new and different products and applications,” Viti says. He explains that Eriez also works closely with other OEMs and engineering consultants to provide best practice metal separation and recovery processes to integrate with complete turnkey systems. Chris Ramsdell, Eriez Product Manager-Recycling Equipment, says suspended electromagnets (SE), drum magnets and eddy current separators (ECS) are employed in many ways. SE magnets, drum magnets and magnetic pulleys are used to recover steel and other iron-based derivatives. Additionally, rare earth magnets may be incorporated to attract magnetic cutlery as well as deformed stainless steel syringes and other dangerous sharps.

Eriez ECS’ are used to separate aluminium cans or other NF metals from the waste stream. “Recent tests at a Florida MRF demonstrated recovery rates in excess of 99 per cent for used beverage cans, while the Eriez Ultra High Frequency ECS can recover particles down to 2-3 millimetres,” Ramsdell says. Eriez’s process equipment delivers optimum performance when the feed is constant and spread evenly to utilise the total width of the separator. “Eriez produces a range of electromagnetic feeders to match process requirements of separation equipment,” Ramsdell says. “These units are also used with OEM equipment and ideally suited to meter ground plastic material post separation.” For more information call 03 8401 7400 or visit www.eriez.com.au.

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – SHREDDERS

Priority shredding ROBBIE MCKERNAN, FOCUS ENVIRO DIRECTOR, AND GARY MOORE, UNTHA GLOBAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, EXPLORE WHAT TO PRIORITISE WHEN INVESTING IN A NEW SHREDDER.

ith shredders playing an increasingly crucial role in waste management and recycling facilities, operators are right to ensure these assets deliver on their promises. Once required to simply act as heavy-duty workhorses, shredders must now demonstrate far more sophisticated performance criteria if they are to provide a true return on investment. According to Robbie McKernan, FOCUS enviro Director, the first thing to consider when investing in a new shredder is input materials. “Think carefully about the type and bulk density of the waste you’re

handling, for example, as well as any likely variation in this specification and the preferred in-feed method for loading the shredder,” McKernan says. “These factors will influence everything from the drive power, to the chamber dimensions, cutter capabilities and even the height of the machine. “It’s also important to define the likely volume of input materials that need to be processed and at what pace, as this will shape the shredder’s throughput criteria.” As difficult as it can be to predict the future, McKernan says it is critical to look ahead.

Shredders must demonstrate sophisticated performance criteria if they are to provide a true return on investment.

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“Very few organisations stand still, so some additional capacity is often helpful, as is a shredder’s proven flexibility to handle different input materials with quick and simple reconfiguration,” he says. Likewise, McKernan says it’s important to define output specifications. “Some facilities invest in shredding machinery purely to reduce the size of the bulky materials they no longer have use for and/or find difficult to store, in which case output fraction is not such a priority,” he says. “Others are driven by increasing

compliance requirements – certainly as more state and territory laws seem to be coming to the fore – which means output performance matters far more.” McKernan explains that many organisations have extremely defined specifications to satisfy. If a plant is manufacturing waste-to-energy fuel for example, a clear calorific value and homogenous particle size of 50 millimetres is typical. “It is therefore important to look for a shredder with a proven ability to achieve the desired output specification, and in an ideal world, the machine should be flexible to evolve alongside the operator’s changing needs too. Often this is possible thanks to just a simple screen swap,” McKernan says. Furthermore, McKernan highlights the importance of asking applicationspecific questions. “Whatever the shredding scenario, ensure the chosen supplier can provide tailored advice relevant to the specific project,” he says. Stipulating safety criteria is equally important, according to Gary Moore, UNTHA Global Business Development Director. “Few people would disagree that industrial shredding has the potential to be a hazardous exercise, which is why manufacturers have worked so hard to ensure equipment safety over the years,” he says. “From easy maintenance tasks that minimise operators’ exposure to the inner workings of the shredder, to proactive diagnostic control panels that prevent the need for machine entry, there are many ways to heighten technological safety.” Moore adds that engineering innovation is driving significant safety benefits. “For example, low noise shredders mean operators are protected from the potentially debilitating effect

“Few people would disagree that industrial shredding has the potential to be a hazardous exercise, which is why manufacturers have worked so hard to ensure equipment safety over the years.” Gary Moore Global Buisness Development Director, UNTHA

of prolonged exposure to excessive noise,” he says. “Also, machines can now feature in-built UV, infrared, heat and spark detectors to help prevent the outbreak of fire; and ergonomic design is being prioritised so personnel can service and maintain equipment quickly, safely and in an upright position.” Attitudes towards recycling and waste management differ across Australia, not just from state to state, but from operator to operator. It is therefore important, Moore says, to consider environmental impacts when investing in a new shredder. “Differing attitudes across Australia are, in large part, due to the absence of a cohesive governmental policy, which would no doubt otherwise influence a certain type of behaviour or best practice,” Moore explains. “Compare this to certain parts of Europe, for instance – where waste and recycling is heavily legislated and targetdriven – and operators must prioritise far more than their own performance criteria when it comes to investing in fit-for-purpose shredders.” There is little point transforming waste into a renewable fossil fuel substitute, Moore says, if the cost of the manufacturing process is extremely harmful to the environment.

“Being ‘green’ also makes commercial sense, as energy-hungry shredders don’t just have a detrimental carbon impact, but can prove costly in terms of fuel consumption, which limits the machine’s possible return on investment,” he says. Finally, Moore says the business case for an investment in new capital equipment will almost always come down to the numbers. “The price tag matters, of course, although different finance routes can make things more affordable for organisations that need to spread the cost,” he says. “However, other metrics are also important. It’s crucial to calculate ongoing wear costs as this will rapidly inflate the financial impact of the investment.” Buyers should think about power consumption as well, Moore says. He adds that some electric-driven machines are now so energy efficient that fuel savings alone can quickly accelerate the payback period. “Then there’s the possible revenue that can be generated from the sale of cleanly segregated recycled products, so include these projections in the numbers too,” Moore says. “If in any doubt regarding how to build the perfect business case, ask the shredder supplier to help.”

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SPECIAL REPORT

Your industry in August 2020 FOLLOWING A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW’S PUBLISHER, WE REVEAL THE LATEST STATS FROM BUSINESSES IN THE SECTOR AS WE MOVE INTO A NEW NORMAL FOLLOWING THE PEAK OF COVID-19 CHALLENGES.

t a time when the world has been shocked by a pandemic and resilience has never been more critical, Australia has been found to possess a strong foundation for a robust post-pandemic business recovery. That’s why Waste Management Review’s publisher Prime Creative Media recently undertook an industry survey, to help companies understand where the waste and recovery industries are placed. The COVID-19 pandemic has already had tremendous impacts on the waste sector. At first, while

the pandemic was progressing, and lockdowns imposed in many countries, public authorities and municipal waste operators had to rapidly adapt their waste management systems and procedures to the situation. Councils around Australia have seen a huge increase in volumes of household rubbish and dumping of waste triggered by lockdown restrictions. By April, Australian households had thrown out more than 10 per cent more rubbish and recyclables via kerbside bins during the

COVID-19 lockdown, amid a spike in supermarket shopping and home deliveries. As the steady battle against COVID-19 goes on, waste has risen in domestic and medical sectors that has added fresh challenges to the entire industry. Pre-COVID-19, Australia was looking at 67 million tonnes of waste generated each year; now, in 2020, that number looks to be significantly higher. There may be many trials with the ongoing crisis, but one thing remains as true as ever: efficient

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SPECIAL REPORT

8.9% 24.6% 27.2%

40.1%

What characterises the effect of COVID-19 on your business at present? Very negative Somewhat negative Not a lot of impact We have seen some increase in business

waste management is a must, and robust waste management following the recent events of COVID-19 is especially vital. HOW WAS THE SECTOR IMPACTED? A wide variety of people across executive, mid-level manager, finance, sales and marketing, procurement and operations participated in Waste Management Review’s industry survey, which reflects where the waste management sector is placed as the national and global economies start to emerge from this once-in-a generation challenging time. Australia is a nation of major global operations and small businesses, that are mixed across both metro and regional locations. Almost one quarter of survey respondents have 11-50 employees in their company, whilst the other equal majority of respondents had less than 10. On the other end of the scale, 17.6 per cent of respondents had over 500 employees. This can be attributed to Australia’s location in the oceanic region and wide open

36 / WMR / August 2020

space that can facilitate large waste management hubs spread across multiple points of the country. Companies have had to invest their resources into shortening but also speeding up the organisation and clients supply chain. During the pandemic, it was shown that one of the major disadvantages of stretched supply chains is that they can easily break at any point. You never know when a link in the supply chain fails due to uncontrollable factors, and your entire business is affected by it. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, waste management operations were ramped up as workers in organisations were going to work each day fulfilling a critical role. This was particularly seen in medical and household waste management operations. However, companies in the sector have been forced to put control measures in place, limiting physical interactions between workers, suppliers, customers and others. WHAT CHALLENGES ARE BUSINESSES FACING? 40 per cent of industry respondents said the current effect of COVID-19 on their business is somewhat negative. Business has come under a variety of threats as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic including heightened safety measures as workers have had to come into direct contact with domestic, industrial and medical waste, which could translate to an increased risk of exposure to the virus. However, all Australian states and territories consider waste management, especially household landfill collection as an essential service for the nation. This is most likely the contributing factor to over a quarter of respondents reporting that not a lot of impact is on their business at this time.

In March, Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment stressed the government’s commitment to fixing Australia’s plastic waste problem and the importance of industry working with government and consumers while Assistant Minister Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, Trevor Evans highlighted the economic opportunities and the fact the recycling industry was ready to step up to improve recycling rates. “We are looking towards fundamentally changing the way we think about and manage our waste, and creating new markets for recycled products,” Evans stated in March, precoved lockdown. As restrictions tightened, the Federal Government had to inject cash flow assistance for businesses to counteract the social and economic challenges posed by Covid-19. 56 per cent of respondents rated the Federal Government’s support for the sector during the COVID-19 crisis as acceptable, whilst 16 per cent said it was very strong and just under a quarter said the Federal Government 8.2%

55.2%

36.5%

What best describes your investment plans for the next 12-18 months? We will cut or reduce all of our investment and R&D We will continue current projects, but not make any new investments We are exploring new technologies and services to make our company more productive and efficient

16.3% 23.7%

56.3%

How would you rate the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support for your industry during the COVID-19 crisis? Very strong Acceptable Not enough

wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t supporting the waste sector enough. As businesses struggle to meet the demands of this new normal, they are continuing to leverage Government stimulus packages and explore new opportunities. Focusing and evaluating are being highly regarded as the most beneficial tools for preparing for the rebound during the foreseeable future. WHERE TO NEXT? Majority of survey respondents said they expect their companies to return to previous levels in the next six to twelve months. 16 per cent believe it will take more than a year to return to normality, however just under a quarter of respondents are confident it will only be three to six more months until business can operate at the same levels pre-pandemic. 33 per cent of industry respondents said they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect to create new positions within their company in the next 12 months, but 30 per cent hope they can hire more people to boost current operation and a further 19 per cent hope to rehire any staff that were laid off during this time. This is further reflected in the

industry survey, with an overwhelming majority of all respondents reporting they are exploring new technologies and services to make their company more productive and efficient. Clearly the focus now for all companies across the sector is strengthening operations, as just under 40 per cent of respondents said they will continue current projects. INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT Industry respondents rated case studies about companies similar to their own as the most beneficial source to help purchasing decisions during this time. In fact, close to half of all respondents said that information from third-party sources such as industry magazines and reports has been highly beneficial over direct advertising from social media platforms like Google and Facebook. 40 per cent of Industry respondents said information given directly from suppliers was influential. Emailed newsletters and media websites were rated moderately to highly trustworthy and the most trustworthy source according to industry is trade magazines and periodic journals. A promising 50 per cent of Industry respondents have been able to maintain its current level of marketing. These same respondents also reported

that their companies were more productive and efficient and most likely saw some increase in business. Although all physical trade events have been postponed until further notice, a healthy 43 per cent of respondents said they are likely to attend trade events in the future when the government deems it to be safe. In a statement addressing members during the peak of the Covid pandemic earlier this year, the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association Australia said as an essential service, the waste and resource recovery sector is resilient. According to the national association, it is vitally important that we pull together and work with each other to ensure, as far as practicable, the continuation of our essential services to the community. As the lockdown or other restrictive measures are progressively lifted, a second phase is starting, and new challenges are appearing. Adaptation is needed once more, this time to search for stabilised operation. Public and private organisations are encouraged to proactively work to restore services. Business and client needs are unpredictably changing, so working with authorities to provide solutions will ease constraints.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, waste management operations were ramped up.

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AORA COLUMN

To achieve a 95 per cent recycling rate, the organics industry will need to increase its processing capacity by 6.4 million tonnes.

Regrowth research AORA IS UNDERTAKING ORIGINAL RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO UNDERPIN GROWTH IN THE ORGANICS RECYCLING SECTOR, WRITES NATIONAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER PETER OLAH.

n March, the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) released a report that revealed the organics recycling industry’s significant macroeconomic contribution to the Australian economy. The report, The Economic Contribution of the Australian Organics Recycling Industries, showed that our industry provides over 4845 jobs, $366 million in wages and salaries, $1.9 billion in supply chain opportunities and $724 million in industry value add to the nation’s economy. We recently delivered a national series of webinars to AORA members and governments to detail the report’s findings – thanks to all those who attended. The report modelled what the economic and environmental contribution would be if current organics recycling rates were increased under four different scenarios: 70, 80, 90 and 95 per cent. Under the 95 per cent scenario, the report found that organics recycling businesses would generate an extra $1.7

38 / WMR / August 2020

Peter Olah says AORA’s forthcoming report will provide an estimation of future processing capacity requirements.

billion in sales. And in doing so, provide an additional $1.6 billion in supply chain opportunity, with an extra $612 million in industry value add towards the Australian economy. Additionally, with a 95 per cent increase in recycling rates, the organics industry would provide 4094 extra jobs, paying $309 million in livelihood to everyday Australians. A further 3,208,451 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions would also be saved, which is equivalent to 4,797,587 trees planted and 741,524 cars taken off

the road each year. This enormous economic and environmental benefit is not only contingent upon the right policy settings from governments. It also relies upon the industry’s capacity to take up the opportunity. To achieve a 95 per cent recycling rate, the industry would need to increase its processing capacity by 6.4 million tonnes – from its current 7.5 million tonnes to 13.9 million tonnes – each year. And that’s just the increase based on 2019 figures. As the organic waste stream grows over the next 20 years, industry will have to capture a greater tonnage yearon-year just to stay level, let alone get to a 95 per cent capture rate. This is why AORA has commissioned a second study from Australian Economic Advocacy Solutions (AEAS), which prepared the previous report. The second report will examine the organic recycling industry’s existing and potential capacity. And provide independent and robust assessment of the industry’s ability to step up as a

provider of economic, employment and environmental benefit. The project will deliver an overview of current recycling rates and tonnes processed, and modelled tonnes needed to achieve a 70, 80, 90 and 95 per cent recycling rate of organics material.

It will also profile the capabilities of existing organic recycling businesses state-by-state, including identification of organic recycling businesses in each state; product/service range within each state; expertise and skill levels and key areas of strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats within the organics recycling industry. Furthermore, the AEAS report will provide a quantitative estimation of current and future capacity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in tonnes and value â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of the organic recycling industry by state, including capacity for storage of materials and products. AEAS will also identify the soft and hard infrastructure required to underpin growth, and potential gaps for future growth of the organics recycling sector, while analysing emerging markets or current market gaps for an expanded industry. The second AEAS report will

provide analysis that is specific to the unique capabilities of the organics recycling industry and will provide an understanding of industry capacity trends. In turn, this will act as a foundation of increased recycling, economic and environmental benefit through the further development of the Australian organics recycling industry. The information provided to AEAS will be held by them in the strictest confidence and will not be given to AORA or any other industry player. It will be used for the final report only in an aggregated and de-identified format, and the original data will be destroyed once the project is finalised. I look forward to your contribution to this vital piece of work, and to presenting its outcomes to AORA members and governments in the coming months.

PROFILE

The collaborative model WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW SPEAKS WITH MWRRG’S NEW PROCUREMENT AND CONTACTS DIRECTOR RISHAD SYED ABOUT THE GROUP’S COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO PROCUREMENT.

n July, the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group (MWRRG) announced a shortlist of companies to develop an alternative to landfill in Melbourne’s south-east. The announcement followed a March call for expressions of interest for solutions to provide an alternative to landfill for 16 councils, the largest tender of its kind ever undertaken. “Advanced waste processing solutions will play a significant role in achieving the Victorian Government’s new target to divert 80 per cent of household rubbish from landfill by 2030,” MWRRG CEO Jill Riseley said in March. “Sixteen councils from the south east of Melbourne are involved in the tender, and together, the councils collected over 490,000 tonnes of residual rubbish in 2016. “This is forecast to grow to over 700,000 tonnes a year by 2046.” It is expected the process will take close to two years to reach a final tender stage, with a 20 to 25-year contract to be awarded by 2022. MWRRG has a long history of developing collaborative contracts with councils across Melbourne, and in May, the group appointed a new Director of Procurement and Contacts, Rishad Syed. Syed has extensive strategic leadership experience and comes to MWRRG from Northern Health,

40 / WMR / August 2020

Rishad Syed says MWRRG will deliver several collaborative procurement contracts for councils in the next two years.

where he most recently held the role of Director, Procurement and Supply. “Major procurement projects undertaken in this time included the $163 million extension of the Northern Hospital,” Syed says. According to Syed, MWRRG’s collaborative procurement approach offers large volumes of waste and recycling to the market – delivering economies of scale and greater certainty for industry.  “This will help drive investment and transparency, open the market to more players, and reduce our reliance on international markets,” he says. “Through collaborative contracts, councils can attract private investments in the resource recovery sector that deliver efficiencies.” Syed explains that by bringing councils together, MWRRG reduces the number of individual procurements in the market.

This works to drive down the cost of providing waste and recycling services for councils, he says, and in turn, creates savings that can be passed on to ratepayers. “The collaborative procurement model is arguably unique to the waste management sector,” Syed says. “A recent review of MWRRG’s Procurement Framework and Contract Model by independent law firms found the model to be appropriate for the type of procurements to date.” While MWRRG’s advanced waste processing tender is its latest, the cornerstone of the group’s collaborative procurement model is organics. Building Melbourne’s organics recycling network through collaborative procurement models plays a key role in the group’s Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Strategic plan. The network aligns with, and will support, Recycling Victoria’s target of halving the volume of organic material sent to landfill by 2030, with a mandatory roll-out of food and green waste kerbside collection from 2026-27. “MWRRG manages six collaborative contracts for food and green waste processing and is building the capabilities of local government to establish, implement, monitor and

evaluate new services by providing comprehensive evidence-based guides, training and social marketing campaigns to encourage behavioural change,” Syed says. The network is supported by MWRRG’s Back to Earth Initiative, which seeks to raise community understanding of council kerbside organics recycling. “We have established three collaborative procurements for 24 councils across metropolitan Melbourne, with services provided by five contractors,” Syed says. “Last year, Sacyr opened their $65 million facility, which was made possible under one of those contracts, negotiated by MWRRG on behalf of eight councils, to process kerbside food and green waste.” In late May, the state-of-the-art industrial composting facility in Melbourne’s Dandenong South received final environmental approval for the Victorian EPA. “Through this collaborative contract, Sacyr receives enough kerbside material to run its facility, which has a processing capacity of up to 120,000 tonnes annually,” Syed says. Over the next two years MWRRG will deliver several significant collaborative procurement outcomes for councils in Melbourne.

Syed explains that these contracts will help the Victorian Government deliver on its Recycling Victoria policy commitments. “We are embarking on a significant recycling collaborative contract, with a state-wide lens to infrastructure and service provision,” he says. “This collaborative procurement – with the six other WRRGs and Victoria’s 79 councils – will deliver facilities for the processing of kerbside recycling, with capacity and security for the future.” MWRRG are also undertaking the procurement of a new landfill services contract to start in 2021, Syed says. He adds that the group are working in consultation with industry and councils. MWRRG currently manages four landfill contracts on behalf of 26 participating councils. “The tender for the procurement closed in early June and we are currently evaluating the submissions,” Syed says. Furthermore, MWRRG is building on its existing procurement approach through the development of a statewide collaborative procurement roadmap. “Whilst recognising regional attributes and opportunities, this process, under the Recycling Industry Strategic Plan project, facilitates

collaborative procurement processes for recycling,” Syed says. He explains that the strategic plan will produce efficiencies, facilitate infrastructure development and reduce costs to councils. “This aligns with the key Recycling Victoria policy priorities and commitments,” Syed adds. “We will be working closely with the WRRGs to review procurement activity, progress development of individual WRRG procurements, comprising the initiatives to support the state-wide collaborative Procurement of Recycling Sorting Services.” While the procurement of new services will be an essential part of Syed’s new role, his additional focus will be the management of MWRRG’s existing contracts. “We manage seven contracts, valued at $100 million annually, on behalf of 31 participating metropolitan councils for waste and food and green waste recycling services,” Syed explains. “I’ll be working to ensure we maintain the high standards MWRRG is known for, particularly the contract co-ordination and administrative services necessary to ensure performance outcomes are met, and issues are managed efficiently and effectively through the life of a contract.”

MWRRG has a long history of developing collaborative contracts with councils across Melbourne.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – BELTS

Recycling with belts WITH HEAVY WORKLOADS AND HARSH ENVIRONMENTS, CITY CIRCLE GROUP TURNED TO CBC FOR DURABLE AND HIGH-STRENGTH BELTS.

ver since Melbourne-based construction and demolition material recycler, City Circle Group, were introduced by their CBC sales manager to the high-performance Gates belts a few years ago, there’s been no looking back for them, according to City Circle Group’s Recycling

Operations Manager Josh Ralston. Recycling construction material and waste generated from building demolitions is a highly challenging task. The process involves crushing heavy concrete blocks and large pieces of rock into crushed aggregates that can be reused in pavement or road construction.

The Design Flex Pro belt drive design software helps operators design drive system and check if existing belts are sufficient to carry incoming loads.

42 / WMR / August 2020

City Circle Group, is one of the leaders in this field in Victoria and has considerable capacity to process and supply a range of high quality recycled concrete, rock, brick rubble and timber products to the Victorian construction industry. The company owns three facilities across Melbourne, each of which has the capacity to recycle as much as 1.5 million tonnes of waste material per year. Ralston says the belts they were using prior to switching to Gates were not as durable as they needed them to be. With the heavy work load and the harsh work environment, the City Circle Group team were looking for belts that would require minimal maintenance and last a long time. “We’ve worked with CBC for nearly five years and they’ve always been very helpful and quick to respond whenever we needed any equipment or spare parts. Through CBC, we were introduced to Gates belts and we’ve simply never stopped using them since,” says Ralston. “We use the Gates Predator v-belts in our jaw crushers and cone crushers. They are the strongest belts out there and we are getting three to four times more life out of them as we could get with any other belts, the design, construction and materials used in this belt really do make a difference and will save you money and down time. We also use a range of standard Gates belts, including the Gates Hi-Power II

wrapped v-belts on conveyor belts and other general applications,” he adds. Building materials account for about half of all materials used and about half of the solid waste generated worldwide. In Australia, about 20.4 million tons of waste was generated from construction and demolition in 2017, of which more than 7.3 million tons went into landfills. But the push to increase recycling in the sector is growing, with the Federal and state governments each having policies in place to increase their recovery rates by 2021-2022. A part of this increased demand for waste recycling will inevitably be borne by the existing plants, highlighting a need for the recycling plants to streamline their operations and add capacity where possible. One of the ways by which existing operations could operate with better efficiencies is by switching to higher capacity drive systems, according to Steve Hittmann, National Product Manager of Mechanical Drives at CBC Australia. “Gates belts are among the high-end v-belts in the market. For recycling applications such as in the crushing or mulching machine that works continuously under peak loads, we recommend using a high-end product such as the Gates Predator and Super HC v-belts,” he says. “The Gates Super HC belts are ideal for transmitting high horsepower on high-speed applications where space is limited. Despite their small cross sections, they feature higher tensile strength than the conventional rubber belts,” he adds. Iain Street, Business Development/ Technical Support Manager for Power Transmission at Gates, concurs. “While the Gates Predator v-belts are the toughest belts in the range, the Gates Super HC belts are the next in class. They can handle up to three times more force than the industry standard

All of Gates’ belts that carry the V80 logo match all other V80 belts of the same type and size.

v-belts or carry the same power at one third or half the space, and with all sizes meeting the Gates V80 tolerances, can be installed without matching” he says. “The Flex Weave wrapping on the Super HC belts adds additional protection against oil, dirt and heat – all of which may be present in a recycling environment,” he adds. Street, who has been working in the power transmission sector for over 25 years, says poor installation and poor maintenance are the most common reasons that belts fail prematurely. “If belts are not tensioned correctly during installation or if the pulleys are not aligned properly, it increases the risk of belt failure. Belt re-tensioning is another important maintenance practice that tends to get overlooked,” he explains. All of Gates belts that carry the V80 logo match all other V80 belts of the same type and size. “When a number of belts work together in a group, a length difference of even a fraction of an inch can make or break the belt drive. If the belts are not matched correctly, this leads to uneven load distribution and sheave wear, which ends in premature failure

of the belt,” he explains. Street says as part of the Gates engineering technical services, Gates’ field team members visit and survey any plant along with the relevant CBC team member to provide on-site solutions, ranging from drive performance evaluation, belt tensioning, laser alignment and more. Additionally, the Gates engineering technical team also conducts preventive maintenance training upon request to train the maintenance crew on the most common causes of poor belt life. The Design Flex Pro belt drive design software is another tool that helps the operators in designing the drive system and checking if the existing belts are sufficient to carry the incoming loads, according to Street. “The software is relatively easy to use. By inputting only a few parameters, the program will recommend different configurations for the belt type, number and length. All you need to do then is select the solution that best suits your requirements,” he says. Contact - Inenco

Steve Hittmann P 0419 842 709 E steve.hittmann@inenco.com.au W www.inencogroup.com.au

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SORTING AND SEPARATING EQUIPMENT

Aggressive flip-flow THROUGH AGGRESSIVE FLIP-FLOW SCREENING, REPURPOSE IT’S NEW TEREX ECOTEC TRS 550 IS BOOSTING PROCESSING CAPACITY AND GETTING MORE PRODUCT ON THE GROUND.

iscussions around waste and resource recovery often lead to one place: the importance of end-markets. Without suitable markets for valueadded end products, investments in processing infrastructure and technology are unable to meet circular economy objectives. Developing those markets is a core focus for Melbourne based recycling company Repurpose It. This is highlighted in its mission statement, which asserts the belief that landfills are a thing of the past, and that all waste can be converted into valuable resources and products. By processing reclaimed contaminated excavation waste, Repurpose It produces a comprehensive range of soil and sand products at its Epping facility. These manufactured sand products

The TRS 500’s intelligent 3D top-deck design works to eliminate blockages.

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save more than 17,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum when compared to the environmental cost of producing and using virgin sand, providing a measurable benefit to the Australian environment. To assist its operations and maintain a consistent flow of material, Repurpose It has invested in a new TRS 550 recycling screen, acquired through Finlay Waste and Recycling. Finlay, a specialist supplier of screening and processing equipment for the waste and recycling industry, is the exclusive dealer of Terex Ecotec in Australia. Founded in Brisbane in 1979, Finlay’s business model is centred around the idea that a sale is only the beginning of the relationship with its clients. As such, the company has a strong focus on technical support and after

sales parts and services. Repurpose It has been running Finlay’s TRS 550 to process soil and compost materials for four months. In that time, Site Manager Peter Cianciosi says the screen has been operating exceptionally well. Importantly, however, he says the Finlay team have offered terrific support, from initial inquiry to commissioning and operation. “We’re seeing less downtime, more productivity and a better-quality product. The machine itself is great, but it’s the service from Finlay that has been the stand-out,” Peter says. “From day one they have provided really great backup and support.” The tracked, heavy-duty TRS 550 is an efficient and versatile mobile screen unit, featuring a specialist screenbox from German manufacturer Spaleck. The 3D screening segments guarantee correct grain size, with no long pieces or extraneous material for the tension shaft screen on the lower deck. “We use a variety of raw materials that we receive from off-site, including compost and reclaimed soil, which we blend through the TRS 550 to create a saleable product,” Peter says. The proven Terex platform, with standard features such as a steel apron feeder, combined with state-of-the-art 3D top deck screening panels and a highly aggressive flip-flow bottom deck,

To assist its operations, Repurpose It invested in a new TRS 550 recycling screen, acquired through Finlay Waste and Recycling.

allows the TRS 550 to perform under difficult application requirements. Peter explains that the screen’s intelligent 3D top-deck design works to eliminate blockages. He adds that the aggressive flip flow mats don’t blind over even in the dampest of material. Prior to purchasing the TRS 550 from Finlay, Peter says Repurpose It had issues

with screens and blockage. Since running the new highly aggressive Terex screen, however, Peter says he is able to get more product on the ground each week. “We get a lot of raw material that is very wet and difficult to process, but since using the TRS 550 our productivity has increased, as operators don’t have to stop the process regularly

to clean the screens,” he says. Peter adds that the TRS 550 has exceeded his expectations, allowing Repurpose It to boost its output performance and produce a greater quantity of recycled sands and soils. “Our clients range from some of Australia’s largest local government authorities and private waste operators, to our local community members seeking the opportunity to be part of the Repurpose It journey towards a zerolandfill community,” Peter says. “It’s therefore extremely important that we operate high-quality, robust and reliable equipment such as the TRS 550.” Contact - Finlay

P 1800 777 300 E info@finlay.com.au W www.finlay.com.au/

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SORTING AND SEPARATING EQUIPMENT

High resolution optics WITH THE INSTALLATION OF OPTICAL SORTING EQUIPMENT, A RECENT MRF UPGRADE FROM WASTECH ENGINEERING SAW CAPTURE RATES INCREASE BY 30 PER CENT.

ith new technologies emerging each day, e-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in Australia. E-waste contains a variety of extremely valuable metals, plastics, and minerals to be recovered, as well as hazardous materials that must be disposed of in an environmentally sound way. According to Scott Foulds, Wastech Engineering General Manager – Projects, e-waste recycling requires a commitment from the whole supply chain, so the recovery of valuable materials can be maximised when products reach their end of life. “With increased e-waste generation, complex stream compositions and growing pressure to divert waste from landfill, materials recovery facility (MRF) operators require a range of sophisticated technologies to help sort and separate their material,” he says. “We have risen to the occasion, leading the industry with innovative technology and features to overcome challenges and forge opportunities.” One of Wastech’s key innovations in this space, Scott says, is the development and distribution of stateof-art MSS optical sorters. He adds that Wastech has been working with the US-based company since 2012. MSS is a part of Wastech partners CP Group, a world leader in

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Wastech’s range of optical sorters utilise high resolution NIR cameras to identify small, crushed or labelled items.

designing, manufacturing and installing commingled recycling facilities. Scott explains that in addition to e-waste, MSS’ optical equipment can efficiently sort plastics, paper and cardboard, containers and a range of other material streams. Wastech and CP Group built their first plant, a 30 tonne per hour facility in Western Australia, together in 2013. Since then, Scott says the companies have delivered and installed a range of successful projects across Australia. “We chose to work with MSS and CP Group as they are at the forefront of this technology and are continually improving and developing their product,” he says. “This is very important as the market

changes and the demand for higher quality outputs continues to increase.” Through the partnership, Wastech has installed machines to optically sort containers, paper and e-waste. Scott explains that the due to the flexibility of the technology, Wastech’s customer base is wide-reaching and ranges from councils to private waste and recycling companies, large and small. “We recently did an upgrade of an existing 30 tonne per hour commingled MRF, which included the supply of two new MSS optical sorters for the customer’s mixed paper and container line,” he says. “The project included the design and integration of the optical sorters into the existing MRF, plus meeting the

performance specifications required by the customer.” According to Scott, the project produced better results than expected by Wastech and its customer. “Capture rates on all products increased by 30 per cent, the amount of material going to landfill was reduced and they were able to remove seven manual sorters from of the container line,” he says “These results produced a significant increase in revenue from capture rates, and reduced tonnes previously going to landfill.” One of the most important aspects of effective optical sorting is ensuring material is evenly distributed across the high-speed conveyor belt when presented to the optical sorter head, Scott says. He adds that it’s equally

important to have a consistent feed rate, with no peaks and troughs. “This allows the optical sorting system to accurately identity the items to be sorted and ejected, and reduces the chance of contamination,” he says. MSS optical sorters are available in a variety of sizes, and can be equipped with add-on’s, including an all-metal detector for sorting out metals, or an additional air-ejection array to create a third output fraction. The sorters feature a user intuitive interface that provides setup flexibility with the touch of a button, Scott explains. Additionally, he adds that the colour touchscreen provides remote access via modem or Ethernet connection. “Processing and sorting statistics are generated automatically and can be downloaded into spreadsheets and

databases by the user,” Scott says. “Using a split configuration also allows our customers to process parallel streams on one machine simultaneously.” Wastech’s MSS range of optical sorters utilise high pixel resolution NIR cameras to identify small, crushed or labelled items. “The higher number of NIR and colour wavelength with the broader NIR spectrum allows significantly better identification,” Scott says. “These features, plus the automatic calibration function, makes sure the optical sorter is working fully optimised at all times.”

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – MATERIAL HANDLERS

Linking landfill vision RENAUD CHAUVET OF SELECT CIVIL DETAILS HIS EXPERIENCE WITH CATERPILLAR’S VISIONLINK, WHICH HELPS THE COMPANY MANAGE AN EXTENSIVE FLEET OF MACHINES REMOTELY.

andfill management is complex, with harsh environments, unlevel land and barriers to reach cells posing unique and constantly shifting challenges. Renaud Chauvet, Select Civil Managing Director, who has worked with the company’s Australian subsidiary for 20 years, characterises the sector as “highly demanding”. “It can get extremely busy and stressful, some of the sites we manage handle approximately 350 trucks a day. While we are landfilling, we also have to cover,” he says. Chauvet explains that operators need to have one side of the landfill covered while landfilling the other side where

compactors and dozers are working. “It’s a constant ballet of machines working together to minimise the impact of the landfill on the community,” Chauvet says. “To manage this workflow without incident in rain, wind, difficult situations or muddy environments takes quite a bit of focus.” According to Chauvet, behind every successful business is a hardworking team. “Teamwork to me is the most important part of what we do. Respecting the people that work for us in such difficult condition is a very important part of our success,” he says. “One of the mottos of our parent

Renaud Chauvet says landfill management is a constant ballet of machines working together to minimise environmental impacts.

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company is that the strength of machines comes from the people behind them.” With 80 per cent of its machines from Caterpillar, Chauvet says Select Civil’s long-standing relationship with the OEM is another factor in the company’s success. “Other people make really good products, but at the end of the day in our industry, what matters the most is not how good the machine is, but whether it can still function tomorrow if the machine breaks down today,” he explains. “The waste industry never stops, waste is at the gate every morning.” Chauvet highlights Caterpillar’s exceptional dealer support and parts availability. “When one of our compactors broke a clamp on the lifting blade recently, we had the parts delivered here 45 minutes later,” he says. “Within an hour the machine was back up and running. I don’t think we could do that with anybody else. “The best quality is availability, peace of mind and parts on the ground backed-up by the massive Caterpillar warehouse.” Chris Anderson, Select Civil Landfill Manager, says the company see over 350 trucks a day. “They come up to a tipping pad area, which is a pad on top of the waste.

Select Civil use Caterpillar VisionLink to monitor machine hours, idle time and fuel burn.

They back up, tip off and then we push in with a dozer. A compactor then comes through and compacts the waste in,” he says. In order to ensure a seamless workflow, Chris says the company uses Caterpillar VisionLink to monitor their machine hours, idle time and fuel burn. He adds that technology on machines play an important role in increasing productivity and reducing downtime. VisionLink allows operators to monitor machines remotely on any device, providing valuable insight to help facilitate efficient project management. The customisable dashboard allows the display of specific fleet information and provides the option to choose which alerts are received and when. “We know when engine oil is too low. All this information gets fed back to our workshop thousands of kilometres away,” Chauvet says. “We can, as much as possible, try and do a little bit of preventive maintenance

and are able to call our operators and tell them to be careful, and that something’s going on.” Chauvet explains that Caterpillars VisionLink system saves Select Civil downtime and subsequently money. “We deal with multiple dealers, but we have this relationship with Caterpillar because of our fleet,” he says. “It allows us to get an introduction in new territories and get the full attention of all the dealers.” Furthermore, Chauvet details how Select Civil utilise methane gas produced by their landfill for power generation. “Landfills are not tips; they are engineered bioreactors. We do our part by covering the rubbish on a daily basis and encapsulating the gas,” he says. “Then the gas contractor comes in, drills into the waste mass and hooks up through a system of wells to a vacuum pump and pumps out all the gas that is generated by the waste mass.”

There are two benefits to this, Chauvet explains. The first, he adds, is odour control, as the methane doesn’t enter the atmosphere. “Second, you can use power generators to create electricity. These sites are generally neutral in terms of consumption,” Chauvet says. “They produce more electricity than they consume, and they also export electricity to the grid.” Regarding his take on the ongoing success of Select Civil, Chauvet says the good and bad thing about their landfill is that waste arrives every day: rain, hail or shine. “Caterpillar is probably one of the only OEM’s capable of constantly supplying the parts and support we need to have the machines operating day in and day out regardless of the environment they are in,” he says. Contact - Caterpillar

P 1300 881 064 W www.cat.com/en_AU.html

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 49

PRODUCT SHOWCASE – MATERIAL HANDLERS

CJD has been supplying Volvo wheel loaders and excavators to Wanless Waste Management for over a decade.

A circular partnership DEAN WANLESS OF WANLESS WASTE MANAGEMENT OUTLINES HIS LONGTERM PARTNERSHIP WITH CJD EQUIPMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER-CENTRIC BUSINESS MODELS.

y 2040, waste generation in NSW is expected to increase from 21 to 31 million tonnes a year. The trend reflects structural changes to the state’s economy from population growth, shifts in dwelling types and industry composition. According to the NSW Government’s 20-year Waste Strategy issues paper, if current trends continue, the state will not meet established targets to divert 75 per cent of waste from landfills by 2021.

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To proactively change course, the state government has committed to building resource recovery capacity across the state – outlining opportunities and strategic direction for expanded waste and recycling infrastructure. This is welcome news to Dean Wanless, Wanless Waste Management (WWM) Managing Director, who with 30 years’ experience in waste and resource recovery, has watched the sector adapt to meet changing

environmental requirements. “We’re not in mining or excavation, we’re in recycling, and while it’s an old business, it is changing dramatically, and we need to be on top of that,” he says. With foundations in auto recycling, Wanless explains that the family run business dates back 60 years. “Starting as an auto recycling company, we soon ventured into metal recycling and then naturally into waste management,” he says.

“We now operate everything from metal recycling, landfills, collections and resource recovery centres, such as WWM’s Sydney Recycling Park.” Located 56 kilometres west of Sydney’s CBD, WWM’s 11-hectare Sydney Recycling Park accepts waste from the city’s commercial, industrial and demolition markets. The northern aspect of the park operates as a comprehensive recycling facility, where recovered materials are screened, processed, treated and recovered for local re-use. The facility processes up to 220,000 tonnes of waste per annum, with approximately 85 per cent of incoming material diverted from landfill. To support WWM’s operations, Wanless says the company have fostered a long-term working relationship with CJD Equipment. For the last decade, CJD has supplied WWM with a wide range of Volvo wheel loaders and excavators, which work to boost operational efficiency and help the company maintain its high recovery rates. Machinery supplied by CJD includes three EC300D excavators, one EC140C, three EC220D’s and another ECR58D compact excavator. Additionally, WWM operates two L120F wheel loaders. CJD’s Volvo EC300D excavators provide faster cycle times via increased power and digging force. To maximise durability, the boom and arm are reinforced in critical areas to equally distribute mechanical stresses. WWM’s additional excavators offer similar reliable performance, with the EC220D utilising eco-technology to facilitate a 10 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency, compared to previous models. Likewise, the L120F wheel loaders offer power, speed and operator comfort, while next generation Volvo

Dean Wanless says CJD understands the importance of long-term business relationships.

HTE 200-transmissions provide smoother shifting and lower fuel consumption. Volvo’s unique TP-linkage provides high breakout torque and parallel movement throughout the entire lifting range. Precision-steering and pilot-operated fingertip control of the load-sensing hydraulics gives operators complete control of their movements, enabling safety and faster work cycles. CJD’s relationship with Volvo extends more than 20 years, with the strategic partnership providing businesses throughout Australia with access to Volvo’s ever-expanding line of waste and resource recovery equipment. According to Wanless, the Volvo name has weight across the waste sector for good reason. “We’ve changed brands over the last 40-50 years but have stuck with Volvo over the last decade because the product itself is continuously improving,” he says. “Volvo works to stay ahead of the pack, which is very important.” While Wanless highlights the quality of Volvo equipment – notably low maintenance costs and sustainable fuel consumption – he says the rationale behind the ongoing relationship with

CJD is largely staff driven. “We have very long-term employees who are quite autonomous. We have a lot of trust in our people, and they want to operate Volvo equipment,” Wanless explains. He adds that excavators have been a key component of WWM’s process since they become a staple of the recycling industry in the 1970s. “We’ve owned just about every type there is, and we recognise that our team members are best placed to understand how they operate and what the benefits are,” Wanless says. “If our team is requesting Volvos, then that’s the product we’re going to purchase. It gives the team control over their day-to-day operations and fosters a productive working environment.” CJD have a similar team ethos, Wanless says. He adds that the company work to always ensure its client’s needs are meet. “The relationship started with one machine purchase and that went really well, and its continued to grow from there. CJD are fantastic to deal with,” he says. Wanless explains that as with any long-term partnership, there have been issues along the way. “However, what’s more important than the issue itself is how it’s dealt with, and CJD are committed to prioritising their customer’s needs and making you feel heard and important,” he says. “CJD take their customers seriously and problems are always dealt with urgently. “They understand the importance of long-term business relationships and turning up.” Contact - CJD Equipment P 1300 139 804 E marketing@cjd.com.au W www.cjd.com.au/

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 51

PRODUCT SHOWCASE – MATERIAL HANDLERS

New telescopics GREG SEALEY OF JCB CEA DETAILS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMPANY’S EVOLVING WASTEMASTER RANGE.

elescopic handler manufacturer JCB first pioneered the telehandler concept in 1977 and has continued to develop the concept to meet the needs of waste companies and contractors. While once a novelty, telescopic handlers are now used extensively throughout the waste industry – maximising productivity through versatile material handling. Greg Sealey, JCB CEA National Product Manager, says the company is committed to delivering equipment that facilitates high resource recovery rates, production, supply and delivery of quality recycled materials. “The JCB Wastemaster range is built to thrive in arduous conditions, with legendary JCB build quality and dependability as standard,” he says. “A host of specialist features provide extra protection for equipment and operators.” The extensive machine range includes the 525-60, 531-70, 541-70, 535-95 and 560-80 models. “Powered by Kohler and JCB’s own EcoMAX diesel engines, the JCB lineup of Wastemaster Loadalls are easy to operate, reliable, durable and quick to turnaround for use in the waste industry,” Sealey says. “The 531-70 and 541-70 models have also recently been upgraded to include single-lever proportional boom and auxiliary operator controls for ease of use in the rental sector.” According to Sealey, JCB designed the Wastemaster Loadall using extensive understanding of the challenges faced by the waste and recycling industry.

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The JCB Wastemaster range is built to thrive in arduous conditions.

With that in mind, JCB built a range of equipment solutions that manage everything from handling various waste streams, to coping with the downtime caused by time-consuming punctures. “The latest JCB Loadalls represent the ultimate in innovation, low cost of ownership, power, productivity, safety, serviceability and environmental performance,” Sealey says. The JCB Wastemaster range caters for all waste applications, from handling bales to loading trucks and performing bulk or general handling duties. Each model incorporates traditional JCB strengths including ruggedness, reliability, structural integrity, performance, visibility and safety. “With the use of JCB’s purposedesigned attachment range further enhancing the tasks possible, this range of JCB Loadalls offers exceptional versatility for all materials handling applications,” Sealey explains. “Class-leading JCB hydraulics also produce the fastest cycle times, ensuring the most efficient lifting, extending and pushing.”

With a focus on ergonomics, JCB has designed the Wastemaster Loadall range to be intuitive and comfortable to operate. “A focus on quality means the JCB manufactured Loadall engine, transmission, axles, hydraulic rams and cab are all designed to work perfectly together, so there is no compromise on performance,” Sealey says. “Along with quality and durability, another key factor in maximizing machine uptime is easy serviceability.” He adds that with a JCB Loadall, all checks are quick, simple and safe to carry out from the ground level and most service intervals, including boom lubrication at 500 hours. All models are fitted standard with telematics and five-year access to JCB LiveLink. “LiveLink Telematics gives machine operators and fleet managers access to all data at the click of a button through an online portal,” Sealey says. Contact - JCB CEA P 1300 522 232 W www.jcbcea.com.au

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Developed with Turmec’s long-standing partner IFE, the design is focused on providing operators with an unmatched combination of flexibility and robust performance from a mobile plant, with the option of jacking legs to give an extra 2m 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, the plant separates ferrous and non-ferrous materials. The mobile package comprises a vibrating feeder with unbalanced motor drive, magnetic rotor, and conveyors for collection of ferrous and non-ferrous materials, with another for discharging residual waste.

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EVENTS

Recognising industry advocacy THE FINALISTS FOR THIS YEAR’S WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED, WITH NWRIC CEO ROSE READ NOMINATED FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS INDUSTRY ADVOCACY AWARD.

ose Read, National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) CEO, has been nominated for this year’s Woman in Industry Awards Industry Advocacy prize, for her longstanding work in the waste management and resource recovery sector. According to Woman in Industry Show Director Simon Coburn, this year’s finalist review committee were particularly impressed with Read’s work in ensuring that waste is seen as a resource, and that the industry is recognised as an essential service that supports every business and household in Australia. As NWRIC CEO, Read plays a pivotal role in representing the largest waste and recycling companies operating nationwide, with a turnover of more than $6 billion per year and employing over 15,000 people. The committee noted that Read’s depth of policy knowledge and operational experience has delivered measurable benefit and noteworthy outcomes over many years. Now in its seventh year, the Women in Industry Awards recognise and reward the achievements of women working within the waste management, engineering,

54 / WMR / August 2020

manufacturing, process control and commercial road transport industries. The awards aim to raise the profile of women within industry, and this year saw a record number of nominations. “Nominations for the Woman in Industry Awards have trended up year over year, and this year we saw 27 per cent more nominations than last year’s record,” Coburn says. “We also saw a record number of individual businesses and organisations represented, which demonstrates the wide reach of the program and strong engagement from multiple industry sectors.” While Read’s advocacy program and contributions are significant, the review committee highlighted three specific examples of where Read has pursed reform, improvement and adjustment in the waste and resource recovery sector. In 2019, Read and NWRIC developed the Review of Waste Levies in Australia White Paper. The paper was widely read across industry and government, and provides evidence and a platform for advocating national harmonisation of landfill levies and increased hypothecation and transparency of expenditure.

Another key contribution was Read’s advocating for a National Waste Commissioner leading up to the 2019 Federal Election. The concept was adopted by the Australian Labor Party and later realised by the Coalition through the appointment of Federal Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans. Finally, the committee highlighted Read’s work with the State Affiliate Forum, which brings together state associations to share experience, knowledge and build a shared vision across the states and alignment nationally. The review committee remarked that Read’s advocacy program seeks to move materials up the waste hierarchy within the context of transitioning to a circular economy. “All of this activity is about transforming waste into resources, while also ensuring the safe treatment and disposal of materials that cannot otherwise be recovered,” the review committee said. “Her contribution to the industry is not only positive and constructive, it is fundamentally focused on policy reform that delivers benefit to those working in the sector at every level.”

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EVENTS

A decade of action MEET THE SPEAKER WHO WILL TAKE WASTE EXPO AUSTRALIA’S 2020 ATTENDEES INTO A LIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY STRATEGY IN 30 MINUTES.

“T

he secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours,” Stanford psychologist Amos Tversky, one of the world’s leading experts in judgment and human decision making, once famously stated. Tversky was a student of cognitive science and focused on researching human economic choices. Much like Tversky, Blake Lindley believes that change is always uncertain, physical and will always take time. Lindley says

Blake Lindley is a senior consultant in the delivery, expansion and development of resource recovery projects.

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he resonates with Tversky’s quote as he is passionate about calls to action due to human consequence from all components of the economy. “If we’re too afraid to experiment and not bold or crazy enough, then we are going to waste much more than just years,” he says. Lindley is a senior consultant in the delivery, expansion and development of Edge’s resource recovery projects. His favourite projects are those that provide measurable and practical environmental impacts for the client. “I get a great sense of fulfilment and achievement when working to deliver an appreciable change in behaviour or significant environmental improvement that prevents the waste of resources or excessive extraction of virgin materials,” he says. Lindley credits his research and studies in Agriculture and Resource Economics at the University of Sydney and also his master’s degree in environmental management at UNSW. However, he acknowledges Edge’s industrial ecology work as a driving factor to his strong exposure to industrial processes and waste streams. When he isn’t working on resource recovery projects, you’ll find Lindley taking a bike ride around his local Sydney neighbourhood and venturing on camping, surfing and

snowboarding trips. Although he enjoys exploring the outdoors in his spare time, Lindley is busily preparing his keynote presentation for Waste Expo Australia in October this year. Waste Expo Australia is the country’s largest gathering of waste management and resource recovery professionals, which brings together leading solution providers in the waste management, recycling, resource recovery and sustainability sectors. “Take the current COVID situation as an example of how quickly government policy can be actioned,” Lindley says. As an economist, he says with globalised systems in place now ecology, waste strategy, resource efficiency, businesses and the wider public need to be thinking about regeneration, carbon targets and the short term circular economy. Lindley says experts are labelling this decade as a decade of action due to unfolding events that have erupted across the global landscape this year. However, he says when we talk about the circular economy it’s easy to remain esoteric as “climate change hasn’t slowed, environmental capital continues to be depleted, and our waste keeps piling up”. The need for action is now, and as states, nations and organisations set

Waste Expo Australia is set to take place in October at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

a renewed focus on carbon targets for the next decade, could this be the tangible metric that takes the circular economy mainstream? Lindley is fascinated with the concept of circular economy, but believes the term is mulled over and can approach the strategic framework around the term in a more understanding manner. That’s why during his presentation, Lindley intends to get the audience out of their seats and engage them into the objective eye of science over the circular economy. He will develop a live circular economy strategy for an organisation in 30 minutes to show individuals and organisations how quick it can be to establish the right model to prompt behavioural change, influence and leadership. “I want to physically demonstrate a deployable framework for businesses. The circular economy requires engagement and action from all individuals and organisations in the waste sector, and I want to focus beyond the concept into how to act,” he says. Lindley says the demonstration will prove how quickly organisations can move from planning to actioning policy, and hopes the mock circular

strategy will provide companies with key skills and actions to implement. Lindley says attendees can look forward to an interactive session, bouncing ideas off each other and mapping a proactive circular economy strategy for the organisation chosen for demonstration purposes. “It’s about learning what companies can control themselves, with government policy and supply put to one side,” Lindley says. “The exciting challenge is how close the audience and I will come to key deployable actions and

understanding how to control factors in the circular economy themselves. “I think waste is no longer considered in that secondary consideration space for organisations, it is now the primary consideration and the most visible component for companies across all economies.” Lindley gets a sense of fulfilment and achievement when working to deliver an appreciable change in behaviour or significant environmental improvement that prevents the waste of resources or excessive extraction of virgin materials. “Within sustainability, I see the economy as a strong driver in the delivery of significant and perpetual environmental improvement,” he says. Lindley’s foundational studies, sustainability consulting experience and passion for change will attract industry professionals to take part in his upcoming Waste Expo Australia presentation. Waste Expo Australia 2020 is due to take place on 21-22 October at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Waste Expo Australia is the country’s largest gathering of waste management and resource recovery professionals.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 57

EVENTS

An industry bands together WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW SPEAKS WITH AUSTRALASIAN WASTE & RECYCLING EXPO PARTNERS TONY KHOURY AND ROSE READ AHEAD OF THE EVENT’S NOVEMBER RETURN.

t last year’s Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo (AWRE), NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean explained his intentions to bring industry, councils and the wider community back to the waste management decision making table. Referencing the state’s forthcoming 20-year waste strategy, Kean reiterated the importance of working collaboratively to achieve the best environmental and economic outcomes. “Major reform is on the table, so I’ve asked my department to engage in frank conversations with community groups, local councils and industry about how we can better deliver outcomes,” he said.

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While the 20-year strategy is now underway, Kean’s message resonates in the brave new world of COVID-19. Tony Khoury, Waste Contractors & Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA) Executive Director and AWRE industry partner, says there was an initial shock when COVID-19 hit. This was followed, however, by the realisation that waste still needs to be collected. Khoury adds that the waste and resource recovery industry is extremely resilient, and without missing one bin, waste operators adapted. “While many people can work from home, our workers are on the front line and have to keep going out and

performing their essential service,” he says. To appropriately manage the situation, WCRA formed a COVID-19 sub-committee to ensure all safety issues were promptly discussed, addressed and the information disseminated across the industry. “We wanted to make sure that there were half a dozen people that could discuss the issues, so we could be agile and quick in our responses,” Khoury explains. “The NSW DPIE and EPA also formed a COVID-19 sub-committee, that is still meeting weekly, where they brief us on developments and assistance that the government could provide.”

Tony Khoury says AWRE will provide a much-needed opportunity to discuss the post-COVID path to recovery.

“We look forward to AWRE 2020 providing a forum from which the waste, recycling and resource recovery sector can re-establish ties with each other and continue to drive change.” Melissa Clendinen Product Manager, Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo

Khoury points to an informational flyer distributed by the NSW Government as illustrative of its proactive approach to ensuring critical waste services continue. It’s within this collaborative environment that AWRE returns to the ICC Sydney Darling Harbour in November. As a two-day live experience, AWRE seeks to promote ideas and opportunities for Australia’s waste and recycling community. Melissa Clendinen, AWRE’s new Product Manager, says her team’s continued aim is to provide a platform for the industry to grow, learn and conduct business safely. “We are working alongside our partners, exhibitors and visitors to shape AWRE 2020 based on the needs and wants of the community,” she says.

Clendinen adds that AWRE is grateful to the waste and resource recovery community for their resilience and continued support during this unprecedented time. “We are excited to have the National Waste & Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC), WCRA and NSW DPIE supporting the show once again,” she says. “We also have some great brands exhibiting, ISUZU Trucks Australia, Steinert, BioBag World, Liebherr Australia and Hitachi Zosen Inova Australia, all set to make 2020 another valuable event for the industry. “We look forward to AWRE 2020 providing a forum from which the waste, recycling and resource recovery sector can re-establish ties with each other and continue to drive change.” Rose Read, NWRIC CEO, says the council is looking forward to working with AWRE to bring together robust, informative and insightful forums, including the AWRE and NWRIC Leadership Breakfast. “We see the AWRE as the perfect backdrop to bring together thought leaders from across the supply chain, federal, state and local government to discuss challenges and formulate solutions to advance the waste and recycling industry nationally,” she says. Khoury shares similar sentiments, explaining that AWRE provides valuable

networking opportunities, formal and informal. “It’s an opportunity to meet a broad range of waste industry stakeholders,” he says. “A lot of our members attend, sponsor and support the event, but it also enables us to interact with interstate parties and other sectors of the industry. You never know who you’re going to meet, and that’s a good thing.” At AWRE 2020, Khoury expects to hear much discussion of the impacts of COVID-19 on the waste sector, both in the speaker program and on the floor. More importantly, however, he says the event will provide a much-needed opportunity to discuss the path to recovery. Khoury adds that COAG’s forthcoming export ban will likely be another hot topic at the event. Characterising AWRE as consistently well planned and organised, Khoury says WCRA have been involved in the event from day one. He adds that WCRA is very proud of its partnership with AWRE. “I’ll take every opportunity I can to promote our industry and AWRE is a wonderful platform for that,” he says. “We need to put our best foot forward, so why wouldn’t we get involved with an organisation like AWRE?”

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 59

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