Waste Management Review October 2023

Waste Management Review

OCTOBER 2023

2023 | OCTOBER | ISSUE 78

A line in the sand

Steve Harrison drives a shift to enhance ResourceCo’s inhouse capability. www.wastemanagementreview.com.au

FEATURES

Creating a circular economy powerhouse Making technology work for you Recycling bucket-list Unleashing a world first

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COVER STORY

41

RECYCLING HEAVY METAL ROCKS Recycal takes on challenging and problematic heavy metal-bearing wastes.

14

SOIL STRATEGY

ResourceCo draws a line in the sand to preserve natural resources for a sustainable future.

“WE OFFER SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY WASTE STREAM OUR CUSTOMERS WILL DEAL WITH, FROM THE TOP OF A DEMOLITION PROJECT THROUGH TO THE FINAL EXCAVATION.”

- Steve Harrison, ResourceCo Chief Executive Officer, Soil Reuse and Recycling.

In this issue

Features 12 THE BREAKDOWN

Key decision makers share their thoughts on the importance of industry events.

14 COVER STORY

ResourceCo draws a line in the sand to preserve natural resources for a sustainable future

19 SAVING TOMORROW

Hanson outlines plans to create a circular economy powerhouse in Victoria.

32 NATURAL SELECTION

City of Darwin is home to a world first leachate treatment that combines engineering and nature-based solutions.

34

WORKING TOGETHER Custom-built leachate treatment to meet the needs of councils and companies.

36

ANDZAC WATER

New technology brings down the cost of aeration.

RANSFER AND 53 TSEPARATE

Wastech has the technology for efficient sorting and picking.

56 END OF AN ERA

IVECO donates a waste industry favourite to the National Road Transport Museum.

58 SHIFTING SANDS

A CDE wash plant helps create new opportunities for a New South Wales quarry.

FFICIENCY MEETS 22 THE OPTIMAL SOLUTION 38 NO MORE FOGO FOMO 61 EINNOVATION Helping waste industry facilities reach their peak.

Machinery that truly diverts green waste from landfills.

NVIRONMENTAL 25 EINTELLIGENCE

41 HEAVY METAL ROCKS

28 TRANSFORMATION

What does ‘contains recycled plastic’ really mean?

Intelligent software helps detect and avoid environmental breaches.

GREEN

Cut waste down to size and reduce a reliance on landfill.

30

AVOID THE CRUNCH

Caterpillar offers five best practices for landfill management that improve the bottom line.

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Recycling challenging heavy metalbearing wastes.

44 CALL FOR CLARITY 46

RECYCLING BUCKET LIST

ALLU tackles construction and demolition waste in a snap.

49 SETTING STANDARDS

A new Rino Recycling facility in Queensland is ready to be unleashed onto the world.

The Volvo L90H – the perfect partner for the recycling and waste industry.

64 HIGH-FLYERS

After a record-breaking 2023 event, the Women in Industry Awards will return to Sydney in 2024.

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CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au

From the Editor

Good, better, best

Work smarter not harder.

It’s been an oft-used phrase since the 1930s when an industrial engineer created the work simplification process. The objective is to develop improved work methods to maximise output and minimise expenses.

It’s a concept the waste and resource recovery sector, along with other industries, has embraced as Australia moves to a cleaner, greener future. But perhaps the most obvious changes brought about by working smarter can be seen in landfill management.

The old days of filling a hole in the ground with rubbish are long gone.

Modern landfills are required to meet tough design, operational, and environmental requirements.

Meeting those requirements has resulted in some clever tech and operational enhancements encompassing everything from air quality and odour monitoring to leachate treatment and waste processing.

This edition of Waste Management Review explores some of the technology and equipment that is helping redefine landfill management and best practices.

While technology and machinery might be playing an increasing role in the industry, knowledge is always a powerful tool. Rob McGahey has spent the best part of 35 years working in the landfill and transfer station spaces and is now helping businesses fill the gap between installing technology and achieving desired results.

It’s by building on the experience of old hands that the industry will continue to move forward. As Sean Verlander, Envirosuite Sales Executive for Australia and New Zealand, observes – no one wants a landfill on their doorstep, but they’re there and how we manage them now can make a difference for future generations.

Happy reading

MANAGING EDITOR

Mike Wheeler mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au

EDITOR

Lisa Korycki lisa.korycki@primecreative.com.au

JOURNALIST

Chris Edwards chris.edwards@primecreative.com.au

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

ART DIRECTOR

Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au

DESIGN

Louis Romero, Kerry Pert

BRAND MANAGER

Chelsea Daniel chelsea.daniel@primecreative.com.au p: +61 425 699 878

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

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HEAD OFFICE

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

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ARTICLES

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

COPYRIGHT

Lisa Korycki

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

Making headlines

A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE STORIES AND EVENTS SHAPING THE INDUSTRY DRUM ROLL Visy unveiled Australia’s first drum pulper as part of a $42.5 million upgrade to its paper recycling and remanufacturing campus in Coolaroo, Victoria.

The upgrade means that any piece of wastepaper that goes through a Victorian kerbside recycling bin now has the capacity to be recycled into new packaging.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Visy CEO Mark De Wit and Visy Executive Chairman Anthony Pratt.

DOUBLE-SHOT ANYONE? RMIT Engineers in Australia have found a way of making stronger concrete with roasted used-coffee grounds, to give the drink-additive a “double shot” at life and reduce waste going to landfills.

The researchers plan to develop practical implementation strategies and work towards field trials.

SMALL SIZE, BIG IMPACT Noosa council trialled a prototype reverse vending machine as part of the Containers for Change program.

The first of its kind machine uses artificial intelligence technology and was designed small enough to fit within a parking space.

CRATE EXPECTATIONS Melbourne-based plastic packaging, recycling and reuse company Pact Group signed a $160 million deal for global infrastructure investment manager Morrison & Co to purchase a 50 per cent stake in its Crate Pooling business.

The sale will accelerate investment in Pact’s plastic recycling and packaging business.

CIRCULAR PACK Construction is set for one of Australia’s first advanced plastic recycling facilities following an announcement that Amcor and Mondelēz will invest in Licella’s Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor technology.

Licella will use its Australian-developed Cat-HTR technology to recycle end-oflife plastic back into a crude oil substitute suitable to produce new food-grade plastic packaging.

MAYOR SPEAKS OUT Hornsby Shire Mayor Philip Ruddock called on the state government to provide crucial funding and support for councils to provide adequate waste management facilities.

Analysis undertaken for the New South Wales Government shows that substantial additional landfill capacity, numerous

organics processing facilities and effective transport options are all required within the decade.

BATTERY SAFETY CAMPAIGN The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority is rolling out a social media campaign to try and curb the surge in battery fires.

Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) data shows there has been an almost 20 per cent increase in batteryrelated fire or explosion incidents during the first half of 2023 compared to the same time in 2022.

FIRST CONTACT MRA Cleanaway has installed Victoria’s first refund point under the state’s new Container Deposit Scheme, in Buninyong.

Expected to start on 1 November 2023, the Victorian scheme is set to be the most accessible and convenient in the country.

MRF TAKES SHAPE Construction of a new $40.5 million material recycling facility (MRF) on the Sunshine Coast is close to completion, with the new facility set to be operational by the end of 2023.

Funded through a tripartite funding agreement between all levels of government, the MRF is the first newbuild facility and largest new investment publicly owned recycling infrastructure in South-East Queensland in a decade.

To find out more about these stories and the latest projects, visit: www.wastemanagementreview.com.au 8 / WMR / October 2023

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FEATURE NEWS

The road ahead

ROADS MIXED WITH RECYCLED PLASTICS COULD HOLD THE KEY TO ADDRESSING ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST WASTE CHALLENGES. Filippo Giustozzi, RMIT Associate Professor, and Geoff Allan, Austroads Chief Executive, hope the project will help shape future specifications for use of recycled content in road infrastructure.

“A

s waste, plastic burdens our environment, clogging landfills and oceans. Yet, harnessed as a polymer, it’s very versatile. The choice lies not in its existence, but in our approach,” says Filippo Giustozzi.

It’s this approach that the RMIT Associate Professor is hoping to influence as Australia grapples with an urgent challenge – what to do with 2.6 million tonnes of plastic waste annually when landfill space is expected to reach capacity by 2025.

Filippo, from the RMIT School of Engineering, is leading a university project – supported by the Australian Research Council, Austroads (the collective of the Australian and New Zealand transport agencies) and 10 Victorian councils – that he hopes will demonstrate a viable circular economy solution for plastics.

Each of the 10 project councils will pave up to 900-metre-long sections of road with asphalt that incorporates a performance enhancer made from recycled plastic from consumer and industrial waste.

The trial aims to identify any potential challenges that might arise at the asphalt 10 / WMR / October 2023

plant, monitor the performance of the recycled plastic over time and gather insights to help shape future specifications for local councils.

The project sites will use an estimated 21,000 kilograms of recycled plastic, but Filippo says the potential scale is considerable given the several hundred thousand kilometres of roads across Australia.

“If Australia’s 537 local governments each used a small amount of recycled plastic in the many roads they resurface each year, then nationally we’ll have created a large end-market for recycled plastic,” he says.

Filippo says plastics share similarities with other polymers that have been used in road construction for decades. In essence, plastic is a type of polymer. What might now be a plastic toy or wrap, for example, originally started as a polymer.

Some of the plastics used in the study have a low melting point. This characteristic ensures that they will melt and become incorporated during asphalt production, effectively functioning as polymers. As thermoplastic polymers, they

offer the potential to enhance resistance to high temperatures, reducing issues such as rutting. Research has also revealed benefits in terms of cracking and fatigue resistance.

“The performance of roads can actually be improved with the additions of recycled material, such as plastic and rubber, to be more durable against traffic and resistant against ageing,” Filippo says.

He says the team’s latest study, published in Science of The Total Environment, found the recycled plastic asphalt mixtures had 150 per cent less cracking and 85 per cent less deformation under pressure testing than conventional asphalt.

In some instances, the performance of the mix was similar to some of the more expensive polymers used in roads and substantially higher than conventional asphalt mixes.

“People tend to believe in what they can see,” Filippo says. “Thus, this multicouncil demonstration project serves as a means to demonstrate to road authorities and the general public that it is an achievable endeavour.”

WIDESCALE ADOPTION Mornington Peninsula Shire, one of the 10 councils participating in the project, is no stranger to using recycled materials. Since 2020 the shire has used about 185 tonnes of recycled materials, including plastic, rubber, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and crushed concrete in civic projects and has been working to update its standards for all footpaths and road construction projects to use recycled content.

Daniel Kabel, the shire’s Environmentally Sensitive Design (ESD) Officer, says the RMIT trial is an example of how local government can act rapidly

and demonstrate leadership in delivering sustainable outcomes.

“By demonstrating that recycled materials can be successfully used in major civil works, we’re hoping to build confidence that we can meet our environmental targets while also delivering high performing assets that increase life and reduce maintenance,” Daniel says.

“We’re proud to support RMIT and lead in the circular economy space to find new and innovative solutions to ensure that our built environment meets the needs of future generations.”

Kathryn Seirlis, City of Casey Manager Growth and Investment, says the city is committed to fostering environmentally sustainable practices and working towards being climate ready. This includes measures that work towards a circular economy through waste management and recovery.

The city has previously trialled a sustainable asphalt pavement product called Reconophalt in two residential estates and the use of crumb rubber asphalt from recycled tyres on roads in Tooradin, Clyde, Berwick and Narre Warren North.

As part of the RMIT project, a 600-metre section of Browns Road in Cranbourne South will be laid with asphalt containing recycled plastic later this year. Browns Road carries more than 6500 vehicles per day.

Geoff Allan, Austroads Chief Executive, says there’s increasing interest in exploring the viability of repurposing recycled waste plastic.

This project builds on work completed in 2022 that confirmed recycled plastics can be successfully incorporated in road infrastructure without detrimental effects on the environment, the health and safety

of the workers, or the future recyclability of plastic-modified asphalt.

Filippo adds that RMIT has published numerous studies examining the potential risks associated with microplastics and fumes. Research has found that there are no additional risks when compared to using standard asphalt materials.

“One of the objectives of this study is also to raise awareness about the environmental implications of using plastics as polymers that melt into the mixture, thereby unlocking their full potential,” he says.

Along with Austroads, the collaboration includes public works and building bodies, recyclers and contractors. It will be co-ordinated under the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Transformation of Reclaimed Waste Resources to Engineered Materials and Solutions for a Circular Economy.

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OPINION

The Breakdown

‘The Breakdown’ is a monthly column giving industry leaders and decision makers a chance to share their views on topics central to the sector.

This month we asked: “Should 100 per cent of waste levies be directed into investments in the recycling industry?”

Mike Ritchie Managing Director MRA Consulting

Richard Kirkman Chief Executive Officer, Veolia Australia and New Zealand

Brett Lemin Acting Executive Officer, VWMA

Frank Carbone Mayor of Fairfield City

We cannot achieve the agreed National Waste Management targets without additional market levers, such as levies. Levies have done most of the work in lifting recycling rates from seven per cent in 1990 to 60 per cent today.

In my view there are two ways to use levies to move the market.

Hypothecate 100 per cent of current levies (about $1.3B/y) but that will be a hard political battle. Governments spend much of it on worthwhile things like childcare, schools and hospitals.

Alternatively, increase levies by $6/year for three years and hypothecate 100 per cent of the increase. A $6/t increase would raise almost $1B over three years. If more is needed, keep the increase in play for another year.

This does not require government to cut other services and has the advantage of sending a further price signal that landfill costs are rising relative to recycling.

Veolia strongly believes 100 per cent of waste levies should be used to fund initiatives that move Australia up the waste hierarchy and help achieve a circular economy.

We know many local councils cite funding issues can hinder their ability to build much needed recycling and resource recovery infrastructure and initiatives.

From a state and federal perspective, Australia needs to do more to meet national waste plan targets.

We also back phasing in a national landfill levy. At the moment, differences between state and territory levies sees waste moved around the country in search of the lowest fee, increasing carbon emissions due to transport.

While that has a nice ring to it and makes a good headline, my answer is no.

Absolutely a portion of the money should be reinvested into the recycling industry in the way of grants and incentives. But the money should also be used for education campaigns, take battery fires as a prime example.

Use levy money to educate the public on how to correctly dispose of batteries, therefore reducing incorrect disposal, fires and environmental harm.

You could use the money to develop education programs for industry on topics such as compliance, emerging contaminants or emerging technologies.

As well as create an investment fund used to offset Financial Assurances and provide a “kitty” for environmental cleanups.

Finally, a portion should be used to tackle environmental crimes.

The NSW Government collects about $800 million a year from ratepayers across the state from its waste levy. This tax does not pay for waste collection or disposal. Only about 10 per cent of this money goes towards waste and recycling infrastructure and initiatives.

Not only has the government not invested this money in new projects for communities, but this year increased the levy by 7.7 per cent from 1 July. I’m calling upon the NSW Government to remove the tax, which in Fairfield City amounts to $11 million a year or $160 a year per household, and allow us to reduce rates; or provide that money back to be used to build waste and recycling centres and fund waste reduction education. It should be noted that hazardous materials should be exempt from tax to discourage illegal dumping and save councils millions of dollars in cleanup fees.

If you or someone at your organisation is an industry leader and would like to be a part of this monthly column in 2023, please get in touch with Editor, Lisa Korycki lisa.korycki@primecreative.com.au

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Time is running out when it comes to achieving the waste recovery targets set for 2030. While recognising the economic climate, I do believe the majority of funds raised from waste levies should be directed towards supporting private investment in recycling and innovation. It’s also vital that a portion of these funds go to educating households and our younger generations on the importance of recycling.

Funds should also be set aside for compliance and regulatory activities. Regulators need additional resources to target unscrupulous operators that are engaging in greenwashing practices, so that compliant companies are not disadvantaged.

Chris Jeffrey Chief Executive Officer BINGO Industries

The NSW Government collects an estimated $830 million pa in waste levies. Less than 15 per cent of these funds are hypothecated to the waste management sector. In coming years we will face a critical shortage of infrastructure. In recent times, during periods of heavy rain and extreme bushfires, we have not been able to deal with the additional waste plus the daily waste and recycling volumes.

With uncertainty about planning time frames and the risk that new projects won’t proceed due to the lack of social license, it is imperative that the bulk of our waste levies are directed into governmentsupported infrastructure.

Tony Khoury Executive Director, Waste Contractors & Recyclers Association of NSW

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COVER STORY

Steve Harrison, ResourceCo Chief Executive Officer, Soil Reuse and Recycling, is driving a shift to recycle soil to create a stream of new products.

Soil strategy

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RESOURCECO IS DRAWING A LINE IN THE SAND IN A BID TO PRESERVE NATURAL RESOURCES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

esourceCo’s soil reuse and recycling division started on the back of the belief that things can be done better.

For the past 10 years, ResourceCo has reused millions of tonnes of soil, from small-scale developments to major infrastructure projects, including the M5 project in New South Wales and the North-East Link project in Victoria.

14 / WMR / October 2023

Steve Harrison, ResourceCo Chief Executive Officer, Soil Reuse and Recycling, says the goal has always been to be a leader within the circular economy.

Historically, this part of ResourceCo’s business has typically reused soil as part of its commitment to diverting material away from landfill. Steve’s now driving a shift within ResourceCo to enhance

its inhouse capability to also recycle soil, creating a stream of new, highvalue products.

“Our extensive market knowledge has enabled us to deliver a strong track record of sophisticated soil reuse solutions for our clients – taking unwanted material from a source site and handling it all the way through to its reuse

A range of materials are screened and separated throughout ResourceCo’s operations.

application,” Steve says. “But we want to focus on what’s at the core of ResourceCo, recognising the value within all the material we handle in order to maximise outcomes for our customers and the environment – that’s where soil recycling adds to our reuse offering.

“We’re enhancing our internal capability by investing in infrastructure to recycle soil and produce high-quality and sustainably developed sand and topsoil products.”

PLAYING TO STRENGTHS According to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia’s soil is typically low in organic matter, as well as nutrients and is facing pressure from a changing climate, the need to produce more food and fibre, and a growing population.

In a bid to manage and improve soil for the next 20 years, Australia released its first national policy on soil in May 2021, prioritising soil health, empowering innovation and stewards, and strengthening soil knowledge and capability.

The policy aligns with ResourceCo’s ethos to add to Australia’s environmental, economic, and social wellbeing.

With more than 30 years’ experience in resource recovery across the globe, the company’s increased focus on soil is part of a strategy to better integrate its four business pillars – energy, recycling and waste, tyre recycling, and soil, reuse, and recycling.

“One of our strengths is that we work together as one to maximise the benefits across the company’s business pillars,” Steve says.

“We offer solutions for every waste stream our customers will deal with,

from the top of a demolition project through to the final excavation.

“With a focus on advanced remanufacturing, we’ve been maximising the potential value of construction and demolition, commercial and industrial waste and end-of-life tyres for decades.

With this expansion, we’re investing in the infrastructure necessary to deliver similar recycling solutions in the soil space.”

Key to this strategy is creating integrated resource recovery sites, effectively making ResourceCo a onestop-shop for recycling and reuse.

Previously, soil materials were sent to a third party for cleaning, but the focus is shifting to treat those materials internally.

By screening concrete and brick from waste soils, the inert material can be crushed into aggregates for civil construction applications, similarly, commercial and industrial waste can be extracted from mixed waste streams for further recycling and, in both cases, residual soil can be reused or recycled.

“Throughout ResourceCo’s operations we screen and separate an extensive range of materials that have value,” Steve says.

“We genuinely subscribe to the ethos www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 15

COVER STORY

ResourceCo has reused millions of tonnes of soil, from small-scale developments to major infrastructure projects, within Australia.

that there is no such thing as waste, and the reality is, the bulk of what we handle can be recycled into a range of high quality, in-demand products.”

ResourceCo’s soil reuse and recycling pillar operates in three core areas – providing reuse solutions for structural material in the marketplace; reusing fill material in its network of rehabilitation and development sites; and processing and recycling mixed soil materials to create new commodities.

In Victoria, ResourceCo has three active clean fill sites – in Langwarrin, Bacchus Marsh, and Oaklands Junction – that are rehabilitating two old quarries and working with a landowner to improve their final land form.

BUILDING CAPACITY Steve says the recent acquisition of waste management provider Sunshine Groupe in Brooklyn, Victoria, is central to the strategy. The Brooklyn site has an established reputation for recycling a 16 / WMR / October 2023

variety of construction and demolition materials, creating a wide range of new civil construction products. The site location and size means it has enormous potential to host the company’s growing recycling capabilities.

ResourceCo is boosting its resources as it focuses on the development of new products, including investments into new infrastructure and within its already experienced teams.

The growth, Steve says, is a continual evolution that over the next five years will include expansion across the eastern seaboard and South Australia.

“We already move a lot of material in the soil reuse space. I see that expanding considerably over the next five years,” he says.

Market demand is also set to play a role in the company’s growth. Sand, a key component of concrete, glass, and other essential building material, is in short supply, with an unprecedented demand depleting global supplies.

In 2022 a United Nations report called for urgent action to avert a sand crisis – including a ban on beach extraction – as demand surged to 50 billion tonnes a year amid population growth and urbanisation.

Steve says that in Australia, it’s a struggle to find sand reserves, with approvals for new quarries difficult to obtain. Those supply shortages, coupled with government mandates to increase the use of recycled products and sustainability targets are forcing companies to look elsewhere.

“The more we can take materials being excavated through the normal construction processes and repurpose them to be a valuable product; that’s a key service,” he says.

“We have seen a lot of our customers now putting recycling first and looking for outcomes around sustainability. That hasn’t always been the case.

“We all know price is a key driver and always will be. But we’re talking about

“A lot of our customers are now putting recycling first and looking for outcomes around sustainability.”

Steve Harrison ResourceCo CEO Soil Reuse and Recycling

more than price now, we’re talking about outcomes that focus on prioritising recycling and sustainability more broadly. I think that’s a big turning point and it will continue to increase as we move forward.”

Steve says, historically there’s been a reluctance within industry to use recycled sand because of concerns about the consistency and product quality.

It’s here that ResourceCo’s decades long experience comes to the fore. He says customers can have confidence in the consistency of the product, and that they’re dealing with a trusted brand.

Steve says one of the challenges is risk management and having protocols in place to control the quality of materials coming in and the product moving out.

“ResourceCo has been recycling products for a long time, the approach to quality controls we put in place are transferrable across different streams.

“We put a lot of time into making sure the products we’re producing in sand and topsoil are meeting Australian standards,” he says.

ResourceCo also thinks outside the box when it comes to building customer confidence.

Innovation is one of the company’s core values, and it’s an innovative approach that resulted in the development of in-house software that provides customers with real time solutions and tracking on the movement of their materials, so they can see exactly where they end up.

For the North-East Link project in Victoria, the software was tailored to connect with the contractor’s system so its customers could see the project’s sustainability outcomes.

Steve says it’s an example of ResourceCo providing recycling, reuse, and technological solutions for customers.

“Everything we do is centred around diverting waste from landfill, providing the best quality service for our customers and producing products that reduce a reliance on virgin materials.”

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

The Brooklyn site offers potential to host ResourceCo’s growing recycling capabilities.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 17

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FEATURED TOPIC – LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

More than 20 hectares of Hanson’s Wollert landfill site has been set aside for advanced resource recovery and material reuse.

Saving tomorrow

I

HANSON’S WOLLERT LANDFILL IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW LANDFILL CAN PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE AND BE AN AGENT FOR CHANGE. PROJECT MANAGER CHRIS LYNCH OUTLINES PLANS TO TRANSFORM THE SITE INTO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY POWERHOUSE.

n the northern suburbs of Melbourne, the Wollert Quarry and Renewable Energy Landfill has quietly gone about providing a safe end of life for waste generated across Melbourne and Victoria.

Now owner operators Hanson are set to transform the site into a circular economy powerhouse. The company is dedicating more than 20 hectares of its current site for advanced resource recovery and material reuse.

Chris Lynch, Project Manager, says the Wollert Resource Park will transform the waste streams already received, such as organics, metals, and soils, and transform them into valuable products for the circular economy in Melbourne and Victoria.

“We envisage the landfill will be operating for more than 50 years and the quarry at least another 10,” Chris says.

“We want to do something positive with the space left by quarrying, something that will benefit the whole community.

“The goal is for the Resource Park to be operating forever. For as long as there’s a waste management need in Melbourne.”

The Wollert site currently has a quarrying operation, a landfill, and a biogas power facility. The quarry supplies basalt products for a variety of uses including construction of roads and houses and concrete for infrastructure projects. It’s been operating since the late 1970s and has increased output, selling

about 2.5 million tonnes of material in 2022.

The landfill started operating in 2000 and accepts thousands of tonnes of waste each year including municipal, commercial and industrial, and construction and demolition wastes.

The landfill cells are in previously quarried parts of the site and are designed to help contain leachate and help capture and recover landfill gas that is used by the onsite biogas power generation facility. This facility currently produces 7.7 megawatts of renewable energy.

Chris says locating the Resource Park on the same site as the landfill and quarrying operation will take advantage of the existing waste streams, diverting www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 19

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FEATURED TOPIC – LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

recyclable materials from landfill while creating products that provide increased circularity for the construction materials business.

He says there’s potential for co-located repair cafes and maker space for some of the difficult to recycle materials, such as textiles, that don’t currently have a home.

“The potential at Wollert is huge,” Chris says. “Globally, the waste landscape is changing. Carbon reduction is essential. The legislative framework, particularly in Victoria and federally with waste export bans, has provided the right environment to invest into the circular economy.

“Prolonging the life of existing assets is a big part of this. What can we do to repurpose and recirculate more material that’s currently in the market rather than relying on virgin material?

“The Resource Park offers a unique opportunity due to its proximity to waste-generating markets and a significant landholding being dedicated to these operations.”

The Resource Park will be delivered in two precincts, a waste-to-energy precinct and a general resource recovery precinct. Both will share some infrastructure including a

recently installed weighbridge, the onsite leachate treatment plant and close access to offtakes for residual and process products.

Chris says there’s a huge volume of material that can be recovered and recycled that currently has nowhere to go. Hanson is well positioned to take on those materials. Stage one of the Resource Park has the capacity to produce more than one million tonnes of recycled material.

He says the company is looking at the waste-to-energy precinct to provide more behind the meter applications. The power generated could be used behind the meter for crushing and screening operations to fully capture all of the products coming through, and then to send them back out as green, circular economy construction materials.

Sustainability is part of the ethos at Hanson. In 2016, the company converted a capped portion of the landfill site into a solar farm, installing more than 380 solar panels that can generate up to 100 kilowatts per annum.

It has also established native habitat and improved biodiversity outcomes for used landfill cells. In 2010, with approval from the Environment Protection Authority, the company

Previously filled and rehabilitated areas of the Wollert landfill.

trialled a phytocap that uses deep beds of locally sourced soils, planted with suitable indigenous grasses, bushes and trees.

The soil layer acts as a sponge for rainfall in winter. The plants transpire the moisture back into the atmosphere in summer months, preventing rainfall from penetrating the waste below and the production of leachate.

More than 50,000 native plants have been planted every year and the rehabilitated areas are now home to many local animals, including kangaroos and wedge tailed eagles.

Chris says the Resource Park has been on Hanson’s agenda for some time and is now gaining momentum. The company is currently going through regulatory approval processes to allow for recycling activities on site and is hoping to partner with businesses aligned with the company’s vision by early 2024.

Chris was brought in to steer the project in 2022 and has enjoyed engaging with the local community to drive the vision forward. Part of that has been the formation of a local stakeholder group that meets regularly.

He says it’s important the local community shares the company’s vision and feels empowered to provide input. It’s a process that will continue throughout the site’s lifetime.

“There’s a great opportunity here as we transform the site into a circular economy powerhouse,” Chris says.

“A compliant operation with shared infrastructure that will alleviate the need for a proliferation of small-scale waste management assets across Melbourne is better for the community, but we can’t operate in isolation.

“We’re future proofing this asset so we can continue to play a positive role in the waste management framework in Victoria and be an agent for change.”

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

20 / WMR / October 2023

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The M&J PreShred 4000M is a large waste shredder capable of effectively and reliably shredding virtually any type of material. This waste shredder is designed to meet the special needs of plants in which the incoming material varies greatly in terms of size and composition and can contain unknown quantities of steel, stones, and concrete. Examples include recycling plants for refuse derived fuel (RDF), incinerators, and large hazardous waste plants with challenging inputs such as household waste, bulky waste, construction and demolition waste, chemical waste, industrial waste, tree stumps, carpets, mattresses, railway sleepers and refrigerators, as well as compacted waste bales.

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FEATURED TOPIC – LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

The optimal solution WASTE INDUSTRY VETERAN ROB McGAHEY IS TRAINING HIS SIGHTS ON HELPING WASTE INDUSTRY FACILITIES REACH THEIR PEAK.

“T

echnology and tools are useful and powerful when they are your servant and not your master,” says motivational speaker Stephen Covey.

It’s a phrase that resonates with Rob McGahey, Machine Application Trainer and Founder of Optimal Site Performance.

A waste and resource recovery veteran, Rob has seen many companies invest thousands in third-party technology and hardware without knowing how to get the most out of it.

Describing himself as a ‘fixer’, he’s now creating a roadmap to help businesses fill the gap between installing technology and achieving their desired results.

“People invest in new technology and expect it to make them better,” Rob says.

“Technology doesn’t make you better.

It gives you the tools to see where you’re not going well, but not what’s causing issues. It doesn’t tell you what changes to

Optimal Site Performance is helping the waste industry achieve the best results possible.

22 / WMR / October 2023

make to get the results. That’s where you need insight into the operation, and the influences that effect performance.

“Optimal Site Performance is guiding operators to understand the information they’re getting and how that should be interpreted.”

Rob has held supervisor and operational management positions in waste operations in Australia, Hong Kong, and China. He also had managing roles with a global engineering equipment manufacturer working in the Asia Pacific and North American regions.

This diversity has given him a broad knowledge of issues faced by the industry.

He started Optimal Site Performance in 2022 with his wife, Environmental Scientist Liz Spooner, after being asked to help establish an accelerated landfill start-up in Brisbane in response to the 2022 Queensland floods.

During this time, he realised how passionately he felt about the industry.

Working specifically with the waste industry, Optimal Site Performance aims to help landfill, transfer stations, and material recovery facility operations achieve the best results possible, whether that’s improving landfill density, recognising equipment under stress, or staff training.

One of the common problems, Rob says, is that people don’t analyse the information that’s available to them as well as they could. Businesses presume once they have the technology that ‘someone’ will provide that information, but they don’t have anyone who can do that.

Rob’s providing the tools to analyse the information, understand what it means and providing a pathway to act.

He’s currently working with a Queensland council to develop a filling plan, coaching them on site boundaries, levels, and road and drainage placement.

Site visits are common for Rob McGahey to help identify operational roadblocks.

“Many times, site profiles are input into machines by people who don’t necessarily work on the landfill,” Rob says. “You need consultation with the site. We’re trying to get the consultation process started so everyone understands what they’re trying to achieve and helping them develop a design that works.”

Something that works, is key to Rob’s business philosophy. He measures success by results.

It’s one thing for a business to recognise it has a problem. It’s another to understand what that problem is and what’s causing it so they can get better and take charge of the situation.

He cites an example of a Victorian council landfill where he helped site operations staff achieve a 16 per cent improvement in waste compaction over five months, then maintained the results in the following months.

The landfill receives about 65,000 tonnes of mixed waste annually and historically averaged densities in the low 700 kilograms per cubic metre.

To extend the life of the current cell and maximise the life of the landfill, the council set new density targets with its waste contractor.

Rob began work in the first week of May 2022. During initial site visits, operational practices were assessed to identify changes that would maximise density while limiting interruptions to site operations.

He says the changes identified were small and helped the site get back to basics – thinner layers of waste, multiple passes on each layer, recovering previously applied day cover, and raising the lift height to three metres.

Clear expectations to implement the changes were set, and pre-start discussion topics were established to help the site supervisor drive the process of change.

As the changes were implemented the operators reported that they could see the difference they made. The working face did not advance as fast as before, allowing constructed roads to stay longer in place. Fewer engineering works were required so they could spend more time at the face.

By the end of May 2022, they achieved a density of 820 kilograms per cubic metre, a 13 per cent improvement, and the highest single month improvement to date.

Rob returned to speak to the operators about the results and identified what

they had been doing differently, and how it made a difference. He says this energised them and they pushed harder because they understood their role in achieving success.

In June 2022 density numbers were 850 kilogram per cubic metre with a lot of smiling faces from operational staff to management.

“We’re not interested in trying to sell our time but want to know customers are going to get value for what we’re doing,” Rob says.

“What we do at Optimal is like being a personal trainer. Clients come to me and ask to get better. We see where there’s an opportunity for change and what is achievable, then we set a plan. There are regular meetings, clients will be asked to do certain things to make the change. At the end if they follow the process and do the work they will see the results.

“What we do is make them accountable, push them to turn up and make site visits to provide guidance. At the end of the day I can’t do the work for them, but if they follow the plan, and do what I ask, they will get the results.”

For more information, visit: www.optsp.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 23

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FEATURED TOPIC – LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

Environmental intelligence

THE ENVIROSUITE PLATFORM IS EMPOWERING LANDFILL OPERATORS TO MANAGE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL BREACHES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN.

“N

o one wants a landfill on their doorstep, but they’re there,” says Sean Verlander, Envirosuite Sales Executive for Australia and New Zealand.

“We can’t dig it up again. But how we manage it now can make a difference for future generations.”

Despite various abatement options, air quality and odour emissions remain a challenge for waste management operators.

Operating within regulatory compliance is becoming challenging with the growing population and residential rezoning that has resulted in new or existing waste facilities coming within close proximity to communities.

Sean says Envirosuite software is being used at a growing number of landfills, composting and solid waste management sites because of its ability to support their existing odour management plans and pinpoint the source of air quality issues.

Investigations to identify problematic emissions sources within an operation take a significant amount of time. The context can instantly shift thanks to Mother Nature. Weather conditions can change at the drop of a hat, intensifying odour emissions at an exponential rate.

Using local weather stations combined with data from odour monitoring networks, Envirosuite software allows staff to proactively manage site-generated emissions and minimise environmental

Envirosuite’s Omnis software empowers landfills to pair monitoring data with hyperlocal weather forecasting to understand operational impact ahead of time.

Sean Verlander, Sales Executive Australia and New Zealand.

compliance breaches. Additionally, the platform empowers landfill operators to schedule high-risk activities around weather and emissions risks to minimise operational stoppages that may occur due to environmental incidents.

But one of the biggest advantages of the Envirosuite platform, Sean says, is community engagement. He describes it as the missing piece to successful landfill operations.

“This platform can help landfill operators engage with their local community and get them onside,” Sean says.

“Legislation changes will continue, as will neighbourhood encroachment. Using a platform like this allows businesses to get on the front foot, engage with the community and make informed decisions.

“You’re setting up a great relationship with the community and environment protection authority and doing the right thing.” www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 25

FEATURED TOPIC – LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

Landfill operators always aim to minimise odour impact on neighbours, however, community members become increasingly impatient about slow and inconclusive results when they submit complaints.

When it comes to responding to community odour concerns, Envirosuite platform empowers the landfills to automate community engagement around odour concerns with proprietary algorithms that streamline complaint management while verifying valid and invalid complaints.

Reporting functions are standard but can be customised to automatically generate reports and send out alerts via text if there’s a risk of an emissions event likely to affect the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Envirosuite is confident that its software is accurate and provides up to a 72hour window for operational planning.

Sean cites the National Waste Plan target to halve organic and food waste going to landfill by 2030 as another area where Envirosuite can add value.

While turning food organics and garden organics (FOGO) into compost offers potential for businesses to add value to these products and reuse them – it can be a challenge to set up an organics facility next door and expect everyone to be happy.

‘Arcs of Influence’ from Envirosuite’s Omnis software help understand the most likely source or area with sources that could be causing an unfolding emissions event or a threshold breach.

“It you want to run a state-of-theart facility close to people, then you need a system that’s going to allow you to manage your area, engage with the community and make sure everyone’s happy,” Sean says.

Additionally, the Envirosuite solution is not limited to landfills and FOGO processing. Any industry that has odour or dust impacting the community can extract operational value out of the software.

The software was established for two definitive areas – aviation, which uses similar technology, and industrial, including mining – to manage dust, air quality, noise, vibration and water quality.

Sean says the software is currently being used in Melbourne to detect and

Envirosuite’s Omnis software can provide an instant understanding of current environmental performance with visualisation of odour monitoring networks at landfills.

monitor noise vibrations as part of a major city project involving rail tunnels in Australia.

Envirosuite is also working with some of the most environmentally constrained wastewater facilities in the region.

Envirosuite tailors its platform to individual clients following a discovery process to identify their challenges and the desired outcome.

In addition to manufacturing its own monitoring hardware, its environmental management software can be integrated with most existing hardware networks on the market.

Sean says the more data collected; the more accurate companies can be with their operational decisions.

He spent 20 years in the plastics manufacturing industry and knows first-hand the importance of reliable and usable data from both an operator and legal perspective.

“We all have such a limited tenure on the planet, and we have to do the right thing by it,” Sean says.

“That’s become more and more apparent with climate change.

“Envirosuite can give people the tools to make it better.”

For more information, visit: www.envirosuite.com/industries/ waste-management

26 / WMR / October 2023

FEATURED TOPIC – LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

Green transformation

EFFICIENT WASTE PROCESSING CAN REDUCE THE RELIANCE ON LANDFILL AND LEAD TO BETTER RECYCLING. TUTT BRYANT EQUIPMENT HAS A SHREDDER THAT CUTS WASTE DOWN TO SIZE.

W

ires, a metal grille, even a discarded cabinet cling together as a loaden crane claw hovers over churning saw teeth.

It releases its grip and waste clatters into the feedlot and disappears. What appears on the conveyor belt below is barely recognisable.

M & J Recycling shredders have a reputation for shredding the unshreddable. Watching one at work, it doesn’t disappoint. Its heavy-duty strength and performance have a role to play in Australia’s transition toward a circular economy, as part of the stable of products at Tutt Bryant Equipment.

Tutt Bryant Equipment is one of the largest multi-brand national distributors of construction equipment in Australia, distributing and selling equipment, parts, and services through branches in major centres.

It supplies industries including recycling, demolition, construction, government, general equipment hire, infrastructure and mining.

Since 2019, Tutt Bryant Equipment has been the exclusive national distributor of M&J Recycling Mobile Shredding Equipment.

M&J Recycling takes its name from the two founding fathers,

M&J shredders and pre-shredders can cut through a range of waste materials.

28 / WMR / October 2023

Moeller and Jochumsen, who began making steam engines in Denmark, in 1857. With the industrialisation of Europe, they moved to manufacturing diesel engines and evolved into waste shredders in 1988, as one of the leaders of Denmark’s ‘green transformation’, which focused on turning waste into a resource.

Now with more than 1000 installations worldwide, and with a continued focus on research and development, M&J is a leading supplier of industrial waste shredders for the recycling industry.

Paul Doran, Tutt Bryant Equipment National Business Manager, Crushing and Screening, says M&J Recycling’s success lies in understanding customer requirements and a respect for individual preferences.

“M&J Recycling knows from experience that co-operation with customers, partners, and suppliers – based on mutual respect and trust – leads to the best results,” he says.

M&J Recycling pre-shredders and fine shredders have great features and a robust construction enabling them to tackle a range of waste materials – either in bales, rolls, bricks or as loose material.

The pre -shredder is suitable for construction and demolition (C&D) waste that often contains everything from wood and plastic through to

M&J Recycling shredders are used globally for industrial waste shredding applications.

concrete and metals. The open-cutting table design minimises wear while ensuring high throughput.

Other features include shredding in both directions and online monitoring of performance and health status.

“The shredders have a double hydrostatic system, which means the shafts work independent of each other and cut in both directions, doubling shredding time in the hopper,” Paul says. “The open cutting table technology and welded-on knives means that these shredders are not sensitive to stronger and tougher material. They also provide the highest possible availability factor, lowering production cost.”

The 35-tonne M&J 4000M has 8-12 knives per shaft to provide a range of product sizes, depending on the desired output. Paul says this is why it’s M&J’s most popular mobile model globally.

WHY SHRED? The primary purpose of shredding waste is to reduce the incoming material to a more manageable particle size.

For waste operators, this means fine materials comingled with bulky

materials can be separated and used for other purposes, such as day cover, rather than take up landfill space.

The size reduction also increases the recovery rate through a picking station.

Because the pieces are easier to manage by hand there’s more recoverables such as wood, metals, and concrete, diverted from landfill.

Paul says the size reduction of material also improves payload density, making transport more cost-effective.

Smaller material means more tonnes per truck load for the same cost, or less vehicle movements per day, lowering the carbon footprint of an operation.

Shredding waste to a smaller size and breaking hard materials also ensures landfill compaction is achieved with less effort, either by fewer passes of the compactor or by using a smaller compactor. Both will reduce site operational costs.

This density improvement, Paul says, extends the life of landfills in the current environment where new approvals are difficult and expensive to obtain.

He recalls an M&J 4000M owner/ operator who confirmed that the shredded and baled municipal waste being placed in landfill was 20 per cent heavier than the non-shredded waste.

Another owner said that the in-situ density at his landfill was three times that of the incoming waste stream once it had been shredded and compacted.

And a municipality in America, which has four shredders on its landfill sites, believes shredding the waste has extended the landfill life by seven years.

“Imagine how much money an operation could save if recoverables at transfer stations were higher and transport payloads increased by 20 per cent,” Paul says.

APPLICATIONS Paul says the design of the M&J Shredder allows it to cut through the hardest of shredding applications.

“Whether it’s municipal waste, C&D or construction and industrial, all timber types, light gauge aluminium and white goods, tyres or even cars, the M&J 4000M can handle it with low operating costs and up to 100 tonnes per hour (tph),” Paul says.

“If waste volumes require higher capacity than that, the 4000M has a big brother – the 6000M – that can produce up to 200tph, dependent on the application.”

Paul says if an operation needs material shredded at a high production rate with minimal downtime, chances are the team at Tutt Bryant Equipment can help.

Proof of his confidence in the shredders, Paul’s happy to refer potential customers to existing customers directly to discuss the performance of the machine. Stock units are also available for inspection.

For more information, contact: paul.doran@tuttbryant.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 29

FEATURED TOPIC - LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

Avoid the landfill crunch

PEAK TIMES IN WASTE MANAGEMENT CAN IMPACT DENSITY, SAFETY, AND REVENUE. CATERPILLAR OFFERS FIVE BEST PRACTICES TO MANAGE THOSE TIMES AND IMPROVE THE BOTTOM LINE. the five best practices for managing density in a landfill.

Dealing with the ebbs and flows of landfill takes work.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR DATA? As time goes on, any landfill manager should accumulate tranches of data.

Understanding when the peaks and troughs occur is vital for managing staff levels and improving the density during peak times.

Some of the staff that will know about the peak times will be machine operators.

Their work in moving waste means they have an in-depth understanding of the daily peak times. They can also support the right solutions for the business.

P

hysics provides a simple explanation for looking at the volume of a landfill. Density increases with increased mass when volume remains constant. That takes up less space, which means more opportunities for more waste. That, in turn, results in more revenue for a landfill.

As simple as that sounds, dealing with the ebbs and flows of landfill waste takes work. More often than not, there are multiple peak times throughout every shift. These peaks are the two to three times when landfills will receive most of their waste and can impact the ability to properly manage the density of the landfill.

30 / WMR / October 2023

Why do the peaks impact landfill density? The primary reason is that staff may be working quicker than usual.

Those staff members may not be as diligent as usual when implementing the correct push distances, layer heights, patterns and passes. Every single aspect that is compromised results in reduced waste density. The challenge of peaks can also impact staff safety, as they cut corners or get somewhat overwhelmed with the volume of waste.

So how can landfill managers deal with peak times, maximise density and keep staff safe? Caterpillar has spoken to many landfill managers across Australia over the years. Their collective wisdom has been brought together into

ARE YOUR ROUTES RIGHT? Once data is received and understood, it’s time to turn that information into something useful. One option is to look at the routes for collecting waste.

The peaks and troughs can be spread over a longer period by rethinking and reorganising the waste haulage timetables. Such an approach provides an opportunity to flatten the peaks. That means that landfill managers can reduce the amount of waste received in any individual peak and have a manageable level of waste throughout each shift.

MORE SPACE FOR WASTE Some landfill managers cannot influence when waste arrives at their landfill site. The question then becomes

how to manage the space for new waste.

It could be possible to increase the size of the working face or tip area – this is where the waste is deposited in each shift.

This gives staff on-site a broader area in which to work and should allow them to deal with more waste.

Alternatively, the waste can be staged in different places within the tip area.

It allows landfill managers to work the waste around until each delivery peak drops off. It also provides an opportunity to increase waste density in specific areas.

Another approach is to add a bench at the front of the working face. Placing a bench at the front allows waste to be dumped there in peak times. That extra waste can then be cut and layered when input slows down. Caterpillar reported that many landfill managers prefer to increase the density of their landfills in this manner.

ARE ASSETS WORKING SMART? When it comes to the intelligent operation of a landfill facility, one of the biggest assets is the range of trucks and machines at your disposal. It’s important to think if they are being used as effectively as possible.

In a situation where you have multiple Cat® dozers or compactors on site, are they being used to their greatest potential? Considering how people and assets can be used together with as little downtime as possible is critical.

During peak times, machinery can be used to reduce the impact. It changes the maintenance structure for the landfill operators and allows them to maximise the output of their machines.

Even those diverting from support tasks to helping with peak times are still useful. It’s an opportunity

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to maximise revenue during these times by effectively distributing the waste.

HOW’S YOUR SCHEDULING? Data from Cat indicates that most peak times occur between 10am and 1pm.

This is often when breaks, including lunch breaks, are most likely to occur.

It results in being understaffed during peak times.

By rethinking your staff arrangements to better suit the activities going on around the facility, the impact of peak times can be reduced.

Moving shift changes, refuelling, and routine maintenance to outside of peak times can dramatically increase the effectiveness of peak times.

For more information, visit: www.cat.com/en

FEATURED TOPIC – LANDFILL MANAGEMENT

The Shoal Bay Leachate Treatment Plant is believed to be the first global permanent facility treating PFAS in leachate, coupled with biological and ecological treatment and zero disposal.

Natural selection

CITY OF DARWIN IS HOME TO A WORLD FIRST LEACHATE TREATMENT THAT COMBINES ENGINEERING AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS.

T

wenty years ago, it might have been okay to divert leachate to a pond and hope that it evaporated away. Today, leachate management requires more thought, says David Leinster.

The Wastewater and Solutions Development Manager for The Water & Carbon Group, David, says leachate is an ongoing problem that needs a continuous, sustainable solution.

The Water & Carbon Group has commissioned a global first per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and leachate treatment plant for the City of Darwin at Shoal Bay that combines 32 / WMR / October 2023

engineered and ecological solutions.

David says while the combination is not new, it’s underrepresented in the industry.

In the case of Shoal Bay, the combination is suitable to convert the leachate into a usable water source. The plant uses the Water & Carbon Group’s patented LEEF (Low Energy Evaporative Fractionation) System to remove PFAS from the leachate. Treated effluent from the LEEF system is moved through biological treatment stages, including a wetland. From there, the leachate is used to irrigate a capped landfill planted

with Vetiver grass that is salt tolerant and can uptake residual nitrogen and metals from the water.

“A lot of leachate treatment technology produces other waste streams that need to be disposed,” David says. “The Shoal Bay plant was designed to create as little waste as possible.

“While the water application is not a high flow, it adds value because it’s producing a Vetiver crop and the organic matter produced will have some value.”

As a by-product of waste and rainfall capture, leachate contains

“The Shoal Bay plant was designed to create as little waste as possible.”

David Leinster, Wastewater and Solutions Development Manager, The Water & Carbon Group

a mixture of contaminants.

Anything that breaks down in a landfill cell contributes to a complex liquid stream that can include high levels of nutrients, heavy metals, PFAS and petroleum products. It’s also continually generated, usually during the wetter months, but that can depend on how landfills are structured and can be impacted by legacy issues such as how well cells are lined and capped.

What to do with such a contaminated water source is a common dilemma facing landfill operators, particularly those who have restrictions on where leachate can be discharged.

Large landfills close to a sewer line may be able to carry out minimal treatment and discharge the leachate to the sewer, but off-site discharge is not always possible for smaller landfills.

Traditional treatment methods include pumping the leachate to ponds that are open to the atmosphere to encourage evaporation.

David says leachate ponds work well in arid locations where the rate of evaporation outweighs the rate of rainfall. However, in areas such as Darwin, with predictable but heavy rainfall, the pond system can’t keep up.

David says for the Darwin project, off-site discharge required a water quality that was virtually impossible to achieve, even with multiple stages of reverse osmosis and ion exchange.

The plant was designed with the LEEF System at the start of the process, removing PFAS components into a concentrate that could then be sent

for destruction or back to landfill after being bound with a binding compound.

The LEEF System treats about 50 megalitres of leachate each year, removing PFAS contaminants using foam fractionation, with minimal energy and no consumables.

Using the LEEF System at the start of the process also prevents PFAS contamination of any biosolids produced in the biological treatment phase, so these biosolids can be available for soil improvement.

To bring the leachate up to irrigation quality, it’s further processed in the biological treatment plant that uses microbes for nutrient removal and a treatment wetland – designed to mimic natural wetlands and remove pollutants – for polishing before the water is used forirrigation.

Since 2007, the Water & Carbon Group has been pushing the boundaries to create a healthier and more sustainable world through integrating nature with infrastructure.

The $13.3 million Darwin plant is believed to be the first global permanent facility treating PFAS in leachate, coupled with biological and ecological treatment and zero disposal.

The plant has been commissioned and fully operational for the past 12 months. David says in full production, it’s processing more than 140,000 litres of leachate a day and the Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility is producing a minimal PFAS concentrated waste stream using low energy,

The LEEF System removes PFAS contaminants using foam fractionation, with minimal energy and no consumables.

minimal operational requirements, and no pre-treatment. Water quality results indicate that regulatory requirements are being exceeded.

He says the plant is a proof of concept for councils and landfill operators with an appetite to consider something a bit different.

“Leachate is not a problem that’s just been developed,” David says. “If you’re really looking to have an ecological and financially sustainable solution, while having control of costs and compliance, you need to look at alternative treatments.”

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

FEATURED TOPIC - WASTEWATER

Aerofloat teams up with Shellharbour M

AUSTRALIAN WASTEWATER TREATMENT COMPANY, AEROFLOAT HAS BEEN WORKING IN THE LEACHATE SPACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, MAKING A NAME FOR ITSELF FOR CUSTOM-BUILT DESIGNS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF COUNCILS AND COMPANIES.

ichael Anderson is the General Manager and one of the cofounders of Aerofloat. He’s created patented wastewater products that improve maintenance requirements, increase product efficiencies and lower costs for Australian councils and companies.

“The safe and sustainable management and treatment of industrial waste poses significant challenges to councils across Australia,” Michael says. “Aerofloat has emerged as a pioneering force in designing cutting-edge leachate treatment plants that exemplify environmental responsibility and innovation. We have worked with several councils across Australia to manage complex wastewater, including leachate waste.”

Leachate can be highly contaminated and potentially hazardous, as it can contain a mixture of organic and inorganic substances, ammonia, heavy metals, and other pollutants. Leachate composition depends on the types of waste materials in the landfill, their decomposition stage, and various environmental factors.

“Leachate is a complex mixture of dissolved contaminants that arise from the percolation of rainwater, moisture from waste materials, or other liquids through landfills and waste disposal sites,” Michael says “Often referred to as landfill juice, it can be a highly contaminated liquid that 34 / WMR / October 2023

results from this interaction of water with the decomposing waste materials in landfills.”

AN ESSENTIAL TASK Managing leachate is a challenge for waste management facilities to prevent environmental pollution. Proper containment and treatment of leachate are essential to avoid the contamination of groundwater, surface water, and soil.

Landfills and waste disposal sites require a wastewater treatment design based on a thorough understanding of the make-up of the leachate and expected contaminants.

“If not properly managed, leachate can infiltrate surrounding soil and groundwater, leading to widespread environmental degradation, water pollution, and health hazards,” Michael says.

IMPROVING SYSTEMS Shellharbour City Council contracted Aerofloat to design and construct a new leachate treatment plant for the Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot to combat rising disposal costs.

The site lacked upstream storage. As a result, the leachate quality was highly variable, with ammonia reaching 2000 milligrams per litre.

“The site at Dunmore has been operating effectively since installation well over a year ago, ensuring a sustainable

solution for council and Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot,” Michael says.

Aerofloat installed three large concrete tanks comprising an anoxic reactor, a nitrifying reactor, and its unique sequence batch reactor (AeroSBR).

To complete the build, internal recycle pumps were installed between the reactors. Treated effluent was decanted into a treated effluent tank then pumped to the sewer.

Chemicals are added during process phases to optimise the effluent quality and technology performance, including sucrose as a carbon source and caustic soda for pH correction. Any excess biosolids are pumped into a thickening tank for disposal by the council.

Key to any leachate treatment plant is managing the nitrification and denitrification processes to remove ammonia nitrogen from the leachate before discharge to the sewer.

“The nitrification and denitrification processes are critical in treating the leachate. Aerofloat effectively treats the high ammonia levels so that only highquality effluent is discharged to the sewer,” Michael says.

KICKING GOALS Aerofloat’s leachate treatment system for Shellharbour City Council achieves an effluent quality suitable for discharge to Sydney Water’s sewer, with a design

The Dunmore plant comprises an anoxic reactor, a nitrifying reactor, and a sequence batch reactor.

capacity of about 65 cubic metres a day and an average ammonia concentration of 1250 milligrams per litre (mg/L).

“Aerofloat critically analysed the process design from the beginning. The team leveraged its in-house knowledge and experience in treating industrial wastewater. Once the civil works and large tanks were constructed, Aerofloat made the build seem simple, despite being a very complex project,” says James Brumpton, Shellharbour City Council Project Manager.

The plant was contained within a concrete bund and included a purposebuilt mezzanine floor that kept all critical mechanical and electrical systems safe. An automated PLC system allows operators remote monitoring capabilities so that they have eyes on the plant even when not on site.

Aerofloat’s success with its design for the Dunmore leachate plant was just the tip of the iceberg for its movement into the leachate area. It is currently working on multiple leachate plant builds for councils and Australian companies in Queensland and New South Wales.

“We’ve built in-house expertise, and our delivery process is unique compared to others in the market,” Michael says. “We design our electrical control

systems, circuit boards, switchboards, and automation processes in-house. It’s part of our design philosophy and unique to the industry.

“This remains a strength of Aerofloat, as we can provide highly customised and automated layouts for anything our customers throw at us. We also create 3D models of each project, so we can make any changes or tweaks to suit our customers.

“Our plant at Dunmore can manage peak loads of 2000mg/L of ammonia and can readily treat load increases of more than 50 per cent,” he says. “We’re currently working on similar projects in Queensland that demand a complex understanding of how to effectively treat the leachate specific to those sites.”

A detail-oriented approach ensures Aerofloat’s projects all achieve the same high standards.

“Aerofloat’s leachate treatment plants employ a combination of advanced treatment processes that ensure effective removal of contaminants from the leachate. Each leachate treatment scenario is unique, depending on factors such as the composition of the leachate, site-specific conditions, and regulatory requirements,” Michael says. “Our job is to ensure that we understand the

specific requirements of the regulatory authority and meet the council or company’s mandates.”

TAILOR-MADE Aerofloat provides tailor-made solutions optimised for maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact. It integrates energy-efficient technologies into its leachate treatment plants, reducing operational costs and lessening the overall carbon footprint of the treatment process for its clients and the community.

“Aerofloat’s designs are not only technologically advanced but also compliant with local and international regulations pertaining to waste management and water quality. Noncompliance is not an option for us; our designs must ensure a sustainable, compliant result for our clients both now and long-term,” Michael says.

This adherence to regulatory standards underscores the company’s commitment to responsible engineering and environmental stewardship. It is also known across the wastewater industry for being pioneers in innovation.

For more information, visit www.aerofloat.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 35

FEATURED TOPIC – WASTEWATER

Testing the waters

ADOPTING CHANGE CAN BE DAUNTING. ANDZAC WATER TREATMENT’S ANDREW NICOL IS URGING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATORS TO REAP THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF NEW TECHNOLOGY.

I

ncreased recognition of climate change and a national commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 has put the environmental impact of many industries in the spotlight.

While wastewater treatment plants alleviate water pollution, they also produce carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – up to 300 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide –according to Global Infrastructure Hub. Andrew Nicol, Managing Director of Andzac Water Treatment (AWT), says the wastewater treatment industry is traditionally entrenched in old technologies, but it’s time for change.

The inventor of the Andzac Aerator, Andrew says there has never been a more urgent time to pursue newer technologies

to help achieve emission reduction goals.

He says one of the simplest ways to reduce emissions is to decrease power consumption while maintaining current performance targets.

“With the current surge in interest rates and electricity prices, energy efficiency and the associated cost savings have become critical factors to consider when making capital purchases,” Andrew says. “We believe there is great scope in achieving financial savings for our customers once they adopt change and embrace new technology.

“AWT is committed to working with our clients to provide a solution that meets their needs and brings down the cost of aeration.”

The main benefit of aeration in wastewater treatment is to add air

Leachate dam sampling results using the Andzac Aerator.

ALS Sample Analysis - AMMONIA LEVELS

MINI-80 ANDZAC AERATOR

Dam 2 - ALS Sample Analysis (June 2021 to Sept 2021) Sample Date 29/6/21 12/7/21 19/7/21 6/8/21 16/8/21 23/8/21 30/8/21 6/9/21 17/9/21 22/9/21

Amonnia (mg/L) 441 564 508 341 278 244 184 134 60.6 5.91

EC (uS/cm) 8000 9280 8640 8590 8810 8670 7980 7700 7600 7520

TSS (mg/L) 26 55 99 36 44 23 18 42 22 92

pH 8.32 8.6 8.84 8.81 8.32 8.98 8.9 8.8 8.32 8.22

BOD (mg/L) 64 38 27 18 32 20 12 21 NA 62

Comments No aerators Aerator running Aerator running and bacteria added Aerator running Aerator running Aerator running Aerator running and bacteria added Aerator maintenance while samlping. Sludge added.

No aerators Aerators running

Ammonia Level - ALS Results 600

400 564

508

Series1

29/6/21 441

12/7/21 564

19/7/21 508

6/8 /21 341

23/8/21 244

30/8/21 184

6/9/21 134

5.91

21/9/21

19/9/21

17/9/21

15/9/21

9/9/21

17/9/21 60.6

13/9/21

7/9/21

60.6 11/9/21

3/9/21

134 1/9/21

28/8/21

26/8/21

184

5/9/21

244

24/8/21

14/8/21

8/8/21

12/8/21

6/8/21

16/8/21 278

10/8/21

4/8/21

2/8/21

31/7/21

29/7/21

27/7/21

25/7/21

23/7/21

21/7/21

19/7/21

17/7/21

15/7/21

9/7/21

13/7/21

7/7/21

11/7/21

5/7/21

3/7/21

1/7/21

29/6/21

0

30/8/21

278

22/8/21

341

100

20/8/21

200 441

18/8/21

300

16/8/21

Ammonia (mg/L)

500

22/9/21 5.91

Sample Date

Raymond Terrace Resource Recovery Park - Dam 2 - 1ML

36 / WMR / October 2023

Testing from 29/06/21 - 22/09/21

The Andzac Aerator uses submersible pumps.

into the water, supplying oxygen to the microorganisms that break down contaminants.

The Andzac Aerator uses submersible pumps combined with venturi injectors to move water for aeration purposes.

Andrew says that compared with land-based pump systems and low speed mechanical aerators, the Andzac Aerator is more effective and economical.

It’s successfully being used in wastewater and sewage treatment plants, waste transfer stations with leachate ponds, as well as local government settlement ponds.

He’s refined the aerator’s pontoonmounted design over the years and says its power consumption is one fifth of traditional aerators – making it economical to operate and reducing a plant’s carbon footprint.

Where traditional aerators weigh about 3000 kilograms, the Andzac Aerator is a more compact machine requiring less infrastructure for installation and serviceability.

The Andzac Aerator’s mobility makes it suitable for local councils, sewerage plants, nurseries, golf courses, sports

The Andzac Aerator has been proven to improve wastewater treatment.

grounds, farms and aquaculture, among others.

Understanding that every lagoon and pond is unique, Andrew and AWT work with customers to tailor a solution that suits their need, whether that’s balancing efficiency outcomes against Occupational Health and Safety outcomes.

When Goulburn Valley Water’s low-speed mechanical surface irrigator failed at the Tatura Wastewater Management Facility an Anzac Aerator test unit was installed to provide an immediate solution.

Nathan Epp, then Senior Engineer, Energy and Commercial Projects for Goulburn Valley Water, says that the test unit was on an eight metre cable about four metres from the bank of a 1.5-hectare lagoon and within days operators noticed a difference.

“After running the single 2.2 kilowatt Andzac test unit for a few weeks we ran a trial that showed we were getting similar chemical oxygen demand results to the parallel lagoons, each with 30kW aerators running 24/7, with significantly higher dissolved oxygen,” Nathan says.

Goulburn Valley Water had originally ordered two Andzac Aerators for Tatura

but following test results decided one would be enough. The second was installed at the Kyabram Wastewater Management Facility with plans to run it in conjunction with a LSM aerator.

Nathan says that within a week, the LSM aerator wasn’t required.

“In all, we’re looking at saving over 600,000 kilowatt hours a year in aeration at both sites – about $80,000 a year,” he says.

Andrew says independent testing has provided data that supports the aerators output and efficiency.

“We know it works well,” he says.

“It reduces operating costs by using less electricity, thereby reducing carbon footprint, while maintaining operational outcomes.”

For more information, visit: www.andzac.com

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ORGANICS

There’s no more FOMO around FOGO

AS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LEADING MACHINERY SUPPLIERS FOR THE ORGANIC WASTE AND PROCESSING INDUSTRY, KOMPTECH CEA KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO TRULY DIVERT GREEN WASTE FROM LANDFILLS.

Komptech CEA has a range of products to process a large amount of FOGO.

W

ith the proliferation of additional kerbside bins for the Australian populace, the vast majority of Australians have some understanding of green waste, food waste and organic materials. Better known as food organics garden organics (FOGO), it’s designed to be separated from regular rubbish that heads to landfills.

Local councils are working tirelessly and visibly to encourage residents to do the right thing when it comes to food and garden organics. At the same time, the public may not know about the

38 / WMR / October 2023

enormous efforts that go on once their waste is collected.

This is where Komptech CEA steps in. It is a market leader in supplying machinery and systems for processing organic materials. Its range of products allows landfill operators and waste management companies to efficiently and effectively turn large amounts of FOGO into a valuable resource.

Deon Cope is the National Brand Leader for Komptech CEA. He’s been with CEA for more than 14 years, starting as a product manager.

“Not long after I started with the business, CEA identified a niche in the market, particularly around the waste industry and its need for wheeled loaders and excavators,” he says. “We started to target that market segment with machines that are geared towards it. We provided machines that were designed for the industry. The machines were ordered from the factory, with additional build items supplied and fitted locally providing unique features suitable for the segment. It’s how CEA first engaged with the waste industry.”

In 2020, CEA acquired the distribution for Komptech in Australia.

It offered good synergies between CEA’s existing knowledge of the industry and the high-quality machines made

by Komptech.

WHY KOMPTECH STANDS OUT Komptech CEA has been a market leader in Australia for several years. As early suppliers and manufacturers to the organic waste sector, it has been able to understand and support the growing needs of the industry.

“We started early in the industry,” Deon says. “Komptech identified different needs for different processing materials. We specifically focused on organic waste and biosolids, among other waste products and have branched out into other waste streams since then.”

Komptech has a focus on research and development (R&D) to remain competitive in the market. It’s not about creating one machine that can do it all: it’s about making the right machine for the specific waste stream. That requires an understanding of what the market wants and trying to forecast future needs.

“Komptech designs specific machines that are best-in-class,” Deon says.

“With considerable investment directed to R&D, Komptech is always looking for ways to innovate.

It wants to improve its product line

Deon Cope, National Brand Leader for Komptech CEA, has years of experience with waste machinery.

and use quality components when making them.”

With its head offices in Austria and manufacturing bases in Austria and Germany, Komptech has been recognised by the industry for designing and manufacturing machines with quality components. The attention to detail and thorough testing programs that have arisen from the R&D have helped Komptech become a global leader.

FOGO OUT OF LANDFILL Komptech CEA is a proud partner of the Australian Organics Recycling Association Limited (AORA). It works with stakeholders to facilitate the conditions through which surplus organic material can be sustainably and cost-effectively recycled. AORA also promotes the beneficial use of compost, soil conditioners and mulches in primary industries.

“AORA is a key industry body for our sector,” says Deon. “We are heavily involved and want to stay close to the market. With AORA’s help, we better understand what the market needs and requires.”

Komptech also takes guidance from the Federal Government’s National Waste Policy. The policy provides a national framework for waste and resource recovery in Australia. It also highlights the importance of

working together and outlines the roles and responsibilities for everyone – businesses, governments, communities, and individuals.

Reducing total waste generated by 10 per cent per person and recovering 80 per cent of all waste by 2030 were two critical targets of the 2019 National Waste Action Plan. A further goal was to halve the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030.

For Deon, these targets present opportunities for Komptech CEA to move forward.

“For the most part, it means a dramatic increase in the volume of material that needs to be processed,” he says. “Operators and waste facility managers will focus on the key metric of throughput: how much material they can run through a machine in a given period.”

Deon believes that the Crambo uniquely benefits waste facility managers.

It is designed for shredding all types of wood and organic feedstocks.

“It’s not just about processing the materials,” Deon says. “The Crambo shreds the organic waste in such a way as to provide a better-quality feedstock that assists with the composting process.

That means waste facility managers are gaining a high-value resource for sale as compost. That revenue can be vital for managers, as they can run more green waste through the Crambo and generate a high-revenue product at the other end.”

With one of Australia’s largest footprints, CEA has branches in every state and territory. Its distribution centres nationwide hold more stock for customers, ensuring a commonality of parts. Lead times are dropping, and more facilities can expect to get their hands on quality products.

For more information, visit: www.komptechcea.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 39

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – METAL RECYCLING

Castings Tasmania became part of the Recycal Group in December 2019 and has since undergone a modernisation program.

Recycling heavy metal rocks

RECYCAL HAS BUILT A REPUTATION FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC PRODUCTS AND NICHE MARKETS. NOW WITH MORE STRINGS TO THE COMPANY BOW IT OFFERS AN INTEGRATED SOLUTION FOR RECYCLING PROBLEMATIC AND CHALLENGING HEAVY METAL-BEARING WASTES.

R

ecycal has hardcore ambitions when it comes to heavy metals.

The scrap metal recycling company continues to introduce processing equipment and technology to keep Australian metal onshore and help build a circular economy.

Doug Rowe, Director of Ecocycle, part of the Recycal Group, says the company is determined to play its role in protecting the environment and reduce a reliance on natural resources.

Recycal value-adds selected materials to prime pure metal, ready for smelting, to ensure a quality feed for sister companies Castings Tasmania and ACL Metal Powders.

“By recycling and recovering metals, with a focus on selecting the material that fits the group, we can make a real impact on looking after our environment and promoting a circular

economy,” Doug says. “We’re committed to servicing industry and protecting the environment.”

The National Waste Policy outlines five principles for waste management that will enable Australia to transition to a circular economy. Key pillars of the plan are improving resource recovery, increasing use of recycled material, and building demand for recycled products.

Metals are one of the few materials that can be recycled without damaging the original properties, which means it can be recycled and reused almost indefinitely.

According to industry analyst IBISWorld’s Scrap Metal Recycling in Australia Report, the Australian scrap metal recycling sector has grown 9.3 per cent per year on average between 2017 and 2022 and is valued at $5.1 billion.

Doug says that while recycling metal reduces a reliance on natural resources and keeps all metals out of landfill, recycled metal also requires less energy than extracting raw materials, therefore less green-house gas emissions.

On average, almost two tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted for every tonne of steel produced from virgin ore, accounting for about seven per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. By comparison, a tonne of steel produced from scrap produces just 25 per cent of the emissions of scrap made from virgin ore.

Castings Tasmania is one of the oldest foundries in the Southern Hemisphere, starting business in 1834. It became part of the Recycal Group in December 2019 and has since undergone a modernisation program that is expected to be completed in late 2024. www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 41

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – METAL RECYCLING

The foundry melts down the clean steel collected by the Recycal Group and casts this molten metal into various castings for the Australian market.

“Using recycled metal, as well as green solar storage power on site, is an environmentally friendly way to keep Australian metal onshore for domestic use,” Doug says.

“Decarbonisation is important to us and our clients. We continue to partner with them to achieve our joint goals.”

Any pure copper that is collected

by Recycal, either through internal companies or external clients, is a prime feed for the ACL Metal Powders plant, a non-ferrous foundry that makes copper alloy powders.

Copper granules the company manufactures from copper PVC cables are alloyed with pure lead and tin to make a pure blown fine powder that is exported around the globe.

Doug says the Recycal Group is committed to best practice across all businesses. New technology and stateof-the-art equipment enable the group to keep one step ahead of an everchanging industry.

C E P

The Recycal Group has a footprint in all Australian states.

The group, with a footprint in all Australian states, has spent years investing in research and development and technology to ensure an integrated business that maximises resource recovery from specialised metal-bearing waste streams.

Ecocycle is fully licensed by the environment protection agencies in each state to handle the entire process Clean steel collected by the Recycal Group is melted down and made into various castings for the Australian market.

of recycling mercury-containing waste.

The company recycles and recovers silver from film and x-rays, as well as waste dental amalgam once the mercury is removed. It also removes and retires mercury from lighting and dental amalgam waste, button cell batteries, and from the oil, gas and mining industries.

Sister company EcoBatt targets collection, sorting and processing of batteries around the country, as well as working with electric vehicle and storage battery cells.

Doug says this is a growing part of the business and, having invested heavily in the safety and collection/ sorting side of the business, he’s looking further at the responsible processing of lithium batteries to the highest environmental standards.

The group’s newly formed company EcoPlastics will offer a solution for plastic waste collected within the group.

Recycal also has plans to install a plasticto-diesel plant in Rocherlea, Tasmania to handle the mixed material within the plastic chain.

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

42 / WMR / October 2023

H c a

P ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

C h

C R E

h

Circular Economy Powerhouse Hanson’s Wollert Resource Park will be an agent for change, diverting recyclable material from landfill and creating circular construction materials.

Park plans include: ■ Waste to Energy Facility ■ Recycled aggregate production ■ Soil washing/soil remediation ■ Organics recycling ■ Material Recovery Facility ■ Metals recovery ■ Resource Recovery Shop ■ Repair café

Contact us today and help shape the future Chris Lynch Resource Park Project Manager E: chris.lynch@hanson.com.au

hanson.com.au

WE’LL MAKE IT HAPPEN

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – PLASTIC RECYCLING

Call for clarity

WE NEED HELP WITH RECYCLING DEFINITIONS, SAYS DR ROSS HEADIFEN, GENERAL MANAGER FIELDTECH SOLUTIONS. HE EXPLAINS WHAT ‘CONTAINS RECYCLED PLASTIC’ REALLY MEANS.

P

rior to 2018, plastic recycling in Australia, for the most part, involved packing up recyclable materials, putting it in a container and sending it overseas.

That changed in 2018 when the Chinese Sword Policy came into play and China stopped taking our plastic waste. Other neighbouring countries soon followed suit.

Australia introduced laws to stop sending plastic waste offshore and government targets were set for recycling rates and recycled content in plastic. The collapse of soft plastics collection service REDcycle in 2022 left many consumers who want to do the right thing, questioning what do we do now?

Ross Headifen, General Manager FieldTech Solutions, says Australia has a long way to go in getting the recycling systems right, particularly plastics.

There are several different types of base polymer plastic in common consumer use today, mainly PET, LDPE. HDPE. PVC, PP. For a high-grade recycled product, these materials cannot be mixed, but must be sorted first. That is a huge challenge.

Who does this? Where is it done?

“There are thousands of different additives mixed in with the base polymer in plastics, such as additives for plasticising, UV stabilisers, fillers, degrading, hardeners, anti-static, flame retardant and more,” Ross says. “How do we think one piece of plastic recycled material can be mixed with another and still know the final properties?”

There are also thousands of shades of colours added into plastics. A piece of red plastic cannot be recycled into a clear plastic item, or a blue piece into a red item. All the colours must be separated to make like products. Ross says a limited Post Consumer Recycling is the idea behind a circular economy.

44 / WMR / October 2023

solution is for a black additive to be mixed with coloured recycled items to produce a black material. But that throws up more questions. How many black items do we need and how is this colour separation going to occur? Where in the recycling process would it occur?

Hard plastics versus soft plastics also needs to be considered. They need to separated as their recycling processes are very different.

Ross says other challenges include little incentive for people to recycle their plastic and collection infrastructure needs to rapidly increase to reduce the 80 per cent of plastic waste currently going to landfill.

“Assuming all the above could be addressed and turned into a viable recycling industry, what we also need is a review of the definitions being used for recycling as it is far from simple.”

He says recycling makes consumers feel better about disposal of packaging and end of life of products. In its purest form, recycling is where materials are used to make a product, the product is used by consumers and the material is sent back to be processed into further similar products. This is known as Post Consumer Recycling (PCR).

“This is the idea of the circular economy. Once enough materials are in the economy, there would be no further need for virgin resources to be sourced and used.

“How the word ‘recycled’ for plastics is being used these days, shows many variations. Very few of these achieve the goal of ‘recycled’ plastic that was used by consumers, then returned to plastic

manufacturers. A lot of the time, the umbrella claim that marketers love to use, ‘Contains Recycled Plastic’ can be misleading to the consumer.”

Most plastic waste is not recycled but repurposed by other industries into lower grade applications such as roads, concrete, outdoor furniture. Ross says that what most consumers don’t understand however, is that repurposing does nothing to avoid plastics manufacturers using virgin stock to make their products. He says that most of Australia’s claimed 15 per cent ‘recycled plastic’ is more likely to be repurposed into other applications.

Only a small amount follows the postconsumer path.

Post Industrial Recycling (PIR) is another term, where material is reclaimed from the internal operations during the plastic manufacturing process and is reground back into a form where it can be fed back into production operations.

Industry has rightly been doing this for years to save costs. But now with the spotlight on recycled material, Ross says Post Industrial Recycling is being claimed under the ‘Contains Recycled Plastics’ umbrella. This leads consumers to believe their plastic items are made from recycled items claimed back from plastic waste streams. To further complicate the use

Post Industrial Consumer Recycling uses materials reclaimed during the manufacturing process.

of the terms ‘recycling’ and the ‘circular economy’, the government target is for products to contain some designated percentages of recycled material.

In Australia, about four million tonnes of plastic items a year are imported.

Australia doesn’t have the manufacturing capacity to meet all of this demand, even if high grade recycled material from Australian waste was available.

“Most of these plastic items are imported, and if they are made overseas from overseas sourced recycled material they can still be labelled in Australia as Overseas recycled content exported to Australia.

contains recycled content,” Ross says.

“It’s furthering the circular economy at a global level, which is still a good practice, but it’s doing nothing to address Australia’s waste plastic problem.

“Given the increasing demand for products made from Post-Consumer Recycled material, we need to be using an international oversight authority such as the Global Recycle Standard (GRS), that certifies the Post-Consumer Recycled claim made by these manufacturers to avoid greenwashing.”

Ross says that for transparency there needs to be requirements on any claim of ‘contains recycled content’. He believes these should be labelled as recycled with Post Industrial Recycled plastic or PostConsumer Recycled plastic; detail what per cent is recycled plastic and whether it’s domestic or foreign sourced material.

“Currently, the government goals are 50 per cent recycled content but there is no definition on what that 50 per cent recycled material is,” Ross says. “Standard and transparent definitions would go a long way to driving meaningful recycling in Australia, avoid consumer confusion and greenwashing.”

For more information, visit: www.biogone.com.au www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 45

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – RECYCLING EQUIPMENT

Top of the bucket list A

ALLU TACKLES CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE IN A SNAP, TRANSFORMING RECYCLING AND SUSTAINABILITY CREDENTIALS.

ustralia’s circular economy ambitions, and a push to recover 80 per cent of all waste by 2030, requires a buy-in across all industries.

Construction and demolition waste accounted for more than 25 million tonnes of waste in Australia in 2020-21, according to the National Waste Data hub. Of that, five million was disposed.

There’s potential within the industry to recover more resources, says Sami Rahman, ALLU

The ALLU DS3 screener makes light work of wall plaster waste.

46 / WMR / October 2023

Area Manager.

“Sustainability and recycling are key to success going forward,” Sami says. “The industry and job sites are changing. While the industry has embraced recycling, and the use of environmentally friendly construction materials has helped to reduce what’s sent to landfill, the scale of demolition and construction activities means there is still a large amount of waste that must be dealt with.

“The ALLU products range gives business the tools to become more efficient and productive.”

ALLU equipment allows businesses to process and reuse material on site, reducing haulage costs. Additionally, there is no need for both a wheel loader or excavator and a crusher or screener on site – the ALLU Transformer screening and crushing buckets can crush, pulverise, aerate, blend, mix, separate, feed and load materials.

Sami describes it as converting a base machine, in this case an excavator, into a mobile processing plant.

“With versatility at its core, the Transformer will process just about anything it encounters,” he says.

“Including construction debris, concrete, topsoil, and excavated soil.

“Using the machine this way means less investment and operating costs, a smaller carbon footprint and lower transportation costs. Because the waste is being transformed into a reusable product, it also opens opportunities for an added revenue stream.

“ALLU technology makes operations more productive, environmentally friendly and profitable.”

Sami says that despite the equipment being available to recycle waste, many construction and demolition companies don’t handle material processing themselves. They either sub-contract the recycling out to someone else, or it’s hauled away to a recycling plant.

He says this is a serious cost to a construction and demolition company, and a potential waste of valuable materials.

Recycled materials have been used

in road bases and aggregates for nonstructural concrete applications for some time. While research continues into its use for structural purposes, many governments are now mandating the use of recycled products to reduce the need for virgin materials.

Victoria’s Recycle First policy mandates that recycled and reused content is integrated into all future transport projects across the state. In South Australia, the Waste and Recycling Industry Association has developed a partnership to promote the circular economy and use of recycled content, including aggregate.

Sami says that if waste material can be satisfactorily processed, then it can be reused or sold. If this can be done ‘onsite’, it’s more efficient and sustainable.

One solution to deal with waste at source is the ALLU D-Series or ALLU

AC Crusher. These attachments crush soft and brittle material and separate hard unwanted impurities while loading a dump truck or stockpiling system.

“This makes them ideal for processing waste,” Sami says.

For the past 30 years, ALLU has designed, manufactured, and sold products that help customers add value to waste.

Driven by customer needs, the equipment has evolved over the years and is typically used in soil and waste material recycling and processing contaminated soil.

Sami says that apart from their adaptability, what makes ALLU products stand out from the rest is their ability to transform an entire business.

“The profitability of a business is transformed because materials are processed at site, rather than transported

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somewhere else. This reduces outside waste deposits and brings environmental benefits with less trucks on the road,” Sami says.

“Business efficiency is further transformed as the loading and processing of materials is now accomplished in one stage, resulting in faster processing. Essentially the loader or excavator becomes a multimachine that can load and process while simultaneously replacing overlapping machines at the job site. This eliminates double handling and reduces machinery costs.”

He says the same concept applies to the workforce – fewer machines require fewer operators.

For more information, visit: www.allu.net or www.attachmentspecialists.com.au/allu

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE

Setting the standard I

A NEW RINO RECYCLING FACILITY IN QUEENSLAND IS READY TO BE UNLEASHED ONTO THE WORLD STAGE.

n an era where sustainability and environmental consciousness are paramount, Rino Recycling is charging ahead to become a leading producer of recycled construction materials in Queensland, providing an alternative to virgin quarried material such as road base, aggregates, and sand.

Rino Recycling chose Turmec to design and build the construction and demolition (C&D) processing plant situated on the outskirts of Brisbane, with CDE providing the wash line.

Geoff Bailey, Turmec Chief Executive Officer, says the plant is a testament to innovation and determination in combatting the waste crisis while promoting a circular economy.

Designed to tackle the challenge of waste management head-on, the facility

is set to process 475 tonnes of waste every hour and is licensed to manage 1.5 million tonnes of mixed construction waste annually. Its mission? To achieve landfill diversion and recovery rates of up to 97 per cent – unprecedented in waste recycling, according to Geoff.

Construction on the new plant began in January 2023 and by August 2023, the project had reached mechanical installation completion, with commissioning and handover expected early October.

With an overall project value of more than $90 million, the plant signifies a significant investment in the future of sustainability.

“The facility promises to be not only a symbol of technological advancement but also a beacon of responsible waste

management,” says Geoff. “Its sheer scale is awe-inspiring. Its interior volume spans the equivalent of 20 Olympicsized swimming pools, a representation of the magnitude of effort and resources dedicated to crafting this centre of sustainability.

“What sets this facility apart is not just its size but its purpose-driven design. It is a carefully orchestrated mechanism to transform recyclables into high-quality resources.”

The plant will produce sand, fill, road base, and aggregate materials, all poised to re-enter the construction cycle in a myriad of new projects, spanning road construction to architectural ventures such as Olympic stadia.

Geoff says Turmec’s design demonstrates that waste is not the

An aerial image of the new Rino construction and demolition processing plant just 12 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 49

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE

The plant is purposefully designed to transform recyclables into resources.

end of the line but rather a raw material for the next generation of sustainable construction.

The facility is equipped to process a diverse array of waste types.

Turmec’s design incorporates four feed-in points for varying profiles of waste: raw dirty fill; heavy construction and demolition waste; light construction and skip waste; and wet wastes such as non-destructive digging (NDD) and street sweepings.

The waste streams pass through various sizing, separation and wash technologies

RINO RECYCLING’S 475TPH FULLY INTEGRATED WASTE RECYCLING SOLUTION PINKENBA, QLD, AUSTRALIA THIS PLANT IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST RECYCLING FACILITY UNDER ONE ROOF AND THE FIRST OF ITS KIND GLOBALLY.

to yield clean and marketable soils, sands, aggregates, metals and timber, with the residual being prepared as an alternative fuel.

Daniel Blaser, General Manager, Rino Recycling, says the company is determined to lead the way and drive positive change in Australia’s waste management and recycling sector.

“Our dedication is clearly showcased by our collaboration with global recycling solution pioneers, Turmec and CDE, in establishing a state-of-the-art facility. The Rino plant is testament

to our commitment to building a strong, sustainable recycling industry,” Daniel says.

“We take immense pride in our pivotal role in propelling Queensland’s shift towards a circular economy and look forward to enabling our stakeholders to seize similar opportunities for positive change.”

Geoff adds that it’s an exciting time for Turmec as it begins to commission what is the biggest integrated C&D plant in the world.

“The collaborative approach taken between the contracting parties will result in a superior performing plant being delivered within plan,” Geoff says.

“As the world watches this marvel of engineering come to life on the Australian landscape, it is a reminder that solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental issues are within reach, waiting to be unleashed.”

For more information, visit: www.turmec.com

50 / WMR / October 2023

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – WASTE SORTING

Wastech can help design transfer stations to maximise material recovery and recycling.

Transfer and separate

IT’S CRITICAL THAT ONLY WASTE THAT CAN’T BE RECOVERED OR RECYCLED ENDS UP IN LANDFILL. PRE-SORTING OF WASTE IS INCREASINGLY TAKING PLACE AT TRANSFER STATIONS, AND WASTECH HAS THE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS TO MAXIMISE EFFICIENT SORTING AND RECOVERY.

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s a society, we are still heavily reliant on landfill. That’s not a particularly controversial perspective, but the question is how councils and commercial operators will deal with this.

Transfer stations are an intermediate step where domestic waste collection vehicles deposit their waste before it is aggregated to maximise transport efficiencies to a processing facility or landfill, often hundreds of kilometres away. Transfer stations are also where residents can take waste unsuitable for their weekly or fortnightly bin collections.

Wastech specialises in improving and maximising waste transport’s effectiveness. Garreth Dorey, General Manager of Sales and Marketing,

is working with local councils and commercial operators to design, build and install best-practice transfer stations.

“The majority of capital cities around Australia are reliant on landfills in regional areas,” says Garreth. “That’s a lot of trucks on the road moving waste around, creating a significant carbon footprint.

“The Sydney basin is likely to be out of putrescible landfill capacity by the end of the decade. As a result, transfer stations will play an important role in waste transport, whether for waste companies, residents, or commercial enterprises.”

WASTECH’S ROLE From concept to completion, Wastech works hand-in-hand with its customers.

When it comes to transfer stations,

the team will design and manufacture a unique system built for the specific needs of its client. Wastech implements a quality-focused manufacturing model, enabling the client to reduce wastage and work towards the shared goal of environmental sustainability and commercial viability.

“While ensuring that we deliver the most efficient transfer station from a transport perspective, we also design the facility so that our customers can maximise resource recovery from waste deposited at the transfer station,” says Garreth. “One of the primary goals is to recover as much of the valuable commodities coming in.”

In most cases, Wastech can help its clients select the best processes and equipment for recovery from the waste www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 53

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – WASTE SORTING

being received. That means the smallest volume of materials end up in landfills.

“There are all sorts of people and groups entering transfer stations,” he says.

“It’s not just the recycling and garbage trucks coming through. We also have residents, businesses, and local councils dropping off waste and recycling. With all these facilities, Wastech can assist in the design of the transfer station to extract maximum resources.”

Part of the job for Wastech is to assess the waste coming in to work out what can be recovered. There are many opportunities for finding value, and Wastech helps its clients maximise their financial returns from their transfer stations.

“We provide a one-stop approach to waste and resource management, from collection to end-use,” says Garreth. “The recovered material focus could be timber, food waste, concrete – the possibilities are vast.”

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Wastech offers a range of solutions that go beyond the sorting of materials.

Its design engineering services work to design a technologically advanced transfer station.

“We work to provide opportunities beyond just the design,” says Garreth.

“We can provide a range of solutions, including pre-shredders. That means the transfer station can extract the commodity out of the materials by shredding and screening the materials.

This is great for extracting timber, ferrous and nonferrous metals, and plastics, among other things.”

Some clients prefer a turnkey solution, where everything is prepared for them.

Garreth explains that Wastech can build a solution that includes all the technology a client needs.

“When we design a turnkey solution, we will set it up so it has everything the client could possibly need,” he says.

“Wastech can build the transfer station 54 / WMR / October 2023

Compactor trailers can achieve 20-30 per cent greater payload.

to include a tipping floor, waste handling equipment, shredders, trommels, conveyors, and picking stations.”

NEW TECH DRIVES PROGRESS One thing that has become more common is the use of optical and robotic sorters. Garreth has found that it can improve both efficiency and health and safety outcomes for the transfer station operator.

“We’re consulting more on technology that avoids the use of manual intervention,” he says. “There has been more interest in robotic picking and sorting. Once waste is removed from the tipping floor to a sorting line, robots pick and sort the valuable resources from everything else. It’s an area of growing interest to operators who are focused on minimising labour costs while maximising recovery rates.”

When it comes time to move the residual waste or recovered products, another area of value creation that Wastech can provide is the use of S4000 and S8000 compactors. This powerful technology allows for faster

loading and higher-density payloads in transfer trailers.

“We can pack 60 to 65 cubic metres into a trailer, and fast,” Garreth says. “We compared the loading and unloading time it takes for a walking floor by normal methods to a compactor trailer and the additional payload. With a walking floor, it can take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to fill up a trailer and then about the same time to unload it at the other end. If we use the S4000 or S8000 compactor, we can load a trailer in about 25 minutes and push all the waste out in about five minutes. We can get 2030 per cent greater payload for the same trailer volume.

“The compactor head pushing 4-8 cubic metres of waste into a trailer with every stroke dramatically improves existing manual systems.

“Compactor trailers mean that there are less trucks on the road and quicker turnarounds for those trucks,” he says.

“That’s saving our customers money.”

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

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TRANSPORT

The final Euro 5 ACCO and PrixCar Services’ new S-Way AS 550 prime mover attracted plenty of attention.

End of an era

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IVECO DONATES THE FINAL EURO 5 ACCO, A WASTE INDUSTRY FAVOURITE, TO THE NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT MUSEUM

n the lead up to the launch of an allnew ACCO later in 2023, IVECO has donated the last locally manufactured Euro 5 ACCO to the National Road Transport Museum in Alice Springs.

The donated 6x4 ACCO cab chassis, which is finished in bright red paintwork, was produced in November 2019 and has since been in storage. It’s the last example of the fully built local model before being superseded in 2020 by a new ACCO version based on a global platform from Europe.

The truck was transported from Melbourne to Alice Springs in time for the Australian Festival of Transport that was held at the museum in August.

Adding additional interest to the delivery was the vehicle transporter, one of PrixCar Services’ new S-Way AS 550 prime movers and drop deck trailer.

Michael May, IVECO ANZ Managing Director, says the National Road Transport Museum is a fitting home for the final Euro 5 ACCO produced.

56 / WMR / October 2023

“In the late 1960s through to the early 2000s, the ACCO played a massive role in Australia and New Zealand, being the truck of choice for a great many applications including waste collection, general freight, linehaul, emergency service work and agitator work,” Michael says.

“In more recent years, ACCO’s primary focus was the waste industry where it continues to be a favourite among operators for its reliability and low total cost of ownership benefits, in what is arguably one of the most demanding truck applications there is.

“At the end of 2019, IVECO celebrated the delivery of the 90,000th ACCO, a testament to the overall success of the model, so the truck’s inclusion within the National Road Transport Museum is deserved and well earned.”

While it may mark the end of an era, Michael says he’s looking forward to what the future holds with the imminent release of allnew ACCO.

Nick Prus, Chief Executive Officer of the Road Transport Historical Society Inc., recalled the contribution that ACCO has made to the Australian road transport landscape over many years.

“We’re very, very happy and grateful that IVECO considered us for this donation,” Nick says.“As an exhibit, the last locally manufactured Euro 5 ACCO aligns very well with the goals of the museum: to preserve the heritage of the local road transport industry.”

The ACCO will be on permanent displace in the ‘Trucks in Action’ venue, which showcases the diversity of vehicles that were built in Australia.

NEW GENERATION IMMINENT While this generation ACCO has been consigned to history, the latest all-new iteration of the model will be available in Australia in 2023, with IVECO already taking multi vehicle orders for the truck from several national fleet operators within the waste sector.

The latest models build on the tough underpinnings of its predecessors,

while also introducing the latest in technologies and appointments for owners and drivers.

Advancements include active and passive safety features, powerful and efficient engines that meet stringent Euro 6 (Step E) emission standards, and enhanced cabins that are more comfortable and fatigue-reducing.

A further benefit of the new ACCO is the availability of a locally designed and engineered dual control system specifically for the model. In developing the latest ACCO, IVECO Australia engineers and product teams consulted widely with industry, particularly the refuse sector, to ensure the model is fitfor-task and continues to be a leader in demanding applications.

The new generation ACCO will be available in Australia in 2023.

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

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – RESOURCE RECOVERY

CDE and Walker Quarries teams on site in New South Wales.

Shifting sands

A CDE WASH PLANT IS HELPING TO CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR A NEW SOUTH WALES QUARRY LICENSED TO PRODUCE UP TO 500,000 TONNES OF AGGREGATES A YEAR.

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et processing solutions company CDE has commissioned a 200 tonne per hour sand wash plant as part of the first stage of a 10-year expansion plan for Walker Quarries Pty Ltd. Walker Quarries, a subsidiary of Sitegoal Pty Ltd, mines hard rock quartzite that is crushed on-site to make construction aggregates and manufactured sand, from its greenfield site near Wallerawang in New South Wales.

The new end-to-end sand wash processing plant is tailored to the quarry’s needs, with a focus on making two spec sands and discontinuing the use of tailings ponds.

58 / WMR / October 2023

The expansion plans are underpinned by the company’s new mining license to produce up to 500,000 tonnes of aggregates each year.

Wayne Chapman, Quarry Manager, says that choosing CDE was the right move. After meeting initially in 2019 at German trade exhibition bauma, the firms worked together to craft the right solution to meet Walker Quarries’ needs.

“Since our initial conversations and discussions, we’ve been well informed, and appreciated the input that both of our teams had, tailoring our plant to our needs, while maximising efficiency and guaranteeing return on investment,” Wayne says.

“It’s been an exciting journey.”

ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM One of the big issues for the site was water scarcity and space available for settling ponds. The team at Walker Quarries wanted to make sure it could sustain the next drought, given the limited footprint for catching rainwater.

Settling ponds used to recycle water can often encounter operational and logistical challenges. They can be the source of revenue losses, not only due to high maintenance costs, site footprint, and downtime, but also because high-value fines can become lost and trapped at the bottom of ponds. As such, Walker Quarries wanted to reduce its dependence on water harvesting and maximise water recovery.

It also wanted to increase plant capacity. The previous plant could process 50 to 60 tonnes per hour on average. With the desire to expand and grow, the team knew it needed to find a solution that would boost productivity.

MINIMISED DOWNTIME The new plant comprises of CDE’s M-Series M4500 modular wash plant, an AggMax scrubbing and classification system, an AquaCycle high-rate thickener, and a filter press sludge dewatering system.

Believed to be one of the most technologically advanced plants in New South Wales, it has a feed rate of more than 200 tonnes per hour producing a range of products including two washed sands and six washed and scrubbed aggregates.

CDE’s M-Series M4500 modular wash plant integrates feeding, screening, sand, and aggregate washing and stockpiling on a single chassis with customisable hydrocyclone configuration for cut point control to deliver consistently graded products.

The EvoWash sand wash plant incorporates a VibroSync drive for even distribution over the screening area.

Because of the abrasive nature of the coarse sand the plant would process, CDE adapted its Atro-feed jet-pump system into the plant to increase pump and cyclone life while reducing downtime and operating costs.

The EvoWash sand wash plant incorporates VibroSync drive system to distribute power evenly across the full screening area and ensures maximum transfer of energy to material for dewatering. It’s complemented by the AggMax that combines pre-screening, scrubbing, organics removal, sizing, stockpiling, fines recovery and filtrates removal on a compact chassis.

The AquaCycle, designed to eliminate settling ponds, is a high-rate thickener, recycling up to 90 per cent of the process water for immediate reuse in the system.

Another feature of the plant is CDE’s SmartTech plant management app, enabling the firm to understand the plant’s performance, as well as allowing the team to make informed decisions to increase productivity, improve operational efficiency and maximise up-time.

PROVEN RESULTS With CDEs technology, Walker Quarries is producing two sands; 0-3 millimetres and 3-5mm, as well as six aggregate products; 5-8mm, 8-75mm, 10-14mm, 14-20mm, 20-75m and +75mm oversize.

The manufactured sand produced is used in the local construction industry and the fine sand and aggregates are being supplied for underlying football and cricket fields as drainage material.

The new plant enables Walker Quarries to produce two sands simultaneously and seamlessly.

Previously, producing two different type sands required screens to be switched out, which resulted in excess downtime.

“We’re delighted with the success of the entire project, from the initial discussions, right through to the installation and aftersales care, the entire team at CDE has included us every step of the way and completely exceeded our expectations,” Wayne says.

“The benefits of the increased productivity and outputs are already evident in our operation, and we really look forward to seeing where this partnership can take us.”

Daniel Webber, CDE’s General Manager for Australasia, says it’s exciting to see the plant operational and the benefits it has, not only for Walker Quarries, but for the local construction industry and economy.

“We believe we’ve succeeded in achieving one of the firm’s main goals in maximising water retention with our technology, which not only benefits Walker Quarries, but the local landscape as well,” Daniel says.

“This project has been a huge success, and one that we’re very proud of as a pioneer in the industry in New South Wales.”

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

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – WHEEL LOADERS

Efficiency meets innovation

FROM START TO FINISH, THE VOLVO L90H HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE THE PERFECT PARTNER FOR THE RECYCLING AND WASTE INDUSTRY.

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s society continues to place importance on the sustainable collection, processing and disposal of waste, the waste management sector has become critical.

This growing need for enhanced performance and environmental consciousness in waste machinery has prompted Volvo Construction Equipment to step forward.

An asset to demanding waste operations, the Volvo L90H wheel loader is a reliable machine that has been upgraded with innovative technologies and increased payload capacity for greater productivity.

From boom cylinders to tail lights and everything in between, this machine is built to deliver top performance, even in the most demanding conditions.

The versatile and swift L90H offers an up to three per cent increase in tipping load and a 73-millimetre greater lifting height. The L90H can now reach a top speed of 50 kilometres per hour, thanks to the optional lock-up function. Moreover, the upgraded L90H boasts up to 20 per cent greater fuel efficiency, equipping it to accomplish more while consuming less.

Designed to excel in waste applications, the L90H has the option of solid tyres fitted from the factory, offering a convenient, high-performance solution right from the start. Additionally, the optional long boom simplifies loading high trucks and stacking high piles, ensuring the machine’s tyres stay clear of potentially hazardous waste.

The Volvo L90H has been upgraded for greater productivity.

Further enhancing the Volvo wheel loader capabilities are a range of attachments that can maximise performance, making the loader a versatile and efficient tool in wastehandling operations.

OUTSTANDING VERSATILITY Diverse waste materials demand distinct handling approaches, that sometimes necessitate different machines. Volvo wheel loaders are in a constant state of evolution to offer increased capacity across various operational domains.

Volvo’s swift attachment interchangeability enables efficient use of the wheel loader in scenarios that once exclusively required specialist machines such as forklifts, mobile cranes and other mobile equipment.

This concept of versatile attachments has positioned Volvo wheel loaders as leaders in the market.

The high-tip bucket, featuring sidemounted cylinders, offers the elevation needed to access high-load receivers and is intended for waste and recycling applications. Its horizontally positioned side cylinders ensure seamless tilting and effortless dumping while the robust protection of hydraulic hoses provides enduring and reliable performance.

Additionally, the refuse bucket tampering with clamp arms features an extra-long floor and robust construction, designed to excel in waste management tasks such as transfer stations. This attachment proves effectively pushing material into the container, packing or tampering. www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 61

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – WHEEL LOADERS

Volvo wheel loaders offer technology solutions tailored to waste management operations.

The inclusion of the clamp arms empowers operators to handle about 25 per cent more material per load and facilitates the removal from the truck or container. A third hydraulic function is required to operate the bucket.

BEST IN CLASS Volvo remains at the forefront of the industry by delivering an unparalleled cab that prioritises comfort, visibility and productivity. This cab design is featured across all Volvo wheel loaders, offering all-around visibility, spaciousness, climate control, safety features and minimal vibrations.

The Volvo cab is further celebrated for its soundproofing, creating a quieter and more productive environment for operators.

The operator’s seat has numerous adjustment options for comfort. The tailored suspension and damping settings accommodate individual body weight, while the seat cushion and backrest can move at different adjustable angles.

Thoughtfully positioned instruments and a customisable lever console provide a comfortable experience, particularly 62 / WMR / October 2023

during long working hours. Additionally, the L90H features high-visibility steps and handrails, a premium seat, a rear-view camera, a highly efficient air-filtration system and ROPS/FOPS.

VOLVO CO-PILOT Volvo’s optional Load Assist, driven by the Volvo Co-Pilot – a 10-inch in-cab tablet – can help maximise the efficiency of waste operations. Operators can now unlock intelligent applications, including on-board weighing, operator coaching, map, and tyre pressure monitoring systems.

In waste management, tailored technology solutions are vital for efficiency and cost-effectiveness. One such innovation is the optional tyre pressure monitoring system that offers operators real-time insights into the condition of the machine’s tyres. Continuously monitoring individual tyre pressure and temperature contributes to fuel savings, extends tyre lifespan, and prevents costly damage, repairs or downtime.

An integrated map application offers operators improved visibility, insights into the site layout, and real-time site

traffic updates. This information enables operators to adjust driving behaviour, enhancing safety and efficiency.

In addition to these enhancements, weather, calculator and notes apps have been introduced. These functions operate similarly to smartphones and come pre-installed within the Volvo Co-Pilot system, simplifying dayto-day tasks.

The on-board weighing feature, designed to facilitate precise material loading, has been upgraded to feature two new task modes – stockpiling and processing. This enhancement tailors the on-screen layout and information display to the task undertaken.

Waste management professionals can now access the rear-view camera and optional radar detector system for heightened convenience and safety, seamlessly integrated into the Volvo CoPilot display.

Volvo CE introduces the Operator Coaching application as an additional support tool. This unique tool is dedicated to improving operator performance and guides to optimise the performance of Volvo wheel loaders, ultimately reducing operating costs.

VOLVO CE AND CJD EQUIPMENT Volvo Construction Equipment is known as one of the world’s best manufacturers of safe, quality, and technologically advanced equipment – and CJD Equipment has been offering its products to the Australian market for more than 30 years.

CJD Equipment and Volvo CE have, for decades, provided construction machinery suited to Australia’s industry requirements, delivering a range of productivity, fuel efficiency and safety solutions.

CJD Equipment has a 24/7 national parts, service and support network.

For more information, visit www.cjd.com.au

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WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS

The 2023 Women in Industry Awards attracted a record 160 nominations.

High-flyers

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AFTER A RECORD-BREAKING 2023 EVENT, THE WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS WILL RETURN TO SYDNEY IN 2024.

ilian Bland was the first woman in the world to design, build and fly an aircraft. In the decades since, women have spread their wings and chartered new courses, taking on jobs that were once traditionally male dominated.

The Women in Industry Awards have always sought to recognise and celebrate women driving change and breaking down barriers. The 2023 awards soared to new heights with a record 160 nominations across 10 categories and a gala dinner that sold out for the first time in its history.

The 2024 event, to be held in Sydney in June, is set to propel the awards further with an opportunity to acknowledge trail blazers across industries including waste management, mining, transport, manufacturing, bulk handling, construction and engineering and logistics.

Fulton Hogan, proud sponsor of the Women of the Year award for a second year, is one of four sponsors to sign up for the 2024 awards. Other sponsors for 2024 include Atlas Copco – Rising

64 / WMR / October 2023

Star of the Year; SEW-EURODRIVE – Excellence in Engineering; and Paccar – Excellence in Manufacturing.

Graeme Johnson, Fulton Hogan Chief Executive Officer, says the sponsorship demonstrates Fulton Hogan’s commitment to supporting and driving change within predominantly male industries and doing what it can to make heavy industry more attractive and accessible for women to join and stay.

“Fulton Hogan recognises that diversity is not only essential for us to change, adapt and grow, but it also good for business and results in happier workplaces with a better culture leading to better retention of our people,” Graeme says.

PACCAR has a long history of supporting women in all areas of its global businesses and recognises programs such as the Women in Industry Awards help promote women more broadly than its own company and industry.

Michael Long, Director Sales and Marketing, PACCAR Australia, says being part of the awards helps the

company further its goal of celebrating and championing inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

For Fiona Halliday, Atlas Copco HR Business Partner, the awards are an opportunity to recognise the contribution of women in industry and their examples for the next generation.

“Atlas Copco sponsors the awards to show our commitment to females in non-traditional industries and how we can find a better way towards equal representation,” Fiona says.

“We love taking our team to the celebration and showing them the example that is set by all of these amazing women.”

It’s a sentiment shared by SEWEURODRIVE and its Senior HR Business Partner Laura Arias.

“Knowing how vital gender diversity is in our manufacturing industry drives us to work together to recognise women and support them in fulfilling their goals,” says Laura.

“Once again, we have the pleasure of sponsoring the Women in Industry in 2024.”

2023

With the launch of the 2024 event, award nominations are officially open.

Giselle Phillips, from Fredon Queensland, was thrilled to have won both the Woman of the Year (sponsored by Fulton Hogan) and the Safety Advocacy Award (sponsored

by Komatsu) in 2023. The latter seeks to recognise an individual working actively to improve safety for their industry.

“This acknowledges the dedication and passion I’ve put into my work as a safety professional,” Giselle said.

“In my role at Fredon, I have taken almost every woman on their journey. I’ve advocated for them. I have put them up for submissions. I’ve interviewed them. I have listened to them, and we are all in the same boat. We are not in competition with each other. We need to advocate and help each other get where we need to be.”

BHP’s Ashara Moore, who won the Excellence in Mining award at the 2023 awards, says the recognition is both humbling and a time of celebration.

In the second year of a PhD studying sustainable tailings management, Ashara says winning the award, despite only having five years in the industry, is a chance to reflect on her professional and personal journey so far.

“It’s a celebration of myself as a continually developing individual, and of the teams, mentors and family that have helped shape me into the woman I am today,” Ashara says.

“This award is also a tangible reminder that recognition comes with the responsibility to continue to persevere, grow and see things through.

“There are so many things I want to do within this industry – completing my PhD and acting as a conduit between researchers and industry is just one of these many things. The award reminds me that while I am on the right track, and I should celebrate achievements and successes, I am by no means anywhere near the finish line.”

Categories in the 2024 awards are Rising Star of the Year, Business Development Success of the Year, Industry Advocacy Award, Mentor of the Year, Safety Advocacy Award, Excellence in Manufacturing, Excellence in Transport, Excellence in Engineering, Excellence in Mining, Excellence in Construction and Woman of the Year.

The 2024 Women in Industry Awards will be held in Sydney on Thursday, 20 June.

Nominations and sponsorship opportunities are now open.

If your business wants to nominate a leader in their field or sponsor the Women in Industry Awards 2024 (or even both), visit: www.womeninindustry.com.au

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womeninindustry.com.au

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Thurs 20 June, 2024 The Women in Industry Awards recognise outstanding women leaders from across Australia’s industrials sector.

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CEA, MULTISTAR XXL 2

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With its large screening surface and high throughput capacity, the Multistar XXL 2 is ideal for applications in waste recycling, composting, and biomass processing industries. Its design incorporates adjustable screening elements, allowing customisation for different material sizes, thereby enhancing its versatility.

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LAST WORD

PFAS is the real villain

REGULATION OF PFAS LEVELS IN COMPOST IS PUTTING THE ORGANICS RECYCLING SECTOR AT RISK. PETER WADEWITZ, CHAIR OF THE AUSTRALIAN ORGANICS RECYCLING ASSOCIATION EXPLAINS.

PFAS is not made as a consequence of the composting process nor is it an additive to the process.

A

ustralia must have a robust, sustainable, and commercially viable organics recycling industry. With about half of the nation’s waste stream comprising organics, there is a lot at stake.

If Australia gets organics recycling right, there is a good chance of meeting national and state objectives for waste

reduction and recycling, landfill reduction, and carbon reduction, says Peter Wadewitz OAM, Chair of the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA).

If we don’t get it right, we will not achieve those targets.

Peter says there is a real danger that the Australian organics recycling

industry is being unreasonably held to account for the low levels of forever chemicals that may be detected in products such as compost, mulches, and soil conditioners.

These chemicals include the broad category referred to as PFAS. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made fluorinated www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 69

LAST WORD

compounds that have been in commercial use since the 1940s and are abundant in today’s society.

These chemicals are widely used for their resistance to heat, water, and oil.

PFAS are found in every Australian household in products used in everyday life including food packaging, carpets, lipstick, mascara, dust, firefighting foam, and many more.

“To state that PFAS is ubiquitous is an understatement. It is present within our own bodies in our blood,” says Peter.

He says it’s important to put PFAS concentrations in compost into a realworld context – both for the public and for regulators.

“PFAS is found everywhere and in everything, that is not in dispute. It is also, and this is really important, not made as a consequence of the composting process nor is it an additive to the process,” Peter says. “PFAS contamination occurs in trace levels within compost because of it being present in the feedstocks that are used to make compost – food scraps, etc.

“With PFAS literally everywhere, there is no way to avoid it being found in trace levels in finished compost products – levels much lower than the levels found in day-to-day products we all use in our homes.”

If that is the case, how can we remove PFAS? Peter says, in short, you cannot completely remove it from compost, or elsewhere in the environment for that matter. However, what you can do over time is reduce and limit the use of PFAS in everyday products.

Reducing PFAS at the start of the supply chain is something governments around the world are now looking at.

“Restricting the use of PFAS is the only way to reduce its presence in our waste streams because once it is present then the genie is already out of the bottle,” Peter says.“Over regulating 70 / WMR / October 2023

Peter Wadewitz, Chair of the Australian Organics Recycling Association.

“Restricting the use of PFAS is the only way to reduce its presence in our waste streams because once it is present then the genie is already out of the bottle.” ,

Peter Wadewitz Chair of the Australian Organics Recycling Association

PFAS levels within compost is almost absurd. Some Australian jurisdictions are contemplating allowable levels of PFAS in compost as low as one part per billion (1 ppb), which is not possible.

“This is conceivably much lower levels than currently exist within our own bodies and certainly within many of the products we regularly use. When did compost become the villain? It’s not and should not be considered as such.”

AORA has a very pragmatic and rational view about the PFAS issue: restrict or ban the use of the compound – don’t over-regulate the Australian organics recycling industry. Peter says to do so, would have adverse and

far-reaching consequences including increased volumes of food and organic waste streams returning to landfill which directly contradicts Federal and State Government objectives of reaching net zero emissions targets.

“If we want a successful circular economy and the benefits this can bring, economically and environmentally, we must have a robust, sustainable, and commercially viable organics recycling industry,” Peter says. “We cannot allow over-zealous regulation to prevent that.”

For more information, visit: www.aora.org.au

DELIVERING A GREENER FUTURE Komptech CEA is a leading supplier of machinery and systems for the treatment of solid waste through mechanical and mechanical biological treatments, as well as the treatment of biomass as a renewable energy source. Komptech CEA is proud to provide innovative solutions for handling waste and biomass.

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Waste Management Review 2023 | OCTOBER | ISSUE 78 www.wastemanagementreview.com.au

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