CONSUMER NEWS

NEW RECYCLING PLANT TO RECYCLE 1 BILLION PLASTIC BOTTLES A YEAR.

AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST PET RECYCLING PLANT NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN ALBURYWODONGA CONSTRUCTION IS NOW UNDERWAY ON A WORLDCLASS RECYCLING FACILITY IN ALBURY-WODONGA THAT WILL SEE THE EQUIVALENT OF AROUND 1 BILLION PET PLASTIC BOTTLES RECYCLED EACH YEAR

Environment Minister and Federal Member for Farrer, the Hon. Sussan Ley MP, turned the first sod on-site at the project, which is being delivered in a joint venture between Asahi Beverages, Pact Group Holdings Ltd and Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd. The $45 million plant - in the Nexus Precinct 10km outside the Albury CBD in NSW - is set to be fully operational by October, two months earlier than expected owing to Albury Council approving the project ahead of schedule. Excavation of the site has already started, sheds to house more than a dozen diggers have been erected and dozens of jobs will be created as construction ramps up in coming weeks. The raw plastic material that the new plant will recycle each year is equivalent to 1 billion 600 ml PET plastic bottles and will be used to produce more than 20,000 tonnes of new recycled PET bottles and food packaging, making it the largest endto-end rPet plant in Australia. It will increase the amount of locally sourced and recycled

PET produced in Australia by two thirds - from around 30,000 tonnes currently to over 50,000 tonnes per annum according to Pact Group. The plant will also reduce Australia’s reliance on virgin plastic and the amount of recycled plastic Australia imports. Solar energy will power part of the facility. The project was made possible with the assistance of almost $5 million from the Environmental Trust as part of the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy, with the support of the Department of Regional NSW and the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund. Federal Environment Minister and Federal Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, said: “The project is integral to ensuring the successful delivery of Australia's 2025 National Packaging Targets. It will create local jobs during construction and permanent jobs when it begins operations.” Pact’s Managing Director and CEO, Mr Sanjay Dayal, said “The state-of-the-art facility will reimagine domestic manufacturing and recycling in Australia. “Our investment in building this plant is central to Pact’s strategy which is to lead the plastics circular economy here in Australia. “This project would not have been possible without increased demand for locally-processed recycled content from forward-thinking Australian companies who are keen to meet Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets.

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE FACE MASKS

HAVE YOU WONDERED WHAT WILL BECOME OF ALL THOSE FACE MASKS? 6.8 BILLION DISPOSABLE FACE MASKS BEING USED ACROSS THE GLOBE EACH DAY, THAT’S A LOT OF LANDFILL.

A team of researchers from RMIT's School of Engineering decided to come up with a solution to this growing waste problem. An experimental study published in the journal of Science of the Total Environment found that face masks can be recycled to make roads. The research team developed a material that can be used for base layers of roads and pavements made from shredded face masks and processed building rubble. A one kilometre stretch of a two-lane road would use approximately 3 million masks and divert 93 tonnes of waste from landfill. “This initial study looked at the feasibility of recycling single-use face masks into roads and we were thrilled to find it not only works, but also delivers real engineering benefits,” Dr Mohammad Saberian said. The RMIT research team may have come up with the perfect recipe to tackle both waste streams using a mixture of 1 per cent shredded face masks and 99 per cent RCA. This ratio creates a strong yet flexible product, meaning it won't crack under the pressure of heavy trucks, that holds up when tested for stress, acid and water resistance and meets civil engineering safety standards. After the success of their pilot study, the researchers are now looking at the possibility of creating a concrete aggregate with face masks.

CLICK HERE

Read the RMIT study in full

Much of the above content was taken from the Planet Ark web page who uses freely available information to form their articles but takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the original source of the content.

S e r v i n g s u g g e s t io n

Mil Lel Parmesan is made in Australia and aged up to 12 months. Add for a rich & bitey flavour.

Tomato and Parmesan Tart

Serves 2 10 min prep 25 min cook

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet puff pastry 2 tbs seeded mustard 30g Mil Lel Shaved Parmesan

400g mixed baby tomatoes, halved Handful of fresh thyme leaves, stems removed 1 tbs butter, melted 1 tbs olive oil Cracked black pepper to taste

TO SERVE

Extra Mil Lel Shaved Parmesan

Handful of baby basil leaves

METHOD

1.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pastry sheet on a lined baking tray. 2. Spread mustard evenly over surface, leaving a 4cm border around the pastry. Sprinkle Mil Lel Shaved

Parmesan then top with tomatoes and thyme. 3. Lift and fold the 4cm border of the pastry to contain the ingredients. Brush border with melted butter.

Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and a sprinkle of black pepper. 4. Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden. 5. To serve, place on a serving platter and top with the basil leaves and extra Mil Lel Shaved Parmesan.

Serve immediately.

PRINTED VERSION

BUY AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE

FOLLOWING MANY REQUESTS FOR A PRINTED VERSION OF BUY AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE WE HAVE DECIDED TO SEEK REGISTRATIONS OF INTEREST.

TO KEEP IT AFFORDABLE WE NEED AT LEAST 2500 SUBSCRIPTIONS. THIS WILL GET YOU 6 COPIES A YEAR DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME FOR $55 INC GST. THAT'S AN 88 PAGE FULL COLOUR MAGAZINE! PLUS $5 FROM EVERY SUBSCRIPTION WILL GO TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN FARMERS!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

PUT ROO ON THE MENU

WITH THE KANGAROO POPULATION GROWING AT RAPID RATE THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THE ONLY WAY TO MANAGE THE GROWING ROO POPULATION IS TO INCREASE THE KANGAROO HARVESTING PROGRAMME. BUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE ALL THOSE ROO’S?

Well, let’s eat them. Roo meat has been available for years, but not in huge quantities, you may try it at a restaurant but it’s not prolific on the supermarket shelv’s so it’s still regarded as a niche product or delicassy. The meat is healthy, being low in fat and cholesterol, high in conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids, iron and zinc. It is also high in protein. It is grass-fed without chemicals which should appeal to the organic market. In most instances consumers who try kangaroo meat like it, would eat it again, and perceive kangaroo to be a healthy meat.

The Roo meat industry will see a significant boost, many jobs will be created which will have a fantastic impact on the economy, and all using a readily available resource. Kangaroo meat is also growing in popularity overseas, and now with the increased availabilty this could also become a significant export market along with Roo skins.

Kangaroos have lower food and water requirements than conventional domestic stock and produce a higher percentage of their live weight as meat, but they do it more slowly while drinking less water. Kangaroos are comparatively low carbon emitters. They have different digestive systems and convert pasture to meat with less methane as a by-product making them a more eco friendly meat choice.

SO YOU SHOULD SOON OR ALREADY SEE MORE KANGAROO MEAT AVAILABLE IN YOUR SUPERMARKET, SO WHY NOT GIVE IT A GO.

ROO MEAT IS HEALTHY, BEING LOW IN FAT AND CHOLESTEROL, HIGH IN CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID AND OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS, IRON AND ZINC. IT IS ALSO HIGH IN PROTEIN

Research content provided by George R. Wilson Australian National University, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Canberra.

ASIAN-STYLE KANGAROO MEATBALLS

What a great spring or summer dish with all the flavours and colours of Australia, green prawns, green salsa and a golden pineapple rum marinade.

Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS 1 pack K-ROO Kangaroo Meatballs (12 in a pack) 1 tbs olive oil 1 pack store bought Asian Slaw (add your own extra ingredients such as bean sprouts, spring onion, cucumber, herbs). Cooked steamed rice, to serve Sesame seeds, to garnish

Sauce 2 tbs sweet soy sauce (or light soy sauce) 1 tbs oyster sauce 1/2 cup water 1 tsp cornflour METHOD 1. Pre-heat oven to 220C (200C fan-forced). 2. Place meatballs on baking tray and drizzle with oil and cook for 12 minutes or until cooked through, turning half way through. Set aside. 3. Whisk sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Add mixture to a wok or pan and simmer over a low heat for 1 minute or until sauce thickens. 4. Toss meatballs through the sauce to coat and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 5. Serve meatballs with steamed rice and slaw.

WILL YOU GET THE JAB?

VAST MAJORITY OF AUSTRALIANS NOW SAY THEY’LL BE VACCINATED

Now four-fifths of Australians (80%) say they will be vaccinated when the Coronavirus vaccine becomes available. As time goes by the percentage of Australia’s saying they will take the jab is increasing. Mid Feb saw the PM and key Ministers get the first vaccine jabs, the first members of the public were our health providers and staff managing quarantine facilities. The roll out for the general public will be done in stages, the speed of which will be determined by the amount of Vaccines available. You can check out more about the Vaccine roll out below:

CLICK HERE

Or visit: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-andprograms/covid-19-vaccines/getting-vaccinated-forcovid-19/how-covid-19-vaccines-will-be-distributed ROY MORGAN STATS FOR MOST LIKELY TO BE VACCINATED.

People in NSW (86%) are the most likely to say they would be willing to be vaccinated when a Coronavirus vaccine becomes available ahead of 82% of Victorians (83% in Melbourne cf. 80% in Country Victoria) but support is also high in Western Australia (76%), South Australia (76%), Tasmania (75%) and Queensland (71%).

CREATE CREATE EASY MEALS EASY MEALS

WITH

MAKE DELICIOUS CREAMY CHICKEN & RICE

5 INGR E DIENT S20 mins

3 ST EPS

CREAMY CHICKEN AND RICE

SERVE WITH STEAMED GREEN BEANS

PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS • 1 tbsp olive oil • 750 gm chicken thigh fillets, chopped • 1 leek halved and sliced • 420g can Campbell’s

Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup • ½ cup thickened cream

COOK TIME 10 MINUTES

SERVES 4

METHOD 1. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Cook chicken until golden.

Set aside. Cook leek in same pan for 2-3 mins until softened. 2. Return chicken to the pan add Campbell’s Condensed

Cream of Chicken Soup and cream, stirring until combined. Season to taste. 3. Serve with green beans and rice. TIP Add a little water to sauce if it is too thick.

QUICK AND EASY BUTTER CHICKEN

PRE ON THEPARATION TIME TABLE WITHINCOOK TIME 30 MINUTESSERVES 10 MINUTES 20 MINUTES 4

INGREDIENTS • 1 kg Chicken thigh fillets, sliced • 1/3 cup tandoori paste • 1 tbsp oil • 1 onion, diced • 2 cloves garlic crushed • 1 ½ tsps garam masala • 1 x 420g can Campbell’s

Condensed Tomato Soup • 300ml thickened cream METHOD 1. In a medium bowl combine chicken and tandoori paste until well coated. Set aside. 2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. 3. Add marinated chicken and cook until starting to change colour approx. 5-10 minutes. 4. Add garam masala and Campbell’s Condensed

Tomato Soup. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Stir through cream until heated through. 5. Serve with steamed rice. 6. Garnish with toasted almond flakes.