WASTE + WATER MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2015
V42.3
ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY PUBLIC HEALTH SINCE 1973
PRINT POST APPROVED - 100001890
contents
October 2015 Volume 42 Number 3
Published by:
Editorial and Publishing Consultants Pty Ltd
ABN 85 007 693 138 PO Box 510, Broadford Victoria 3658 Australia Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Int’l: +61 3 5784 3438 Fax: +61 3 5784 2210 www.epcgroup.com Publisher and Managing Editor Anthony T Schmidt Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0414 788 900 Email: ats@epcgroup.com Deputy Editor Rex Pannell Mobile: 0433 300 106 Email: rex@epcgroup.com National Advertising Sales Manager Yuri Mamistvalov Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0419 339 865 Email: yuri@epcgroup.com Advertising Sales - SA Jodie Chester - G Advertising Mobile: 0439 749 993 Email: jodie@gadvertising.com.au Advertising Sales - WA Licia Salomone - OKeeffe Media Mobile: 0412 080 600 Email: licia@okm.com.au Graphic Design Annette Epifanidis Mobile: 0416 087 412
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Industry News
12 Recycling Technology 15
Cover Feature: Tarpomatic
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20 Equipment Focus 24 Resource Recovery 26 Waste Transfer 29 Innovative Solutions
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30 Product Focus 32 WWTP Infrastructure 34 Focus On Water 40 Case Study: Mediaflux
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42 Special Report: Australian Coastal Erosion
44 Pipeline Rehabilitation 49 Technology Feature: Digital
44
Disruption
Copyright ©2015 - EPC Media Group
CIRCULATION 6820 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. 100001890
ISSN 1838-7098
About the Cover
In recent years there has been a surge in demand for Alternate Daily Cover (ADC) systems for landfills throughout Australia, with an escalating number of landfill owners and operators recognising the considerable benefits that ADC systems offer. With over 600 successful installations globally and a rapidly growing number of installations in Australia, the innovative Tarpomatic Automatic Tarping Machine (ATM) is the preferred Alternate Daily Cover System worldwide. Turn to Page 15 for the full story.
Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
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EDITORS COLUMN
Getting the Environmental Debate ‘Back on Track’ Dear Readers, It was interesting to note that with the recent change in Prime Minister and the coinciding cabinet reshuffle, matters relating to sustainable development, global warming and environmental protection were once again major talking points (albeit briefly) in the national mainstream media. Whereas I believe that focussing on these matters is of the utmost importance to us all, I also believe that the type and ‘tone’ of much of the discussion - especially in terms of the campaigns being waged through social media channels - highlighted another serious problem, namely: ‘Hijacking the Environmental Debate’. Before going on, let me state for the record (again) that I consider myself a ‘committed environmentalist’, and by that I don’t mean that I have a penchant for driving a 1960s VW combi van, wearing beads, or hanging around in the front line at ‘demos’ – although I do like Hendrix... Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, the line between caring about what happens to the planet that we inhabit (and wishing to minimise the impact of our existence on the planet), and socio-political affiliations, has become more than slightly blurred. So much so, in fact, that it now appears that it may only be a matter of time before one won’t be able to have a commitment to the environment without opening oneself up to a barrage of other causes - many of which are unable to establish even the most tenuous of links to matters of environmental management. We’ve witnessed it in the past on numerous occasions both locally and globally, particularly during elections, and 4
Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
more often than not, during international summits and conferences. Indeed, it’s now got to the point that many high profile international summits, even those that are well intentioned, often become little more that a well publicised opportunity to ‘kick a corporation’ or government that you dislike while the world’s media looks on. Please don’t misunderstand my intentions. As a member of the media (and a fairly opinionated individual) I’m all for freedom of speech and expression - as long as it falls within the bounds of reasonable behaviour and moderately good taste. My problem with all of this is that the pressing matters at hand are being clouded, or even disregarded altogether, in favour of seemingly unrelated topics and causes. Clouding the issue of environmental management and protection with unrelated matters only succeeds in making the problems seem insurmountable and positive outcomes more difficult to achieve. There are those, of course, that will argue that the environment is all encompassing (agreed), and that to have true sustainability one must also deal with the socio-economic aspects. This is, I believe, a fair and reasonable argument; however, I don’t believe that it is the whole argument – and it’s certainly not an excuse for violent protest or aggressive and nasty hate campaigns. Allowing the environmental debate to be ‘hijacked’ for political gain not only clouds the issues, it also minimises the effectiveness of the many good programs and initiatives that are in operation throughout Australia and around the world. This, in turn, can have very serious consequences, not only in terms of minimising the participation in and
effectiveness of these programs, but also in terms of escalating a feeling of hopelessness throughout the wider population. If people never get to hear about the good work that is being done, many will assume that nothing is being done and/or that nothing can be done, and that as a result, we are all rapidly heading to a hopeless and completely unavoidable demise. It has often been said that ‘success breeds success’. Making sure that we highlight the good work that is being done (and there is a difference between this and trying to put a positive spin on a major failure!) will help to demonstrate that good results are achievable... that we CAN do things that WILL make a difference. Most importantly, I believe that it will also highlight that only by working together, as governments, corporations and individuals, will we be able to produce positive outcomes that will benefit us all. Anthony T Schmidt Managing Editor
Tell Us What You Think! We value your opinion and welcome your feedback and input.
Send your thoughts to ats@epcgroup.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS
New support for carbon capture and storage R&D A multi-million dollar research fund designed to facilitate industry investment and research into the advancement of carbon capture is being established by the Federal Government. The $25 million Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Research Development and Demonstration Fund will focus on transport and storage projects. The then Minister for Industry and Science, Ian Macfarlane, said Australia had a diverse energy mix, comprising traditional energy sources such as coal, through to gas and renewables. Mr Macfarlane said the diversity of the mix would continue to underpin Australia’s economic future. “Australia’s energy resources are one of our most significant competitive advantages. “Just as we are using science to boost our key economic sectors, investment in research for carbon capture and storage technologies will be important as the coal and gas industries continue to develop for our domestic use and for export.
“As Australia and our major trading partners continue to use our valuable resources responsibly, further research and development in low emissions energy sources will further strengthen Australia’s role as an energy superpower. “Industry has a critical role to play in developing CCS technologies and investing in its own future, through the application of science and research in this field.” Minister Macfarlane said the program would address research priorities in CCS, including subsurface knowledge and mapping, transport infrastructure, wholeof-chain integration and development of international collaboration. Activities under the fund would, he said, be principally based in Australia to ensure national expertise on transport and storage was expanded; however, the fund would also provide support to leverage international expertise where advantageous.
Defence commits to sound tyre recycling The Department of Defence has committed to ensuring its fleet tyres are managed and recycled in an environmentally-sound way by joining Tyre Stewardship Australia. Tyre Stewardship Australia, a notfor-profit company funded by industry, is responsible for implementing and administering the tyre product stewardship scheme. Each year, about 51 million passenger tyre equivalents reach their end-of-life in Australia. A large number of tyres are currently disposed of in landfill, stockpiled, exported or illegally dumped, with approximately five per cent being recycled. Assistant Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, said the government encouraged all defence contractors, suppliers, partners and others involved in the recycling, tyre retail and transport business to have their tyres recycled and to consider becoming part of the voluntary scheme. 6
Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
Mr Chester said joining Tyre Stewardship Australia with Defence’s newly-contracted National Waste Services Provider, Veolia, would ensure Defence’s continued commitment to best practice environmental management. It is anticipated that Defence will ensure sustainable disposal of some 40,000 passenger tyre equivalents each year. “Finalising the Defence action plan to support this commitment and developing site specific recycling best practice with Veolia will ensure Defence and its partners, contractors and suppliers continue to focus on this scheme,” Mr Chester said.
New grants to increase recycling in NSW Seven infrastructure projects will receive almost $18 million in grant funding to divert waste from landfill and increase recycling across New South Wales. The Major Resource Recovery Infrastructure grants will divert over 660,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year that the project runs. The funding is part of the State Government’s $465.7 million Waste Less, Recycle More initiative. NSW Environment Minister, Mark Speakman, said the grants would increase the capacity for waste and recycling, and create around 180 jobs in the recycling sector. “This infrastructure investment is being rolled-out to modernise our waste and recycling capabilities, and to boost the state’s capacity to divert 75 per cent of all waste from landfill by 2021,” Mr Speakman said. The infrastructure projects awarded grants are: • $5 million to Dial-A-Dump to build a new commercial and industrial waste facility; • $5 million to ResourceCo Asia (Australia) to establish a new facility to recover dry mixed commercial and industrial waste; • $2.64 million to BioCoal to develop a new facility to recover organic material from kerbside residual waste; • $1.93 million to the City of Newcastle to establish a new mixed waste facility; • $1.3 million to Relivit to construct and operate a facility to process absorbent hygiene waste; • $1.05 million to PGM Refiners to build an e-waste recycling facility; and • $1 million to Doyle Bros to establish a material recovery facility to process dry commercial and industrial waste.
Chemicals diverted from City of Sydney’s landfill and waterways
GULLY WASTE & ROAD SWEEPINGS RECYCLING
Bottles of mercury and carcinogenic insecticides long banned worldwide were among more than 26 tonnes of unwanted hazardous materials collected at the City of Sydney’s recent household Chemical Clean Out. Among the chemicals spared from landfill and waterways in 703 individual drop-offs were bottles of Aldrin – an insecticide banned worldwide since the 1970s – and highly toxic mercury. Pool chemicals, hydrocarbons, batteries, gas bottles, paints and pesticides were also among the problem wastes dropped at Sydney park depot instead of being tossed into household bins, with paints accounting for 73 per cent of the collection. Chemical-handling experts were present to ensure no spillages occurred and everything was safely handled, stored and properly disposed. The City’s Zero Waste coordinator, Hal Dobbins, said trained specialists had taken great care to dispose of hazardous chemicals. “Substances such as Aldrin are extremely hazardous,” Mr Dobbins said. “Chemicals like this can cause severe health problems if ingested or inhaled and don’t belong in household bins or down drains where they can damage waterways and harm marine life. “Even seemingly harmless things like fluorescent light globes contain small amounts of mercury, while batteries have toxic elements such as lead and cadmium.” Mr Dobbins said unwanted paints and some chemicals could be safely used as an alternative fuel in cement kilns, and residual gas in gas bottles could be removed for industrial use. “When they are handed-in, acids and alkalines are neutralised. Materials like cyanide and hydrogen peroxide are mixed with special substances that lock the toxins into granules so they won’t leach out. They are then disposed of in a controlled waste landfill.”
- Over 85% reduction in landfill - Washed grit suitable as a nonstructural fill secondary aggregate - Mobile plant option offers processing at a number of sites - Return on investment within 2 years
cdenviro.com
Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Carbon tax refund to Australia’s councils “The Waste Industry Protocol being Around $100 million of carbon tax charges put in place by the Australian Local will be returned to councils and be used Government Association and the to help reduce Australia’s emissions, as Australian Landfill Owners Association, part of a plan announced by the Federal and other similar arrangements, will also Government in the last week of July. see funds used for local projects. In making the plan public, Environment “Those projects will include investing Minister, Greg Hunt, and the then Minister in energy efficient street lighting, solar for Small Business, Bruce Billson, said the panels for council buildings or new green carbon tax had raised electricity and gas waste and recycling services.” prices, and also hit homeowners through Mr Hunt and Mr Billson said refunds to higher council rates and waste charges. council customers meant consumers and Mr Hunt and Mr Billson said while some ratepayers were already benefitting from councils had already been able to refund the actions of landfill operators doing the ratepayers and waste users, complex right thing – through lower prices, reduced supply chains between waste providers, rates and improved local amenity. councils and customers meant some “This will also bring about significant payments had been delayed. new investment in waste treatment “Local councils around Australia will and other local environmental projects receive carbon tax refunds and will be that will take Australia further towards able to pass-on savings to ratepayers achieving its emissions reduction through lower council rates and waste 9:10:48 AM targets.” charges. 150921_WWM_HalfPage.pdf 1 22/09/2015
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Mr Hunt and Mr Billson said the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had been monitoring the actions of landfill operators and their handling of early collected carbon tax charges. Prior to the carbon tax be repealed, landfill operators collected charges as part of managing their expected futureyear liabilities under the carbon tax.
INDUSTRY NEWS
CDEnviro appoints new Business Development Manager for Australia CDEnviro has announced the appointment of Mr Ezio Viti to the role of Business Development Manager for Australia.
n a n i W Apple h! 9 c t a W ed at $57 valu
Mr Viti joins CDEnviro having gained a wealth of experience in the mining, power generation and resource recovery industries. Commenting on the appointment Darren Eastwood, Technical Sales Manager at CDEnviro said “Ezio is a welcome addition to CDEnviro and will have responsibility for the further development of our business in Australia. The experience he brings to the table is invaluable and we look forward to enjoying further success as we seek to expand CDEnviro.� CDEnviro has recently installed the first Road Sweepings Recycling Plant in Australia at Citywide in West Melbourne. The plant will divert up to 80% of Road Sweepings from landfill which is a first for an Australian company. The process of recycling Road sweepings has been proven by CDEnviro to divert waste from landfill while cleaning and recycling the washing water within the system.
This provides operators with the potential to recycle all incoming waste streams to achieve maximum reduction in waste to landfill. Recycling road sweepings has become common in the UK in recent years because of rising landfill costs and because of the innovative technology available from CDEnviro, which has brought a commercially viable solution to the marketplace. Conditions in Australia are now similar to the UK and Europe to bring about this change, with high landfill taxes and strong enforcement on waste disposal. CDEnviro continue to work with Citywide on a number of road sweepings and liquid waste processing projects in a range of industries including hydro excavation muds, drilling muds and municipal waste water pre-treatment. CDEnviro will work with their Australian partner, Wastech to deliver these projects around Australia.
FOLLOW THE
TOP
TRAIL
For your chance to win an Apple Watch (42mm Space Grey aluminium case with black sport band), simply follow the 'trail' of 10 large floor tiles located throughout Waste Expo 2015 to find the answers to the 'Tarpomatic Top 10' questions on the entry form available at Waste Expo 2015. Then fill in the Tarpomatic Top 10 Codeword shown below and place your entry in the box at the Tarpomatic stand (Stand #B32). Terms & Conditions Apply. See entry form for full details.
CODEWORD: QUALITY
INDUSTRY NEWS
Indigenous company launches solar battery system in SA An indigenous owned and operated energy storage company has chosen South Australia to launch an innovative solar battery system. The Queensland-based renewable energy company AllGrid Energy is a partnership between DICE Australia and Consolidated Industrial Holdings. DICE - or Dedicated to Indigenous Community and Employment – is a 100 per cent Aboriginal owned and operated electrical contracting firm. Consolidated Industrial Holdings is an energy management company which designs, supplies, and finances energy saving solutions for large corporate organisations.
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Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
The company has established a sales office in Adelaide, has engaged 10 contractors for installation work, and will build the cabinets required to store the battery system in South Australia. SA’s Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Minister, Kyam Maher, said AllGrid was confident it would create more than 30 jobs as the solar battery system was introduced throughout the state. “The company’s decision to launch the innovative new product is also welcome recognition of South Australia’s commitment to renewable energy. Around 40 per cent of our electricity generation is from renewables.”
Adelaide Lord Mayor, Martin Haese, said AllGrid had moved swiftly to provide services that supported council’s Sustainable City Incentive Scheme, which provided grants of up to $5000 for businesses and residents who installed energy storage systems. “This is really just the beginning and council is pleased to be leading the way when it comes to being innovative and providing incentives and encouragement to businesses and residents embracing energy storage and generation technologies.” The SA Government has provided $150,000 to Adelaide City Council, allowing it to double the amount of funding for its energy storage incentive scheme this financial year – part of the Carbon Neutral Adelaide initiative.
INDUSTRY NEWS
A better deal for families with solar panels Victoria’s Essential Services Commission is conducting an inquiry to ensure Victorians with solar panels are paid fairly for the power they generate. There are more than 245,000 solar systems installed in homes and businesses across the state. Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, said the Inquiry into the True Value of Distributed Generation to Victorian Consumers would examine the value of distributed generation, which is mostly solar, to the electricity market and network. Ms D’Ambrosio said it would investigate whether current regulations for compensating households and businesses for generating solar power were adequate and would also consider the environmental and social value of distributed generation. “We believe that families and households with solar panels should be
fairly compensated for the value their power generation provides and that’s why we are launching this inquiry.” “Making sure Victorians are fairly compensated for the solar power they produce is a good way to promote the uptake of renewable energy.” Ms D’Ambrosio said the inquiry findings would be used to inform how feed-in tariffs – the amount people are paid for the solar power they produce for the network – should be structured in Victoria. A draft report will be presented to the government by the end of November 2015, with a final report to be submitted by the end of February 2016. Ms D’Ambrosio said since coming to office, the government has introduced a number of measures to promote renewable energy.
They included the Renewable Energy Roadmap - the government’s plan to boost renewable energy investment and jobs by 2020 - and an initiative to source renewable energy certificates from new projects in Victoria, bringing forward around $200 million of new investment in renewables.
RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY
Putting mattress recycling to bed Mattress recycling has been a nightmare for many years, but TIC Mattress Recycling has a new approach that will put the problem to bed, and help us all sleep a little bit easier. TIC is leading an industry revolution that is taking proven mattress recycling technology and tailoring it for Australian conditions in order to overcome barriers to sustainable recycling. TIC’s technological development and commitment to investment has renewed government interest and support in mattress recycling, and the sector is poised to increase the recovery and recycling of mattresses nationally. TIC Mattress Recycling Managing Director, Michael Warren, said its approach automated mattress deconstruction to provide greater economies of scale, improved environmental outcomes and reduced health and safety risks. “The TIC system automatically deconstructs up to 60 mattresses per hour with almost no manual handling and produces clean streams of steel, foam and textiles,” Mr Warren said. “Our approach offers confidence to local governments and other key stakeholders because it is a lower-risk, higher quality and long-term solution. “TIC has global rights to technology out of Europe which has been working commercially for three years and we have invested in research and development to ensure it suits Australian conditions. “TIC’s approach has grown out of many years of focused global research and development combined with the group’s broader 25 years’ experience in resource recovery. We are confident our solution provides the best outcomes for local government, communities and the environment. “TIC Group has proven experience in resource recovery, from garment hanger reuse to sustainable management of consumer returns within the retail sector. 12
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“We are focused on researching, developing and adopting global technology to transform existing, less effective services. We are confident our solution provides the best outcomes for government, communities and the environment,” he said. Estimates are that between 1.2 and 1.5 million mattresses are disposed of in Australia each year. According to a 2013 study, 85 per cent of end-of-life mattresses could be ending up in landfill. The study – Options for a pilot project to increase recycling of mattresses – was undertaken for the Department of Conservation and Environment in November 2013 and found significant resources were being lost due to lack of mattress recycling. The waste is not only a loss of valuable steel, foam and textiles, but it also represents a sub-optimal use of landfill. Mattresses take up about 0.75 cubic metres of space and consume about 50kgs per cubic metre of landfill. Best practice landfills commonly achieve a compaction/density of 500-750kgs per cubic metre. Volume hungry mattresses are consuming valuable landfill space, diminishing economic returns for landfill operators and government, and are frustrating to manage effectively. A 2015 study for the Victorian Government’s Metropolitan Waste and Resource Group (MWRRG) by Mobius Environmental found the problem was growing. The report found that in Melbourne alone there were more than 365,000 mattresses being disposed of per year and retailers reported they were selling more mattresses every year as population increased and mattress life decreased. Chief Executive of the MWRRG, Rob Millard, said recently that the report supported councils moving to new procurement models in order to drive good environmental and financial outcomes. “Using these findings, we will work with councils to develop best practice approaches,
seek processing options from the market and create new collective procurement contracts to recycle mattresses from council hard waste collections and transfer stations,” Mr Millard said. TIC’s Michael Warren said current recovery practices relied on manual dismantling or shredding of whole mattresses and, while effective to an extent, these approaches had limitations and couldn’t meet government and community expectations. “Manual practices cannot process significant volume without a lot of labour” he said. “Manual processing also has inherent occupational health and safety risks related to the handling activity, as well as the potential exposure of workers to dust and pollutants. “While some operators have been able to maintain manual operations over a reasonable period of time, manual mattress processing has generally proved to not be financially sustainable,” Mr Warren said. Shredding mattress is another common practice, however, shredding recovers only metals, with the remaining materials being more than 60 per cent of the volume of the mattress and still going to landfill. Mattress recycling in Australia has at times also been dogged by unscrupulous operators. There are examples of companies opening facilities for collecting mattresses and charging a recycling fee, only to simply stockpile the mattresses with no intent to make any material recovery. Such operators have also abandoned stockpiles, creating fire and human health risks, and leaving it to others to clean up the mess. The TIC Mattress Recycling approach overcomes these barriers. Its technology is based on the RetourMatras system from the Netherlands. The collected mattresses are deposited into a bunker area and placed on a conveyor belt
RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY
after which a unique process quickly removes the outer fabric of the mattress. A rotating blade slices through the edges of the mattress and they are cut open and then a custom designed rotating drum peels off the outer fabric. The predominantly cotton/textile cover is removed and stored separately, to be reused or recycled into new textile products. Mattresses with metal springs then require some manual handling to prepare them for grinding and, after grinding, the metal passes through an air separator to remove contamination and ensure high quality recovered steel. What remains is the foam part of the mattress. This is cut and pressed into bales. The foam and polyurethane foam are used predominantly in manufacture of carpet underlay, but also in other new product manufacture. TIC Mattress Recycling commenced operations in Melbourne in 2014 with a combined manual-automatic plan and is in
the process of building its fully automated deconstruction facility in the city’s western suburbs. Mr Warren said the Australian market for mattress recycling had been dominated by low cost operators that were inherently risky as they could not manage through commodity price fluctuations or significant operational problems. “People familiar with mattress recycling in Australia know it has been boom and bust in the last decade, dragged down by low price ‘recycling’ solutions that have not delivered desirable recycling or sustainable outcomes.” Mr Warren said parts of the mattress recycling industry were led by shredding and similar operations which only targeted steel for recycling. “The fact is about 80 to 85 per cent of a mattress is readily recyclable. In comparison, shredding at best recovers about 40 per cent of the mattress by weight. “Policy makers, local government, mattress manufacturers and retailers should be wary of processes that achieve poor levels of resource recovery and recycling; they will simply
undermine investments in higher mattress resource recovery and lock Australia into poor environmental outcomes. “Local government in particular should be aware of the price it pays for ‘recycling’. We commonly see councils choose providers based on price. So a council may save 50 cents or $1 per mattress, but in reality, it is not getting recycling. Shredding and similar processes recover about 40 per cent of the mattress – it should be called what it really is, size reduction not mattress recycling.” TIC said it was not against shredding and size reduction of mattresses in limited circumstances. In some cases soiled, wet and damaged mattresses may be best shredded where handling and processing will cause safety risks or be impractical. TIC Mattress Recycling is part of the TIC Group, a company that has been providing inventory and supply chain services to retailers and suppliers in Australia and internationally for more than 25 years. TIC Group is a diverse company and has been involved in a range of resource recovery businesses and was an early player in e-waste.
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COVER FEATURE
Uncovering the ‘World’s Best Cover Up’ In recent years there has been a surge in demand for Alternate Daily Cover (ADC) systems for landfills throughout Australia, with an escalating number of landfill owners and operators recognising the considerable benefits that ADC systems offer - both in terms of operational cost savings and, most importantly, improved use of available landfill space. While there has been a shift towards the use of ADC systems, it is also clear that the benefits of Alternate Daily Cover go far beyond simply using something to ‘cover the waste’. Issues such as operator OH&S (in terms of both the equipment being used and exposure to the tipping face during ADC operations) and ease-of-use, together with critical matters such as leachate management, gas collection, dust and odour control and fire risk must also be taken to account. Put simply, while ADC systems are a highly effective and globally proven method of increasing both the capacity and productivity of landfill operations, it is also clear that not all ADC systems are created equal. What’s more, choosing the wrong ADC system, can be an extremely costly mistake in both the short and long term. Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
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COVER FEATURE Each Tarpomatic ATM is custom fitted to suit the blade of the specific compactor or dozer being used - ensuring quick, easy and secure attachment and removal from the equipment.
W
ith over 600 successful installations globally and a rapidly growing number of installations in Australia, the innovative Tarpomatic Automatic Tarping Machine (ATM) is the preferred Alternate Daily Cover System worldwide. Built tough to withstand the harshest operating conditions, the Tarpomatic ATM is a patented self-contained unit that attaches to the front of a landfill compactor or dozer, providing the operator with the ability to deploy and retrieve heavy duty, water resistant and flame retardant tarpaulins over the tipping face on a daily basis. Importantly, Tarpomatic’s robust design and heavy-duty construction make it suitable for use in a full range of operating environments. From costal locations and tropical environments, through to dry, arid areas, and even alpine regions, the Tarpomatic ATM delivers reliable long-term performance, regardless of the location of the landfill. In fact, the very first Tarpomatic machine to be installed in Australia some 15 years ago is still going strong! While the award-winning Tarpomatic design incorporates an array of innovative and practical features that really do put it in a league of its own, the key behind Tarpomatic’s success, both in Australia and globally, comes down to three words... Quality, Performance and Service. Steve Brooks, Managing Director with Tarpomatic Australia, explained: “The operating conditions at landfills are some of the harshest around. The extreme conditions and exposure to the elements will test the performance and resilience of any piece of equipment - especially equipment that comes into direct contact with the waste.”
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“Put simply, when it comes to selecting any equipment and supplies for a landfill, quality is paramount. Whether it’s the machine or the materials you’re using to cover the waste, if it’s not ‘fit for purpose’ and specifically designed and built for that purpose, it just won’t last in a landfill,” he said. Not surprisingly, this focus on robust quality and performance is clearly evident in all aspects of the Tarpomatic ATM - not only with the machine itself, but also in the design and construction of the tarpaulins. The Tarpomatic machine itself is a robust, fully self-contained unit with its own on-board heavy-duty hydraulic drive system, powered by a fully-enclosed 26.5hp diesel engine. All parts of the unit have been purpose designed and manufactured to deliver long-term performance in even the toughest conditions The Tarpomatic ATM has also been designed with a focus on versatility, operator safety and ease of use, with reliable wireless remote operation. Each
Tarpomatic ATM is custom fitted to suit the blade of the specific compactor or dozer being used - ensuring quick, easy and secure attachment and removal from the equipment. The tarps are wound onto interchangeable spools which are easily loaded onto the ATM. The ability to have multiple spools - each of which can hold up to 3 tarps for a total coverage of 700m2 per spool - enables a single Tarpomatic unit to provide unlimited coverage. Typically deployed at the end of the day’s operation and recovered at the start of the next day, placement of the tarps takes approximately 15 minutes – a significant time saving when compared to the time taken to place and spread daily soil cover; which on average, can take three people, using three machines three and half hours to complete. When it’s time to retrieve the tarps and expose the tipping face, the process is simply reversed, with the tarps wound back onto the spools ready for use at the end of the day. Retrieval of the
Change of Licence Service While moving from a traditional daily soil cover system to an Alternate Daily Cover system is an extremely simple task from an operational perspective, for most landfills it also inevitably requires a change to the EPA licensing conditions for the facility. For some landfill owners / operators - particularly those with smaller rural and regional sites – submitting and following up an application such as this can be an onerous and time-consuming task. Indeed, for some operators, not having the time or staff to manage this process has prevented them from being able to take advantage of ADC solutions such as the Tarpomatic ATM. With that in mind, Tarpomatic’s innovative ‘EPA Change of Licence’ service has played an important role in assisting a number of Australian landfills to prepare and submit successful Change of License applications. From collecting and collating the required information, through to completing the required paperwork and submitting and following up the application through to completion, Tarpomatic’s ‘EPA Change of Licence’ service takes the work and stress out of the entire process - from start to finish.
COVER FEATURE
tarps is also quick and easy – taking approximately 10 minutes to complete. As well as providing a significant reduction in the amount of time that the tipping face is exposed at the end of each day, the Tarpomatic ATM’s fullyintegrated odour-control system helps to neutralise odours when deploying or retrieving the tarps. A deodorising solution is sprayed directly onto the tipping face via nozzles located directly behind the tarp spool - reducing odours at the source, thereby reducing the impact of landfill operations on the surrounding environment.
Cover Material Quality is Paramount
When it comes to Alternate Daily Cover systems, the quality and performance of the cover material - in the case of the Tarpomatic, the tarpaulins - being used is of paramount importance. Put simply, it’s about much more than being able to cover up the waste!
There are a number of very specific performance criterion that need to be met to ensure full compliance with EPA licensing, OH&S and operational requirements. Tarpomatic tarps are manufactured to the highest quality standards and are individually inspected before leaving the factory. The extra high-strength 340gsm polyethylene fabric features flame retardant and UV-protective coatings to ensure a longer life-span for the tarpaulins plus an easy-clean anti-bacterial coating to minimise contamination. Tarpomatic’s heavy duty tarps are also waterproof to improve rainwater run-off and reduce leachate across the covered area. Each individual tarp has over 150 metres of heavy duty chain sewn into it along the edges and across at 3m intervals to provide ballast to hold the tarp in position in windy conditions and have reinforced stitching and webbing with a breaking strain of 1500kg.
Are you Getting What You Paid For? Are You Getting What You Need? Just like any other piece of equipment, when it comes to ADC systems, it’s crucial to ensure that you not only get what you pay for, but also what you need to comply with EPA license and OH&S requirements. Importantly, both the Tarpomatic ATM and tarpaulins tick all the boxes in terms of features, performance and compliance:
MACHINE CHECKLIST: Extra Heavy Duty Performance Purpose Designed and Built Fully Enclosed On-board 26.5hp Diesel Engine Lockable security cover On Board Heavy-Duty Hydraulic Drive System Remote Controlled Operation Integrated Odour Control System Interchangeable Spools – Providing the potential for an unlimited area of coverage Quick, easy and secure attachment to the compactor/dozer
TARPAULIN CHECKLIST:
The interchangeable tarp spools, which hold up to 3 tarps for a total coverage of 700m2 per spool, are easily loaded onto the ATM. The ability to have multiple spools enables a single Tarpomatic unit to provide unlimited coverage.
For further information, please contact Superior Environmental Solutions, Ph: 1300 TARPED (827733), Email: sales@tarpomatic. com.au or visit the website: www.tarpomatic.com.au
Extra Heavy Duty 340gsm Polyethylene Fabric Heavy Duty Chain Weighted – Each tarp weighs 400kg Purpose Design and Manufactured Easy-Clean Antibacterial Coating Flame Retardant UV Resistant Waterproof to Improve Runoff and Leachate Control Reinforced Stitching and Webbing – Tarpomatic tarpaulins have a breaking strain of 1500kg
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COVER FEATURE
The
TOP 10
10 Reasons to Change the Way you think About Daily Soil Cover
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Airspace In landfills, airspace equals money: and in an economy where landfill space is becoming scarce and landfill disposal charges are on the increase, making the most out of the available airspace is of the utmost importance. With the common use of 150mm of soil each day, most landfill operators are
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Revenues & Cost The most interesting part of this wasted air space is the cost. Not only is this airspace not generating revenue, it is also costing money to fill. What’s more, in landfills where the daily cover has to be shipped to the site (especially those in states with an additional levy for ‘imported’ cover material) this cost is horrendous. If you multiply your average
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losing more than 1 metre of valuable airspace each week to daily cover material. For a landfill with a daily work face of around 500m 2, this equates to a staggering 500 cubic metres of airspace wasted each week!
gate rate by your daily workface, it soon becomes clear just how much the Tarpomatic ATM can save you. As an example, a landfill with a daily workface of 500m 2, multiplied by the average gate rate of $150 per cubic metre, would save some $75,000 per week!
Speed & Productivity Deployment and retrieval of Tarpomatic tarps is significantly faster and more efficient than daily soil cover. In fact, on average it takes approximately 15 minutes to deploy Tarpomatic tarps across the tipping face – a significant time saving when compared to the time taken to place and spread daily soil cover which can
often take 3 people, using three machines, an average of three and half work hours to complete. Retrieval of the tarps is also is quick and easy – taking approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Fuel Savings Machine hours cost money – and lots of it! The speed and ease with which Tarpomatic tarps can be deployed and retrieved – by one person, using one
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4
machine - delivers significant fuel and machine hour savings when compared to traditional daily soil cover operations.
COVER FEATURE
0
Odours
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Odour issues can be a real problem for landfills. Bad odours from the tipping face are unpleasant for all - and a major source of complaints from people living in the vicinity. As well as significantly reducing the time that
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the tipping face is exposed at the end of each day, the Tarpomatic ATM’s fullyintegrated deodorising system helps to neutralise odours when deploying or retrieving the tarps – significantly reducing odours, and the impact of your landfill on the surrounding environment.
Dust Issues relating to dust from nearby landfill operations are consistently one of the top reasons for complaints from neighbouring businesses and residents. Traditional daily soil cover is one of the main causes of dust. The Tarpomatic Alternate Daily Cover
Leachate Tarpomatic heavy duty waterproof tarps help to improve run-off and minimise leachate across the covered area.
Landfill Gas By reducing the number of daily soil cover layers in the landfill cell, Tarpomatic will significantly increase the efficiency of landfill gas collection from the finished cells.
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System minimises the need to collect, stockpile, transport, place or spread daily soil cover – reducing costs, improving productivity and, most importantly, eliminating the associated dust problem!
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Longevity Tarpomatic tarps are manufactured from an extra high-strength polyethylene fabric featuring a flame retardant and UV-protective coating to ensure a longer life-span for the tarpaulins. The tarps also incorporate
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a special easyclean anti-bacterial coating to minimise contamination and assist with cleaning and maintenance.
Coverage Designed with a focus on providing landfills with maximum flexibility, each Tarpomatic tarp covers an area of 234 square metres, with each spool holding up to three tarps - providing a total coverage
of 700m 2 per spool. Tarp spools can be connected and disconnected quickly and easily, enabling a single ATM to be used to link a series of tarps together across the landfill's tipping face - providing the potential for unlimited coverage.
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EQUIPMENT FOCUS
Pictured: Wastetech Rotopress
Thinking globally – acting locally Earlier this year, Wastech partnered with the European waste equipment giant, Faun, to bring their comprehensive range of waste and recycling collection equipment and road sweepers to Australia. Faun is arguably the industry’s leading equipment manufacturer in Europe and is a global leader in innovation. Neil Bone (Director), in his new role as Wastech’s Product Development specialist, has been working with the principals at Faun to identify customer focused solutions to bring the most up-to-date, green, reliable and efficient collection technologies to Australia. Mr Bone said they were green because Faun focused on reduced tare weight for maximum payloads, efficient system design to reduce engine load and KERS regenerative hydraulic systems to harness braking energy and turn it into power for the bin lifter. The Rotopress rotary barrel body is quiet in operation, requires less power to operate and, with less than 10 moving parts, claims to have a longer working life than any Compactor Body on the market. Boasting the world’s first fully hybrid garbage truck demonstrates FAUN’s commitment to innovation and the environment, and Wastech hopes to present it to the Australian market in the near future. Fleet managers and councils are finding there is a requirement for increased durability, payload, energy efficiency and low noise levels, and the Faun products tick all these boxes. Wastech is launching the Faun range with the Variopress Rear loader and the ultra-quiet Viajet 6 Regenerative Air Road Sweeper at Waste Expo 2015 on October 7-8 in Melbourne. After the show – on October 9 and October 12 – Wastech will have open days at its new hi-tech service centre in Technology Circuit Hallam, and invite all customers to put the vehicles through their paces. 20
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Key Advantages of Faun products: Variopress • Blade type rear loader with rollers on pack blade for longer working life; • High level fold down rear loading flap to suit the high lift underbody bin lifter allows auto cycle compaction for greater productivity when loading multiple bins; • Sealed ejection plate reduces waste bypass and resultant smell; • Standard camera interface to cabin control panel to reduce cost; • Light tare weight for higher legal payloads; • Full CabBus electronics in sealed system to increase reliability; and • Plug and play lighting options to suit all requirements and ease of service.
Rotopress • Rotary body type rear loader with minimal moving parts for longer working life; • Lighter tare weight than blade type rear loaders; • Smooth and quite operation as barrel continuously rotates to constantly move waste to the front for better axle weight distribution; • Ideal for wet wastes, green waste or security document collection due to rapid waste transfer from packing chamber and sealed operation; • Wide variety of bin lifter options, including fully automatic lifters with safety under run protection; and • Lower power requirement to run.
EQUIPMENT FOCUS
Powerpress • Blade type rear loader that has powerful compaction blades suspended on parallelogram linkages to handle the higher forces; • Ideal for hard garbage collection or commercial and industrial wastes; • XAR400 high tensile steel construction to handle the arduous working condition; and • Bin lifter options from 120 ltr bins to 6m3 Mini Skip bulk bins. All rear loaders come with options of:
• If they strike a kerb, the hardened steel suction nozzles with auto lift provide a long working life and are easily maintained without the need for expensive change over. • The 750mm diameter Channel Brushes use locally supplied steel bristles for lower maintenance costs; • The Viajet range also comes with high pressure road cleaning options ideal for oil spills and road making applications, as well as high speed, high efficient runway sweeping at airports.
National Service Footprint
1. The Hydropower KERS regenerative power lifter system; 2. Battery operated lifter; or 3. Battery operated body and lifter operation for ultra-quiet operation for city use and reduced fuel consumption.
Viajet 6 Road Sweeper • A true recycled/regenerative air suction system that returns the exhaust air and fires it out under high force just behind the suction nozzle to help lift stubborn litter and leaves off the ground and into the suction nozzle; • Ultra-efficient drive system that requires a small 55kw VW diesel engine to run giving huge fuel savings and a drastic reduction in noise and vibration; • One of the highest volumes of suction air in the industry to ensure a clean sweep at higher road speeds; • 1,900 ltrs of water capacity directed to all parts of the air stream via variable flow controls to ensure the sweeper stays out on the road for longer shifts even when water refill is not available; • Exhaust air contains moist humid air; so by recycling this air, less water is required to ensure the maximum waste capacity in the true 6m body; • Noise levels of the Viajet 6 are the quietest in the industry to ensure work can be commenced earlier in the city without disturbing residents for maximum productivity and a cleaner road due to fewer parked cars; • Because the air released from underneath the body is at such a low flow rate, the noise and dust ‘Chimney Stack’ issues of top exhausted sweepers are eliminated; Pictured: Wastetech Viajet 6 Road Sweeper
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The first question customers want to know is “how are you going to support and service your products nationwide”. Wastech has recently purchased the nation-wide service division of Tieman materials handling, giving it just over 50 service vehicles and its own dedicated service centres in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and two in Melbourne. Wastech has invested in a comprehensive inventory of spare parts, basing these in the main service centre at Hallam. As demand grows, critical spares will be held in each service centre. The spare parts will be on show along with Balers, Faun Variopress, Viajet6 and other equipment at Wastech’s open days on October 9 and 12. For further information, please contact Wastech Engineering, phone: 1800 465 465 or visit the website: www.wastech.com.au
RESOURCE RECOVERY
Wherever you are in the world – its time to get the resources sorted STEINERT recently attended the annual IGEM 2015 (International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia) held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia where its range of UniSort solutions were showcased to curious stakeholders from the local and global resource recovery industry. An interesting and informative exhibition, Steinert had local support from its Malaysian representatives, Metatech, for IGEM 2015. The Conference featured many guest speakers from around the world, including Mr Ernie Beker from STEINERT RTT in Zittau, Germany, who spoke on the ‘The advances in Sensor sorting technologies’. With the first IGEM event in 2010, IGEM 2015 is the 6th in its series, and is a major catalyst in advancing the green industry in Malaysia, highlighting current innovations and initiatives in the market. IGEM’s ultimate goal is towards positioning Malaysia as a Green Technology Hub for the ASEAN Region. Malaysia is changing the way they do things in the rapidly-growing resource recovery sector, and its Government plans to implement mandatory separation of waste at source in stages starting from September 2015. The implementation of this new rule is part of the government’s effort under the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 to reduce the amount of solid waste sent to waste disposal sites, which is becoming a serious issue. As a result of a sudden increase in waste, the number and capacity of current sites is now inadequate. The process of separating waste at source involves the separation of household solid wastes according to the composition of waste such as plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, metal, food waste, bulk waste and farm waste. This can not only be a time-consuming and onerous task, in some regions, especially those with extremely high population densities, separation of waste streams at source may not be practical or achievable. With that in mind, STEINERT magnetic separation and sensorbased sorting solutions are ideally suited to assist the future projects 24
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in the South-East Asia region - separating valuable resources from comingled waste and/or recyclables streams. STEINERT used the IGEM2015 to launch and showcase a number of new cutting edge resource recovery solutions, including:
UniSort BlackScan Waste disposal and recycling companies now have the potential to increase their yields with the UniSort BlackScan. Specifically developed to address the issues associated with identifying and sorting black, dark coloured and unknown objects, the UniSort BlackScan system recovers these valuable materials, preventing them going to landfill or thermal recovery. The STEINERT UniSort BlackScan makes it possible to save on disposal costs and reduce costs for associated processing. This system can be integrated into existing facilities so that companies can also enhance their sorting concepts using this latest innovation from STEINERT. Ernie Beker from RTT STEINERT demonstrates some of the company’s new sensor-based sorting technologies at IGEM 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Steinert supports the upcoming waste-to-energy forum STEINERT will be presenting and sponsoring the Welcome Function at the upcoming Australian Waste to Energy Forum on 17 and 18 February 2016 at the Mercure Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre, Victoria. At a time when increased diversion of waste from landfill is a priority for many organisations, waste-to-energy technologies offer an avenue to increase diversion of post-recycled waste whilst creating renewable energy and other useable outputs. This event, hosted by the Australian Industrial Ecology Network, will deliver an exciting and topical program with leading Australian and international speakers. Attendees will leave the event armed with the knowledge and information to make informed decisions about waste-to-energy projects. Who should attend? Local, State and Federal Government, waste and recycling service providers, consultants, engineers, technology and equipment suppliers, project developers, finance and investment companies, NGO’s and other interested parties. For further information, please visit: www.aien.com.au/wteforum
UniSort Film Another new innovation from STEINERT is the UniSort Film, which has been designed to combat previously unresolved issues associated with sorting and recovering film. The UniSort Film system utilises STEINERT’s state-of-the-art Active Object Control-System (AOC), originally developed for fine-product sorting on the UniSort Flake range, adapted for larger particle sizes. As in the case with small object sorting, the sorting of buoyant flat objects is governed by the motion behaviour of the material being sorted in terms of material detection and ejection - having a substantial impact on purity and efficiency. AOC is a stabilisation system to define motion paths controlling the materials being sorted, thereby delivering a distinct improvement in quality of the final product. Stable motion of the objects even at double conveying speed results in higher throughput rates whilst improving overall efficiency of the system. The AOC system engineered by RTT STEINERT, and applied to the UniSort Film, facilitates considerably higher throughput rates combined with improved sorting quality. Ideal for sorting buoyant objects, the UniSort Film is universally suited to all functions involving the sorting of air worthy objects, e.g. paper and film, including agricultural film. It provides a highly efficient and effective means of reducing waste-tolandfill by recovering film waste for reprocessing and reuse. For more information, please visit: steinert.com.au or email: sales@steinert.com.au
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WASTE TRANSFER
AZMEB’s High Volume Side Tipper (HVST) is a side tipping trailer with a lower tub complemented by a hinged upper body, providing the volume and appearance of two tubs on one trailer.
Bundaberg Regional Council turns up the volume There’s more to waste disposal than just placing it in the bin and leaving it on the kerb to be collected. When Bundaberg Regional Council recently decided to replace its old compactor trailer, used to transfer waste between facilities, it investigated all options before deciding on an innovative AZMEB HVST side tipper, increasing flexibility and volume capacity over the previous trailer. To the average person, waste collection – whether it’s rubbish, recyclable goods or garden materials – is just another weekly household chore. But to the Queensland council, waste collection is an important business. Fourteen garbage trucks transport the community’s waste between the council’s waste transfer facility and five landfill sites spread across the Bundaberg region. “Once the waste arrives at our University Drive waste facility, we’ll then transfer some of it to our Bundaberg landfill site at Cedars Road,” said Gavin Crawford, Manager of Waste and Health, Bundaberg Regional Council. “It’s a 16km drive between those two sites, which on a round trip takes a little over an hour. The key to our operation is to maximise our efforts by delivering as much waste as possible per trip, which is 26
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why we need equipment that can hold up to 20-tonnes per load.” According to Mr Crawford, in the waste and recycling transport sector, speeding up the collection process by maximising load is the first point of emphasis. “Several years ago, we purchased a 60m³ rear discharge compactor trailer that would cater to our requirements. However, we felt with the waste disposal volumes rising, it was time to upgrade our units and we started researching options within the transport equipment market.” Waste and recycling have always been areas where council sees cutting edge technology as the best solution, but in its case, a rather unfortunate event uncovered that truth. In January 2013, tropical Cyclone Oswald ripped through parts of Queensland and New South Wales crippling many regions in its path including Bundaberg. “During the clean-up process, we came across a company using an AZMEB High Volume Side Tipper (HVST) by chance, and we liked the fact it not only did the job, but it could be top loaded with excess waste,” Mr Crawford said. “That’s when we first got in contact with AZMEB.” According to Sam Priebe, Technical Sales Manager at AZMEB, the extremely fast cycle time will help the council make substantial gains.
“The HVST is unique in that it has the volume and appearance of two tubs on the one side tipper. It tips quickly and can be easily unloaded in just a matter of seconds,” he said. “The time saved in comparison to council’s old compactor trailers could lead to an extra load per day.” Bundaberg Regional Council has now put into service its new 85m³ tri-axle AZMEB HVST. The decision to replace the older compactor trailer with a side tipper has already opened significant avenues in improved waste transport options. “Not only because it can achieve up to 21-tonnes of load, but because we can top load it using excavators, which could not be done using a compactor trailer,” Mr Crawford explained. Due to being able to top load the trailers, Mr Crawford said he now had the flexibility to load the trailer at any site, irrespective of the transfer station setup, which he was unable to do with his older unit. “This gives us a major advantage in top loading waste from the nearby Qunaba waste facility during slower periods, which is a substantial benefit. Overall, the AZMEB HVST significantly reduces time and more importantly, equipment costs.”
Bundaberg Regional Council purchased an 85m3 AZMEB HVST for their waste transfer purposes.
WASTE TRANSFER
The council’s AZMEB 85m³ side tipper features on-board weighing technology and a portable wireless remote-control system. “It’s a very OHS–friendly unit and means the driver doesn’t have to get out of the vehicle at any time. He or she can simply drive the unit to its destination and discharge the load using one button on a six function remote control,” said Mr Priebe. The ability to top load the HVST provided greater flexibility for Bundaberg Regional Council, giving them the ability to load the trailer at any site, irrespective of the transfer station setup.
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“We’ve also fitted the HVST using latest disc brakes and airbag suspension, together with a multi-volt EBS unit.” Mr Priebe said the AZMEB HVST was ideal for cartage of waste and other low density products. It is available in rigid, lead, tag and road train configurations, with cubic capacities ranging from 85m³ per tag trailer to 120m³ per B-Double.
Brand Profile AZMEB Bulk Transfer Systems is Australia’s premier specialist side tipper manufacturer. With well-known products such as the Door Side Tipper, Flex Tipper and HVST (High Volume Side Tipper), AZMEB specialises in “Tough Tippers for Tough Jobs”. Specifically, tipper trailers for the transfer of bulk products in the mining and resources industries, quarries, construction, waste industry and other heavy duty applications. AZMEB tippers are purpose built to be fast, reliable and high payload. AZMEB has a range of dealerships around Australia and exports to a number of overseas markets. For more information, visit www.azmeb.com.au
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
EYEfi Smart Sensors deployed for Melbourne CBD waste management To tackle overflowing bins, the City of Melbourne is trialling EYEfi Smart Sensor technology in 50 locations around the CBD over the next two years. It is the first council in Australia to adopt the sensor technology. Melbourne’s street bins collect 4,800 tonnes of waste every year and keeping the city’s rubbish bins below capacity can be a challenge, especially during events. Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle, said some bins in the city were filling up so quickly they were spilling over with litter by 8.30 in the morning. “It is very expensive to send out trucks all over the place. It’s better if you’re targeting where the rubbish is,” Cr Doyle said. The sensors will automatically alert the council’s garbage collectors, Citywide, when a bin is 70 per cent full. The bin will then be emptied within an hour. Locations near shopping strips and train stations have been identified by council as “hot spots” for high bin demand. The innovative wireless sensor solution will save the city on both the cost and collection times associated with waste and container level management. Smart Sensor augments EYEfi’s existing product portfolio, which includes EYEfi’s patented spatial technology. The technology
powers the company’s cloud and Smartphone applications, products and services – providing enhanced situational awareness, search and intelligence gathering capabilities for government, defence, industry and consumer customers. The Australian tech-SME’s CEO and founder, Simon Langdon said: “We believe EYEfi Smart Sensor will provide us with a tremendous opportunity to lead the transformation of the waste industry, as we continue to provide innovative and problem solving solutions to our customers. “With EYEfi Smart Sensor launching here in Australia this October, EYEfi customers can now combine all of their real-world monitoring needs in the one place,” Mr Langdon said. EYEfi is focused on “connecting the world’s people and devices with the world around them” in ways not previously possible; fundamentally changing the way people search, discover, monitor and connect with information about their real-world surroundings. The technology company provides customers the opportunity to combine all of their remote monitoring needs within the one cloud platform - including EYEfi GPS-enabled smart cameras and video analytics, GPS tracking, weather data and EYEfi’s powerful
spatial intelligence gathering capabilities using fixed, mobile, portable and airborne camera deployments. EYEfi is exhibiting at Waste Expo 2015 in Melbourne on 7 and 8 October. Visit stand D9 for a smart sensor demo. To find out more, visit: www.eyefi.com.au
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PRODUCT FOCUS
TANA SHARK
Waste Shredders
Versatility and Performance by Design Building on its success and reputation as a leading supplier of high quality and innovative compaction and shredding equipment solutions for the waste management industry, the new range of next-generation TANA SHARK waste shredders are taking shredding to the next level both in terms of versatility and performance. Distributed exclusively in a Australia by waste management equipment specialists GCM Enviro Pty Ltd, the new TANA SHARK waste shredders look set to change the face of mobile shredders - in much the same way that TANA landfill compactors have revolutionised landfill operations in facilities throughout Australia and around the world. Specifically developed to meet the needs of the waste management and recycling industries, the key to the success of the TANA SHARK units lie within their versatility - particularly in terms of the speed and ease with which the rotor specifications can be changed to suit different materials and/or shredding requirements. For many years the recycling business has seen shredders that are designed for a very specific, narrow field of tasks and applications. However, with the requirements and processes constantly changing and the need for different types of materials and end products varying from waste-to-energy production and volume reduction, and from pre-treatment to raw material production, the need for versatile equipment is paramount. Not surprisingly, these demands for versatility - for a single unit that could meet the needs of a range of applications - were a key consideration when it came to designing the TANA SHARK. The result is a slow-speed multipurpose waste shredder, suitable for performing a range of different tasks with the efficiency, reliability and quality for which TANA is renowned.
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Speaking about the new TANA SHARK shredders, Daniel Kastowsky, Sales and Service Manager, with GCM Enviro Pty Ltd, explained: “In the past, choosing a shredder to meet your current needs often limited your future processing possibilities. Most slow speed shredders are at their best when doing a specific kind of shredding or are only suitable for shredding of certain kinds of materials.” “One of the major benefits of the new TANA SHARK units is that they offer a range of processing possibilities and can be used for preshredding or secondary shredding. They can also deliver small particle size shredding in one pass, either as a standalone unit or as part of an in-line system,” he said. “What’s more, the TANA SHARK can shred a wide variety of materials, including tyres, commercial & industrial waste, construction & demolition waste, plastics, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), waste wood, railway sleepers, household waste, paper, mattresses and furniture, as well as a wide range of other materials - many of which would jam conventional shredders. At the centre of this performance versatility is the TANA SHARK’s patented ‘rapid-change’ rotor system, modular counter tools and plug-in rotor screens, all of which make it possible to invest in one shredder unit that allows a quick and costeffective conversion to suit most waste fractions. Available in a choice of eight diesel-driven models (choice of trailer-mounted or on tracks with either 220kNm or 440kNm nominal rotor torque) and two electric-powered stationary models (also with a choice of either 220kNm or 440kNm nominal rotor torque), the TANA SHARK is suitable for the mechanical treatment of most recoverable, recyclable and reusable materials. The TANA Shark has a hydrostatic power transmission, identical to the one used in TANA landfill compactors.
PRODUCT FOCUS
It also utilises TANA’s patented swing frame construction, which protects the gearbox, thus increasing reliability and maximizing uptime of the machine. Another of the smart features for daily operation is the opening sidewall. It provides an easy and safe access to clean and remove non-shreddable objects from the rotor shaft. The opening sidewall also functions as a service hatch when changing or replacing rotor knives and counter knives. Both rotor knives and counter knives have two wearing surfaces which prolong their lifetime. For volume reduction and pre-shredding purposes up to two thirds of the counter knives can be replaced with half knives which result in bigger end product size and higher capacity. Using rotor screens allows to finetune the homogeneity of the small particle size. TANA SHARK rotor screens are available in five mesh sizes and can be changed out in around 10 minutes. The rotor to screen clearance can be narrowed down to one millimetre. The TANA SHARK uses the same knife for any material. The rotor configuration and knife design result in a half cutting effect, that allows the TANA Shark to crush practically any solid waste fraction. Thanks to the bolt-on attachment mechanism of the knives, all rotor knives can be changed in a few hours. As with TANA’s world-renowned landfill compactors, TANA SHARK shredders also incorporate a range of ‘high-tech’ features, including the TANA Control System (TCS) which monitors and controls the machine functions. There are 12 pre-programmed operating programs for different types of materials and shredding operations, and additional customer specified programs can be added.
Each of the programs adjust and optimise the machine functions (e.g. overcharge pressure limits, rotor RPM, conveyor speed) to suit the task at hand and deliver the required output. For further information, please contact Daniel Kastowsky, Sales and Service Manager, GCM Enviro Pty Ltd, Ph: (02) 9457 9399 or visit the Website: www.gcmenviro.com
WWTP INFRASTRUCTURE
Minimisation of water treatment, plant degradation and chemical spills For more than half a century, municipal councils, as well as industrial and mining companies throughout Australia and New Zealand have invested billions of dollars into equipment and infrastructure to process waste water and sewage. Corrosion of this infrastructure, and in some cases the subsequent leakage, costs industry in excess of $1B each year. Assets that are impacted by corrosion in waste water treatment plants (WWTP) include the pipelines, storage tanks, clarifier ponds and sewage channels. As much of the WWTPs infrastructure is ageing, it is starting to require refurbishment or replacement. One method of refurbishment of these assets is to carry out surface repairs and then apply protective coatings. These coatings must be strong, flexible and resistant to chemical attack. Corrosion particularly affects WWTP structures that are in continually changing liquid levels, leaving damp surfaces that are exposed to oxygen. “Special consideration has to be given when coating structures in sewage treatment plants,” stated Dennis Baker, Special Projects Engineer at Gold Coast-based Rhino Linings Australasia (RLA), the only manufacturer of spray applied coatings in Australia developed specifically for sewage treatment systems. “One of the more corrosive by-products of sewage is hydrogen sulphide gas.” Hydrogen sulphide by-products attack the cement, copper and iron which gradually degrades the structure. In addition, the flammable, colourless gas also poses a health risk to workers. The typical rotten egg smell can be detected at very low concentrations but at higher levels, a person can lose their 32
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ability to smell the gas and might falsely think that H2S is no longer present. Continued exposure to higher levels of hydrogen sulphide can result in death. Hydrogen sulphide is classified by the Australian National Occupational Health and Safety Commission as a hazardous chemical substance and has set limits for anyone working around sewer pipes and treatment plants. One type of coating that is ideally suited for waste water treatment is spray applied Pure Polyurea which is a relatively modern material that has been developing rapidly during the past 10 - 15 years. “Polyurea and particularly the catalyst free Pure Polyurea came to the forefront in 1980 when the entire outer surface of the Alaskan oil pipeline was coated in polyurea,” Baker said. Pure Polyurea are formed when a liquid isocyanate is mixed with an amino based resin solution. Isocyanates are reactive because the double covalent bond attaching the carbon atom to nitrogen and oxygen atoms is easily broken to form single bonds in the more stable tetrahedral configuration around the carbon atom. Pure Polyurea comes as a two-part solution that is mixed under high temperature and pressure (3000 psi at 65ºC) in a specially designed spray apparatus. When applied, the significant extent of cross linking produces a dense but flexible surface. The high density makes the coating almost impervious to abrasion, water and most chemicals. “Many people do not know that spray applied Pure Polyurea are a very good method of protecting most structures,” Baker added. “We need to educate the engineering market place about the benefits and cost effectiveness of this versatile and adaptable material.”
Pictured: A grit channel and clarifier tank in the process of being coated. Left: Technicians applying a coloured Pure Polyurea coating to hardstands at a chemical processing plant.
One company that is keenly aware of the benefits of Polyurea is Queensland-based Satintouch. The chemicals utilised in the Polyurea and Pure Polyurea coatings means that most of their work is defined as an Environmentally Relevant Activity (ERA) under government legislation. The main activities undertaken fall under ERA 17, 38 and 57. These regulations require a licence for the abrasive cleaning and spray coating work to be conducted as well as special constraints on the subsequent cleanup in order to minimise the impact on the natural environment around the work site. “We have great support from Rhino Linings where the technical staff have extensive knowledge of their products,” said Scott Blair, owner and Managing Director of Satintouch. “They are a great resource for us especially for advice as to what can or should be done on a project.” “We also get better results because the product is made fresh here in Australia,” added Blair. “We know what it contains and when it was made which is rarely the case with imported products.” Pure Polyurea coatings ‘snap cure’ to form a solid surface in a few seconds and can be walked on without damage in less than a minute. Another advantage is the ability for it to be sprayed at very high thickness (6000 microns and greater) on a sloping or vertical surface without sagging or running. The surface is easy to maintain, clean and recoat if necessary. Whereas epoxies and other paints form a solid rigid shell, the greater flexibility of Polyurea coatings allow them to move with the expansion and contraction of the underlying structure as temperatures change.
WWTP INFRASTRUCTURE
Spray coating enables quicker application and less disruption to a client’s operations. The rapid cure time of Polyurea means that a facility can be back on line much quicker. “Unlike all other coatings, we can spray Pure Polyurea on and they gel in 3 - 6 seconds,” stated Baker. “They are not affected by ambient moisture or temperature so we can return a facility to service in four hours with a full cure in 24 hours.” One unusual project Blair’s company was involved with was at a cyanide production plant in Queensland. The company cleaned existing tanks and concrete structures to remove the original coatings before priming them and applying the new Pure Polyurea covering. “It was a major challenge to recoat surfaces at an operating cyanide plant,” Blair said. “There were very strict health and safety guidelines we had to comply with, both in terms of the team preparing for the work each day and the actual operation of our equipment.” “The majority of our work is on-site at a client’s facility, with about 40 per cent done in one of our yards in Mt Isa, Dalby or suburban Brisbane,” Blair stated. For one mining project,
the larger tanks were cleaned and coated on-site, but transportable structures such as smaller tanks were trucked to one of the company’s yards where the blasting systems are in buildings that are designed to limit the spread of the abrasive material and debris. Satintouch’s teams usually consist of three technicians and a supervisor working on-site along with an independent QA/QC inspector who oversees projects and ensures all procedures are followed and documentation prepared according to requirements and specifications. This includes the Rhino Linings procedures as well as the rules and guidelines of the ERA legislation. For projects involving heavy traffic and wear, Blair said that Satintouch will usually install an indicator layer which is bright red before the final top coat. Once the red layer starts to show through the main coating, it is clear that the structure or surface will need re-covering soon. Recording these wear rates enables better protection planning. Spray applied Pure Polyurea and Polyurethane offer superior solutions for liquid containment. All coatings developed
by the company for the water industry are continually tested to ensure they comply with the latest standards and have been certified safe for applications such as lining potable water storage tanks, sea life enclosures, food freezers and grain silos. RLA coatings are tested for compliance with AS4020 at the Australian Water Quality Centre in Adelaide. “AS4020 is regularly updated,” Baker said. “Every time the standard changes, we endeavour to have all polymer coatings quickly re-tested.” For further information, please visit the website: www.rhinolinings.com.au A waste water treatment plant settlement tank being prepared for protection by a sprayed Pure Polyurea coating.
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17/09/2015 3:03:50 PM
Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
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FOCUS ON WATER
Multi-million dollar boost for NSW on-farm irrigation Farmers and irrigators in southern New South Wales will share in more than $260 million of Commonwealth and State Government funding to improve on-farm irrigation efficiency, and return water savings to the local environment. The recipients will receive funding under Round Five of the On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program. The latest $263.5 million investment will assist irrigators in the southern Murray-Darling Basin modernise their on-farm irrigation infrastructure. Projects will include laser levelling of paddocks, upgrading overhead
irrigation, replacing flood irrigation, modernising drip irrigation systems and installing soil moisture monitoring and automation equipment. The successful organisations to receive funding are Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia Inc; Murray and Murrumbidgee Consortiums; Waterfind Pty Ltd; CAF Consulting; Australian Processing Tomato Research Council; Coleambally Irrigation Cooperative Limited; and Murray Irrigation Limited. The On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency program focuses on best-practice for
local irrigators. It ensures a localised approach which meets water delivery targets and works in with the needs of local producers. Water savings generated under the program will see more than 70 gigalitres returned to the environment. The fifth and final round of the program was initially announced in November 2014 with $125 million available to irrigators in southern New South Wales. That funding has been boosted by a further $138.5 million from the Commonwealth and the NSW Government.
‘Selling’ South Australia’s water expertise Former chair of Australia’s National Water Commission, Karlene Maywald, has been appointed to the position of Strategic Adviser – Water Opportunities to assist South Australia’s water expertise global sales pitch. Ms Maywald said there were many exciting opportunities for the state in the area of water and environmental management, including the provision of knowledge and training. “South Australia has enormous capacity in the water sector, particularly in the areas of research, capacity building and water planning. “Organisations like the Goyder Institute and the International Centre of Excellence in Water and Natural Resources bring together strong partnerships with our universities, the CSIRO and government agencies. “SA Water also boasts a world leading laboratory, the Australian
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Water Quality Centre, which has developed strong international research partnerships.” Chief Executive Officer of the Water Industry Alliance, Andy Roberts, said he welcomed Ms Maywald’s appointment and the renewed focus on the state’s water sector. “South Australia’s water industry will benefit from Ms Maywald’s previous experience as State Government Minister for Water and the River Murray, Chair of the National Water Commission, board member with SA Water and ICEWaRM,” Mr Roberts said. “The South Australian water industry is a global leader in water policy development, efficient irrigation, managed aquifer recharge, small scale wastewater management, water quality analysis and management, and predictive analytics and modelling.
“There is growing international interest from governments wanting to engage with South Australian water experts, including California, China and India. “The recently launched Water Industry Alliance export strategy is aligned with the State Government’s India, China and ASEAN export strategies. It is tailored to utilise and leverage our industry experience, while helping emerging exporters to expand into new global markets.” SA Minister for Investment and Trade, Martin Hamilton-Smith, said the state was renowned for its sustainable water and environmental management expertise, which was highly sought after by India and China. Mr Hamilton-Smith said India was already Australia’s third largest export market, worth more than $800 million – and there was significant growth potential in services and premium products.
FOCUS ON WATER
New pipeline linking Denmark’s dams complete A key part of the Western Australian Government’s plans to secure drinking water supplies for Denmark – 420 kilometres south-south-east of Perth – has been completed.
Work has finished on a 3.4 kilometre new pipeline between the Denmark River Dam and Quickup Dam, and a 700 metre extension to an existing pipeline. The Water Corporation project will allow more water from Denmark River Dam to be used in times of low rainfall. Last year, Denmark experienced its second driest year on record and this year’s winter rainfall was below average. Bureau of Meteorology data showed the driest year on record in Denmark was 1940, when the town received just 736mm of rainfall. In 2014, the town received only 766.7mm and experienced its driest August on record. “The Water Corporation plans to use the pipelines straight away as Denmark River Dam is overflowing and salinity levels are low, while Quickup Dam is only at 33 per cent capacity,” WA State Water Minister, Mia Davies, said. “There is now the capability to transfer 2.6 million litres of water each day from Denmark River Dam
to Quickup Dam or alternatively to Denmark’s drinking water supply. “Denmark’s current water demand is 0.9 million litres each day, so the remainder will be banked in Quickup Dam for later use.” Minister Davies said it would not be necessary to desalinate the water transferred from Denmark River Dam at the moment, as salinity levels were lower than usual. “The Water Corporation is still progressing works to install portable desalination units to ensure they remain an option for future water supply in the event of ongoing low rainfall,” she said. “Further analysis of the various options for managing brackish water, which is produced by the desalination process, is continuing.” The Minister said options that balanced environmental and social considerations, and the economic cost to customers, would be selected.
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FOCUS ON WATER
Speedy crystal sponges to clean up waste 1500 gigalitre water buyback cap established Farmers and irrigators in southern New South Wales will share in more than $260 million of Commonwealth and State Government funding to improve on-farm irrigation efficiency, and return water savings to the local environment. The recipients will receive funding under Round Five of the On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program. The latest $263.5 million investment will assist irrigators in the southern Murray-Darling Basin modernise their on-farm irrigation infrastructure. Projects will include laser levelling of paddocks, upgrading overhead irrigation, replacing flood irrigation, modernising drip irrigation systems and installing soil moisture monitoring and automation equipment. The successful organisations to receive funding are Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia Inc; Murray and Murrumbidgee Consortiums; Waterfind Pty Ltd; CAF Consulting; Australian Processing Tomato Research Council; Coleambally Irrigation Cooperative Limited; and Murray Irrigation Limited. The On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency program focuses on best-practice for local irrigators. It ensures a localised approach which meets water delivery targets and works in with the needs of local producers. Water savings generated under the program will see more than 70 gigalitres returned to the environment. The fifth and final round of the program was initially announced in November 2014 with $125 million available to irrigators in southern New South Wales. That funding has been boosted by a further $138.5 million from the Commonwealth and the NSW Government.
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New sponge-like crystals that cleanup contaminants in industrial waste, wastewater and soil can now be made rapidly and for 30 per cent of the cost. CSIRO’s new method, developed in collaboration with The University of Padova in Italy and The University of Adelaide, makes the crystals viable to manufacture for the first time by reducing the production time from up to two days to as few as 15 minutes. The crystals are made of extremely porous metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and have an internal storage capacity of 7,000 square metres, which is equal to the size of a football oval in a single gram. This means that the crystals can filter huge volumes of industrial wastewater, trapping large amounts of contaminants including carcinogenic material and heavy metals. CSIRO research team leader, Dr Paolo Falcaro, said the length of time it took to produce MOFs had, until now, been a barrier to their manufacture.
“We’ve estimated that this process could cut the cost to make MOFs by thousands of dollars for Australian manufacturers,” Dr Falcaro said. “While we’ve initially used the method to create zinc oxide-based MOFs, it could be applied to a range of different MOFs with applications spanning energy and pharmaceuticals.” Producing MOF crystals has traditionally been an energy-intensive process due to the heating and cooling required, but this new method is performed at room temperature for dramatic energy savings. “We’re now seeking to work with Australian chemical manufacturers to further develop the method and explore turning the crystals into a sustainable industrial waste management product,” Dr Falcaro said. CSIRO has already used MOFs to develop a molecular shell to protect and deliver drugs and vaccines, a “solar sponge” that can capture and release carbon dioxide emissions and plastic material that improves with age. The research was published in the journal, Chemistry of Materials.
Close-up of the new sponge-like crystals
Survey lifts Pilbara water search to new level An airborne electromagnetic survey which covered an area the size of Belgium gathered information about the quantity, quality and recharge of groundwater resources in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. Aerial electromagnetic technology sends an electromagnetic pulse into the ground and the return signal provides information about local groundwater systems. The survey is part of an initiative to unlock the potential of the West Canning Basin’s aquifers and it covered 24,000 square kilometres. The basin is located 100 kilometres east of Port Hedland and about 300 kilometres south west of Broome – it is part of one of the biggest sedimentary basins in Australia, the Canning Basin. The quality of the water in the exploration area is expected to be suitable for use as drinking water and is also in high demand from industry, pastoralism and mining. “This survey is the next stage in an investigation to quantify the potential of the Canning Basin, and how it can potentially be used for the Pilbara’s growth,” WA Water Minister, Mia Davies said. “The results will build on drilling data from exploration already under way and provide a more complete picture of the buried geology and groundwater resources of the area.” The survey is part of the four-year, $12.5 million Royalties for Regions-funded Pilbara Water discovery project that began in 2012. It has already revealed a potential 100 gigalitres-per-year resource, 100 kilometres east of Port Hedland, to further secure the long-term water security and growth of Pilbara towns and the regional economy. Minister Davies said scientific data revealed the Canning Basin resource was largely undeveloped and had the potential to support future expansion needs in the Pilbara. “Good quality water access and changes to land tenure via the $40 million Royalties for Regions-funded Water for Food program increases the viability of agricultural enterprises in the Pilbara.”
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FOCUS ON WATER
Gulf water changes aimed at economic growth The planned release of thousands of megalitres of water will boost the economies of communities in Queensland’s Gulf Region, according to the State Government. Queensland Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources, Anthony Lynham released on 22 August an amended Gulf Water Resource Plan and Gulf Resource Operations Plan. “This delivers on the government’s commitment to promote jobs and boost the economies of local communities,” Dr Lynham said. “We can now start a competitive tender process to make much-needed water available in Gulf communities to support sustainable farming, rural jobs and local development. “This will be a tremendous boost for centres like Hughenden, Richmond, Julia Creek, Georgetown and Cloncurry. Local businesses will benefit from water releases and the sustainable growth will provide long term employment.”
Dr Lynham said amendments to the Gulf Water Resource Plan provided: • General unallocated water reserves of 239,650 megalitres in the Flinders River catchment and 467,000 megalitres in the Gilbert River catchment; • Indigenous unallocated water reserves of 8,500 megalitres in the Flinders River catchment and 17,000 megalitres in the Gilbert River catchment. This water can be granted for projects that advance the social and economic aspirations of indigenous people. The Gulf Water plan area covers about 315,000 square kilometres and is comprised of eight catchments that drain to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Flinders is the largest catchment in the plan area, covering about 109,000 square kilometres. Dr Lynham said tenders would be called for the newly-available water in the Flinders River catchment. “The Gilbert River catchment reserves will not be made available until after the environmental impact assessment process for the proposed Integrated
Food and Energy Developments project in the Gulf has been completed.” Dr Lynham said the water plan changes involved extensive scientific studies and consultation. “The amendments to the plan are supported by comprehensive science-based studies by Queensland Government agencies and the CSIRO. “They clearly show water can be made available in the Gulf while sustaining the needs of the environment, commercial fishing industries and existing water users. “Any new water entitlement will have conditions that ensure a specific volume of water reaches the end of the river system during the wet season. “This wet season flow rule will support Gulf of Carpentaria fisheries by ensuring flood flows from January to March each year reach the estuary to support the spawning and growth of prawns and fish. “It will also support floodplain vegetation, wetlands and the ecosystem functions in the Flinders and Gilbert river catchments,” Dr Lynham said.
Broome’s water supply to go solar in WA first In a first for Western Australia, a hybrid generator will be installed to power a pump at the Broome borefield, using solar energy during the day and storing excess solar energy in batteries for the evening.
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State Water Minister, Mia Davies, said solar-diesel power could be used for other Water Corporation bore pumps across the State if the 12-month trial was successful. “The Water Corporation is continually looking at ways of increasing the use of renewable energy wherever it can to deliver services in a way that reduces the impact on the environment,” Ms Davies said. “Using a hybrid-powered bore will result in significant energy savings in remote locations where mains power
is not available and to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.” The Minister said the hybrid-powered bore would operate in “solar only” power mode during daylight hours and generate enough energy to pump 1.5 million litres of water a day. At night time and in times of low light, the pump can be powered directly from the additional energy stored in the batteries. The bore will be capable of being powered directly from a diesel generator when needed.
Tasmanian-Chinese partnership wins major hydro work A specialist power and water consulting firm that is part of Hydro Tasmania has partnered with HydroChina to secure a contract for work on a massive hydro project in north Queensland. Entura signed a Memorandum of understanding with the Chinese state-owned engineering and construction company in November last year and the contract for work on the Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Power project is their first joint work. The MOU focuses on co-operation in developing opportunities in the energy and water sectors, including hydropower and renewable energy, sustainability and environmental management and power transmission. The companies will undertake work for GENEX – the power generation company developing the Kidston project, which involves installing a 330MW Pumped Storage Plant at the historical Kidston Gold Mine site. The Kidston Project is based near Georgetown around 270 kilometres north west of Townsville. Once completed, it is expected to deliver power into Queensland’s electricity network during peak demand periods. The work Entura and HydroChina will undertake for Genex includes: • a bankable feasibility study; • oversight of subcontracted investigations, including geotechnical investigations and bathymetric survey; and • environmental and planning approvals for the project site, including specialist reports and community consultation. Tasmania’s Minister for Energy, Matthew Groom, said the Kidston project showcased the expertise of Hydro Tasmania to the world. “It highlights the potential to build on the complementary skills and reputation of both parties; drawing on Tasmania’s proud history of achievement in hydropower development, engineering and water management,” Mr Groom said. “This project will generate millions of dollars in fees for Entura and a steady stream of work for Tasmanians, with opportunities for that to continue through to the shovel ready stage.”
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Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
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CASE STUDY
Mediaflux data management platform helps protect and improve freshwater environment Arcitecta’s Mediaflux data management platform is being used to capture and analyse crucial pollution data from the Edgars Creek catchment in the City of Whittlesea in Melbourne’s north. Stormwater is the major source of pollution in Melbourne’s urban waterways¹ and poor stormwater management practices in industrial catchments are thought to be an important factor². Previous studies of heavy metal and hydrocarbon contamination in the stormwater drainage network have found industrial estates produce more than their share of pollution, but also that targeted education and enforcement programs can substantially reduce this pollution³. As part of their commitment to reducing water pollution, the City of Whittlesea in Melbourne’s outer-north wanted to target its stormwater education program on the catchments responsible for the most pollution. The Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), the School of Biosciences at The University of Melbourne were commissioned to identify the dirtiest catchments. CAPIM used a combination of approaches to measure the relative contribution of small industrial catchments to non-point source pollution, including passive samplers, bioassays, and surveys of stream ecology 4 .
CAPIM surveys The Victorian Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management conducted the stormwater assessment in several stages.
1. CAPIM first reviewed existing sediment quality data along Darebin and Edgars Creek to identify pollution hotspots (Melbourne Water, 2007). To improve the spatial resolution of pollution transects, CAPIM repeated the 2008 sediment quality survey of Edgars Creek in 2010 with the addition of two more sites on Central Creek and the Thomastown East Drain. 2. CAPIM then conducted a five-week pilot survey of pollutant loads in the stormwater drainage system immediately upstream of these hotspots. Researchers estimated pollutant loads using in-drain passive samplers. These samplers were developed by CAPIM to provide a timeintegrated measurement of heavy metal and hydrocarbon concentrations in underground stormwater drains3. After five weeks of sampling, CAPIM compared pollutant concentrations between catchments to identify areas associated with consistently high contaminant concentrations In the three most contaminated catchments where, CAPIM divided the catchment into smaller sub-catchments to locate contaminant source at finer spatial resolution. 3. CAPIM followed up the pilot survey with a further five-week study of all catchments, plus the additional sub-catchments identified in the second stage of this project. 4. A key question in urban stormwater management is the environmental relevance of pollution. To measure the impact of the dirtiest catchment
on the ecology of the creek, CAPIM also performed a survey of stream macroinvertebrate community composition, and measured the toxicity of sediment using laboratory bioassays.
Study challenges These studies involve multiple teams from different scientific disciplines and catchment management roles working together to identify the major trends in pollutant concentrations in each catchment. Although the work was primarily funded by the council, CAPIM and EPA Victoria collaborated on the chemistry, ecotoxicology and stream ecology aspects of the project and contributed significant inkind resources. One of the challenges of bringing such diverse teams together is to agree on a common vocabulary for the metadata associated with the samples collected. It is common for different disciplines to use conflicting conventions for sample descriptions. Added to this potential for confusion is the diversity of data types generated both in the field and later in the lab. Data from the field includes measurements from in-situ water quality meters, the results and observations from onsite tests and details of the spatial distribution of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and silver. Data from the lab includes toxicity tests, chemical assays, biomarkers and metabolomics. These data are in the form of binary data, plain text, word documents, spread sheets, scanned images or PDF documents.
1. Pettigrove, V., Hoffmann, A., 2003c. Toxicants in Melbourne’s Streams and Wetlands: An Emerging Threat to Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems, Ozwater Convention & Exhibition – Australian Water Association, Perth. 2. Pettigrove, V., Hoffmann, A., 2003b. Major Sources of Heavy Metal Pollution during Base Flows from Sewered Urban Catchments in the City of Melbourne, The 3rd South Pacific Conference on Stormwater and Aquatic Resource Protection and the Annual Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association, Auckland, New Zealand. 3. Marshall, S., Pettigrove, V., 2008. Evaluation of an Industry Stormwater Education and Enforcement Program. Centre for Environmental Stress and Adaptation Research (CESAR), Melbourne. 4. Marshall, S., Lapinski, V., Kramer, A., Pettigrove, V., 21. Locating stormwater pollution hotspots in industrial catchments. Presented at the 7th international conference on water sensitive urban design.
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CASE STUDY
Top: Metallic residue on passive sampler retrieved from one of the catchments. Above: Samples were tested with Cond Salinity monitoring equipment. Bottom (from left): Sediment quality transect collection locations across Melbourne’s northern suburbs; Spatial distribution of copper concentrations and variation between catchments; Pollution reports showing waste distribution in catchments.
Data management and analysis Mediaflux helps CAPIM to capture and manage the range of data collected by allowing a wide range of data types and formats, while enforcing minimum standards of metadata. For example, CAPIM can easily associate photos (JPG) and site notes (text documents and scanned images) with a site location, and link these unambiguously with analytical results (PDF and plain text).
Qualitative data can be extracted from Mediaflux for standard parametric analyses such as principal components and analysis of variance. At the same time, qualitative data such as species presence or animal survival can be extracted for survival analysis or non-metric multidimensional scaling can be easily linked to the same records, with all the associated metadata available for interrogation if needed. Once extracted from Mediaflux for analysis, CAPIM’s results clearly showed that drains in industrial estates had substantially more oil and heavy metals than those in nearby residential areas. Central Creek and sections of Edgar’s and Darebin Creeks had high concentrations of oil and heavy metals, well above background levels. Of the 26 catchments we surveyed, four were identified as pollution hot-spots, and referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA Victoria) for further investigation. CAPIM was also able to identify the source of a long-suspected pollution issue by tracing the contamination all the way up Edgar’s Creek, up the Keon Park Main Drain to a small industrial catchment. CAPIM and council staff subsequently participated in an EPA compliance blitz on the businesses in pollution hotspots, with compliance or enforcement required at 25% of premises visited. Stephen Marshall, aquatic scientist for the Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management said: “Our aim is to provide catchment managers with the tools to protect and improve our water quality by identifying the source of pollutants and measuring their impact on the environment. The ability to search for data using spatial queries is extremely useful when combined with basic metadata such as project name, analytical method, or sampling range.”
“This means we can easily identify areas of interest based on visual searches and combine these with other geospatial data, such as catchment and drainage maps.” “Pollution events are often episodic, so a fast response is critical to identification and diagnosis. Mediaflux helps us distribute data quickly and effectively to all project members,” Mr Marshall concluded. Mediaflux also allows CAPIM to control access to data at a very fine level, which is especially important for projects, which include collaborators from diverse institutions with varying levels of involvement. This means CAPIM can easily separate the location information, which is accessible to all, from the chemical, toxicology or stream ecology results, which are accessible only to specific parties. Jason Lohrey, founder and chief technology officer at Arcitecta, the company that developed Mediaflux, said that the ability to interrogate data from field studies and laboratory tests provides water resources managers with better ways to identify pollution impacts on our vulnerable aquatic ecosystems. “Mediaflux also provides the most costeffective management options to address these impacts. We believe that Mediaflux plays a critical role in these studies,” he said. “Our work with the Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management reinforces our belief in innovation and excellence in research data management, through our research partner The University of Melbourne,” Mr. Lohrey added. For further information, please contact Arcitecta Pty Ltd, Ph: 03 8683 8523, Email: info@ arcitecta.com or visit www.arcitecta.com
Waste + Water Management Australia - October 2015
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SPECIAL REPORT
Warning of increased coastal erosion in Australia
E
xtreme coastal flooding and erosion in populated regions across the Pacific, including Australia, could result from a projected upsurge of severe El Niño and La Niña events, according to a new study involving the University of Sydney. The impact of these storms is not presently included in most studies on future coastal vulnerability, which look primarily at sea level rise. New research data, from 48 beaches across three continents and five countries bordering the Pacific Ocean, suggests the predicted increase will exacerbate coastal erosion irrespective of sea level rise affecting the region. Researchers from 13 institutions, including the University of Sydney, analysed coastal data from across the Pacific Ocean basin from 1979 to 2012. They ought to determine if patterns in coastal change could be connected to major climate cycles. Data came from beaches in mainland United States, Hawaii, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. The research – Coastal vulnerability across the Pacific dominated by El Niño/ Southern Oscillation – was published in Nature Geoscience on 22 September. Although previous studies have analysed coastal impacts at local and regional levels, this is the first to pull together data from across the Pacific to determine basin-wide patterns. The research group determined all Pacific Ocean regions investigated were affected during either an El Niño or La Niña year. When the west coast of the US mainland and Canada, Hawaii, and northern Japan felt the coastal impacts of El Niño – characterised by bigger waves, different wave direction, higher water levels and/ or erosion – the opposite region in the Southern Hemisphere of New Zealand and Australia experienced “suppression,” such as smaller waves and less erosion. 42
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The pattern then generally flips: during La Niña, the Southern Hemisphere experienced more severe conditions. Co-author, Professor Andrew Short, from the School of Geosciences, said forecast increases in the strength of El Niño and La Niña weather events driven by global climate change meant coastal erosion on many Australian beaches could be worse than currently predicted, based on sea level rise alone. “During enhanced La Niñas we can expect more tropical cyclones and east coast lows off the coast, leading to damaging cyclones and storm surges along the Queensland coast and severe beach erosion along the New South Wales coast,” Professor Short said. “The more benign El Niños will bring fewer cyclones and long periods of lower southerly waves. These will rotate the beaches to the north, building out the northern ends, while severely eroding the southern corners of the beaches, where most development usually occurs. These impacts will take place irrespective of the amount of sea level rise. Lead author of the study – Patrick Barnard, a coastal geologist with USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz – said the study significantly advanced the knowledge of the impacts of El Niño and La Niña. “Understanding the effects of severe storms fuelled by El Niño or La Niña helps coastal managers prepare communities for the expected erosion and flooding associated with this climate cycle.” The study also investigated the coastal response of other climate cycles, such as the Southern Annular Mode, which has impacts at the same time in both hemispheres of the Pacific. The data revealed that when the Southern Annular Mode trended towards Antarctica, culminating in more powerful storms in the Southern Ocean, wave energy
and coastal erosion in New Zealand and Australia increased, as did the wave energy along the west coast of North America. Other modes of climate variability, such as the Pacific North American pattern, which relates to atmospheric circulation in the North Pacific, are linked to coastal impacts that are more tightly restricted to the northern hemisphere. The researchers contended that linking coastal erosion to natural climate patterns, such as El Niño/Southern Oscillation and the Southern Annular Mode, could be challenging. “Shoreline behaviour can be controlled by so many different factors, locally and regionally, that it’s been difficult to isolate the signal until now,” Patrick Barnard said. “However, utilising the many years of data we were able pull together in this study enabled us to identify how the major climate drivers affect coastal hazards across the Pacific. “This will greatly enhance our ability to predict the broader impacts of climate change at the coast.”
PIPELINE REHABILITATION
University culvert Mt Ousley Wollongong Combining traditional tunnelling technology with modern rehabilitation techniques enabled ITS Pipetech to submit and provide a solution to RMS to extend the life of an existing culvert set that crossed the M1, Princes Highway on the outskirts of Wollongong. The prime objective of the work was to provide structural integrity and equalise the bores of a triple cell culvert that passed beneath one of the busiest arterial routes in Australia, and to achieve a design life of 100 years. The secondary consideration was to devise a methodology and a sequence of works that caused the least disruption to the motorway that carries over 18,000 vehicle movements a day just two metres above the top of the culverts. The University culverts carry the Dallas Street branch of Fairy Creek which crosses under the motorway via a three cell pre-cast concrete pipe. Over the years, as the Princes Motorway was upgraded and widened, the original 1350mm triple culvert set was extended to take additional traffic lanes. The northern extension was, however, sized at 1200mm which, at times of heavy rainfall, was restricting the flow of water into the culverts causing flooding to the upstream creek valley and threatening local property and the university campus. The project had identified the probability of one or more of the culverts becoming blocked under a one-in-100-year storm event; therefore the feasibility review had recommended that the pipes at the upper ends of the culvert set be enlarged to a 44
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common profile similar to the remainder of the culvert. The review also called for debris barriers with vehicle access to be installed to the culvert entrance for access to undertake maintenance and routine debris clearance under the project scope. ITS Pipetech’s submission was to develop a methodology to tunnel around the existing inlet pipes to standardise the three cells into a common profile to meet the hydraulic demands and reduce the potential for blockages and water retention in the upstream valley. Once this had been engineered, the rough diameter of the existing culverts had to be created; then this new void needed to be structurally lined together with the existing pipe to complete the structural rehabilitation.
The proposal also took into consideration any potential damage to the riparian zone and the effects this would have in regards to damage to local flora and fauna, as well as designing an access down from the motorway level to the culvert level with an associated structural retaining wall. It had been identified that any blockage of the culvert would result in significant flooding to the surrounding area during periods of high rainfall with the possibility of an eventual collapse of the culvert that would risk the security of the motorway above, causing possible closure and widespread traffic chaos. This section of motorway is a fundamental link between the Port Kembla industrial area and the Hume highway, with an AADT of approximately 18,000 vehicles per day of
Tunneline
CCTV + Robotics
CIPP UV Cured
Pipe Bursting
Pressureline
Repairs + Maintenance
PIPELINE REHABILITATION
which 16 per cent is heavy goods. Closure of this stretch of motorway would have had serious ramifications on the local economy, as well as resulting in negative exposure for the client. The proposal was to remove the restrictions in the head pipe, create a structural element to create a 1350mm void and then to reline this with a fully structural element to provide the required diameter, and negate the need for extra works to maintain capacity and avoid road closures. The proposal: to remove the initial 6.5m of 1200mm id concrete pipework to each of the three cells and replace with a cast insitu reinforced structural pipe bore. Matching the existing diameter, it could be structurally relined with a UV cured Berolina GRP liner to provide the client with an uninterrupted free-flowing three cell underpass to meet hydraulic requirements. The initial 6.5m of each culvert progressed from a headwall intake under the breakdown lane and inside carriageway of the north-bound lanes of the Princes Highway, one of the busiest traffic highways in Australia. The contract scope preference was to avoid any closure of the highway. In order to remove the pipes without disruption
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to the traffic, ITS proposed a modified tunnelling system using a three-stage heading arrangement commencing with the outer right, then the outer left before completing with the middle bore. As the heading advanced, the existing concrete pipe could be broken up and removed from the workings leaving a space large enough to facilitate casting a structurally reinforced surround to form a bore at a diameter similar to the existing downstream pipework. Prior to the above, ITS had to construct an access to the site; a reinforced concrete drive way with a shotcreted retaining wall was built to allow plant movements to the tunnelling site. The cover to the motorway above was less than 1600mm above the existing pipe, with allowance for working room to build the tunnel reducing it to 1200mm. Our designs needed to accommodate SM1600 and 45 ton axle loadings. ITS opted for the use of our Tunneline cast insitu structural lining system to construct the three bores that were set at 1350mm id to match the internal main cell diameters. Each bore was cast in a single operation using a 40Mpa structural concrete
The final stage in the operation was to install a 1350mm high strength UV- cured fibreglass Berolina lining through the culverts to provide the client with a smooth bore structural lining with a design life of 75 years. The adoption of old techniques and new technologies used in an innovative way enabled ITS to undertake and complete the works efficiently, effectively and to client specification. ITS was able to deliver the project with zero accidents, zero incidents, zero lost time events, within program, and with numerous benefits at a significant saving.
TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
Digital Disruption It’s Real, It’s Now, It’s accelerating, It’s inevitable! by Terry Daley, CEO Wastedge.com As noted in a recent IT RustReport, we see the impact of Digital Disruption in new businesses such as Airbnb and Uber and even in watching your pizza delivery man’s live GPS trail. In the waste industry, we’re seeing it in on-board systems fatigue management systems integration, shared GPS truck tracking, and consumer tablets and phone apps that encroaching on rugged onboard PC territory, blurring mobile device category boundaries. There’s also the emergence of bin fullness sensors leading to a need for more dynamic collection optimisation, like finding available parking spots with a green light system. And the rapid introduction and adoption of shared data portals and self-service kerbside at-call collection request bookings systems and phone apps is indicative of the customer and end-user eagerness to adopt such new efficiencies and time savers. As collaborative companies look for more opportunities to share data, I wonder how long it will take Google to get Garbage trucks that travel every street in every city every week to gather up-to-date street-cam views that could be used in crime and accident investigations. And the technology power growth is off the grid! Already the 64bit phone you use is now more powerful that the whole office server you bought 2 years ago. Watch out for wearable technology! Information Communications Technology (ICT) is introducing these disruptive changes so frequently we’re almost in a state of perpetual revolution, yet if your’e not ready to take advantage of it, then some new competitor will! ICT is enabling early adopters of cloud, mobile and integrated mapping systems to re-invent how their users’ waste collection processes work, to deliver amazing value innovation AND cost savings while helping to differentiate their business in what was a mature market. • Consumer grade smartphones & tablets, • Simple to use frontline mobility apps, • Cloud Software & Hosting Technology, • GIS and GPS location mapping functionality
There’s an amazing amount of denial and rejection in old fashioned IT departments, to embrace change when their more agile, adventurous competitors have already proven the scalability and reliability, and cost savings from new consumer grade tablets that are at a price point that’s 80% below the cost of traditional onboard systems. With this combination of “disruptive” technologies, existing methods of conducting business are challenged by new and improved ways and efficiencies that can put market leaders at risk and expose users to exciting new opportunities to re-invent and streamline their traditional business processes.
New Affordable Frontline Connectivity
Whole new groups of field workers, sales reps and drivers to be included in your corporate “always-on” communications network, changing user access-ability, data capture and communication workflows, increasing productivity and efficiency immensely. This is a quantum leap for many companies and their staff: to move from old two-way radio communications mentality and scribbled notes, onto touch tablets and paperless runsheets. In our experience we find that the simplification of the user interface enabled by finger-touch friendly tablet PC apps plus a bundle of benefits for drivers helps break down the barriers to acceptance of change. If you give drivers an app that actually improves their work life, making new customer sites easier to find, it reduces admin staff chasing them for more detail and reduces paperwork they have to do and it gives them a better
chance of communicating back to base on any truck problems or customer sites that may be annoying them. Giving drivers the ability to attach a picture to show blocked access or over-full bins helps them validate the situation with a simple picture and reduces futile charge disputes. Drivers can also more easily report vehicle safety issues, tick DVR checklists or check linked online site safety or induction documents, reducing risk and ensuring their digital voice (so to speak) gets heard back in the mechanics department. eDockets with customer signatures, photo’s or simply time/date location stamp as proof of service can then be sent by email to customers at job confirmation time: less paperwork for drivers AND admin staff. When companies adopt and embrace mobile systems and connectivity for their frontline field staff, this adds immediate pressure on IT support to ensure systems accessed from outside corporate server firewalls are able to do so securely and reliably outside normal business hours. In the waste industry this means ensuring systems are available to download daily runsheets at 1am in the morning and still be running up to midnight for the evening shift (this is another reason to move IT support systems off-premise for small to medium sized companies that don’t have the 24x7 system support capability in-house). The Extended Enterprise – Collaborative Web Services and Web Portals Customers, subcontractors and suppliers are also demanding a share of information at a faster feedback rate via self-service web or mobile access portals that extend your openfor-business hours and improve customer service satisfaction and retention. The easier you make things for your customers to work with you and share information, the harder it is for them to go somewhere else for the same service. So why not give them an app that they can book their services with you on, more easily than ringing up through your switchboard and available after hours when they remember they forgot to request an additional pickup.
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TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
Emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT)
Let the trucks and bins do the data capture for you. With integrated onboard weighing and arm-lift sensors at customer sites, drivers only need to flag exceptions to the rule. This automated or in-field data capture at the point of service delivery, reduces downstream double entry or double handling of data, and eradicates data transcription errors.
Mapping helps you Measure and Monitor Activity and Exceptions Here’s where a picture can be worth much more that a thousand words. With better data coming back from onboard mobile systems, management now has far better visibility into the operation of their business. With integrated mapping, route optimisation can suggest ways to save you more than an hour a day in travel time (cost) to free up extra earning capability from the same vehicle and driver resources. How much more could a truck earn if it had an extra hour a day for same costs.
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Where are the Savings? For the software vendor perspective, sharing the one instance of software with enormous savings in software installation and upgrade costs, as well as significantly reduced power usage. (A Greener IT!). These cloud systems are proving to be 50% less effort to implement and 70% to 80% less cost to deliver software upgrades and new feature releases.
For the business: Reduced operating costs, Reduced Admin Costs, Reduced Risks • Improved staff safety, service reliability, quality, consistency (customer satisfaction) • Increased revenue and profitability from increased operational efficiency & productivity
Eliminate: Factors that the industry has taken for granted (that don’t add value) • No implementation costs (software is preinstalled) • No software upgrade costs, No on-premise server required
• No need for expensive IT technical support staff in-house • No upfront expensive software purchase (pay as you use only for what you use) • No disruptive deployment of new software release function upgrades
Raise: Factors that could be raised well beyond industry standard • Extended hours of operation through after hours customer access • Increased data capture efficiency, accuracy and timeliness • Automated onboard data capture – GPS location and vehicle travel kms/hours • Increase collaborative apps integration capability with internal and external systems • Low cost integrated onboard weighing – creates new profitability opportunity • Extends hours of service (via self service portals & mobile booking apps) • New business activity visibility – improved management information and control • Increased operational responsiveness In disruption economics, the risk of inaction can be far greater than the risk of change. At least try, or as Yoda said: “Not try. Do!”