Waste + Water Management Australia V44.5 Feb/March 2018

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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 Business Development Manager Lawrence Whiter Mobile: 0418 543 821 Email: lawrencewhiter@bigpond.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 Gaffney - AmAgo Mobile: 0439 749 993 Email: jodie@amago.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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CIRCULATION 6,215 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. 100001890

ISSN 1838-7098

2

Editor's Column

4

Industry News

12

Product Focus: Aussie Pumps

Feb/March 2018 Volume 44 Number 5

Clean Cities

14 Cover Feature: MASTEC New Facility

12

20 NWRIC News 24 Innovative Solutions 26 Case Study: WaterCo NZ Film Studio 28 Project Brief: ResourceCo

24

Wind Farm Bases

30 Equipment Focus - Bucher FORCE Series II

32 Built Environment

32

36 Focus on Water 42 National Precast Feature 44 ACA Corrosion Feature

46

About the Cover MASTEC’s latest venture - a massive new state-of-the-art bin manufacturing facility in Adelaide - not only flies in the face of the ‘doom and gloom’ commonly surrounding Australian manufacturing, it’s also helping to set a new benchmark in bin and lid manufacturing. Located in Edinburgh Park in Adelaide’s outer-north, the new 12,000m2 multi-million dollar manufacturing plant represents yet another major milestone in the company’s history.

Turn to Page 14 for the full story.

EDITORS COLUMN

Reducing the amount of waste ending up in the nation’s landfills

Dear Readers, Whilst the majority of Australian councils and waste authorities have had significant success in diverting waste from landfill through residential recycling programs, and more recently, residential green organics collection and processing programs, the amount of waste still being disposed of in the nation’s landfills provides a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead.

Unfortunately, recent events in the global recyclables marketplace look set to further increase the depth and complexity of this challenge.

With that in mind, from a domestic waste services perspective, the next obvious move for many councils and authorities is the development and implementation of ‘Alternative Waste Technologies’ which are capable of processing a variety of waste streams (including Municipal Solid Waste) into a range of value-added products.

From Mechanical/Biological Stabilisation systems (which convert the waste stream into high calorific value Refuse Derived Fuels), through to ‘Bioreactor/Digester’ type systems (which focus on utilising the organic component of the MSW to produce either compost-type products or methane for power generation), the one common denominator among these technologies is their focus on maximising diversion of waste from landfill. By separating any ‘high-value’ component materials (including ferrous and non-ferrous metals) for recycling, and then 2

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

processing the majority of the remaining fraction into value-added product(s), several of these technologies have already proven their ability to reduce the amount of MSW being disposed of at landfill by over 90%.

Even though recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of Australian councils and waste authorities utilising Alternative Waste Technologies, for many, the major issue with the introduction of these technologies has been that of cost.

That’s not to say that these processing technologies are necessarily over-priced, or for that matter, that there is a lack of commitment to reducing the amount of waste being disposed of at landfill - it is quite simply a reflection of the relative cost of AWT processing per tonne when compared to the comparatively low costs per tonne of landfill disposal in Australia.

When one considers the true costs associated with the collection, processing and/or disposal of any waste stream, particularly MSW, together with the cost of providing high quality recycling and other waste management services, it is clear that another major challenge facing Australian councils and waste authorities is that of waste minimisation. Waste minimisation is not only a major environmental imperative, it is also a financial imperative - the epitome of sustainability. Unfortunately, it may also prove to be the biggest waste management challenge yet.

The first major issue with developing an effective waste minimisation strategy is that

it is no longer simply about educating the general public into changing their disposal habits – although that is also a critical part of the process. They also need to be educated to changing their purchasing habits. In fact, successful waste minimisation requires a fundamental change in thinking by individuals, businesses, and society as a whole.

Unlike many other waste management programs that are able to successfully function on a local and/or regional basis, for waste minimisation to be truly effective it must be approached on a national scale.

This is particularly true when it comes to addressing the problems and issues surrounding packaging design and product stewardship.

I have no doubt that Australia is able to meet the challenge of waste minimisation.

One only has to look to the continuing success of numerous plastic bag usage reduction programs to see what can be achieved.

However, large scale waste minimisation is an exponentially more difficult task, and as such, it will require no less than the full co-operation of all levels of government and private industry, if it is to stand any chance of success..

Anthony T Schmidt Managing Editor

To an exclusive showcase of the latest innovations in the Waste and Recycling Industry Not all companies are created equal. The Innovyz process is unique and in a very short period of time has helped to establish and grow companies based on innovations that are relevant to many people and hence, to large markets.

Join us as we showcase Innovyz and the companies we assisted in our Waste and Recycling Commercialisation Program.

To book your place at this unique event, please scan the QR Code visit http://l.ead.me/barpfX or email us at info@innovyz.com In partnership with

INDUSTRY NEWS

Council registrations for Garage Sale Trail are now open Showcasing the latest innovations in the Waste and Recycling Industry A unique opportunity and an event not to be missed

Darryl Nichols (far left), Founder of Garage Sale Trail with councillors and representatives from City of Launceston during last year’s Garage Sale Trail campaign.

Garage Sale Trail, the country’s biggest community engagement program that promotes reuse, is now accepting registrations from councils. The council powered program which is now in its ninth year engages over 380,000 Australians in reuse every year through an annual weekend of garage sales and diverts over 3,687 tonnes of useable items which may have otherwise ended up in landfill.

With the recent Chinese ban on recycling imports it seems to be a smart time to consider programs like Garage Sale Trail which can save money and encourage community behaviour at the higher end of the waste hierarchy.

Research conducted by Taverner Research on the Garage Sale Trail program in 2017 found that the program is engaging many in new reuse behaviour (71% of participants hosted a garage sale for the first time) and is changing the community’s attitude by helping them to see the what they no longer want, or waste, as a valuable resource.

The program achieves this not just from the act of getting people to reuse – by buying or selling at a garage sale – but also from 4

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

a ten-week communications campaign that squarely puts reuse in the spotlight, including through mainstream media and high-profile reuse ambassadors.

In 2017, 136 councils across Australia brought the program to life in their local communities and it is expected that this will rise to 150 councils by later this year.

Registrations remain open to new councils until 31 May 2018 only.

For more information and to register your interest, please visit: www.lesswastemorecommunity.com.au

Innovyz Institute, the company that bought to the world Titomic, K-Tig, Bluedot, Gooroo, Be Intent and others which are already worth over $350M – is revealing its next world-leading companies at ASX national headquarters in Sydney on Tuesday March 27.

Waste & Recycling is critically important and a very big industry, and Australia has been at the forefront of many worldchanging technologies.

Innovyz has been working with a number of companies through its Waste and Recycling Commercialisation Program, and during March there is a unique opportunity to be among the first to discover 8 new companies, each of which has the potential to make a profound global impact.

One of the companies has developed a ground-breaking new a new capability which enables non-recyclable products to now be recycled, while another, for the first time in history, has a product with the potential to enable all packaging and products to be recyclable.

Another of the companies has developed a method which has the potential of halving the use of water for agriculture, while another has developed a product that changes the economics of wetlands so that what’s best for the developer is also best for our planet …and there’s still more to come.

This is truly an event not to be missed.

To book your place at this unique event, please either scan this QR Code, visit http://l. ead.me/barpfX or email: info@innovyz.com

WHAT YOU THINK IS THE END IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Trident Plastics found guilty of deceptive conduct in Federal Court wheelie bin case Leading Australian wheelie bin manufacturer Mastec is seeking unspecified damages against Trident Plastics, following the recent Federal Court ruling which found Trident guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct.

The Federal Court action, which was launched by Mastec in 2016, was centred around Trident’s unlawful use of confidential drawings owned by Mastec to produce its own range of bins, as well as the deceptive and dishonest claims made in a number of Trident promotional brochures exaggerating the company’s pedigree and relationship with Mastec.

In his Judgement, which was handed down on December 21st, the Honourable Justice White found that: • “…Mastec has made good its claims that it is the beneficial owner of the CAD Drawings concerning the product designs”; • “…that Trident Plastics has made unlawful use of its confidential information” and; • that “…Trident Plastics has engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct in contravention of s 18(1) and s 29(1) of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL)”.

The court heard that in 2003, Mastec had paid more than $645,000 for plastic moulding injection tools to create the its new range of 240-litre wheelie bins, lids, bin handle pins and bin handle inserts.

The problems arose in late 2012 when Trident started selling its own range of wheelie bins in 2012, with Mastec claiming that the lids on the Trident bins were the same or “substantially the same” as Mastec’s range of 240L household bins.

Mastec had pleaded that the features of the lid - and the computer-aided design (CAD) drawings used by Trident Plastics in the manufacture of its 240-litre range - were confidential, because in 2003 nobody else had designed tools for the manufacture of wheelie bins with these features, and that they had been disclosed to Trident in “confidential circumstances”.

Justice White upheld Mastec’s claims that it had beneficial ownership of the CAD drawings and that Trident Plastics had made 6

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

unlawful use of the confidential information.

Justice White also found that Mastec’s contract with Trident Tooling (a subsidiary of Trident Plastics) included an “implied term” requiring it to keep the information and drawings confidential, and that through their actions, Trident Plastics and the company’s Managing Director, Steen Saurbrey “…have breached the equitable duty of confidence in the CAD Drawings of the tooling for the MGB lids.”

Furthermore, Justice White found that both Trident Plastics - which received a $500,000 South Australian State Government Automotive Supplier Diversification Program (ASDP) grant in 2015 to manufacture plastic rubbish bins – and Mr Saurbrey, had also engaged in deceptive conduct by lying about the company’s work pedigree in promotional documents marketing its wheelie bin range.

In reviewing Mr Saurbrey’s evidence, Justice White found that “…in a number of respects, it was not reliable.”

Furthermore, Justice White found that Mr Saurbrey “…had a tendency to understate or overstate matters” giving him “…the distinct impression that Mr Saurbrey “invented” some matters as his evidence proceeded.”

In his Judgement, Justice White noted: “I mention some of the matters which gave rise to my concerns about the reliability of Mr Saurbrey’s evidence. The first was the dishonest statements which he caused Trident Plastics to make in its promotional brochures concerning its experience in the MGB industry.”

“Regrettably, I consider that these statements should be characterised as having been lies at the time they were made.”

“Mr Saurbrey acknowledged that he was the source of the information contained in the documents containing the dishonest statements. He had also read them and approved their use.”

“Mr Saurbrey’s attempts at explaining the lies did not do him credit. For example, he described the false claim that Trident Plastics had designed and built a 140 litre MGB as “accidental”. He could not explain the changes in the number of MGBs which Trident Plastics claimed to have manufactured for Mastec contained in the successive iterations of its promotional material.”

“I had the strong impression from this evidence that Mr Saurbrey was prepared to make statements as and when they suited him, without regard to their truth. I also considered that that attitude had carried over into the witness box.”

(Excerpts quoted from FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA. Mastec Australia Pty Ltd v Trident Plastics (SA) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] FCA 1581.

File number: SAD 237 of 2016. Judge: WHITE J Date of Judgement: 21 December 2017).

Companies and individuals found guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct face maximum fines of $1.1 million and $220,000 respectively.

Mastec declined to comment on the extent of the damages it was seeking, so as not to prejudice ongoing court proceedings.

A Smarter Solution‌ Introducing the new Clean Cube solar-powered compacting smart bin from Smart City Solutions – the first bin of its kind to use a standard 120L or 240L MGB wheelie bin inside.

Available in a choice of two sizes, the Clean Cube uses solar powered compaction to hold up to eight times more waste than a standard bin, while its smart technology monitors the fill level in real time, notifying operational staff when the bin needs to be emptied. And thanks to the fact that the Clean Cube uses either a standard 120 or 240 litre wheelie bin, emptying the bins is quick and easy, with no heavy carrying or lifting required.

The Clean Cube also looks like no other bin! With solar-powered backlit ad panels and LCD screens, the Clean Cube can provide audio and video community messages or advertising opportunities.

It can even be set up as a WiFi Hot Spot.

Visit www.smartcitysolutions.com.au or call 0417 546 977 today and discover how we can deliver a smarter solution for your city.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Advocate for food-waste reduction wins top environmental award for women A passionate advocate for reducing food waste has been named winner of an award that recognises women who are making a positive contribution to South Australia’s waste and resource recovery industry.

Kat Heinrich, a senior consultant specialising in waste and resource management, has won the annual Green Industries SA Women in Waste Award. The award includes $5000 to assist with travel, accommodation and conference costs, and mentoring from a senior woman executive in the sector.

Leveraging her international connections in Europe and the United States, Ms Heinrich will investigate best-practice food waste initiatives that could drive a change to reduce food waste in South Australia and further the state’s reputation for innovation in the recycling and resource recovery sector.

“I am passionate about addressing food waste, which is a significant issue globally, and through this award aim to stimulate a step-wise change in South Australia,” Ms Heinrich said.

“While South Australia leads the country in waste and resource recovery practices, food waste particularly in the household stream, remains a significant challenge and opportunity for the state.”

“Addressing food waste is an important step in transitioning South Australia to a more circular economy through compost production or other beneficial interventions. This project will identify potential initiatives that may help South Australia to take this next step to reduce food waste,” she added.

The Green Industries SA Women in Waste Award was established in memory of Pam Keating, a noted environmentalist and waste management expert who passionately

believed in the importance of reducing waste and its impact on the environment.

Speaking about the Award, South Australian Sustainability, Environment and Conservation Minister Ian Hunter, commented: “I am delighted that the Green Industries SA Women in Waste Award is being presented to Kat Heinrich, a senior consultant at Rawtec who has delivered many key projects for the State Government in the area of resource recovery and the circular economy.”

“Kat’s new project will address the global issue of food waste by investigating bestpractices in Denmark, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and the United States and using this research to drive a step-change in food waste reduction and recovery in South Australia,” the Minister added.

“Congratulations to Kat for her dedication and vision to further South Australia’s reputation as leader in recycling and resource recovery.”

Kat Heinrich has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Adelaide. In her role as a Senior Consultant at Rawtec, she has delivered a wide range of projects in the areas of resource efficiency, disaster waste management, state waste accounting and waste infrastructure planning.

Her leadership roles include 2017 Chair and Lead Communications of the International Solid Waste Association Young Professionals Group, and Founder/Chair of the Waste Management Association of Australia SA Branch Young Professionals.

In 2017 she started a blog to share bestpractice in food waste management from cities globally: beyondfoodwaste.com

Dying reefs bigger threat to coasts than rising seas The death of coral reefs is a more significant factor in the erosion of tropical coastlines than rising sea levels, a new international study has revealed.

University of Queensland School of Earth and Environmental Sciences researcher Dr Daniel Harris said tropical coastlines are at a greater immediate risk of erosion from increases in wave heights due to the loss of live corals.

“The study shows that you don’t need higher sea levels for there to be coastal erosion, just the loss of healthy coral reefs,” Dr Harris said.

Dr Alessio Rovere from the MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences of the 8

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University of Bremen and the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Research contributed to the study.

“We examined wave processes at coral reefs in Moorea and Tahiti in French Polynesia and modelled future wave heights near the coastline by changing variables such as coral reef health and sea level,” Dr Rovere said.

“The findings suggest that actively maintaining the health of coral reefs could reduce some of the negative impacts of sea level rise on tropical coastlines.”

Dr Harris said the study showed that authorities and scientists need to adjust the methods of determining the erosion risk on tropical coastlines to include measurements of the health of coral reefs.

The research is published in Science Advances.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Costa Cruises to reduce food waste by 50% Starting this year Costa Cruises will reduce food waste on board its cruise ships by 50%. The program named "4GOODFOOD" developed with cooperation by University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo and Winnow, was already tested on board Costa Diadema in 2016. The results during the trial period of 11 months have shown a reduction of food waste by over 50%, which is equivalent to a reduction of 1,189 tons of CO2, or the emissions of 231 cars in a year.

According to data, in restaurants, an average of 284 grams of food per person is wasted per meal, compared to 216 grams detected on the Italian cruise line before launching the program 4GOODFOOD. With the fact that Costa Cruises serves around 54 million meals per year, the cruise company decided first to revise food waste in a sustainable way, with an integrated approach that starts from the preparation process of the meals.

By positioning scales located in the kitchens and connected to a data sharing

system, Costa, together with Winnow, has implemented a system for mapping, quantifying and analysing waste in the food preparation phase. This system has allowed improvements to the meal preparation process to be integrated progressively on board the ships. This system is now being used on more than half of the fleet. A key element was the specific training of almost 2,400 galley crew on how to reduce waste and create more sustainable processes.

Neil Palomba, Director General of Costa Cruises, said: “We have addressed the issue of the value of food in a responsible way, finding concrete solutions. 4GOODFOOD is a program that has no equal in the maritime sector, thanks to which we hope to halve food waste by 2020, ten years before the deadline set by the UN Agenda 2030.”

“The primary challenge, one that we want to bring to the forefront of our industry, is to promote a more sustainable way of preparing and consuming food on board, without affecting the spirit of the holiday,” he said.

“But the most important aspect, which we particularly care about, is that this program will be able to involve about two million guests that we bring each year on holiday and our 19,000 crew members, and that can deliver significant results,” he added.

The remaining food surpluses are managed through a collaboration with the Food Bank organization.

For the first time in the cruise line history, Costa managed to redistribute prepared and unused food on board for social purposes.

The initiative started in Savona in July 2017 on Costa Diadema, and has recently been extended to the port of Civitavecchia. In just six months, around 16,000 food servings were recovered and redistributed to local associations that deal with the distribution of meals to those in need.

Costa Cruises’ goal for 2018 is to activate the 4GOODFOOD food distribution project in new ports around the Mediterranean, including: Palermo, Cagliari, Bari and Venice, Marseilles, Barcelona, and Athens.

China keen to follow Australian lead with unwanted paint A unique Australian scheme to collect and reuse unwanted paint and packaging is creating interest in China. A 20-strong Chinese delegation was in Melbourne late last year to study the successful Paintback initiative, which has opened 74 collection sites nationwide in its first 18 months and accepted more than 5.3 million kilograms of paint and packaging – equivalent to 7 kilograms every minute.

“Dealing responsibly with unwanted paint to keep it out of landfill is a global issue and ours is the first voluntary, industryled scheme anywhere in the world,” said Paintback chief executive Karen Gomez.

“The Chinese wanted to see all aspects of the process and to talk with trade painters about how it works in practice.”

The visitors inspected a collection site at the Boroondara Recycling and Waste Disposal Centre in Camberwell then toured facilities where paint and packaging are separated for disposal or recycling and solvent paints are prepared for use as a replacement for fossil fuel in cement manufacture in Dandenong.

Led by the Chinese National Coatings Industry Association, the delegation included 10

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

industry and government representatives.

The CNCIA is developing policies to support industry sustainability efforts and key issues that need to be considered as new environmental policies are being developed in China.

“The strength of Paintback is that it both supports and encourages professional and DIY painters not just to do the right thing but to actually think about paint as a reusable resource,” Ms Gomez said.

“Already more than 15 million Australians are no more than 20 kilometres from a free collection site and more sites are opening all the time. In other areas, we provide a mobile service.

“Our goal is to make it normal for people to want to take their paint back, rather than stockpile it or throw it away into the environment, and the response has been quite overwhelming.”

It is estimated that Australians throw away 9 million kilograms of paint and packaging every year.

Paintback was developed by five founding member companies – DuluxGroup, PPG Industries, Valspar, Haymes and Resene.

Between them, they produce more than 30

brands and 95% of the architectural and decorative paint sold in Australia.

Launched in May 2016, the scheme is supported by all State and Territories governments, some of which amended their regulations to ensure it could operate nationally.

As well as disposing of paint responsibly, Paintback repurposes valuable materials into recycled packaging, alternative energy and water resources in industrial processes. It also is funding research to find better uses for unwanted paint.

For further information, please visit: www.paintback.com.au

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PRODUCT FOCUS

Cleaner, Quieter Cities Australian Pump’s Hydro Hush concept is working for councils and contractors around Australia. Most are opting for ‘clean and capture’ versions of this super quiet, 4,000 psi steam cleaner.

The Aussie Hydro Hush offers real benefits for city cleaning. Apart from the ‘Loop’ version allowing the operator to work on the ‘clean and capture’ concept, the machine’s low noise level means it can operate during off-peak traffic and pedestrian times.

“Big benefits are being realised by users with the results that cityscapes are becoming cleaner. High use areas like plazas and outdoor eating areas can be easily cleaned by the machine’s 4,000 psi steam capabilities” said Aussie Pumps Product Manager, Mal Patel.

The 4,000 psi Hydro Hush is powered by Kubota water cooled diesel engine and comes with its own 1,000 litre water tank to enable it to be used where water pressure is not readily available. This makes the machine self-sufficient as it doesn’t need mains pressure to operate.

The Hydro-Loop can carry out tasks like graffiti removal, cleaning councilowned amenities or even council-operated 12

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

recreational spaces with BBQs and picnic areas.

The heart of the system is a ‘Big Berty’ Bertolini heavy duty triplex pump developing a whopping 20 lpm at 4,000 psi. The burner unit enables the operator to infinitely adjust temperature from ambient (cold water) to temperatures up to 120 degrees Celsius.

“When that temperature is applied with pressure to graffiti, it just peels it off the wall” said Patel.

“Other jobs like sanitising amenity areas and sports facilities, or removing oil stains from council-owned car parks are easy due the machine’s high steam capabilities,” he added.

The unit, in its Hydro Hush-Loop configuration, can not only carry out these tasks but also can collect the wastewater and recycle it through the 1,000 litre tank.

That capability is unique in a machine of this size and at this noise level.

Chores like cleaning the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House can be carried out late at night or in the early hours of the morning without disturbing residents.

The silencing factor achieved is not the result of the machine being encased in a large sound proof box. Rather, a high-tech

Cleaning contractor 365 Property Services are cleaning the streets of Brisbane with stealth at night with their new environmentally friendly Aussie Hydro-hush loop.

engineering approach has been used to develop stainless steel panels that absorb the noise without the potential of the engine or machine overheating.

“That’s the real benefit of the Hydro Hush system” said Patel.

“We can achieve the low noise level but at the same time not run the risk of breakdowns due to lack of airflow around the machine,” he said.

A version without the Loop system may have more appeal to local government bodies where the clean and capture factor is not a big issue in machine selection.

However, in light of the new environmental rules and regulations, the Loop version is very attractive.

Australian Pump Industries run council education days at their Castle Hill facility in Sydney and invite councils to contact them to book in for the next training demonstration day of this unique product.

“Cityscapes can now be both clean and quiet!” said Patel. “It’s a breakthrough that will revolutionise suburban cleaning.”

Further information Aussie Pumps’ Hydro Hush series is available by contacting Australian Pump Industries or visiting the website: www.aussiepumps.com.au

See the video of the Reverse Smart AEB in action: www.reversesmart.com.au/how-does-it-work

The state-of-the-art Reverse Smart AEB system has been speciďŹ cally designed to reduce the incidents of large vehicles or mobile plant impacting workers or objects while reversing.

1

By providing an additional level of protection, including an engineering control that can stop the vehicle by automatically applying the brakes, the Reverse Smart system can signiďŹ cantly reduce the risk of impacts, injuries and workplace fatalities.

2

Step 1 : Object detected while reversing. Step 2 : Vehicle continues to reverse towards object. Step 3 : Reverse Smart AEB system automatically applies the brakes and stops the vehicle.

For further information, or to arrange a demonstration, please visit:

www.a1reversingsystems.com.au or contact Davin Hamnett Ph: 0419 177 199

or A1 Reversing Systems Pty Ltd Ph: 03 9765 9444

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ALL SYSTEMS GO! MASTEC OPENS NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART MANUFACTURING FACILITY WHOEVER SAID ‘MANUFACTURING IN AUSTRALIA IS DEAD’ OBVIOUSLY FORGOT TO TELL THE TEAM FROM MASTEC! IN FACT, MASTEC’S LATEST VENTURE - A MASSIVE NEW STATE-OF-THEART BIN MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN ADELAIDE - NOT ONLY FLIES IN THE FACE OF THE ‘DOOM AND GLOOM’ COMMONLY SURROUNDING AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING, IT’S ALSO HELPING TO SET A NEW BENCHMARK IN BIN AND LID MANUFACTURING.

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ocated in Edinburgh Park in Adelaide’s outer-north, the new 12,000m2 multi-million dollar manufacturing plant represents yet another major milestone in the company’s history. MASTEC’s Managing Director Michael Brixton explained: “The new facility really is the culmination of many years of work and planning; and in many ways, it represents the realisation of a number of major long-term goals for the company.”

“As well as providing us with the manufacturing capability to meet the

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significant increase in demand for MASTEC® bins and lids, one of the primary goals with this new facility was bring all of our manufacturing capabilities together at one location.

The new facility will enable us to centralise and streamline our entire manufacturing operation - simplifying processes and reducing production turnaround times, while at the same time, ensuring that we maintain the highest level of product quality,” he said.

“In recent years, the increase in bin sales – both in terms total numbers sold and the expanded range of bin

types and sizes that we manufacture – meant, in simple terms, we were rapidly outgrowing our manufacturing capability,” Michael Brixton added.

“While there are clearly worse positions to be in business-wise, it left us with no option other than to significantly expand our production capacity. We needed to come up with a solution that would enable us to produce more bins, and we had to do it in a relatively short timeframe.”

After looking at a range of options, MASTEC was able to secure an existing suitably sized building and premises in Edinburgh Park in Adelaide’s outer

COVER FEATURE

BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE In what is often a harsh and unforgiving industry, MASTEC has long prided itself on ‘being different’. In fact, the MASTEC's motto ‘Because There is a Difference’ is the central tenet around which the company has grown and prospered.

A far cry from its humble beginnings in the mid-1980s as a small familyowned waste equipment business, MASTEC Australia Pty Ltd has proven itself as a genuine Australian ‘success story’. Indeed, even though MASTEC proudly remains a family-owned and operated business, this Adelaidebased company has not only grown to become one of the country’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of MGB’s (Wheelie bins), compact kitchen organics bins and 4-wheel bins, it is also leading the way in bin Assembly and Distribution services for councils, waste authorities and collection contractors throughout Australia.

“As an Australian family-owned business, we’re fiercely proud of our reputation for manufacturing quality products right here in Australia,” Michael Brixton said.

north. While the facility required significant remodelling and the addition of an array of specialist infrastructure to support the bin manufacturing equipment, the fact that they were able to ‘repurpose’ an existing building, rather than having to start construction on a ‘greenfield’ site, delivered a significant reduction in the total amount of time required to establish the new facility.

Importantly, the location of MASTEC’s new facility means that it's also helping to deliver a much-needed boost to manufacturing activity in what was, until recently, a major automotive industries manufacturing stronghold. The new plant has not only resulted in the repurposing and reopening of a major manufacturing site, it is also helping to provide additional local employment opportunities and a boost to the local economy.

“We believe the new Edinburgh Park facility is a ‘win-win’ for everyone

– us, our customers, the local community and, importantly, Australian manufacturing,” Michael Brixton said.

“As well as providing us with a greatly increased manufacturing capacity, the location means we’re right in the heart of Adelaide’s manufacturing hub, which not only brings the benefits of suitably scaled infrastructure and transport access, but also has the added benefit of local access to a suitably skilled workforce,” he said.

“What’s more, the new facility provides us with the capacity to grow well into the future. In fact, the Edinburgh Park plant will not only enable us to meet our current and future order book with significantly shorter production lead times, in reality, when it’s functioning at full-capacity, the plant would realistically be able to produce enough bins and lids to meet Australia’s current total demand for MGB’s and 4-wheeled 660 and 1100 litre bins well into the future,” he added.

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

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“What’s more, we believe that by maintaining a focus on manufacturing high quality products - products that are specifically developed to withstand Australia’s harsh environment - using high quality raw materials, Australian manufactured products can not only be competitive, they can deliver value and performance which is unmatched,” he added.

Together with its focus on manufacturing high quality products, another key factor in MASTEC’s mantra ‘Because There is a Difference’ is its focus on innovation – both in terms of product development, manufacturing and A&D (Assembly and Delivery) capabilities.

Over the past 30 years, MASTEC has been responsible for number of major innovations in bin design and manufacture, including the: • TRU360® high capacity 360-litre MGB that provides an additional 50% of collection capacity for recyclables in a design that can be collected ‘front on’ in a standard manner without the need to modify or adjust the standard grab arm • MASTEC KO® Bin - a compact bin for Kitchen Organics

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Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

• AUS660 and AUS1100 Australian designed and manufactured high performance 4-wheel bins In addition, MASTEC’s high-tech MAStrac electronic bin delivery system has helped to revolutionise the way bins of all types and sizes are rolled out across Australia.

INNOVATIVE HIGH-TECH MANUFACTURING FACILITY In keeping with the company’s focus on innovation, the new Edinburgh Park facility incorporates the latest in bin manufacturing technology. Michael Brixton explained: “Rather than simply trying to jam as many moulding machines as possible into the available space, we’ve focused on establishing a plant that incorporates internationally recognised ‘best practice’ manufacturing methods with the latest in state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure. This has enabled us to further maximise the productivity of the plant by eliminating production ‘bottlenecks’,” he added.

Together with the new high performance, high capacity moulding machines, the Edinburgh Park plant has been fitted with a centralised, computer-controlled machine cooling system. As well as helping to ensure that the machines are kept at the optimum operating temperature, the new system delivers a significant reduction in water and power usage, which reduces the ‘environmental footprint’ of the facility.

In addition, the new facility incorporates an array of integrated industrial robots to assist with the removal and handling of freshly moulded products from the machines and through the hot-stamping process.

As well as helping to speed the bin and lid manufacturing process, this level of automation helps to improve worker OH&S by eliminating a great deal of

repetitive heavy manual lifting and work in close proximity to heavy equipment.

The facility has also been fitted with a new 63-tonne gantry crane and tool turning deck to enable moulding tools to be moved and installed quickly and safely in and out of the moulding machines.

Another major advantage of the new MASTEC production facility, is that is completely dedicated to the manufacture of bins, lids and other bin components. This single product range manufacturing focus plays a major role in streamlining production planning and all phases of the manufacturing process.

Michael Brixton explained: “Rather than having to continually change our manufacturing processes to suit an array of unrelated moulded products, we can concentrate our efforts solely on the production of high quality bins, lids and bin components.”

“By working with a smaller range of products, all of which are of a similar nature, we’re able to minimise the downtime required to change out and test moulding tools. This, in turn, helps to maximise available machine production time and output,” he said.

“What’s more, it also means that everyone working at the plant is focused on the production of bins and lids… and this product ‘familiarity’ helps us to maximise quality.

What’s in a Name?

Three-time Melbourne Cup winner ‘Makybe Diva’ isn’t the only well-known Australian with an ‘acronym name’ derived from people’s names.

The same is true for the origins of the MASTEC® brand. The name MASTEC is actually an acronym made up from the first letters of the first names of the members of the Brixton family, namely: (M)ichael; (A)dam; (S)hirley; (T)ammy; (E)ven; (C)hantel.

COVER FEATURE

FROM THIS...

...TO THIS Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

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COVER FEATURE

MASTEC® MAStrac HIGH-TECH BIN DELIVERY SYSTEM Together with its high-tech bin and lid manufacturing capabilities, the past decade has also seen MASTEC gain an enviable reputation throughout Australia as an innovator and leader in the field of Bin Assembly & Distribution (A&D) services.

For many councils and authorities, the bin ‘roll-out’ for a new waste management or recycling service is one of the largest and most complex logistics and data management tasks with which they will ever be involved.

Even a relatively straightforward delivery, using the same size bin(s) for every household represents a major challenge. Logging bin serial numbers with property data, ensuring every household has a bin and, most importantly, making sure that the task is completed in time for the commencement of the new collection service(s), are all critical factors in the Assembly & Delivery (A&D) process.

Put simply, a failure in any of these areas can spell disaster for the council and collection contractor alike.

With that in mind, consider how the complexity of this task escalates if you add a choice of bin sizes and colours into the mix and then, just for good measure, also add in commercial customers with a choice of bin sizes.

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Developed as part of its highly-regarded ‘Total Bin Solutions’ approach to bin design, manufacture and Assembly & Distribution (A&D) services, MASTEC’s high-tech MAStrac bin delivery system utilises state-of-the-art hand-held barcode / RFID tag scanning units, together with a specially developed proprietary software package. As well as providing an extremely accurate and easy to use method of registering and tracking bin serial numbers and, if installed, RFID tag numbers to individual properties, the GSM-enabled scanners also provide a constantly updated ‘live data stream’ during the delivery process, thereby enabling instantaneous access to up-todate information relating to the current progress of the roll-out process.

The purpose-designed MAStrac system provides accurate, real-time information as to the status of every delivery contract.

As part of the bin manufacturing process, each MASTEC bin is ‘Hot Stamped’ with a unique serial number and fitted with a matching barcode sticker. At the time of delivery to the individual households, the bins are fitted with a second barcode sticker which is generated by the software system as part of the delivery route sheet preparation process. This second barcode reflects delivery address, property ID number and the type and size of the bin.

With all of the relevant data now ‘physically attached’ to the bins by means of two barcode stickers, all that remains is for the delivery crews to scan the two barcodes and (if installed) the RFID tag with the lightweight hand-held scanner/transmitter. This is a quick and simple process that generally takes no longer than 10 seconds per bin to complete.

The scanned data is then automatically transmitted (together with date/time stamp info) via the GSM digital network to the MASTEC’s central database as a ‘combined’ record containing all of the relevant data for the bin.

Importantly, in any instances where there may be a discrepancy in the GIS data (no house at location, incorrect address, etc.) the operator is able to enter an exception code that provides a clear explanation as to why a bin could not be delivered to the address. As well as providing an extremely quick and easy way of collecting all relevant data for each bin, the fact that the data is scanned rather than written manually, also eliminates problems or issues relating to incorrect information being written down and/or illegible run sheets further improving data integrity.

Furthermore, as a ‘live’ data transmission system, it also provides an accurate ‘real-time’ picture of how the bin roll-out process is progressing at any given time, regardless of the size of the contract or the number of bins involved.

Once the data from each of the individual delivery crews has been collated and checked, it is provided to the client for integration into their asset management / ratepayer GIS databases.

COVER FEATURE

SETTING A BENCHMARK IN OH&S FOR BIN DELIVERIES When it came to developing their MAStrac fully-integrated Assembly & Delivery (A&D) bin ‘roll-out’ system, the team at MASTEC placed a particular emphasis on maximising safety and minimising OH&S issues across every aspect of the bin delivery process.

Michael Brixton, explained: “In the past, the majority of bin deliveries were carried out using large tray top / Heavy Rigid trucks or semi-trailers, with a crew working on or off the back of the truck. In many instances, the work was even being carried out while the vehicles were still in motion. The crews were lifting and manoeuvring bins at unacceptable working heights and, in most instances, constantly crossing the roadway to deliver bins along both sides of the street simultaneously.”

“In fact, when we first started looking into developing our fully-integrated national bin delivery service, many of the ‘standard’ delivery practices were still sadly reminiscent of the old days of garbage trucks and runners, where one of the biggest challenges was trying to avoid being hit by a passing car, or for that matter, the truck that you’re working from.”

“Needless to say, my first thought was: …whatever we do, we won’t be

having people crossing the roadways or running along next to Tautliners, HR vehicles or semi-trailers,” he said.

Together with the ‘primary directive’ of ensuring that all bin delivery routes were planned with each side of the street being delivered separately - thereby eliminating the need for delivery crews to cross the road and dodge traffic - another major OH&S concern was that of working heights.

To meet this OH&S challenge, MASTEC developed a local area delivery strategy and invested in a fleet of compact local delivery trucks.

In short, rather than having a large semi-trailer or Heavy Rigid truck travelling though suburban streets delivering bins – which in itself represents a major traffic risk – MASTEC’s A&D process incorporates the establishment of one or more ‘satellite’ delivery depots in or adjacent to the contract area where the bins are to shipped in bulk from MASTEC’s Adelaide manufacturing facility.

At this point, the lids are attached and the bins are loaded into one of MASTEC’s fleet of local delivery trucks and delivered to the households. Each of the 4-tonne cab-chassis units is

fitted with a low height tray top with drop-down sides for easy access and unloading and dual amber flashing lights for high visibility. These trucks are utilised throughout Australia, with the required number of vehicles shipped to the satellite depot at the commencement of each contract.

Out on the road, the delivery routes are planned ‘one side of the street at a time’, eliminating the need for crews to cross roadways during delivery. The drop-down tray sides make it extremely easy for the crews to unload the required number of bins for each stop directly onto the nature strip / footpath, where wheels and axles are fitted and the bins are delivered to each household.

“We’re extremely serious about safety for us, one injury is one injury too many,” Michael Brixton said.

“And while no one can guarantee that nothing ever goes wrong, I believe that it falls to all of us to ensure that we do everything possible to minimise, and hopefully eliminate, the risk of any injuries occurring.”

For further information on the full range of MASTEC products and services, please visit the website: www.mastec.com.au

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

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NWRIC NEWS

By Alex Serpo, Policy Officer, NWRIC

Don’t let this recycling crisis go to waste

by Alex Serpo, Policy Officer, NWRIC Inside every crisis is an opportunity, and the Chinese ‘National Sword’ program is no exception.

For those not across the facts, allow me to first offer some background. In July 2017 China notified the World Trade Organization that it planned to effectively ban imports of 24 types of scrap, which its Environment Ministry called “foreign garbage”. This program is called the ‘National Sword’.

Academic publication The Conversation reports China received 56 percent by weight of global scrap plastic exports in 2017. Meanwhile, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that 65% of Australia’s exported paper and around 60% of our plastics go to China, either directly or via Hong Kong. So we are very dependent on China for recycling.

Implementation of the National Sword program was brought forward by the Chinese with little warning. It made large changes to market conditions. The program is putting strong downward pressure on prices for recycled materials - which means MRF can’t provide the same value to clients. The price changes are dramatic.

In some cases the price for paper has fallen from $250 per tonne to $60 or even less. The price of mixed plastics has fallen from around $300 per tonne to $50 or less. Glass has effectively become worth $0 and is either being stockpiled or given away to make road base for the cost of transport. In essence the price of a ‘bin’ or commingled recycling has fallen by between 50% and 95%.

So let nobody be confused, this is a crisis. Without sudden action, kerbside and commercial recycling could be shut down in the worst affected regions. Speaking about the formation of the United Nations following World War 2 - Winston Churchill said - “never let a good crisis go to waste". If he was alive now, perhaps he would say ‘don’t let a recycling crisis go to waste’. With the spirit in mind, here are five beneficial programs which could be created out of this challenge.

1) This is an opportunity to stimulate fuel manufacture in Australia In between landfill and re-manufacture is fuel manufacture. That is, 20

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

mixed kerbside materials can be turned into pelletized, high calorific fuels. These fuels can be used as a low cost, low pollution alternative in cement kilns and other energy generating facilities. As globally we use more fuel than we use packaging, these markets are more robust. Fuel manufacture is an important part of the circular economy - and it’s essential that we don’t make the perfect the enemy of good.

SUEZ-ResourceCo’s process engineered fuel plant in Wingfield, South Australia is the type of infrastructure we need.

2) Container deposits schemes must work for and not against MRFs NSW has just introduced its container deposit scheme (CDS), Return and Earn, with Queensland to follow in 2019 and Western Australia likely in 2020. This means CDS schemes will cover every Australian jurisdiction except Victoria and Tasmania. Container deposit schemes can work for or against MRFs, with industry initially questioning the scheme for NSW on the basis that it may undermine existing kerbside recycling programs. The obvious answer to this problem is to ensure that cash for can schemes work for, and not against MRFs. Container scheme work against MRFs when; A) they effectively ‘compete’ with MRFs because they provide a cleaner stream of recycled materials, B) they result in picking of kerbside bins which reduces their overall value to a recycler. Container deposit schemes work for MRFs when the A) MRF operators can claim the deposit on incoming bottles (not local government), making them extra income and, B) the ‘picking’ of bins is kept to a minimum.

3) It’s time to talk about contamination Now is the time to implement new action plans to reduce contamination. Luckily, we have a new national program ready to go - it’s called the Australian Recycling Label (ARL). If adopted, the ARL means that what can and can’t be processed by MRFs will now be determined by an independent umpire. It’s a good example of many new source separation initiatives which are ready to go.

4) Let’s put those levy funds to work Landfill levies are substantial and have been getting larger, meaning State Governments has banked up big capital. For example the Municipal Association of Victoria estimates that the Sustainability Fund, created by landfill levies, was at $466 million at 30 June 2016.

Meanwhile, landfill levies in Australia are expected to raise over $1 billion in 2018. Some of these funds should be redirected to the MRF sector as a response.

To deploy these funds effectively, the NWRIC has made two suggestions. Firstly, that all State and Territories develop 10 and 30 year waste and recycling infrastructure plans. We’re please to see that Victoria and South Australia have now done that. Secondly, that levies are deployed effectively and fairly. One way to do this is to deploy levy funds via a national ‘recycling bank’, which could operate in a similar manner to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

5) Now is a golden opportunity to stimulate domestic re-manufacture capacity Ultimately, long term recycling will depend on establishing domestic demand for recycled materials. Having sat through multiple ‘crisis’ meetings with industry and government it has become clear that China has permanently changed its appetite for accepting contaminated foreign waste - but we can sell clean material.

Therefore, if we want a long-term recycling industry in Australia it must be built off the back of domestic demand. Luckily, government are ready to provide capital and recyclate has never been cheaper.

So if you’re thinking about setting up a domestic re-manufacture business, now is the perfect time.

5 GOOD REASONS

WHY YOU SHOULD USE SUPERIOR KOGA BLADES Higher Productivity Longer Lasting Value for Money Improved Wear Proven Quality

Blades for all shredders and granulators.

Erema, Weima, Lindner, Genox, Untha, Zerma, Eldan, Vecoplan and more!

Call Koga Recyclingtech Now

0419 558 600

Email: geofp@koga.com.au

Alex Serpo is the policy officer at the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) - which represents Australia’s leading national waste and recycling companies.

A Cut Above The Rest

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

21

NWRIC NEWS

Urgent Action Needed to Protect Recycling Contracts The National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) has said that without urgent action to address market changes recycling contracts across Australia could face default.

In July 2017 China notified the World Trade Organisation that it planned to reduce the imports of many recycled materials meaning recycling contracts in Australia are now under threat. This latest action is called the ‘National Sword’ and is a continuation of the ‘Green Fence’ program which has slowly been tightening standards on import contamination.

China has said it intends to enforce the policy by limiting which businesses can obtain scrap import licences.

In essence, the ‘National Sword’ means significantly lower contamination levels on imported recycled materials will apply from 2018, and fewer import licences will be issued.

On February 6 the NWRIC met to discuss this matter, and now are warning that without significant market changes, kerbside and commercial recycling contracts could be cancelled. This includes the collection and recycling of paper, mixed plastics and some metal products.

Preliminary solutions which may assist include: 1. The renegotiation of contracts between local governments and recycling providers to improve risk sharing and lower contamination;

2. Increasing stockpiling allowances where environmentally safe; 3. Commonwealth assistance could be used to open new export markets; 4. The reinvigoration of domestic re-manufacturing capacity is the best long-term solution to this challenge.

Where recycling markets have shortfalls, the Council notes that it is important this does not result in the improper stockpiling of recyclable materials.

Large stockpiles of paper and plastics can become a fire hazard, and therefore, should be sent to landfill to protect public safety.

“The NWRIC is urging all customers, including local government and commercial waste generators, to meet with their recycling supplier to plan for these sudden and unforeseen changes,” said Mr Phil Richards, Chairman of the NWRIC. For more information, please visit: www.nwric.com.au

No-one in Australia goes further in recycling rubber.

Every year, thousands of tonnes of tyres are dumped illegally. This is a major environmental and public health concern; but it needn’t be.

In Australia, Tyrecycle is the market leader in tyre recycling, with a national network of collection and processing facilities.

Our recycled rubber is used for sporting and playground surfaces, tile adhesives, brake pads and much more. It’s just another way of working towards our own goal of zero waste to landfill.

To learn more about us visit tyrecycle.com.au call 1300 4 TYRECYCLE (1300 489 732) or email sales@tyrecycle.com.au

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Technology Breakthrough For Treatment Of PFAS In Surface Water Scientists from OPEC Systems recently announced the development of a new technology known as Surface Active Foam Fractionation (SAFF) to remove PFAS compounds from contaminated water.

Independent NATA testing demonstrates that the technology simply and effectively removes over 99.95 per cent of priority PFAS compounds from source water, meeting recreational use standards within minutes. Subsequent polishing with other well established technologies enables remediation to drinking water guidelines.

PFAS (per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) are organic pollutants of concern used principally in a now discontinued formulation of fire fighting foam. These compounds break down very slowly in the natural environment and migrate readily into adjacent water sources.

In 2009, PFOS (one of many PFAS compounds) was listed as a persistent organic pollutant by the United Nations Environment Program. Today there is widespread concern regarding the potential for long term health risks to people and the environment from PFOS and a variety of other PFAS compounds.

“We are immensely proud to bring this breakthrough technology to market.

SAFF has the potential to effectively treat thousands of sites containing PFAS contaminated waters both in Australia and worldwide, and brings a much needed solution for those organisations currently storing PFAS contaminated waters on site with no effective disposal route,” said OPEC Environmental Division Manager, Steve Phillips.

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Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

SAFF technology is ideally suited for onsite treatment of PFAS contaminated above ground bulk water stores at places such as airports, industrial locations, refineries and defence sites. It can also be used to treat bore water as it exits the ground, promising relief for rural communities experiencing PFAS contamination in their stock and irrigation waters.

“Importantly, this cost-effective technology is low waste, energy efficient and contributes zero harm to the environment.”

Designed for mobility using either a skid mounted or containerised system, SAFF has the capacity for either continuous water treatment, or batch water treatment for more highly contaminated source waters. Water processing capacity for SAFF is scalable, with a base model system designed to process 500 litres per hour from a 1.5 x 2.4m forkliftable platform.

The modular system design has capacity for limitless expansion, with engineering designs for a 10,000 litre-an-hour system currently being finalised.

“Target PFAS contaminants have a fortunate tendency to foam when aerated.

Using a simple ‘Air in – PFAS out’ approach, our SAFF technology successfully exploits this characteristic to remove PFAS compounds from water.”

SAFF technology treats PFAS contaminated water on site within specialised fractionation columns. Air is introduced into the column of PFAS contaminated water through a diffuser, and the resulting bubble column rises to produce a contaminant rich foam on the water surface, which is extracted using a uniquely designed vacuum extraction system.

After the first run through, treated water is reprocessed in a secondary SAFF vessel, before being safely returned to the environment.

The extracted PFAS concentrate receives secondary polishing treatments to create a hyper-concentrate which is potentially thousands of times more potent than the original contaminate, before being taken off-site for destruction at a certified waste destruction facility.

OPEC Systems has been working on a solution to PFAS contamination for several years in collaboration with industry, government and specialist tertiary institutions.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

“Foam Fractionation has been an exciting success story for our scientists as we work strategically to identify simple and effective ways to remove PFAS contaminants from water sources. During October, we announced our development of a new technology to remove PFAS contaminants from ground water using Downhole Foam Fractionation, and today’s announcement for above ground water sources uses similar scientific principles,” Mr Phillips said.

FAST FACTS BACKED BY SCIENCE • The OPEC SAFF system was developed and refined by OPEC Research and Development Scientists at laboratories in Sydney and Melbourne.

• A robust QA/QC process, conducted by NATA-accredited Australian laboratories, was undertaken. Results were peer reviewed by leading industry experts.

• The results reconfirmed that the OPEC SAFF rapidly and comprehensively removes a broad array of PFAS compounds (including PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS) from source water, with no known adverse environmental impacts.

• During the testing process, samples were taken from a number of sites with varying concentrations of PFAS contaminants • SAFF can successfully treat water with PFAS concentrations ranging from 0.05ug/l to 50,000ug/l.

• OPEC’s Management Systems are certified to the following international standards: AS/NZS 4801:2001 (Occupation Health and Safety Management Systems), ISO9001:2008 (Quality Management Systems) and AS/NZS ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems). OPEC is also OFSC accredited by the Federal Safety Commissioner (Accreditation Number 373).

• OPEC is an accredited environmental consultant and contractor under the Defence and Environmental and Heritage Panel (DEHP).

•

•

WHAT IS PFAS? • PFAS is a group of manufactured chemicals used worldwide since the 1950’s to make products that resist heat, stains, oil/grease and water.

• Until around 2004, PFAS compounds were present in aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) which is a fire fighting foam used worldwide and at many sites within Australia to extinguish fires.

• PFAS chemicals are also used in nonstick cookware; fabric, furniture and carpet stain protection applications; food packaging and many industrial processes.

• Over decades, PFAS chemicals work their way through soil to reach the groundwater beneath.

• PFAS compounds are generally very stable and do not break down in the environment.

• PFAS chemicals are known as an ‘emerging contaminant’, and their specific impact on the environment and humans

•

•

•

is still being reviewed. PFOS is one of two chemicals listed in Annex B of the Stockholm convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants – the other being DDT . Concerns relate to their characteristics of persistence, bio-accumulation and toxicity.

Within the human body, PFAS substances bind to fat proteins and are retained for a prolonged period.

Some studies in humans have suggested that PFAS may affect the development of foetuses and young children leading to possible growth, learning or behaviour problems . Other studies have pointed to possible links to cancer , immune system disorders , thyroid dysfunction and fertility problems.

According to NSW Health, people living in PFAS affected regions are advised to: avoid using groundwater or surface water for drinking or cooking; avoid swallowing ground or surface water when swimming/ bathing; avoid eating home grown food such as vegetables, fruits, home slaughtered meat and poultry, eggs and milk cultivated from contaminated water; and modifying intake of fish and seafood from contaminated areas.

In April 2017, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand updated their standard on safe levels of PFOS in drinking water from 0.5 micrograms per litre to 0.07.

Within Australia, PFAS contaminants have been identified at over 70 sites around the country where fire training has been undertaken. Locations include defence bases, airports and industrial sites.

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

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CASE STUDY

Filming The Shannara Chronicles in the underwater indoor dive tank at Kumeu Film Studios in Auckland, New Zealand.

Star of the Screen Kumeu Film Studios (Auckland, New Zealand • CRYSTAL-CLEAR WATER CREATED FOR MOVIE STUDIO'S UNDERWATER DIVE TANK • ACTORS NO LONGER EXPERIENCING RED EYES AFTER FILMING IN CHLORINE-FREE WATER • SOFT HYDROXYPURE SANITISATION PRESERVES COSTUMES AND DIVERS’ WETSUITS

Setting: International screen production facility The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Piano, The Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong, The Last Samurai, Avatar – for a small island nation in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand has produced an incredible range of big budget movies that have found international success all around the world.

New to the scene is Kumeu Film Studios, a converted screen production complex just 25 minutes from central Auckland. Initially built around the China-Hollywood co-produced action-adventure film MEG starring Jason Statham and Li Bingbing, the 27-hectare site (66.7 acres) now includes extensive stage, workshop and manufacture spaces, production offices, 12 hectares of forest, and two water tanks. These are the only water tanks of this size and type in New Zealand.

The facility includes: Underwater Dive Tank (indoor) • Volume: 1.267 million litres (334,686 US gallons/278,684 lmp gallons) • Diameter: 18m (59.5ft) • Maximum depth: 4.9m (16ft) • Stair access and 6.8m2 (73ft2) platform just below water level for diver access 26

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• State-of-the-art Hydroxypure/Ozone water treatment system that creates crystal-clear water with maximum temperature 33°C (91°F) Ocean Surface Tank (outdoor) • Volume: 2.5 million litres (660,430 US gallons/549,923 lmp gallons) • Length: 36m-54m (118 to 177ft) • Width: 40m (131ft) • Depth: 0.7m to pit of 3m (2.5ft and 10ft) with the base of the pit 17m2 (55ft2) with a 9.6m2 (31.5ft2) reinforced concrete foundation pad below the liner for attaching hardware • Traditional chlorine treatment system with a maximum temperature 32°C (89°F)

Challenge: Creating healthy water for actors, clear conditions for filmmakers Before filming MEG, American movie giant Warner Bros. Studios needed assurance that the underwater dive tank was able to create a blank canvas – a default position – for filmmakers, which meant the water needed to be as clear as possible.

“When shooting underwater shots, we are usually trying to match footage to cut into a sequence that is either shot on a Location or a Surface Tank, on a previous date or to be shot in the future,” says Steve Ingram, Special Effects Designer / Supervisor. “So, we need to be able to control the ‘underwater atmosphere’ as much as possible.”

The best place to start, he explains, is with crystal clear water, which does not irritate the actors’ eyes or skin.

“The lighting options and available image definition resulting from this water clarity usually deliver a better and more believable end look to the sequences. Post Production VFX work, if required, is usually a lot less complicated when you can remove a variable and often ‘swirling’ atmosphere out of the equation,” Steve explains.

“Along with the comfortable water temperature, easy access and multitude of ‘rigging points’ available, we are able to get the best shots possible in a very safe and efficient process.”

Powering a Sustainable Future

Solution: A chlorine-free filtration system to preserve acting talent and filming equipment Producing the same quality of water demanded by high-end hotels all over the world (which the studio says is a major selling point it uses when pitching to producers), Waterco's Hydroxypure has brought myriad benefits to the cast and crew.

"The actors have commented that the water feels soft on their skin and gentle on their eyes, unlike chlorinated water which causes red eyes," says Screen Production Attraction Executive, Jasmine Millet. "That is hugely beneficial for actors who need to be consistently under water for hours at a time without masks. And, unlike chlorinated pools, Hydroxypure doesn't bleach costumes or deteriorate divers' wetsuits.

"We haven't emptied the tank since it was filled," Jasmine adds. "A chemist tests the water every week and it has remained clean and healthy with the Hydroxypure treatment system. We haven't had any instances at all where the water has triggered any concerns from a health and safety perspective."

“I had two executive producers looking at the tank two days ago and they were completely blown away by the clarity of the water.”

Jasmine Millet, Screen Production Attraction Executive.

Did you know you can access the latest issue of Waste + Water Management Australia via Informit?

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Result: Crystal clear water for "100% Pure New Zealand" Jasmine says water clarity is "absolutely critical" for underwater filming, in terms of transparency, health and safety, and the ability to control the environment – which is now all possible thanks to Waterco's revolutionary Hydroxypure system.

"We are now on the radar of major international studios that are looking for facilities with water tanks," she adds. "Thanks to the size of the underwater tank and quality of water, we now have the ability to compete with film and television projects from all over the world.

Hydroxypure gives us that ultra-clear, pristine water."

It's so clear, that a new Viacom television series called Shannara, which recently filmed in the underwater tank, described the footage as "cinematic".

"They're thrilled with the quality of the material they came away with," says Jasmine. "Also, I had two executive producers looking at the tank two days ago and they were completely blown away by the clarity of the water."

Hydroxypure, it seems, is bringing new meaning to Tourism New Zealand's marketing campaign: "100% Pure New Zealand".

For further information, please visit: www.waterco.nz

Other key titles published by EPC Media include: Highway Engineering Australia Construction Engineering Australia

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Research for your global future

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

27

PROJECT BRIEF

A concrete base for wind farm growth in South Australia As South Australia leads the nation in wind farm development - and in reaping the benefits thereof, one SA family business has positioned itself firmly at the base of this growing industry.

Anticipating the need for renewable energy facilities in regional locations back in 2007, South Australian-based but nationally focused ResourceCo made a significant capital investment in mobile concrete plant technology.

“We did invest heavily in ensuring we had the best equipment for any mobile bulk concreting projects and that includes pouring bases for wind farm turbines anywhere across the country,” says ResourceCo Concrete Divisional Manager Eddy Crosato.

“Our fully self-contained mobile concrete batching plants are easily towed from site to site, and we have the capacity to supply up to 90 cubic metres an hour,” Mr Crosato says.

The base of just one wind turbine requires around 400 cubic metres of concrete.

“At the height of operations at the Hornsdale Wind Farm, we had two plants operating and a fleet of around 16 trucks to pour 40,000 cubic metres of concrete,” he says.

Home also to the world’s largest lithium battery as well as 99 wind turbines, the 28

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Hornsdale facility generates approximately 1,050,000 megawatt hours of clean, renewable electricity into Australia’s power grid each year, making a major contribution to the nation’s greenhouse gas reductions.

These reductions are equivalent to taking either 290,000 cars off the road or planting 1,900,000 trees, producing enough electricity to power approximately 180,000 homes with renewable energy.

Indeed, it is these environmental benefits that cement ResourceCo’s quest to help more of these renewable energy projects get off the ground.

“ResourceCo is a South Australian business that prides itself on finding sustainable solutions to fossil fuel usage and we’re thrilled to work on projects that so perfectly align with our own values.”

“When we’re completing regional projects, we only use local materials from local suppliers - there is nothing that comes from overseas or interstate. We’re also committed to using local workers from surrounding communities.”

ResourceCo has most recently completed the 32-turbine Willogoleche Wind Farm project 160 kilometres north of Adelaide and is currently pouring 58 turbine bases for the New South Wales-based Silverton Wind Farm more than 500 kilometres from Adelaide.

Wind farm development in South Australia has come a long way since 2003 when the State only had one 150kW wind farm unit at Coober Pedy. Today, the state boasts around a quarter of Australia’s 79 operational wind farms, accounting for around 40% of Australia’s wind farm capacity and an estimated 50 per cent of South Australia’s electricity generation. With another three facilities currently in development in South Australia - and even more across the nation - ResourceCo’s track record and mobile capability is placing them in high demand.

“We are seeing an increase in enquiries for our wind farm work, because people know we have the right equipment and the right expertise to deliver the work on-time and on-budget regardless of the location.”

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

Bucher Municipal introduces new FORCE Series II Front Loader Leading waste and recycling equipment manufacturer Bucher Municipal has launched its new FORCE Series II Front Loader collection vehicle. The FORCE Series II builds on its predecessor's reputation for quality and performance, with a number of key upgrades and innovations.

Since its release in 2011, the Bucher Municipal FORCE Front Loader has led the market in Front Loading Refuse collection equipment. Indeed, the FORCE name (which stands for Front Operating Refuse Collection Equipment) is synonymous with high durability, operator comfort, speed of operation and the best payload in the industry.

Importantly, in keeping with their focus on continual improvement and product development, the team at Bucher Municipal have been listening to their customers and working towards addressing a number of issues and challenges commonly experienced across the wider Front Loader refuse collection industry. As a result, the FORCE has now evolved.

With its many improvements, and numerous industry-first innovations, the iconic Front Loader will now exceed customer’s 30

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expectations in the areas of Durability, Productivity, Safety and Reliability.

Available in 2 sizes – a 28.5m³ body capacity for 6x4 and a 33.5m³ body capacity for 8x4 cab-chassis applications – the FORCE Series II Front Loader is ideal for any commercial collection application.

From a productivity standpoint, the FORCE Series II’s 2,500kg lift capacity, 12-second lift cycle time and pack-on-the-run capability provides operators with the ability to pick up more bins per shift. Productivity is further enhanced by the unit’s scissor-type compaction system design which delivers a higher compaction force and greater payloads.

The reinforced Eject Blade and Hopper Frame provide strong and reliable compaction and a longer working life, while the FORCE Series II’s three-lid hopper system improves shielding to minimise windblown rubbish, further reducing the overall environmental impact of the vehicle.

From a safety perspective, the Bucher FORCE Series II has been designed with a focus on full OH&S compliance during all aspects of operation. For increased driver safety, the unit’s in-cab system provides

warnings for arms raised, hopper-lid open, tailgate open and flipping roof raised, together with Emergency Stops to disable all functions. There’s also improved safety access to the front of the body and roof, with newly designed access ladders; as well as safety interlocks at all access points, dual self-aligning tailgate props and a fork angle safety interlock.

Together with an array of standard features and accessories, the Bucher FORCE Series II is available with a comprehensive range of options and accessories to suit all manner of applications – from sliding and extra heavy-duty forks, through to the optional fall arrest and fire suppressant systems. The FORCE Series II is also available with an optional fully-integrated on-board weighing system.

Front ZONE Safety System In keeping with Bucher Municipal’s focus on safety, the Bucher FORCE II Front Loader is also available with the innovative Front ZONE Safety system, which helps to prevent the bin or lift arms from coming into contact with anyone or anything that moves into the work zone during the lifting cycle.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

The Front ZONE (Zone Object Notification Equipment) System utilises motion detection technology to sense any object that has entered the ‘work zone’ of a Front Loader during the bin lowering phase of the lift cycle.

In the event that a person or object is detected, the Front ZONE system notifies the operator with a visual and audible warning and then shuts down the bin lifter. Once the safety shut down has been activated, bin lifter operation can only recommence after the operator has checked and acknowledged that the ‘work zone’ is clear and activates the override command.

Speaking about the Front ZONE safety system, Marcus Hughes, Product Manager with Bucher Municipal commented: "Our aim has always been to create the safest waste collection equipment on the market."

"Accidents can happen to even the most careful and observant operator. It only takes a fraction of a second for someone to move into the vehicle's work zone during the bin lift cycle, and that can spell disaster," he said.

"By stopping the lift cycle, the Front ZONE system will not only assist with prevention of injury or damage to any object in the working zone during bin lifter operation, it will also give the operator added peace of mind that the area

is being monitored even during the portion of the lift cycle where their view is obscured by the bin," he added.

The system utilises the latest in infrared laser sensor technology to ensure that objects can be detected even in low light operation.

Fully integrated and programmed by Bucher's engineers to suit the Bucher control system, the Front ZONE System requires no additional monitors or devices that may clutter the cab. All visual warning notifications are displayed on the vehicle's existing camera vision monitor to ensure the operator is notified of objects detected.

For further information, please visit: www.buchermunicipal.com.au

HOW IT WORKS The Bucher Front ZONE System incorporates two monitoring zones - the 'Work Zone' and 'Danger Zone'.

5.

1.

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Operator lifts bin into hopper and begins to lower the bin.

Front ZONE system scans the ‘Work Zone’.

If an object is detected in the ‘Work Zone’, the operator is notified with a slow beep, a flashing light and a notification on the Bucher monitor: “Object In Work Zone, Proceed with Caution”.

If the object has left the ‘Work Zone’ and alarm has been turned off, the operator continues to lower the bin.

7.

8.

If an object is then detected in the ‘Danger Zone’, the operator is notified with a fast beep and continuous warning light.

The Front ZONE System will immediately cease all bin lifter functionality and display a second warning on the monitor: “Object in Danger Zone, When Safe Press Enter”.

The operator is then required to physically check the 'Work Zone' to ensure it is clear.

If the 'Work Zone' is clear, the operator can then select the manual override function and continue operation with caution.

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Highest green award for Queen Victoria Market renewal The City of Melbourne has become the first Australian local government to receive the 6 Star Green Star – Communities accreditation for its visionary Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal program.

Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the Green Building Council of Australia awarded its highest rating following an assessment of the renewal master plan against best practice benchmarks for liveability, environmental sustainability, design excellence, prosperity, governance and innovation.

“The 6 Star Green Star – Communities rating is an endorsement of the City of Melbourne’s leadership in delivering a world class sustainable precinct that will thrive into the future,” the Acting Lord Mayor said.

“Through our $250 million renewal program, we have an unrivalled opportunity to implement sustainable practices that will benefit traders, residents and businesses for generations to come.”

The City of Melbourne worked closely with Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd on the Green Star – Communities submission and the

agreed commitments will be jointly delivered over the next five years.

The Acting Lord Mayor said the independent business case demonstrated that Queen Victoria Market cannot survive as a unique inner city fresh produce market without significant investment.

“In today’s modern market place, it is clear that we need to upgrade the operating modes, amenities and waste management systems to ensure Queen Victoria Market remains viable into the future,” the Acting Lord Mayor said.

Key sustainable infrastructure delivered through the renewal program includes: - Large scale waste and organic recycling facilities onsite to deal with the annual 6000 tonnes of solid and 60 tonnes of organic waste along with meat and offal waste; - Solar power and battery storage to generate on-site renewable energy; - Rainwater collection, stormwater harvesting and water recycling to reduce water consumption and - More public open space with planting, trees and water sensitive landscaping.

The market precinct in the expanding City North has been identified as a key growth area in the City of Melbourne’s municipality.

“The number of residents in City North is estimated to grow to 22,000 by 2040, creating opportunities and challenges while increasing the importance of open space,” the Acting Lord Mayor said.

“That is why we will transform the current customer car park into Market Square, the largest public space since Birrarung Marr that will be a new backyard for this growing residential population.

“We’re getting on with renewal so we can build a better future for all who work, live and shop in the area.”

“Queen Victoria Market is one of Melbourne’s most loved landmarks,” said Romilly Madew, Chief Executive Officer, Green Building Council of Australia. “The City of Melbourne’s approach strikes the right balance between preserving a heritage icon and rejuvenating an important centre of trade so that it is economically and environmentally sustainable for decades to come.”

Bringing nature back – to cities There are many benefits of bringing nature back into urban areas, but new research shows that besides using the right species for the local environment, their social acceptability, economic use and Indigenous significance need to be carefully considered.

‘Nature in all its forms provides a remarkable range of benefits in cities,’ said Dr Luis Mata, from RMIT’s Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group.

‘There is great enthusiasm to bring trees, shrubs, grasses, insects, spiders, birds and mammals back into urban areas. Naturebased solutions such as green roofs and popup parks are happening across the world.’

Dr Mata said benefits include improving people’s physical and psychological health, protection from future climate change, and conservation of threatened species. ‘Naturebased solutions re-enchant people with nature, which helps them appreciate and conserve nature outside cities as well. Also, nature in cities connects people with the local Indigenous culture and history.’

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However, Dr Mata said that the theory of benefiting from bringing nature back is one thing, but landscape designers, architects, health practitioners and others need to incorporate all aspects of nature in deciding how to bring it back.

‘Broader planning is required before development. We’re in need of biodiversitysensitive urban design, where developers specifically aim to deliver on-site biodiversity benefits.’

Dr Mata and his colleagues have developed a new decision-making tool that includes the ecological feasibility of each species, its conservation value, economic use, cultural significance in the context of Indigenous culture, and social acceptability.

‘We want to see all these things included in decisions about what nature to bring back into cities. For example, people deciding on ‘re-naturing’ actions need to guarantee that the nature coming back is not harmful, and that the targeted species are charismatic and attractive to people.’

Dr Mata said that as cities grow globally, bringing nature back to them will be increasingly relevant for future generations.

‘Protecting and bringing nature back into cities is a major sustainability goal. Future generations of an ever-increasing population of urban residents are relying on it.’

Dr Mata’s work contributes to the National Environmental Science Program - Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub (NESP-CAUL).

An example of nature back in Melbourne: the Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner Memorial on the corner of Franklin and Victoria Streets.

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Inefficient use of air-conditioning leaves Asean freezing in the tropics A new whitepaper on cooling in Southeast Asia finds low public awareness around the importance of energy-efficient cooling for reducing pollution and fighting climate change, and its implications for a more sustainable future for the region.

Southeast Asia is facing a growing cooling crisis, but its people remain unaware of the threat that inefficient cooling technologies can pose to national development and the environment, finds a new whitepaper published recently.

Freezing in the tropics: Asean’s air-con conundrum, commissioned by the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and produced by Eco-Business, explores the attitudes and awareness surrounding air-conditioning and its implications for sustainable development in Southeast Asia.

Cooling is key to human health and prosperity, and is increasingly important as the world experiences rapid urbanisation, economic growth and rising temperatures.

But the technology underpinning cooling poses an urgent environmental threat. Current cooling systems use potent greenhouse gases and consume large amounts of energy, usually derived from fossil fuels, therefore driving climate change.

Growing demand for air conditioning alone in the world’s emerging economies will drive a 64 per cent increase in household energy use, and produce 23.1 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2040.

At the same time, the International Energy Agency estimates that improving energy efficiency could provide almost 40 per cent of the emissions reductions needed to stay within the 2-degree Celsius ceiling for staving off the worst effects of climate change.

The whitepaper finds that cooling technologies such as refrigeration and airconditioning could account for 40 per cent of Southeast Asia’s electricity demand by 2040.

This would generate significant amount of climate-change causing carbon emissions if left unchecked, particularly in Southeast Asia where coal is a major source of energy.

If Asean countries switched to energy efficient products for cooling, they can reduce electricity consumption by 100 TWH at a saving of US$12 billion annually. This is 34

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the equivalent to the annual production of 50 coal power plants.

Yet respondents in the region who took part in a survey for the whitepaper showed limited understanding of the impact of airconditioning on the environment. Almost half of the respondents voted for “increasing the development of solar plants” as the most important way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region, rather than increasing the efficiency of air-conditioning units.

The paper also revealed that the general public has low awareness of the refrigerants used in air-conditioners and the impact it has on the environment. Over 45 per cent of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement ‘People in my country are aware of the harm that air-conditioning refrigerants do to the environment’.

There is also widespread sentiment among Southeast Asian citizens that buildings are sometimes cooled to excess.

This was especially the case in Singapore, where 68 per cent of respondents indicating that they often work in settings that are too cold.

The paper also includes a case study on Indonesia, which has the third highest use of air-conditioning in Asia after China and India. Despite the high proliferation of airconditioners in the country, there is little understanding of the benefits of energy efficient and sustainable cooling among the public, and the government also takes a relatively hands-off approach to campaigns promoting energy efficient products.

Tim Hill, Research Director for EcoBusiness, who led the research behind the whitepaper, commented: “The survey found that Asean citizens are largely unaware of the hazards of increasing demands for air-conditioning, which is only set to grow in tandem with economic development. However, the comments among Asean citizens surveyed exposed common areas where

governments could better legislate, such as reducing excessive cooling of public buildings and ensuring energy efficient appliances are sold in retail spaces.”

Freezing in the tropics: Asean’s air-con conundrum was based on a survey of 424 respondents from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, conducted in November and December of 2017.

Dan Hamza-Goodacre, Executive Director, K-CEP, said: “Providing clean, efficient cooling for all is one of the 21st century’s biggest opportunities, especially in the Asean region. Society reaps huge health and productivity benefits from cooling, but few of us realise that an airconditioning unit is like a carbon bomb.

Inefficient cooling from the use of polluting fluorinated gases could result in 1 degree Celsius of global warming, and this must change. Businesses know the answer, governments need to encourage change and consumers need to wake up and make smart choices about the cooling technology they buy – and we want to accelerate change with the findings of this whitepaper.”

The whitepaper was launched at the inaugural Asean Cooling Summit, held recently in Bangkok where more than 100 business, government, civic society and academic leaders convened to discuss the urgent need for sustainable cooling in Southeast Asia.

ABOUT THE KIGALI COOLING EFFICIENCY PROGRAM (K-CEP) The Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) is a philanthropic collaboration launched in 2017 to support the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol and the transition to energy efficient, climate-friendly, affordable cooling solutions for all. K-CEP’s secretariat, the Efficiency Cooling Office, is located at the ClimateWorks Foundation.

FOCUS ON WATER

Desalination Orders Flood In IDTechEx looks at the current state of desalination globally For much of the last decade, there has been oversupply of desalination plants but that is less true today. Business is picking up globally, first with a wave of large plants in the main. Traditionally, most desalination has been carried out in areas such as the Middle East, North Africa and California in the USA and they continue to invest heavily.

The largest impediments to faster adoption is cost and there are concerns about gaseous emissions from their power plants on site or at their grid supplier. The giant plants can have water cost escalation from grid supply outages and monopoly pricing and by under-utilisation. Security of large plants is beginning to be a worry.

All of this is being tackled by off-grid zero emission electricity for desalination using new technology, process improvements and plants that perform many functions as analysed in the new IDTechEx report, Desalination: Off Grid Zero Emission 2018-2028.

The Report predicts that, coming from very little in 2018, off grid zero emission desalination, including for brackish water, will be a rapidly growing $35 billion market in 2028. The report looks closely at its roadmap of exciting new desalination and electricity technologies that will boost performance and reduce cost, in particular the two reducing what is often the largest cost element – electricity.

Following is a brief summary of the current state of desalination in key global markets according to IDTechEx, together with what they view as some of the problems and solutions rapidly embrace replenishing water tables, lakes and rivers, not just supplying current agricultural, industrial and drinking water needs.

China The huge population of China is going to get very thirsty as some of its water tables are depleted. The Chinese Government says that, by 2030, the water shortage in China’s coastal areas will be 21.4 billion cubic meters a day so it plans three million tonnes of desalinated water a day by 2020. Progress towards this was rapid to 2010, then stalled, most going to industry because domestic 36

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price was unacceptable so regional government prevaricated. However, in 2018, China has 131 seawater desalination plants still 66.6% supplying industry.

The official view is that, “China will speed up the legislation on seawater utilisation, expand the use of seawater and address public concerns over drinking desalinated water,” so no more kicking the (water) can down the road. Beijing plans a quadrupling of seawater desalination to 3.6 billion litres daily by 2020.

Meanwhile, just one wastewater project over five years is clocking in at $15 billion.

The Chinese Government will ensure China makes its own desalination creating a major export, but it is a long way from doing that.

India India is the conundrum, with its states often failing recycle efficiently or cooperate in water conservation or diversion so parts are water rich and other parts such as Tamilnadu have dry rivers and parched land.

Most of India cannot afford desalination at current prices yet, in much of India, the water table drops 0.3 meters yearly and its population is set to overtake China. India has some desalination plants and if desalination energy costs come down, for example by using abundant solar power, wind and ocean

power, bigger plants, standardised smaller plants designed and made locally and solar and wind power pumping water inland it will have much more desalination. Intakes and effluent killing sea life and excessive water use by agriculture remain among the issues.

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi has invited international firms to express interest in building one of the world’s biggest water desalination plants as the capital of the United Arab Emirates boosts capacity to meet rising demand, a senior official said January 2018.

The project, estimated to cost between $600 million and $1.2 billion, will have capacity of 200 million gallons per day, Adil al-Saeedi, acting director of privatisation at the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA), told Reuters.

Companies are likely to be prequalified by the second quarter of this year with a developer for the project selected by the third quarter, he said. The developer will own up to 40% of a special purpose vehicle that will sign a long-term agreement to sell water to ADWEA, which will directly or indirectly own the rest of the equity in the project. Abu Dhabi’s current water production capacity is around 960 million gallons per day from 10 desalination plants.

Egypt Egypt is building the world’s largest desalination plant. Another giant is proposed in response to an anticipated reduction in Nile river water flows into Egypt when Ethiopia completes construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The dam's completion was expected in 2017 but the project is behind schedule.

Egypt relies almost entirely on the Nile for water, and estimates suggest that filling up the new dam will reduce Nile water flowing into Egypt by 20 per cent.

In November 2017, talks between Egypt and Ethiopia over sharing Nile river water broke down. Under the terms of the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement, Egypt is entitled to 55.5 bn m3 and Sudan gets 18.5bn m3 of Nile waters, however Ethiopia was not party to the agreement.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is expected to be the biggest hydroelectric dam in Africa when it completes, with capacity to generate 6,450 MW.

Morocco In Morocco, Agriculture Minister Aziz Akhannouch's "Moroccan Sahara" showpiece wind-powered desalination project will provide irrigation for 5,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Dakhla Oued-Eddahab region.

Kenya Kenya plans Simoni Integrated Development Project (SIDEP) to regenerate a former slave trading port into an international import and export hub including a desalination plant as part of an electricity generation scheme whose cost is pegged at KES 9.3 trillion ($90 billion). The desalination plant will generate 10,000 MW and reportedly it may be capacitive – not a popular technology. The plant will support mining, mineral processing, and agriculture. SIDEP is 20 ys KES 9.3 trillion ($90 billion).

South Africa Site preparation for the Monwabisi desalination plant has kicked off in Cape Town as the City prepares projects to bring additional water supply online to combat the unprecedented drought.

The Monwabisi desalination plant is one of seven projects earmarked for development in the first phase of the City’s Additional Water Supply Programme. The City of Cape Town’s seven projects include the Monwabisi, Strandfontein, V&A Waterfront, and the Cape Town Harbour desalination plants, the Atlantis and Cape Flats Aquifer projects, and the Zandvliet water recycling project which will collectively produce an additional 196 million litres per day between February and July 2018. In addition, the City has 12 projects at an advanced planning stage.

USA An expected $10 billion investment 2017-2023 will add 5.7 million cubic meters per day of new production capacity. This capacity is expected to double by 2030.

For more information, please visit: www.idtechex.com/ desalination and to find out more about IDTechEx, please visit: www.IDTechEx.com

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

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FOCUS ON WATER

Report finds that “Tariffs need to double” in the USA to tackle ageing infrastructure and water scarcity A recent White Paper, published by Global Water Intelligence (GWI) and the Global Water Leaders Group (GWLG) calls for further water and wastewater tariff increases across the USA, amid rate hikes driven by concerns for ageing infrastructure and water scarcity.

The White Paper, entitled The Global Value of Water and published in partnership with Arup, includes results of The Global Water Tariff Survey 2017, with tariff data from 452 cities across the world, and commentaries from GWLG members and Alexander Danilenko, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist at The World Bank.

The survey results revealed that water and wastewater tariffs in cities across the US grew by 5.3% between July 2016 and July 2017, as rising operating costs, ageing infrastructure replacements and water scarcity took their toll.

The survey found for the first time, that urban residents in the US pay more on average for their combined water and wastewater services than city-dwellers in Western Europe. A constant compound annual growth rate of 5% for the last 5 years in the US has taken rates to $4.09/m3, more than 20 cents above Western European rates.

Several US cities topped the 2017 tariff survey results. Portland, Oregon for example was found to have the highest combined tariff out of the 452 surveyed cities ($8.00/ m3), while Honolulu, Hawaii, (the city with the highest tariffs in the 2016 survey), settled at 3rd place this year with a combined tariff of $7.93/m³.

The White Paper authors found that for many utilities, tariff hikes are essential to cover the cost of upgrades and repairs of ageing infrastructure, and reduce critical failures in U.S. municipal water systems “The truth is, that if the water systems of our major cities are to be resilient and sustainable, US water tariffs probably need to double” Howard Neukrug, Senior Advisor to the GWLG and co-author of The Global Value of Water commented.

“We have the global water technology to create smart water systems that can use artificial intelligence to design newer, 38

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more resilient and cost-effective solutions to our urban water problems. Reinvesting in our water systems just takes sound planning, engineering and money.”

Cities like Pittsburgh, Denver, Los Angeles and Indianapolis for example, experienced increases in their combined tariffs by 21%, 11%, 18% and 13% respectively in 2017, to fund the repairs and replacement for ageing infrastructure.

In the case of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority (PWSA) plans to use the increased tariff revenue to fund the replacement of ageing pipes dating back to the pre-Civil War period, and to upgrade outdated computer systems which have resulted in PWSA being unable to issue bills to certain areas.

“We have the global water technology to create smart water systems that can use artificial intelligence to design newer, more resilient and costeffective solutions to our urban water problems.”

The White Paper also revealed that in the US cities most affected by water scarcity, tariff hikes are being implemented as a strategy to encourage water conservation and provide funding for innovative new water diversification strategies.

Residents across the state of Texas for example, saw rate hikes again this year as water security concerns continue to inspire conservation-driven pricing. The most noticeable increases were in El Paso and San Antonio, which saw combined water and wastewater rate increases of 8.28% and 3.84% respectively.

In El Paso, the higher bills are meant to help fund projects to extend the pipeline network to new areas, build new reservoirs and pump stations, and drill more wells as the city prepares for a population surge of 40% by 2040. The revenue from tariffs will also fund part of El Paso Water’s (EPWater) budget set aside to acquire additional land and water rights for water imports to help combat future droughts.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) also has plans to increase water conservation through rate hikes. The city’s tariff structure was changed in 2016 from two blocks to four blocks, with high water customers being charged more.

At the other end of the scale, the survey revealed that residents in states such as Florida, Tennessee, Montana, and Illinois, enjoy the cheapest combined water and wastewater bills in the region, with rates ranging from $1.28 in Memphis (Tennessee), to $2.39/m³ in Salt Lake City (Utah).

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FOCUS ON WATER

Water technology could combat extreme Sydney heat and cut death rates Research led by UNSW and Sydney Water shows that western Sydney's summer temperatures can be significantly reduced and mortality rates halved by combining water technology, cool materials and greenery.

Could a fountain save a life?

Groundbreaking research from UNSW Sydney and Sydney Water has found that installing more water features including public fountains, ponds and mist in western Sydney could reduce the mortality rate during heatwaves by almost 50%.

Bound between the Blue Mountains and the CBD, Sydney's west receives little relief from cool sea breezes, with summer temperatures six to 10 degrees higher than in the east. The west also has up to three times as many heat-related deaths compared to the east during periods of extreme temperatures.

Mat Santamouris, Professor of High Performance Architecture in UNSW Built Environment and lead researcher on the Cooling Western Sydney study, says water technology, cool tiling and pavement materials, and more canopies are crucial to providing relief from the urban heat island effect.

“The solution is not just about planting trees, which seems to be the commonly held view,” Professor Santamouris says.

“We must take a multi-faceted approach that includes using water technology and 40

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

high solar reflectance, or albedo, on roofs, building facades and pavements."

By implementing these technologies, the study shows that the peak ambient temperature in Sydney's west could be reduced by 2.5 degrees and top electricity demand could drop by almost 5%, which equals almost one million tons of avoided CO2 emissions, the equivalent of removing more than 200,000 average sized cars from the roads each year.

The study, in collaboration with the CRC for Low Carbon Living, examined eight sites in the west from 2014 to 2017, including Penrith, Canterbury, Liverpool, Bankstown, Fairfield, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury and Parramatta.

It found that installing water systems such as pools, sprinklers, fountains, evaporative wind towers and water curtains in combination with high-reflective materials such as infrared reflective tiles and white cool roofs can dramatically lower the ambient temperature.

The research found that in the far west, this could lead to reducing the cumulative heat-related deaths from 14 to 7.5 per 100,000 people.

Energy savings from installing these technologies would save 1726 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year or 1.726 billion kilowatt hours, Professor Santamouris says.

The average Australian house uses 6,570 kilowatt hours (KWh) per year. This saving is the equivalent used to power around 262,000 homes for a year.

“This means that we can’t rely solely on urban green spaces as a means of cooling the city in extreme temperatures.

When trees are subjected to extreme heat stress, they go into survival mode to conserve water to keep themselves cool,” he said.

Dr Michael Storey, Manager Research Direction and Value at Sydney Water, says: “As Sydney is set to experience more prolonged summer heatwaves in future due to a changing climate, it will be critical for temperature peaks to be reduced to improve thermal comfort.

“The careful selection of water-based technologies and building materials can take the top off the peak temperatures in extreme heatwave conditions in Sydney’s west.”

SEWERAGE

New inquiry into environmental water The House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy has commenced an inquiry into the management and use of Commonwealth environmental water.

The inquiry will examine the role of Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder in determining how environmental water should be used, and also consider how the impact of environmental watering is monitored and evaluated.

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder is an independent statutory position established to manage Commonwealth environmental water for the purpose of protecting or restoring environmental assets.

Since its establishment, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has become the largest single holder of water entitlements in the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Chair of the Committee, Mr Andrew Broad MP, said the inquiry is an opportunity to understand how environmental water has been managed to date and to identify opportunities to improve the use of environmental water into the future.

“Rivers, floodplains, and wetlands are cornerstones of the Australian environment and support economic activity in regional communities across the country. Environmental water has an important role in ensuring that Australia’s river systems are sustained in the long term,” Mr Broad said.

“In launching this inquiry, the Committee is keen to understand how the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder makes decisions about when and where to use environmental water, and to examine how the water holder to taps into local knowledge and uses the latest science in order to achieve genuine long-term environmental outcomes,” Mr Broad said.

“The Committee is not inquiring into the broader Murray–Darling Basin Plan, and we are not looking to duplicate the work already underway in this area. Our focus is on Commonwealth environmental water,” Mr Broad said.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee, Mr Pat Conroy MP, explained the Committee would also seek to ensure that environmental water is used efficiently.

“Commonwealth environmental water holdings represent a significant investment by the Australian public in our natural environment. As part of this inquiry, the Committee will examine the integrity of the management of environmental water and seek to ensure that environmental water is used efficiently and for the purpose for which it was acquired,” Mr Conroy said.

The Committee will accept written submissions, addressing one or more of the terms of reference, until Thursday, 12 April 2018.

Further information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference, is available on the inquiry webpage.

Information about how to make a submission to an inquiry can be obtained from the Parliament of Australia webpage.

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Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

41

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

NEW PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR FOR NATIONAL PRECAST BOARD National Precast Concrete Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Crompton from Ultrafloor (Australia) as its new President and Michael Waeger from Waeger Precast as its most recent member of the Board of Directors.

According to National Precast’s Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Bachmann, the appointments were made at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting in November last year.

“Kevin takes over as President for a two-year term from Craig Zinn, owner of Rockhamptonbased Stresscrete,” she details.

“While some big achievements were made under Craig’s presidency, we are looking forward to the next two years with Kevin at the helm.”

Mr Zinn’s term saw the Association celebrate its 25-year anniversary with a celebratory dinner at one of Australia’s most famous precast structures, the Sydney Opera House. Marketing initiatives were strengthened and the rollout of AS 3850 Prefabricated concrete elements prompted a national seminar series on the new standard and its safety implications. Considerable work was also invested in developing relationships with state and national roads and workers’ compensation, and the Association had its proposal approved to extend the coverage of AS 3850 into civil construction.

As Director – Operations at Ultrafloor, Mr Crompton has over 40 years’ experience in the construction industry and four years’ involvement as a National Precast Board member.

“Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to his new role,” Ms Bachmann comments.

The new President says he wants to further strengthen relationships with allied industry associations such as Master Builders, the Housing Industry Association and the Australian Constructors Association, with a goal of working together to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Also high on the agenda is to continue the Association’s good work in the area of improving safety standards for the industry. To that extent he is the Association’s representative on BD-066, the committee responsible for AS 3850.

“As an association we are already heavily involved with the review and development of numerous Australian Standards,” Ms Bachmann says.

“We’ve also made some fantastic inroads with the likes of Safe Work Australia, and we work with both to improve safety.”

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(L-R): Recently appointed National Precast Concrete Association President, Kevin Crompton being congratulated on his appointment

by Immediate PastPresident Craig Zinn.

The new Board term also welcomes Michael Waeger, Managing Director of Waeger Constructions, as the Board’s most recent Director. Based in the NSW Hunter Valley, Waeger Precast is one of three divisions in the innovative medium-sized construction company.

The company is mainly involved in bridge construction and specialised precast concrete, with experience in other civil works such as demolition, restoration and road works.

Supporting the new appointees is an experienced and fervent team of Directors from precast manufacturing companies around Australia.

National Precast’s Board of Directors now consists of: Kevin Crompton Director, President Director – Operations Ultrafloor (Australia) Craig Zinn Director, Past President Owner/Manager Stresscrete Ian Coulter Director, Past President Managing Director Precast Concrete Products

Matt Perrella Director, Past President General Manager Delta Corporation Peter Healy Director, Past President Managing Director Hollow Core Concrete Graham Underwood Director National Technical & Engineering Manager Rocla Glenn Degenhardt Director National Operations Manager Humes (Holcim Australia) Andrew Nearhos Director General Manager Austral Precast Michael Waeger Director Managing Director Waeger Precast

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

GATEWAY TO THE UNDERGROUND PROJECT: GORGON PROJECT LOCATION: N-W WA PRECASTER: PERMACAST BUILDER: LEIGHTON CONTRACTING CLIENT: CHEVRON Good projects start from the ground up. Great projects though, start from the underground up.

This theory certainly proves true for the Gorgon project - one of Australia’s major resource and infrastructure ventures.

Gorgon is one of the world’s largest natural gas projects and is the largest single-resource development in Australian history. Developed by Chevron, the project is located on Barrow Island, approximately 50 kilometres north-west off the Pilbara coast of Western Australia. It comprises a liquefied natural gas facility and a domestic gas plant capable of supplying 300 terajoules of gas per day to the Western Australian population.

Underpinning this emerging Australian icon and providing access to the underground pipes are 610 precast concrete manholes, conversion slabs and access shafts.

CAPABILITIES ESSENTIAL IN AWARDING CONTRACT Given the required number and size of the manholes, Leighton Contractors needed to award the project’s precast package to a precaster with notable experience in supplying major

infrastructure, oil and gas projects. As one of Perth’s leading precasters boasting a highlyskilled and technically competent engineering team, National Precast member PERMAcast was awarded the contract.

PERMAcast Managing Director, Alberto Ferraro, says his company’s stringent quality management system ensured that all products were designed and manufactured to specification.

“Even though no two manholes were the same, our large-scale manufacturing facility meant we were able to meet supply requirements,” he explains.

“Given the storage requirements, other precasters may have struggled with the sheer volume of products. Because we have 250,000m2 of storage area, it was no problem.”

Each manhole was manufactured to a +/- 5mm tolerance. Measuring on average 1500 x 1500 mm internally, they weighed between 15 and 20 tonnes.

environment prevented the introduction of non-indigenous plants, animals and insects into Barrow Island. Each manhole was manufactured with a single pour to ensure no joints and, therefore, no potential for leaks.

“Neither the quantity nor the quality was an issue for us at all,” Mr Ferraro says.

“Our team is always up for a challenge.”

TOTAL SERVICE ADDS VALUE Mr Ferraro says PERMAcast also supplied and installed the ladders for the manholes, which added value and efficiency to the project.

“As well, we managed logistics between our company, Leighton and their sub-contractor,” he details.

“Those skills added value to the project in terms of construction efficiency. We always try to add value where we can.”

PRECAST QUALITY SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIRONMENT Barrow Island remains one of Australia’s finest Class A nature reserves, and therefore major importance was placed on ensuring that industry and the environment continues to co-exist.

A best practice quarantine management system set an unprecedented level of quarantine benchmarks, which meant the finish and quality of the precast manholes were both critical.

Being manufactured in a controlled factory

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

43

ACA CORROSION FEATURE

ACA corrosion mitigation training - beat the rust Infrastructure owners and managers need to have an asset base that is safe and reliable, while maintaining acceptable levels of service for the duration of the expected life of the asset. Part of this management involves ensuring that organisations have effectively trained staff who understand the risks associated with corrosion and the different preventative and remediation technologies available.

In the Asia Pacific region, the yearly cost of asset maintenance is estimated to be multiple billions of dollars. Avoidable corrosion damage accounts for a quarter of this and continues to have a major economic impact on industry and the wider community.

The Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) provides training to its members and others working in the corrosion management and prevention sector. Each year the Association presents a range of technical seminars and training courses designed to provide attendees with information and guidance about ways to combat and manage corrosion. Training courses and seminars cover the fundamentals of corrosion control through to more advanced techniques and procedures and professional development can count towards CPD. 44

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

Participants will gain the knowledge and tools to offer the most effective solutions - extending the service life of equipment and maximising the use of a facility - to asset owners and managers.

In conjunction with the Australasian Concrete Repair Association (ACRA), the ACA will be running Corrosion and Protection of Concrete Structures and Buildings training at various venues around Australia.

This course provides a solid foundation of knowledge about the corrosion of both reinforcement materials and concrete and has been updated to provide an understanding of the mechanisms of corrosion, protection and repair of reinforced concrete structures and buildings.

It was developed for those who have the task of resolving the problems of corrosion of steel reinforced, prestressed and post tensioned concrete elements.

The training will be run between March 19-20 in Melbourne; June 4-5 in Sydney and on September 6-7 in Brisbane.

The ACA's delivery of the NACE Cathodic Protection (CP) 1 and 2 courses are being held this year in Sydney and Brisbane. The NACE CP courses are the world’s most recognised and specified cathodic protection training. The NACE CP Program is a comprehensive

program for professionals in any industry including pipelines and bridges, tanks and well casings, the maritime and offshore industries, coated steel and concrete and water and wastewater systems.

CP 1 - Cathodic Protection Tester training provides theoretical knowledge and practical fundamentals for testing on both galvanic and impressed current CP systems. Classroom instruction is comprised of lectures and hands-on training, using equipment and instruments for CP testing.

The CP 2 - Cathodic Protection Technician course gives participants both theoretical knowledge and practical techniques for testing and evaluating data to determine the effectiveness of both galvanic and impressed current CP systems and to gather design data. Classroom instruction is comprised of lectures and hands-on training, using equipment and instruments for CP testing.

CP 1 Tester will be conducted in Sydney between 30 April–4 May and Brisbane between 10–14 September.

The CP 2 Technician courses will be held the subsequent week: 7-11 May in Sydney and 17–21 September in Brisbane.

The CP 3 - Cathodic Protection Technologist course builds on the technology presented in the CP2 course with a strong focus on interpretation of CP data, troubleshooting and migration of problems that arise in both galvanic and impressed current systems, including design calculations for these systems. Classroom instruction is comprised of lectures and hands-on training, using equipment and instruments for CP testing. The course will be held in Brisbane between 24–28 September.

The SSPC Concrete Coatings Inspection course will be run in Melbourne between 9-14 April. The training has been developed in association with the U.S. Society for Protective Surfaces (SSPC) in order to thoroughly train individuals in the proper methods of inspecting surface preparation and installation of protective coatings on concrete structures and facilities.

This course would benefit Inspectors, contractor managers, specifying engineers, technical representatives and material and equipment suppliers working in the concrete coating industry.

Under guidelines released in 2017 by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), all coatings inspectors who inspect and report on coatings applied to concrete are required to hold SSPC CCI Level 1 or 2 certification. The document - WSA-201 Guidelines for Selection and Application of Protective Coatings - is available from the WSAA website.

Professional development helps you meet the corrosion challenges you face. Places on the ACA and NACE courses are still available and full details and prices can be found at the ACA web site: www.corrosion.com.au/training

ABOUT THE AUSTRALASIAN CORROSION ASSOCIATION The Australasian Corrosion Association Incorporated (ACA) is a not-for-profit, membership association, that disseminates information on corrosion and its prevention through the provision of training courses, seminars, conferences, publications and other activities.

The vision of the ACA is that corrosion is managed sustainably and cost effectively to ensure the health and safety of the community and protection of the environment.

For further information, please visit: www.corrosion.com.au

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

45

ACA CORROSION FEATURE Spray applying protective coating to a steel tank

Long-term protective coating success Corrosion poses a threat to all infrastructure through the degradation of structures such as buildings, roads, bridges, pipelines and towers - and the economic impact of corrosion represents an annual cost of billions of dollars to the economy.

It is important that owners and operators of high-value assets understand the cost implications of ignoring the effects of corrosion. There are many advantages of planning for corrosion control and mitigation.

Two of the main ones are: that the life of an asset is extended, thus making it more profitable; and maintenance time and costs are reduced thus increasing the asset's utilisation.

According to Justin Rigby, coatings consultant at Remedy Asset Protection, there are two main ways to protect an asset from corrosion. One is to alter the physical properties of a metal by using a technology such as cathodic protection to impress a current into a structure to minimise 46

Waste + Water Management Australia | Feb/March 2018

corrosion. The other is to physically isolate a structure from the environment by applying a protective coating.

It is important that a protective coating project is carefully planned. One thing to avoid is under-estimating the technical complexity of a project, especially if the coating is to be applied to an existing structure; even more so if the site is in a remote location.

“A protective coating is not just paint. It is an engineered product that undergoes rigorous product development to provide specific properties that will protect a structure from its service environment,” said Rigby, “The most important considerations are assessment of the service environment and selection of the required coatings.”

There is a wide selection of coatings products available to the market so it is essential that the appropriate coatings system is chosen. There is no single product that meets every coating situation as the

desired attributes may be mutually exclusive; so during the planning of a project, a compromise may need to be made, but is important to not be fooled by the claims made by manufacturers.

According to Rigby, a good specification will reference AS/NZ 2312 and categorise the service environment according to its corrosivity and then nominate a coating system based on the desired design life of the coating. He recommends seeking advice from a competent colleague or external consultant when building a specification and selecting the most appropriate coating system. The major coatings manufacturers, such as Akzo Nobel, Altex, Dulux, Jotun, PPG, and Valspar, are also good sources for reputable advice.

Traditionally, coatings protect a structure by being a physical barrier to the environment. Modern technology has developed active pigments which are being incorporated into primers to provide additional protection. Active anticorrosive pigments are added to primers which can give further protection for areas with coating damage in addition to their barrier effect.

These pigments prevent corrosion of a metal substrate by building up permanently passive conditions at the metal surface and/or by a build-up of solid compounds which fill the damaged area to the coating.

It is important to be flexible and adaptable when developing protective coating projects.

“A protective coatings project, managed well, provides owners with great outcomes,” Rigby stated. “However, when a protective

Refurbished storage silo with new protective coating applied

coatings project goes wrong, it exposes the team to a range of problems that can make your head spin.” Rigby recommends spending time with a consultant at the prestart stages of a project to help identify areas of risk. While this is an extra expense, it will ensure the project is successful and could protect a Project Manager's reputation for project delivery.

The New Zealand-based TBS Group has more than 40 years experience in all aspects of corrosion prevention, detection and remediation. TBS has worked on a diverse range of projects, including the Auckland Harbour Bridge and heritage listed structures such as the Makatote Viaduct. The company operates a purpose built abrasive blasting and painting facility in New Plymouth which features two grit rooms, five paint shops and a specialist thermal metal spraying facility.

The Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) works with companies like TBS and academia to research all aspects of corrosion in order to provide an extensive knowledge base that supports best practice in corrosion management, thereby ensuring all impacts of corrosion are responsibly managed, the environment is protected, public safety enhanced and economies improved.

Once a coatings project is underway, there are several aspects that need to be carefully managed. It is important to understand the competence of the applicator and also ensure the main contractor does not accept lower quality materials that do not meet specifications. “Asset owners Sand blasting to clean and prepare a pylon mounting plate

must understand that their 'whole of life' costs are not necessarily a priority for the main contractor when a new asset is built and could be diametrically opposed,” said Graham Matthews, Technical Director of TBS. “The contractor may see an opportunity to save a few dollars by amending a specification and the structure may survive the guarantee period, but the resultant future maintenance costs are far higher.”

The technicians chosen to apply a coating must have the appropriate skills. Obvious selection criteria are experience with the protective material and the equipment used to apply it to a structure. A less obvious criterion, especially for any sort of tower structure, is abseiling skills; technicians might have to be in a harness and suspended in mid-air which requires a particular mix of physical and psychological attributes.

One vital aspect of coatings projects is to have compliance certification that the job complies with all the appropriate legislation, regulations and standards. There are two ways to achieve this; either to pay for third party inspection or engage a contracting firm that has, like TBS, a number of staff who are either NACE or ACA qualified coatings inspectors, providing peace of mind to customers that quality is 'built in' throughout project planning and execution.

There is an old adage in the carpentry and construction trades: “Measure twice; cut once.” A variation of this applies equally to the corrosion protection industry: “Plan it right and do it once.” The cost to coat a structure with an appropriate and effective protective material varies depending on whether it is applied in a workshop or on-site.

“The average cost to apply a three-coat system in a workshop may be around $80

per square metre,” said Matthews. “On-site, this might increase to $300 per square metre or higher. Do not scirmp on the coatings specification, or the quality verification, as these could be some of the best dollars spent on a project.”

There are variations to these figures. For example, the repainting - with lead paint - of the complex latticework of the Makatote Viaduct in New Zealand cost approximately $1000 per square metre. The $12M refurbishment of the heritage listed structure required scaffolds up to 80m high, an on-site team of thirty and deployment of more than $4M of specialised plant and equipment.

In comparison, the touch-up repairs to the iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge using leadfree paint only cost $150 per square metre since the bridge was designed with good access systems.

There are many standards relating to the application of protective surface coatings but sometimes compromises may need to be made. When planning protective coatings, it is important to take account of factors such as the geography, access to the structure and climate, all of which impact the cost of the project.

If a structure to be protected is in a remote location, it will be necessary to select the most cost-effective means of transporting materials and personnel to the site.

Additionally, remote sites may be exposed to climatic extremes which impact on applying a coating. For example, monsoonal rains in tropical regions would make it difficult to spray a coating on to any type of structure.

“When you get to site, there may be odd arrangements of pylons and bracing making it difficult for a technician to access all parts of a structure to apply a coating,” said Rigby.

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47

Technician tethered to a trapeze paints a bridge support

ACA CORROSION FEATURE

The health and safety analysis of a project must look at how to effectively protect a structure and address any environmental considerations. It must also consider how to properly apply the coating to minimise its effects on the surrounding areas as well as protect the technician who might be working in a harness tethered metres above the ground.

Protective coatings projects are usually unsuccessful for relatively few reasons.

Planners often do not fully comprehend the complexity of many coatings projects and, as a consequence, fail to invest the time and resources to manage it effectively which results in substantial cost implications when things go wrong.

The lack of detailed design information for a structure sometimes means that there is poor selection of structural materials, such as dissimilar metals, which means that the coating options are restricted - a coating for one metal is most likely inappropriate for the other.

The ACA is a not-for-profit, industry association, established in 1955 to service

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the needs of Australian and New Zealand companies, organisations and individuals involved in the fight against corrosion. The vision of the organisation is to reduce the impact of corrosion.

TBS is a Gold Member of the ACA and is an active participant in many of its educational and promotional programmes.

Justin Rigby of Remedy Asset Protection is a member of the ACA and chairs the Coatings Technical Group.

Throughout the year, the ACA also conducts educational activities such as seminars and training courses across Australia and New Zealand to inform and guide organisations and practitioners about corrosion topics. Corrosion specialists certified by the ACA, and other organisations, have the experience and understanding of corrosion causes and solutions that allow them to recommend mechanisms and procedures to consultants and asset owners.

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