ISW Jun 2019 by Prime Creative Media

Official Publication of the

ISSUE 90 | JUNE/JULY 2019

www.insidewaste.com.au

INSIDE 24 Waste 2019 conference wrap-up 28 Landfill guidelines 42 Illegal dumping Trevor Evans has been appointed as Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environment Management.

Federal government gives waste precedence THE feeling from many in the waste industry is a positive one, as the election result brings with it hope of more funding and support for the sector. The Liberal-National Coalition has returned for another inning with promises in the hundreds of millions to support the country’s waste sector and the appointment of Trevor Evans as the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environment Management – a newly created cabinet position. Overall, this year’s federal election was seen as a win for many in the waste industry, regardless of who won. Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) CEO, Gayle Sloan, said it is both encouraging and positive to see the industry attracting the attention of all levels of government. Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) CEO, Pete Shmigel, commended the Liberal Party on its waste policy, but he also pointed out that any outcome would have benefitted the waste industry significantly for the first time. “In a funny way, our industry could not lose in the election,” he said.

Liberal’s pre-election policy:

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• $100 million to develop the Australian Recycling Investment

Fund to support the manufacturing of lower emissions and energy-efficient recycled content products; • $ 20m towards a Product Stewardship Investment Fund to accelerate work on industry-led recycling schemes for batteries, electrical and electronic products, photovoltaic systems and plastic oil containers; • $20m towards new and innovative solutions for plastic recycling and waste through the Cooperative Research Centres Projects grants program; • $ 16m to support the Pacific Ocean Litter Project, working with neighbours in the Pacific to reduce plastics and other waste in the ocean; •U p to $5.8m for a range of initiatives through the Environment Restoration Fund to support Clean Up Australia, Keep Australia Beautiful, ACOR, Planet Ark, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and OzHarvest; •U p to $5m through for Conservation Volunteers Australia to coordinate community campaigns to clean up plastic waste in beaches and rivers; • C ontinued work with state, territory and local governments on opportunities to get more recycled content into road construction,

which builds on the funding provided to the Australian Road Research Board in the 2019 Budget.

Labor’s pre-election policy: •D irecting its $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Future Fund to work directly with manufacturers looking to develop solutions to singleuse packaging, and continued investment into innovative waste to energy projects; • Establishing mandatory targets for all government departments in relation to the recycled content of materials bought directly or provided by private contractors; • Seeking to expand schemes to other products that are currently ending up in landfills, such as solar PV, whitegoods and all e-waste; • I ntroducing a national waste commissioner to work with all stakeholders and levels of government; • Providing $60m over six years to a new National Recycling and Circular Economy Fund for seed, commercialisation and project ready activities that extend adoption of the principles of the circular economy; • A national ban on single-use plastic bags and microbeads by 2021. (Continued on page 20.)

Wasted opportunities for circular economy While Europe has a clear focus to create a circular economy, the speed in which raw materials are turned into waste is cause for concern, European Commission policy officer, Rozalina Petrova, explained. She spoke about Europe’s take on waste management and circular economy at the Waste 2019 conference at Coffs Harbour. The European Union (EU) has strategies in place that keep a large proportion from landfill, but Petrova indicated that too many materials are still slipping through the cracks. “We have to make sure that we close the loop. But we also have to slow the circle, because the speed in which we turn raw materials into waste is fascinating,” she said at the conference. “We also have to narrow it down. We have to prevent waste.” Information from the European Commission states that Europe currently uses 16 tonnes of material per person each year – of which, six tonnes become waste. In 2010, total waste production in the EU amounted to 2.5 billion tonnes – 36 per cent was recycled, with the rest landfilled or burned. Of this amount, the European Commission estimates about 600 million tonnes could be recycled or reused. The EU’s approach to waste management is based on the waste hierarchy, which sets a specific priority order when shaping waste policy and managing waste at an operational level. (Continued on page 24.)

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Editor’s Note //

Official Publication of the

Part of the political playground WE FINALLY got a spot in the sandpit. While other industries have been building their castles with a wealth of support from a Federal level for years, the waste industry has just been given the chance to dip its toes in the golden sands. Waste has been lingering in the background waiting for its time to shine in the political spotlight, and now is our chance to play with the big kids. The post-Federal election line-up for the waste sector is a promising one, with $100 million dedicated to improving Australia’s recycling infrastructure, $20m to support product stewardship, $20m towards finding solutions to plastic recycling, and $16m to help clean up our oceans. These are just some of the promises, in a line-up that has seen many in the waste industry glad recognition has finally been given at a national level, especially considering it’s a problem that affects us nationally. Although the support from decision makers in the waste industry confirms the Liberals have done right by the industry, many also commended the Labor government, as both parties gave waste precedence in this election. Now it’s time to ensure the Federal

Publisher Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

government picks up its spade and digs in deep to deliver on its promises. After speaking to numerous waste advocates, it’s clear the industry expects the government to take real action. The waste industry will hold the government accountable in ensuring promises are kept. But it’s a question of whether these promises will be kept at the standard they were delivered to us pre-election, and whether they will be delivered on time. Because the reality is, the clock is ticking. Time passes faster than rubbish disappears. As long as mixed and single-use plastics are overused, products are not recycled and a circular economy isn’t enforced, there will be a mountain of rubbish that will knock that clock right off the wall. Before we know it, the next Federal election will be at our doorsteps. So, while the Liberals are still guaranteed their spot at the top, and while we have our spot in the sandpit, they need to get moving. Pick up that glass and create sand for roads – create a circular economy, improve recycling capabilities, clean up marine litter and most importantly, do it now.

General Manager (Sydney) Terry Wogan terry.wogan@primecreative.com.au Editor Miri Schroeter miri.schroeter@primecreative.com.au Assistant Editor Jan Arreza jan.arreza@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager Andy Long andy.long@primecreative.com.au Design Production Manager Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Design Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty Client Success Manager Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au Head Office Prime Creative Pty Ltd 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia p: +61 3 9690 8766 enquiries@primecreative.com.au www.insidewaste.com.au

Subscriptions +61 3 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au Inside Waste is available by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format. Copyright Inside Waste is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in Inside Waste is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Inside Waste are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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Profile | Peter Critch Peter Critch is the co-founder of Subpod – a low maintenance composting system. What was your first job in the sector? Subpod started up around two years ago. I am primarily interested in recycling and managing organic waste, as well as on the education side of things. It is not just about making organic waste accessible and easy to compost, we need to also encourage people and get them excited and inspired to put their food waste into their compost bins. What’s your favourite part of the job? Working with children. I love teaching children about the world of microbes and worms, and I love seeing them picking up new knowledge every time. Getting kids curious about composting – for me, that’s really motivating, and it gives me hope for what is going to happen in the future. How has the waste management changed during your time? I see how things are going in European countries and certain countries like Japan and Korea, who are leading the way in composting organic waste through the creation of programs to incentivise people to do so. I would love to see Australia one day lead the way in organic waste recycling and composting. What are some achievements that you are most proud of? We went out to the Malabugilmah Community, who had issues with managing their organic waste, and we installed several subpods and created garden bed systems for the community. It was just great, and we got a real sense of community and the social inclusion while working there. They were just so thankful about it – being about two hours away from a shopping centre.

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

Independent advisory to give Vic government guidance on recycling infrastructure needs INFRASTRUCTURE Victoria will advise the Victorian government on the necessary infrastructure required to improve recycling and resource recovery efforts in the state. The government is seeking advice on how to better support the development of Victoria’s reprocessing sector for recycled material, particularly those that currently rely heavily on overseas markets such as plastics. The state government also wants to better enable the use of products containing recycled materials in a variety of Victorian industries, such as manufacturing, construction and agriculture, and improve resource infrastructure for organics, particularly food organics. Advice will also be sought on better supporting a waste-to-energy sector that prioritises the extraction of recyclable material and recovers energy only from the residual waste. Infrastructure Victoria CEO, Michael Masson, said the request for advice

comes at a time of significant change for the waste industry in Victoria. “Recent changes in the global market for recycled products mean there are flow-on impacts for how Victoria collects, sorts and exports waste,” Masson said. “With these changes, come both challenges and opportunities. We are pleased to be able to explore these as part of our advice to the government.” As set out in the terms of reference, Infrastructure Victoria will undertake comprehensive engagement with industry, the community, local government and other key stakeholders. It will draw on interstate and international comparators and research, and develop its own modelling and analysis to develop the advice. Infrastructure Victoria aims to deliver the advice to the state government by April 2020, with an interim report expected in October 2019.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// News

Queensland research program finds new life for food waste A UNIVERSITY of Queensland researcher is leading a new national program to transform food waste into valuable products. Dr Paul Luckman it is leading the program under the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, as he said 42 per cent of the food produced in Australia is currently going to waste at a cost of $20 billion a year. “The Transform program aims to identify and prioritise valuable products from waste streams and find the technology gaps and process limitations in transforming that waste,” Luckman said. “We’re already looking at a wide-range of projects, from turning food waste into supplements to fuelling sustainable wastewater treatment with food waste. “We’re hoping to save 87 gigalitres of water through recovery and reuse, reduce 30 million tonnes in food waste and save at least 44 million tonnes of greenhouse gases emitted over 10 years.”

The program aims to create 5,200 jobs in rural areas and save $600 million in waste produce and wastehandling costs. It is part of a suite of initiatives driven by the Fight Food Waste CRC, with other work focussing on reducing supply-chain losses, engaging with community and industry to educate and train workers, as well as change household and business behaviours. Fight Food Waste centre CEO, Dr Steve Lapidge, said the centre will improve the Australian food industry’s competitiveness, productivity and sustainability. “We have 46 industry partners and 10 research partners from across the country, with a total of $121m being invested over 10 years,” Lapidge said. The centre has been allocated funding through the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science’s CRC program until 2028. The Transform program is hosted by the University of Queensland’s Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation.

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News //

Global waste crisis tackled with new standards Australia previously shipped a lot of waste overseas, but import bans by China are changing this.

THE NEED for action on waste is being recognised in a push by Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) for new standards that aim to help organisations better understand and communicate their waste impacts. GRI’s draft Waste Standard endeavours to support companies to improve their waste management practices as the scale of the issue – from the effect of plastics in marine ecosystems, to the mounting disconnect between food waste generation and global hunger – grows. Now available for public comment, the draft standard will help businesses understand what causes waste-related impacts, giving them the basis for improving their practices. GRI Waste Standard project manager, Anna Krotova, said the standard is about helping companies direct their sustainability efforts towards measuring and managing their impacts. “It will support businesses to introduce significant improvements rather than incremental fixes. “By this, I mean collecting and reporting information that captures the significant waste-related impacts and allows companies to identify levers to manage them. GRI recognises the complexity of the problem and that is why the draft Waste Standard is about trying to address the cause and not only treat the consequence,” said Krotova. “We aim to support a change in how businesses perceive waste – not as an inevitable result of a process, or the end of product’s life, but a consequence of decisions and practices made long 8

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

before it is generated. Understanding this connection can bring fundamental change in how companies operate. “Companies need to start recognising and take responsibility for ‘indirect waste’ – that which is generated by consumers using their products, or by suppliers that provide materials to the company. It is the choice of the business to put a product on the market, therefore both the ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ consequences need to be recognised and managed,” she said. “Ultimately, we’re hoping the standard will lead to organisations critically reassessing how they design products. This is about encouraging circularity practices so less waste is generated in the first place – and what waste is produced is managed better.” As the world moves to a more circular economy, in which waste is treated as an input material for production, there is a push for a new approach to reporting. The draft standard recognises the importance of the transition to a circular economy and includes: • A fundamental shift in the perception of waste – from an unwanted burden to a source of valuable materials; • Greater emphasis on how decisions on procuring and using materials relate directly to waste generation and waste quality; • New disclosures to understand how discarded waste has been created and the significance of this impact; and • Recognition of an organisation’s impacts in the value-chain and reporting how this is managed. The standard aims to help companies

better understand and measure their waste impacts, disclosing reliable and comparable data that ultimately supports better decisions. It also encourages creativity and lateral thinking, which is something that GRI believes is needed to tackle the issue internationally. “Australia relies heavily on shipping waste overseas but, as is the case for many countries, the recent waste import ban by China has exposed a vulnerability due to lack of available space for landfill. The standard can help here in several ways,” said Krotova. “It will require companies to report the composition of their waste streams – this allows better match waste management methods to these waste streams, instead of treating them all as one lump volume. It also discourages diverting to waste management methods that do now allow them to extract the value of some of the materials in the waste.” The GRI Standard sets out a waste management hierarchy, in which prevention is the most favourable option. Companies will be prompted to look at this option first and if they can’t report on it, then it helps them to explain why that’s case and what they will do about it in future. Krotova explained that it provides new guidance that presents and describes circular economy practices, which can help more Australian companies transition to this way of thinking. “What’s clear is that the transition to a circular economy requires greater

collaboration. The new standard will encourage businesses to do more to bring together and involve stakeholder groups in the process, helping companies find workable and lasting solutions,” said Krotova. GRI’s public comment period is now open for contributions from anyone – irrespective of sector, type of business or region – to inform the development of the Waste Standard and to help ensure it is fit for purpose and relevant. “GRI is seeking input to the draft Waste Standard from a wide array of groups. This includes the individuals within companies who currently carry out or coordinate sustainability reporting or oversee waste management practices,” said Krotova. “We also want the views of the various civil society organisations, internationally. And we want input from those who would use the reporting data – for example, investment institutions. “Based on the feedback we receive during the public comment period, the draft Waste Standard will be progressed and finalised by an expert group and the body that oversees the GRI Standards, the Global Sustainability Standards Board. We then intend to publish the new Waste Standard in 2020,” she said. “Dependent on how the draft Waste Standard develops, we expect that the final version will help companies to take a critical look at what and how products are made – and where along the valuechain waste-related impacts occur.” The public comment period on the exposure draft of GRI 306: Waste is open until July 15.

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News //

Lack of technology uptake limiting real time, accurate data collection, Arcadis explains LIMITED use of technology in the waste industry is preventing the collection of specific, real-time data, according to a preliminary survey conducted by Arcadis. At the Waste 2019 conference, held on May 14-16 at Coffs Harbour, the need for more data within the industry was a hot topic as many see it as a way to highlight the hidden challenges and achievements within the waste sector. Speaking at the conference, Arcadis waste advisory senior environmental consultant, Charlotte Wesley, indicated that deficiencies in data make decisionmaking difficult for companies within the sector. Wesley shared preliminary findings into current information management needs of Australian collection and waste management facility operators, as well as their appetite for new data collection, analytics tools, and other emerging technologies. After collecting information from about 20 companies within the waste industry, Wesley’s preliminary findings indicated that just over

Most data retrieval involves five people, a survey from Arcadis suggests.

half thought they had sufficient information to make evidence-based decisions – leaving a large proportion of companies in the dark. “For most people, data was available in less than a week. [But] only about 30 per cent could provide information in real time.” Of the companies that were able to collect data, Wesley explained that most data retrieval involved five people, on average. Less than 65 per cent of the respondents to the preliminary survey were able to retrieve information on the weight of a particular customer’s bin, the carbon footprint of a customer’s waste and resource recovery rate, and the quantity of waste collected from

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different streams. They were also unable to provide environmental monitoring data in real time, provide costs associated with downtime in the last month, and the actual landfill disposal cost and tonnage. As well as recognising the need for technology to improve data retrieval, companies involved in the preliminary survey indicated that chat bots would be a useful tool for responding to customer queries, and implementing robotics and automation systems were an important step in improving staff safety. Arcadis is currently undertaking a more extensive survey, which aims to capture the needs, interests and barriers to digitisation in the Australian waste industry. By having reliable information, companies such as Cleanaway hope more action will be taken by all levels of government and individuals as problem areas are emphasised. Speaking at Waste 2019, Cleanaway general manager for NSW, David Clancy, said a collaborative approach, between government and industry, and better data collection are a must to successfully approach waste management. “One space we need to work on is around our data and information gathering. “It’s very difficult to get good, reliable information,” Clancy said.

Government’s collection

role

data

The Australian government Department of the Environment and Energy has also recognised the need for improved data collection within the waste industry. In September 2017, the Department of the Environment and Energy commissioned Blue Environment and sub-consultants to manage its waste data and reporting needs until 2019. An early project requirement was to research and propose improvements to the previous versions of the core waste reports, particularly the national waste report. The work program to explore potential areas for improvement involved consultations with the states and territories, industry and community, as well as various reviews and research projects. An initial version of this report

proposed a series of changes. Following consultations, the 2018 report, Improving National Waste Data and Reporting, indicates why improvements are needed and it canvasses potential areas of improvement. The improvements encompass expansions to the scope, corrections and adjustments, better expression of uncertainty, improved data warehousing, a new approach to data visualisation, standardising non-hazardous waste data and reporting, and improvements to hazardous waste data and reporting. Among the most significant changes are inclusion of data on local government waste management, product waste, tip shops, litter and dumping, container deposit schemes, mining waste, stockpiles, approved long-term storages, waste infrastructure and international waste flows. Changes also include increasing the depth of the detail and discussion, particularly of the key data areas of waste generation, recycling, energy recovery and disposal, and restructuring the national waste report to focus on these key data areas and remove the distinct sections on each state and territory.

Benefits waste

technology

At the Waste 2019 conference, Wesley highlighted machine learning, artificial intelligence and drones as potentially beneficial tools for the waste industry. Landair Surveys director, Ray Cox, was one speaker that shared technology’s important role in the waste industry. He highlighted the benefits and limitations of drones to undertake thermal mapping of landfill caps. He said thermal mapping, using a drone, is a preventative measure that can help companies save time, money and minimise the risk of reputational damage. He shared several scenarios where fires at landfill sites have left companies and councils in hot water, including one at the Anglesea landfill in Victoria. “In late-2018 there was a fire in Anglesea landfill area. The extent of the fire was four-metres below the surface and it required six fire crews to put out the fire. “The EPA issued the local council a fine for over $8000 for breaching their license,” Cox said. He explained that landfill operators have a responsibility to have a comprehensive monitoring program. “It’s a good initial screening tool. It’s a complementary technology, not a replacement technology,” Cox said.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// News

NZ government’s product stewardship and kerbside recycling plans gain support from hundreds of companies THE PACKAGING Forum has given its support to the New Zealand government’s plans to improve plastic recycling and waste reduction efforts, which was recently announced by New Zealand’s Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage. The Packaging Forum is an amalgamation of the Glass Packaging Forum, Soft Plastic Recycling, and the Public Place Recycling Scheme, which aims to reduce landfill and promote packaging recycling. Announced plans by the New Zealand government include investigating product stewardship, improving kerbside recycling and running an education campaign to help the public improve its recycling efforts. “As a country, we have been sending our waste issues offshore. China’s National Sword initiative has been a wake-up call that we need to deal with waste here in New Zealand,” Sage said. Packaging Forum chairman, Rob Langford, said the time for talk is over. “We need action. The forum currently operates the only governmentaccredited product stewardship programs for glass bottles and jars, and for soft plastics, alongside delivering the Litter Less Recycle More project,” he said. “We are also in the early stages of developing a stewardship program for rigid food and beverage plastics, so we are 100 per cent with the minister in wanting to take the lead on improving outcomes for food and beverage packaging, which is often recycled at kerbside in New Zealand.” The Packaging Forum particularly welcomed product stewardship plans,

which it indicated would help ensure manufacturers and retailers consider what happens to packaging once a product has been used by the consumer. In 2018, the Packaging Forum made a pledge on behalf of its 200-plus members, including manufacturers, brand owners and retailers, to make all packaging recyclable or compostable by 2025. “In order to do this, we need to use product stewardship as a tool for putting practical solutions in place to tackle plastic waste. Careful consideration must be given to creating a balanced recovery/reuse solution for materials onshore that will deliver world-class results without simply burdening the consumer with costs. Only product stewardship will deliver a fair outcome,” Langford said. “Resource recovery markets are struggling since the enforcement of China’s National Sword policy saw the collapse of global markets for mixed plastics, mixed paper and cardboard. Addressing these issues is key, but also complex, with many aspects to consider, such as the different types of plastic and the role plastic packaging plays in food safety and preventing food waste. “Our current rigid food and beverage plastic project will be looking at all aspects, such as packaging design, alternative technologies and investment in onshore processing. “It will be fully inclusive and all options for tackling plastic packaging waste will be on the table, as we create practical solutions which will address the key issues and support the growth of a circular economy in New Zealand,” Langford said.

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News //

New rules on single-use plastics in EU aim to reduce marine litter THE COUNCIL of the European Union (EU) has adopted stringent measures proposed by the European Commission to tackle marine litter coming from the 10 single-use plastic products most often found on European beaches. On May 21, the council agreed on these measures, which will also focus on the collection of abandoned fishing gear and oxo-degradable plastics. The rules on single-use plastics items and fishing gear envisage different measures to apply to different product. The measures aim to not only minimise plastic pollution, but also encourage other countries to adopt similar rules. European Commission first vicepresident, Frans Timmermans, said there is a growing sense of urgency in European society to do whatever it takes to stop plastic pollution in oceans. “The EU is responding to this clear call of our citizens. We have taken ambitious steps by introducing concrete measures to reduce the use of single-use plastics. “The [rules] will help us to protect the health of our people and safeguard our natural environment, while promoting

more sustainable production and consumption. “We can all be proud that Europe is setting new and ambitious standards, paving the way for the rest of the world,” Timmermans said. Where alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products will be banned from the market, such as cutlery, plates and straws. For other products, the focus is on limiting their use through a national reduction in consumption, on design and labelling requirements, and waste management/clean-up obligations for producers. European Commission vice-president, Jyrki Katainen, said in a modern economy everyone has to reduce plastic litter and make sure most of the plastics used are recycled. “More innovative and sustainable ways of production will bring new opportunities for European businesses, increasing their competitiveness, growth and job creation. “Once implemented, the new rules will not only tackle plastic pollution, but also make the European Union the world leader in a more sustainable

plastic policy, thus driving forward our circular economy,” Katainen said. European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, explained that despite being small objects, plastic straws and forks can make great, long-lasting damages. “The single-use plastics legislation will address 70 per cent of marine litters items, avoiding environmental damage. All in all, it’s European legislation at its best – responding to popular demand, benefiting the planet as well its inhabitants, and genuinely leading the world,” Vella said. The new rules are proportionate and tailored to get the best results. This means different measures will be applied to different products. The new rules will introduce: • Aban on selected single-use products made of plastic for which alternatives exist on the market: cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, sticks for balloons, as well as cups, food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene and on all

products made of oxo-degradable plastic; • Measures to reduce consumptionof food containers and beverage cups made of plastic and specific marking and labelling of certain products; • Extended Producer Responsibility schemes covering the cost to cleanup litter, applied to products such as tobacco filters and fishing gear; and • A 90 per cent separate collection target for plastic bottlesby 2029 (77 per cent by 2025) and the introduction of design requirements to connect caps to bottles, as well as target to incorporate 25 per cent of recycled plastic in PET bottles as of 2025, and 30 per cent in all plastic bottles as of 2030. The decision by the Council of the EU will be followed by the publication of the texts in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Directive will enter into force 20 days after the publication. The member states will then have two years to transpose the legislation into their national law.

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Global plastic waste agreement signed by 187 countries

A global plastic waste agreement aims to protect human health and the environment.

LANDMARK decisions to reduce the world’s pollution from plastic waste were agreed upon by 187 countries in Geneva on May 12. The governments adopted a raft of decisions aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of hazardous chemicals and waste. Among the few countries that did not sign the legally-binding plan is the US. The governments that did, amended the Basel Convention to include plastic waste in the legally-binding framework, which will make global trade in plastic waste more transparent and better regulated, whilst also ensuring that its management is safer for human health and the environment. The Basel Convention is the most comprehensive international environmental agreement on hazardous and other wastes and is almost universal, with 187 parties. With an overarching objective of protecting human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes and other wastes, its scope covers a wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous” based on their origin and composition and characteristics, as well as two types of wastes defined as “other wastes” – household waste and incinerator ash. Pollution from plastic waste, acknowledged as a major environmental problem of global concern, has reached epidemic proportions with an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic now found in the oceans, 80-90 per cent of which comes from land-based sources, according to a statement from United Nations (UN) Environment. May 12 also marked the beginning of a new Partnership on Plastic Waste, which was established to mobilise business, government, academic and

civil society resources, interests and expertise. It assists in implementing the new measures, to provide a set of practical supports – including tools, best practices, technical and financial assistance for the agreement to reduce pollution from plastic waste. Other far-reaching decisions from the two weeks of discussions included the elimination of two toxic chemical groups, which together total about 4,000 chemicals – namely Dicofol and Perfluorooctanoic Acid, and its salts and related compounds. The latter has been used in a variety of industrial and domestic applications including non-stick cookware and food processing equipment, as well as a surfactant in textiles, carpets, paper, paints and fire-fighting foams. Important progress was also made under the Rotterdam Convention, which provides a legally-binding framework for information exchange and informed decision-making in the trade of certain hazardous pesticides and industrial chemicals. Two chemicals, the pesticide phorate and the industrial chemical hexabromocyclododecane were made subject to the Prior Informed Consent Procedure, through which countries can decide on future imports of these chemicals. Working for two weeks in Geneva under the theme of “Clean Planet, Healthy People: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste”, about 1,400 delegates from about 180 countries converged for the meetings of the Conferences of Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. UN Environment’s executive secretary of the three conventions, Rolph Payet, said he was proud that in Geneva,

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parties to the Basel Convention had reached an agreement on a legallybinding, globally-reaching mechanism for managing plastic waste. “Plastic waste is acknowledged as one of the world’s most pressing environmental issues, and the fact that

this week close to one million people around the world signed a petition urging Basel Convention parties to take action here in Geneva at the Conference of the Parties is a sign that public awareness and desire for action is high,” Payet said.

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WA government gets ball rolling by announcing CDS coordinator THE WESTERN Australian government’s container deposit scheme (CDS) is coming to fruition with the government choosing not-for-profit organisation WA Return Recycle Renew as the scheme coordinator. WA Environment Minister, Stephen Dawson, said the CDS scheme will start in early 2020 with WA Return Recycle Renew ensuring it meets all objectives set by the state government. “An open and competitive process was used to identify the preferred scheme co-ordinator and I’m encouraged that WA Return Recycle Renew is best placed to deliver a high performing scheme for our state. “The number of refund points per head of population will be better in WA than in any other state or territory in Australia,” Dawson said. Overseen by a board, the scheme co-ordinator will manage payments from manufacturers and importers of eligible beverage products, and will be responsible for establishing and implementing collection and logistics networks. It is expected that the chairperson

and community representative will be appointed by the end of the month, with remaining directors appointed shortly thereafter. The co-ordinator will initially be appointed for seven years and must meet recycling targets to be considered for reappointment. Dawson said he wants to ensure that remote communities do not miss out on the opportunities from this scheme. “There will be at least one refund point in every remote town with 500 people or more, and we will be looking at a range of other options for smaller communities. “From the CBD to Rottnest, Albany to Wyndham, Western Australians will have refund points spread across the state to ensure you can return your containers easily,” he said. “With beverage containers accounting for 44 per cent of the volume of litter in WA, this scheme – run by our new co-ordinator – is key to reducing litter and improving the state’s recycling rates,” Dawson said. The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of

Australia (WMRR) has welcomed the progress of WA’s CDS scheme, which is expected to create up to 500 jobs across the state. WMRR CEO, Gayle Sloan, said WMRR has long held, and will continue to stress, that an effective and costefficient scheme is one that offers convenient, accessible, and reliable collection points across the state. “As such, we are pleased that the state government has also released its minimum network standards, committing to one refund point in every remote town with 500 people or more along with a range of other options for smaller communities. “WMRR will be watching the rollout closely and will continue to engage the government to ensure that it delivers a scheme that is in the interest of the community and environment,” Sloan said. She said the scheme will play a role in helping transition WA to a circular economy by creating local recycling and sorting capacity to produce raw materials for remanufacturing. One of the first tasks for WA Return

Recycle Renew is to run an open application process to establish the collection network. This will include refund points, transport and processing facilities, and support for social enterprises to participate. Other governments are improving their existing CDS schemes to make it easier for residents to participate. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government is opening more return points to boost the accessibility and convenience to its residents. By July 2019, there will be 18 return points in operation in ACT – adding to the 14 that are already available. Under the ACT scheme, residents can return eligible, empty beverage containers to return points and receive a 10-cent refund for each container. They can choose to keep the refund or donate it to charity. The NSW CDS began rolling out across the state in December 2017. The government has released cash incentives to encourage recycling through the NSW Return and Earn scheme.

Western Australian is inching closer to launching a container deposit scheme.

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Illegally dumped materials cost Melbourne’s 31 councils $10.8m per year to clean up A METROPOLITAN Waste and Resource Recovery Group (MWRRG) survey found that Melbourne’s 31 councils are collectively spending at least $10.8 million per year cleaning up illegally dumped materials. Following the survey, social research, also commissioned by MWRRG, looked at why so many people were illegally dumping goods such as mattresses, furniture, household rubbish and electronic waste. The research found that attempted charitable acts are often used as a justification for residential dumping of hard waste material. The findings of the research into understanding the factors contributing to illegal dumping in metropolitan Melbourne were presented at the Waste 2019 conference, held at Coffs Harbour from May 14-16. Speaking at the conference, MWRRG Litter and Illegal Dumping program coordinator, Jess Hand, said Melbournians told the group they don’t want their items to go to landfill. “They want to give their items a second chance at life. People may justify putting items on the kerb as a form of giving, or a charitable act,” she said. The research found that proximity to a transfer station made no difference to knowledge of disposal options, but participants over 50 years old were more aware of transfer stations, and more likely to use them. There was also a misperception among participants that all hard waste collected by councils went to landfill, the research indicated. “We need to make sure residents know how to rehome or recycle items responsibly, using charity stores, online marketplaces or council waste disposal channels,” Hand said. In 2016-17 metropolitan councils in Victoria collected more than 100,000 tonnes of hard waste, which MWRRG indicates as materials that generally cannot be collected through kerbside collection bins, such as white goods, mattresses, e-waste, general household goods and furniture. All 31 metropolitan Melbourne councils offer a kerbside hard waste service to residents to dispose of hard waste items in addition to kerbside bin collections, but only 19 councils operate a transfer station.

Litter and consumer behaviour put under the microscope Other speakers at the Waste 2019 conference spoke about plastic litter,

Research has found that attempted charitable acts are used as justification for residential dumping of hard waste material.

the role single use plastics play in communities, and people’s behaviour towards littering. NSW EPA Litter Prevention unit head, Rupert Saville, discussed the NSW premier’s Priority Litter Target to reduce the volume of litter in NSW by 40 per cent by 2020. He said that so far, 13 litter prevention grant rounds worth $9.4m have been delivered in NSW, as well as 31 litter enforcement training courses and litter prevention toolkits to assist recourses for councils and communities. With these and other initiatives, NSW has been able to reduce its litter volume by 37 per cent so far, and shift community attitudes and behaviour with the help of the “Don’t Be a Tosser” campaign. City of Canterbury Bankstown Resource and Recovery team leader, Brad Gray, spoke at the Waste 2019 conference about the need to eliminate single use plastics as an primary option in consumers’ minds. Gray talked about phasing them out, which he explained takes planning, engagement, investment and time. In June 2018, a Council Notice of Motion calling for the phase out of single use plastics helped the City of Canterbury Bankstown council understand where and why these plastics were being used, what behaviours facilitated their use, what alternatives existed and what actions are needed to phase them out.

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The recycling industry unites after claims by 60 Minutes report MANY in Australia’s recycling industry are concerned that Sunday’s 60 Minutes program on Australia’s plastic waste challenges, screened on-air in midApril, didn’t paint the full picture of the country’s recycling efforts and didn’t highlight the industry’s contribution to improving waste management. The report included a claim that much of Australia’s plastic waste is being disposed of incorrectly in Southeast Asia and it didn’t highlight many of recycling’s upsides in Australia’s waste industry. In a statement released by waste advocates across numerous associations in Australia, concern was raised over the 60 Minutes report potentially discouraging a vast majority of Australians who regularly recycle, to keep doing so. Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) CEO, Peter Shmigel, said Australian recycling is highly successful, despite what he feels are “ill-conceived claims” in the broadcast. “In fact, up to 90 per cent of material collected for recycling is made into new products,” he said. A claim was made by 60 Minutes that 71,000 tonnes of recyclable plastic was exported to Malaysia. Shmigel said if the claim that all these materials are not being properly processed is accurate, this is very concerning as there are also legitimate processors in Malaysia. “71,000 tonnes represent less than two per cent of the four million tonnes of what is actually exported and less than 0.2 per cent of the 37 million collected for recycling,” he said. Re.Group CEO, Garth Lamb, told Inside Waste it is frustrating to see what appears to be another beat-up designed to win TV ratings by undermining public confidence in the recycling system. “Of course, we want public and especially political attention on real challenges in our sector, but responsible journalism should help the public understand what they can do to improve recycling, not falsely tell them it’s all some sham,” Lamb said. “It’s plainly ridiculous to suggest people should stop recycling because they are outraged at the thought of recyclable material going to waste. What do they think would

Many in Australia’s waste industry are disappointed that the efforts made in waste management weren’t highlighted in 60 Minute’s report.

be happening to all this material, if there weren’t people out there every day, working hard to recover stuff from the yellow bin and get it back into the productive economy? “There are thousands of great people employed across our sector, doing their best to make what they can from the material society throws at them,” Lamb said. The local recycling industry, which employs more than 50,000 Australians and generates up to $15 billion in value, is rapidly aiming to advance recycling investments in response to the impacts of restrictions across Asia – including implementing high-tech infrastructure to improve sorting and processing to produce high-quality materials from recovered waste from households, businesses and construction sites. 60 Minutes producer, Grace Tobin, told

Inside Waste the report highlighted Australia’s ongoing problem with plastic waste, and specifically, the reality of how some plastic is being processed – often illegally – in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia. “It’s an issue that affects ordinary Australians, who deserved to know about it,” Tobin said. “Reports have been coming out of Malaysia for many months now that plastic waste from Australia, the UK, the US and many other countries was being disposed of incorrectly by operators

without permits and no regard for the environment. “It’s why a special task force was formed by the Malaysian government to shut down hundreds of illegal plastic recycling factories and prevent their proliferation. It’s also why 60 Minutes travelled to Malaysia to research these claims first-hand by meeting with the chairman of the task force, Ng Sze Han, and joining him on several raids where we found bags of Australian branded plastic waste,” Tobin said. She said it’s important to remind

A 60 Minutes report included a claim that much of Australia’s plastic waste is disposed of incorrectly in Southeast Asia.

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critics that 60 Minutes is not a public relations company – and the purpose of the story in question was to highlight a specific issue. “That said, our report did in fact highlight some of the industry’s upsides, related specifically to plastic recycling, by featuring the efforts of David Hodge and his Albury based business, Plastic Forests. His initiative to develop products made entirely from contaminated plastic film received extremely positive feedback from our audience. “Our aim was always to bring these pressing issues to light and, in turn, place public pressure on those in power to improve plastic recycling efforts here in Australia by keeping recycling on home soil and reducing the amount of plastic ending up in landfill. “To say that our story alone would discourage ‘a vast majority of Australians’ from recycling would be a gross exaggeration, and we would hope that it would instead help keep certain parts of the industry honest,” Tobin said. Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) CEO, Gayle Sloan, said the Australian waste industry is investing heavily and working collaboratively

to upgrade local processing capacity, which in the past were to some extent built to meet China’s previous specifications. “Developing any industry is a collaborative effort and one that takes time. As we move forward, the industry is seeking leadership from all levels of government,” Sloan said. While National Waste and Recycling Industry Council CEO, Rose Read, said the council encourages householders to continue to separate and sort their recycling correctly to reduce contamination and realise the environmental and economic benefits of recycling. According to the National Waste Report 2018, undertaken by the Australian government, plastic exports from Australia decreased last year by 25 per cent. It also found that: • Australians generated 67 million tonnes of waste (including 13 million from kerbside collections), • 37 million tonnes of waste were recycled, including five million from kerbside collections, • 33 million tonnes of the recycling were undertaken in Australia, and • Four million tonnes of material were exported from Australia for recycling.

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It is estimated that 10-15 per cent of kerbside recycling cannot be recycled because it is contaminated with nappies, soft plastics, garden hoses, bricks and batteries. MobileMuster manager, Spyro Kalos, said plastics recycling has been significantly impacted by foreign waste bans in recent months, but that’s not to say that all aspects of the recycling industry in Australia are similarly placed. “The challenges that arise from policy changes in other markets should be seen as opportunities to develop markets locally,” Kalos said. “Mobile phone recycling plays an important role in the reduction of e-waste in Australia, and the country’s government accredited program, MobileMuster, works with accredited recycling partners to ensure products are processed and recycled to the highest environmental standard, allowing 99 per cent of the materials in a mobile phone to be recovered and returned to manufacturing of new products for reuse, including plastics.” A recent Reachtel survey, commissioned by ACOR, found that almost 93 per cent of people said reducing waste and recycling materials into new products is important to them,

while 87 per cent supported increasing recycling and reducing landfill by processing food and garden material from rubbish bins into useful products. Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA), Tony Khoury, said prior to January 2018, China aggressively sought recyclable material from around the world. “It was the Chinese that set the low bar on the specification for recyclables that allowed contaminated recyclables to be imported into their country. Many of the recycling facilities from around the world were then constructed to screen, produce and bale recyclables to this specification,” Khoury told Inside Waste. Khoury said that over the past few years, the Australian recycling industry has had to deal with some major challenging issues, including China’s decision to stop taking recyclable materials. “The overall objective of the industry is to achieve the most desirable waste management outcomes and where ever possible recover the maximum amount of resources. With better support from all levels of government, the waste industry can achieve these better outcomes,” said Khoury.

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From the CEO’s desk IF the 2019 Federal election has shown us anything, Environment for recovery the second it would be Ministers this: wastewill andmeet resource is a time year on 7 December, following the first sexy,this on-trend portfolio. 2018I’dMeeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) in be preaching to the choir by saying our industry April, which was in part a response to the import is not only essential, its impact and opportunities restrictions driven environmental; by China’s National Sword extend far beyond we create jobs for Policy and the effects this policy has had every-day Australians, we boost the economy, across and we the Australian and resource recovery (WARR) could return waste to Australia a thriving manufacturing industry. Key decisions derived from the April MEM industry. We even preserve the natural environment! include: We know that, and now it seems our politicians are finally seeing the light. • Reducing generation, target While it iswaste positive that waste endorsing and resourcearecovery ofwere 100% of Australian packaging being recyclable, on the minds of the major parties, with the ALP, compostable or reusable by 2025, developing LNP, and the Greens developing policies ahead of the 2019 Federaland election to drive targets for recycled content in packaging. our sector, we need to hold the ruling party of the day accountable – ensuring that • Increasing Australia’s domestic capacity. our elected government followsrecycling through on its commitments and stops putting on • Increasing the demand for recycled products. hold the much-needed changes, investment, and above all else, Federal leadership • Exploring to advance andremanufacturing waste-to-biofuels. required opportunities to create a circular economywaste-to-energy and develop a local industry. • Updating thethe 2009 Wasteelection Strategy year circular Now that Federal is by over, it’send, timewhich for allwill theinclude governments to economy principles. stop playing politics and get on with the job. While WMRR has been advocating consistently for our five-point plan, and the solutions to industry’s challenges have It isbeen timeadvocated to take stock examine what has beenalmost achieved these decisions for,and promoted, and highlighted dailysince in the media, seeing were announced. Now, seven (7) months may not seem like a long time, is believing. So, perhaps the first thing our next Federal Environmenthowever Minister in that timedowe seen markets (Malaysia, should ishave embark onfurther a study trip toclose Europe to learnIndonesia, a thing orVietnam) two fromand our if you are an operator under continued financial stress, seven (7) months could European counterparts and how they have responded to going circular, including make break you. theor balancing act of managing resources and carbon emissions. Now, while most developed nations were impacted by China’s National Sword Following the April MEM, we have hadtipthree (3)iceberg. states step policy, China’s move is really just the of the There in arewith manyvarying factors degrees of financial assistance for industry (councils and operators). This that have created the challenges Australia is facing today, including theshould lack of be expected considering almost stateswaste (except and Tasmania) have understanding that we need to all manage as Queensland a resource that ought to be valued access to significant waste levy income each year. On the eastern seaboard, Victoria and demanded back in Australia as remanufactured goods. This paradigm shift has hasbeen approximately $600in million in waste in theand Sustainability Fund sorely hampered Australia by thelevy lack reserves of harmonised robust regulations andand NSW raises more than $700 million per annum from the waste levy. There is policy that support waste becoming a resource, adequate infrastructure certainly no lack of funds that can be markets, reinvested ourofessential industry. planning, over-reliance on global andinto lack processing capacity and demand for local recycled material, to name just a few things holding us back. Funding helps but as know, the money a much longer witha Where Australia haswestruggled, Europe has goes thrived, and today theway EU has Government support and leadership, as well as appropriate policy levers. booming waste and resource recovery industry, as well as many new industries supporting both circularity and disruption – a vastly different picture to VICTORIA Australia’s current landscape. The first thing the Federal Government needs is to Victoria been Waste the most andrecovery earnest is in supporting theprotecting industry do is has shiftarguably its thinking. andactive resource not just about post-China, with two (2) relief packages announced to support the recycling the environment – as important as this is – it is also about jobs and business, and industry, at a total ofmade $37 million. Victorian Government gone the EUvalued has successfully that linkThe between environment andhas thealso economy. above and beyond all others states byshould announcing it would take as a leadership role Likewise, in Australia, our industry not simply be viewed an environment in creating market demand for recycled products. portfolio but a business one with viable economic opportunities. After all, a circular economy is one that links production, consumption, waste management, SOUTH AUSTRALIA resource recovery and remanufacturing together in a continuous loop, and if one Government announced a $12.4 million support package comprising $2 million of additional expenditure, $5 million additional funding for a loan scheme, together with targeted funding from the Green Industries SA budget. The Government has also offered grants for recycling infrastructure.

part of this circle is already viewed as a business and economic entity, so too industry thepart Queensland Government has embarked on the development should thehowever remaining of that circle, which comprises our essential industry. ofWorld a waste management strategy underpinned by areason wastetodisposal levy toabout increase Economic Forum estimates are a compelling start thinking recycling and recovery and create new jobs. The State will re-introduce $70/ our industry in a different light – a circular economy could add $26 billion to aour tonne landfill levy in March 2019. There are also strong attempts to use policy economy by 2025; a shift to a circular economy would also add an additional $9.3 levers to (levy discounts and exemptions) to incentivise the use of recycled material billion Australian business through a collaborative economy. and make it cost competitive with virgin material. However, little has been done to The next lesson out of Europe is collaboration between Government departments. establish new markets and Government has not taken the lead in the procurement Working in silos clearly does not work. The European Union has embraced a wholeof recycled material. There are grants available for resource recovery of-government approach and waste and resource recovery no longer fallsoperations neatly in Queensland no monies havecan been to assist 2018. This is into one portfolioalthough or department. Australia do allocated the same and we areinbeginning troubling as Queensland rolledapproach out its Container Refund on 1 November, see first roots of a collaborative in NSW where theScheme new leadership team which will likely impact the cost and revenue models of the State’s MRFs at the Department of Planning and Environment has indicated that work will– as be we have seen most recently in NSW. done within and across clusters in a matrix fashion. But it’s not just about interdepartment collaboration. The Federal Government must also drive collaboration WESTERN AUSTRALIA Australia is one country with one common market, with between jurisdictions. The Western Australian Government upcommunity) a Waste Taskforce in direct numerous companies (not to mentionset our operating and response thinking to the China National Sword. As part of this announcement, the State Government nationally. Without certainty in regulations and policies, businesses will not only urged all councils to begin utilisation a three - red for struggle tolocal operate, they will be lessthe compelled to of invest. The(3)-bin Federalsystem Government general recyclables and green organic waste - over the coming has a keywaste, role toyellow play infor bringing companies and for states to the table. years to reduce contamination. While this taskforce is a adopt step inathe rightstrategy direction, Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Australia should similar we are yet to see any tangible results from it or any funding for industry. In October, to the EU’s 2015 Circular Economy plan, which comprised: the WA Waste Authority released its draft Waste Strategy to 2030, which comprises • Key areas: production, consumption, waste management, and secondary raw amaterials. comprehensive and detailed roadmap towards the State’s shared vision of becoming a sustainable, low-waste, economy. • Five priority sectors: biomass and circular bio-based products, plastics, food waste, critical raw materials, and construction and demolition. COMMONWEALTH Fifty-four actions sat under the action plan, including the development of Followingfor thesecondary MEM in April, Australia now a new Federal Environment Minister, standards raw materials, to behas completed between 2015 and 2019. Melissa Price, who in October reiterated to media MEM’s commitment to Three years after its adoption and the plan is now fully completed with allexplore 54 waste to energy Three as part of the solution the These impacts of China’s National Sword, actions delivered. years – that’s all itto took. three years have reportedly which not solution to recycling). The Commonwealth put the isEUtroubling back on a(EfW pathis of joba creation, with sectors relevant to the circularhas also backed the Australian Recycling Label and endorsed the National Packaging economy employing more than four million people in 2016 – a 6 per cent increase Targets developed by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), compared to 2012. According to the EU Monitoring Framework for the Circular which has to date, failed to incorporate industry feedback in the development Economy, additional jobs will be created in the coming years to meet the demand of these by targets. To the Commonwealth’s credit,rawthere has been significant generated fully-functioning markets for secondary materials. coordination reviewing with theopportunities, Department of By following inthis plan, thethe EU National has now Waste createdPolicy, new business Environment bringing together industry players and States during review including new business models and new markets, both domestically and the outside process. the EU. It is reported that in 2016 – only one year after adopting the plan – circular activities such as repair, reuse or recycling generated almost €147 billion The updated willadded, now go before Environment Ministers 7 December. ($240 billion) Policy in value and around €17.5 billion ($28.4 on billion) worth ofThe Commonwealth can play a key role – one that goes beyond the development of the investments. Think of where we’d be if Australia had started charting its circular National Waste Policy. WMAA is supportive of the Federal Government maximising economy course three years ago! But there is no time like the present to get on the levers it has, taxation importation powers, maintain a strong, with the job and including industry needs to and continue to advocate andtourge our leaders recovery tosustainable lead, evenwaste at theand riskresource of sounding like aindustry. broken record. National Waste Policy anyone? AHEAD OF MEM 2 executive officer Gayle Sloan, chief There may be movement across Australia, some states doing better than Waste Management and Resource Recoverywith Association of Australia others, but the consensus is, progress is still taking way too long. It is evident that there are funds available in almost all States to assist with developing secondary manufacturing infrastructure, however the only way that this will really happen is if there is government leadership around mandating recycled content in Australia now, not later.

NEW SOUTH WALES At first glance, New South Wales’ eye-watering $47 million recycling support package was heralded as the spark of hope industry needed. However, on closer inspection, the bulk of this package that was funded via the Waste Less, Recycle More initiative and therefore the waste levy, was not new, making it very difficult for stakeholders, including local government, to utilise the funds as they were already committed to other activities. Some of the criteria proposed by the NSW EPA also made it challenging for industry to apply to these grants. On the plus side, efforts are being made by the NSW Government to stimulate demand for recycled content through the intergovernmental agency working groups that have been established, though no tangible increase in demand or facilities have developed… Yet.

Voluntary schemes like the Used Packaging NEPM, under which APCO is auspiced, are not working. We have 1.6million tonnes of packaging waste in Australia, which needs to be used as an input back into packaging. Barriers to using recycled content in civil infrastructure must be identified and removed, and Government must lead in this field and prefer and purchase recycled material. A tax on virgin material should also be imposed as it is overseas. MEM must show strong leadership on this issue. Ministers have, since April, dealt directly with operators and councils that are under stress and we have a chance to create jobs and investment in Australia at a time when manufacturing is declining. Ministers have the opportunity to be leaders of today, not procrastinators – leaders of tomorrow and we are urging them to act and not just talk in December.

QUEENSLAND Unlike its neighbours, Queensland did not provide any financial support to

Gayle Sloan Chief Executive Officer

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

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Policy //

Government and industry working side-by-side Several parties in Australia introduced waste policies in their election campaigns this year.

By Miri Schroeter (Continued from front page, main story) THE Labor Party offered promises that were more welcomed by WMRR than the Liberal Party’s promises were – based on a scorecard created by WMRR in early May. The association compared both parties’ policies and concluded that the Labor party had “shown real thought as to what is required for our essential sector and how we get there”. On the other hand, WMRR indicated that the Liberal Party had hit the “snooze button” again, with its lack of significant new commitments and a lack of national leadership. However, despite the critical analysis, WMRR has put its faith in the Liberal party delivering on the promises it did make. Sloan said WMRR looks forward to working with the new government on the commitments it’s made to collaborate in a proactive way to drive the industry forward and create a circular economy in Australia. “Now is the time to grab the bull by the horns and tackle the challenges industry has been facing nationally once and for all. “WMRR is very keen for the national government, irrespective of party, to work cooperatively with the states, like we see in the European Union, in the interests of the community and the environment – given that in reality we are one common market and we need to work together to create the jobs and investment required together,” Sloan said. On the appointment of Trevor Evans, she welcomed the move by the returning Federal government, who hadn’t announced the appointment of the new position in their pre-election waste policy. “For the first time, we’ve got a minister focussed on waste reduction. We are very keen to see how they work together and how they work with industry,” Sloan said. The Morrison government also announced a new Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, as the former minister, Melissa Price, takes up the role of Minister for Defence Industry. Sloan said that given Ley’s experience in the industry, she is hopeful that Ley will recognise the value the waste industry has to the economy and environment. “I think it’s really great that we’ve 20

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

WMRR CEO, Gayle Sloan, said it is encouraging to see the industry attracting the attention of all levels of government.

got a new minister. From what I’ve read, she’s committed to the environment. I hope she comes with a genuine passion.”

Committed to working together WMRR’s commitment to work with the government to move the industry forward is one that is shared by many in the waste industry, who are supporting the Coalition’s policy, while continuing to push for more to be done. Shmigel said it is positive that both Labor and the Liberals introduced polices that were better than before, but there is room for improvement. Shmigel commended the Coalition government for its product stewardship scheme, but he said there

WCRA executive director, Tony Khoury, is in support of funding toward a recycling app that aims to minimise contamination.

needs to be more regulation enforced. “Even in the national waste policy, the only targets we have are voluntary targets for packaging. “It’s really important for any government to keep an eye on the ball to see if a volunteering approach is a benefit. The voluntary mode has nowhere in our history produced the kind of results needed,” Shmigel explained. Although Shmigel sees the benefits of a voluntary mode, such as minimised cost, he doubted that Australia could beat the rest of the world by having significant results without government enforcement. “Are we seeing enough responsibility taken by manufacturers? If not, then

there has to be a willingness to go to regulatory modes.” National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) CEO, Rose Read, also challenged the returning government’s industry and state-led commitments to waste management, as she wants to see greater federal involvement and national schemes. One of the areas Read highlighted was the need for the Federal government to implement a regulated National Battery Recycling Scheme and a national Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), which she said would give greater results and push all states to have a CDS. Read compared the National Television and Computer Recycling scheme implemented at a federal level as a good example of national leadership creating positive change. The National Television and Computer Recycling scheme provides households and small businesses with access to free recycling services for televisions and computers. It aims to lift these recycling rates from 17 per cent in 2010 to 80 per cent by 2021-22. Under the scheme, the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy states that so far, more than 1,800 collection services have been made available and more than 290,000 tonnes of television and computer e-waste have

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Policy

been collected and recycled. The scheme is operated by government-approved administrators. “Creating a national scheme is not hard – the television and computer recycling scheme is a good example,” Read explained. “From a service provider perspective, the reporting and requirements for CDS differ from state-to-state, which is less than ideal. There needs to be a national waste commissioner to drive this. They can engage with industry as well as local, state and federal governments.” Alongside this, the commissioner would aid in enforcing the country’s 2025 packaging targets, Read said. “At the moment, it’s just a target. There’s no law to stop someone putting any product out in the market.” Read used the banning of microbeads in personal care and cleaning products as an example of national enforcement resulting in quick and positive results for the environment. “That approach needs to happen here,” she said. “This is where the Coalition government has been weak in the past and it hasn’t been held accountable. It’s not about creating a massive red tape. It’s about putting in place some basic rules,” Read said. NWRIC welcomes the appointment of both the Minister and Assistant Minister – in particular an Assistant Minister role for waste reduction – but Read said she hopes the returning government will still consider the appointment of a national waste commissioner. “It’s great that the Federal government has appointed an assistant minister. “That clearly illustrates that the Coalition has listened to industry and recognises the importance of national leadership in this area. “But we are still very committed to the national waste commissioner and we would encourage the assistant minister to appoint one,” Read explained.

Government ready to tackle challenges Read reiterated the support that many in the waste industry had for the Coalition government’s waste policy, including its Product Stewardship Investment Fund, but she questioned whether the government would deliver on these promises in a timely manner. “It will be interesting to see how that pans out and how quickly that moves. My concern is that the Coalition has been slow in moving product stewardship forward in the past five years.” She said it is an area that “has been underserviced at a federal level” in the past under the Liberal-National Coalition government. “I’m just concerned whether they’ve got the will to put in the regulations to make the product stewardship

schemes work. “To really perfect this, we would encourage them to put in place a national waste commissioner. This will ensure they are delivered in a coordinated, effective way. Putting in place a national waste commissioner would create a more institutional structure,” she said. Despite challenges that may arise from a much-wanted national waste commissioner, there is optimism that what the Liberals did promise will be advantageous to the waste industry. WMRR national president, Garth Lamb,

trialled in NSW. With the government funding, ACOR aims to release it nationally within 12-18 months. “It’s a great use of digital technology. What is good, is the recyclers are actually running this. Because we are the ones that have to accept and process and fund markets for these products. This has a lot of strengths,” Read said. Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association (WCRA) of NSW, executive director, Tony Khoury, said WCRA has long argued for additional funding to progress the issue of better managing contamination in kerbside recycling by

collaboration amongst APCO members, circular partners, and key stakeholders. APCO, Planet Ark and supply chain collaborators will develop a platform, called the Circular Economy Marketplace, that matches buyers and sellers in waste resources to help them identify products with sustainable materials. “This platform would act as the B2B ‘eBay’ of the circular economy, supported in the hub by an education and knowledge sharing service and thought leadership program. “The thought leadership program could potentially act as an independent

educating householders. “We are very pleased to hear that ACOR will receive $2m for the national roll out of a recycling app. “Contamination in kerbside recycling materials adds cost to the recycling process. Once these contaminants are extracted from the recycling resources, the materials recycling facilities (MRF) have to pay the cost of transporting this residual waste to landfill,” Khoury said. He is also supportive of the Coalition government’s commitment to invest $20m in the development of markets and solutions for recyclable material. “One area where the government can immediately assist the recycling industry is by boosting the use of recycled glass content in road construction. “In recent years, WCRA has argued the case for glass recycling markets to be created by government mandating the use of recycled glass fine content in road-base making materials. The Federal government can also support recycling by the development of procurement policies that give preference to a minimum level of Australian recycled content,” Khoury said. APCO CEO, Brooke Donnelly, highlighted a joint project with Planet Ark to drive innovation in the transition to a circular economy as a key project, which is receiving $1.3m in funding by the government. The initial focus will be on improving dissemination of information on sustainability initiatives, reuse and recovery, facilitating

national co-ordinator for all circular economy activities within various states and territories. This will help to drive end markets for recycled products, provide cohesion for delivery of the National Waste Policy initiatives and educate the supply chain on the available options to support the transition to a circular economy,” Donnelly said.

The Liberal-National Coalition won the federal election, with many promises to the waste sector.

said it’s significant to see the waste sector actually have a policy. “I’m optimistic that this new term of government will be more active and get more done in this space. “Obviously WMRR put out a scorecard before the election, which didn’t have the Liberal Party as the top rated. But we think that what it’s committed to is a step ahead,” Lamb said. He explained that WMRR will continue to advocate for the priorities it wants actioned, while also supporting the government. “A lot of commentators have said that the returning Prime Minister has a clear mandate and a stronger level of control and autonomy to make things happen, so we hope that there will be progress,” he said.

Support at a smaller scale appreciated As part of its policy, the Coalition is promising up to $5.8m for a range of initiatives through the Environment Restoration Fund to support Clean Up Australia, Keep Australia Beautiful, the ACOR, Planet Ark, the APCO and OzHarvest. This funding was highlighted as a key point in driving growth in the waste industry by several people Inside Waste spoke to. Read is in support of $2m going towards the funding of an app for ACOR. The app uses photo recognition to allow people to find out where a particular item can be recycled in their area. The app is currently being

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

A fruitful three years ahead Overall, there is an overwhelming support for the initiatives that have been in place for the waste sector. Many in the industry are glad to see a policy addressing waste and recycling in Australia, in what they say is the first time this has ever been a real priority. Sloan said what needs to happen now is for politics to be put to the side, genuine investment in market development to occur and for the Australian government to pull the levers at its disposal to create the conditions required nationally to decouple Australia from international markets and create a sustainable industry. “We know what the solutions are, so let’s move forward and build a strong, robust sector that would go a long a way in growing Australia’s economy, boosting local jobs, creating a strong local remanufacturing industry, and protecting human and environmental health.” Inside Waste contacted the Federal Coalition government, but no government representative commented. iw JUNE/JULY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Policy //

Taking advantage of onshore opportunities for waste management

Spyro Kalos said challenges arising from international policy changes should be seen as opportunities to develop markets locally.

By Jan Arreza CHINA’S National Sword policy and the current “War on Waste” have raised a new awareness of recycling in Australia, which has pushed industry, councils and regional waste groups to improve and strengthen the country’s recycling systems. Until now, China, as well as many other southeast Asian nations, have been major importers of recyclable materials, accepting more than 30 million tonnes of waste worldwide, including Australia, each year. According to the EPA, Australia alone sent 1.25 million tonnes of recycled material to China in 2016-17. Today, many of those countries are shutting out global exports of waste, with not just China making the change in January last year. Following in China’s footsteps, in October 2018, the Malaysian government announced it would shut its doors, and India did so in March this year. They will now 22

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

stop taking Australia’s plastic bottles and other recyclable materials, such as e-waste. As far as e-waste goes, the 14th Conference of the Parties of the Basel Convention proposed new guidelines in May 2019 for managing electronic and electrical waste, which included an exemption from controls for e-wastes claimed for repair. However, it failed to find the support for its final adoption of the Technical Guidelines on the Transboundary Movement of e-Waste. The Basel Action Network (BAN) stated that more work is needed to address concerns raised by developing countries that the exemption can be exploited by exporters who discard low-value e-waste by claiming their exports are for repair. This would negate trade controls of the Basel Convention, which indicates that countries need to be notified before receiving such wastes and it provides them with the right of refusal.

BAN, the African Group, India and Sri Lanka called for further work as essential to allow for a rational closure of the loophole to thereby ensure an ethical circular economy. Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association and MobileMuster manager, Spyro Kalos, said the challenges that arise from these policy changes in other international markets should be seen as opportunities to develop markets locally. “Australia should be able to manage all its waste outputs – shipping it offshore is not always the ideal solution,” Kalos said. “We need to see greater investment in research and development in Australia, funded by industry and government. This will not only develop industries here, but also create employment opportunities locally. “There are also opportunities here to educate Australians to be more aware of the impacts that our choices have on the environment. As individuals,

we need to get better at sorting our waste to reduce contamination and look at purchase items that are better for the environment,” Kalos said. To this day, 67 countries have enacted legislations to deal with the e-waste they generate. Apple, Google, Samsung and many other electronics brands have set out ambitious targets for recycling and for the use of renewable materials. These companies have begun looking at the way they package their products to reduce or remove plastics and non-recyclable materials used in their smartphones. Apple has implemented its Apple Renew program, which is an expanded recycling initiative for old Apple devices that uses recycling robots to take apart more than 1.2 million iPhones in a year and extracts different components to be reused or recycled. Better product tacking and takeback schemes, which consumers trust, also constitute an important firststep to circular global value-chains.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Policy

It is about changing the direction of the prevailing linear ‘take, make and dispose’ model as a first-step towards the circular economy. However, this requires bold solutions, expertise, incentives and policies. Looking locally, new laws on e-waste are being introduced in a bid to protect the environment, while recovering precious resources during the processing phase. The Victorian government is banning all e-waste from landfill from July 1, 2019, meaning e-waste will no longer be accepted in any household bin. The Victorian government expects the amount of e-waste generated in the state is projected to increase from 109,000 tonnes in 2015, to about 256,000 tonnes in 2035. East Gippsland Shire Council mayor, Natalie O’Connell, said there’s a better place for e-waste than in a rubbish bin. “It’s much better going to a place where we can recover the precious materials to be reused and capture the nasty bits before they can do harm. “Electronics are stripped for recyclable components, reducing the amount of material that enters landfill where toxic metals, such as lead and mercury, can remain in the

The amount of e-waste generated in the state of Victoria is projected to increase from 109,000 tonnes in 2015 to about 256,000 tonnes in 2035.

environment,” she said. Kalos said material used in mobile phones have shifted in the past few years. “More glass and metal casings are being used, which are materials that are highly recyclable. Manufacturers

are also looking at using recycled content in new devices. We are already seeing recycled cobalt being used in new mobile phone batteries. “In the short-term, we need to regain trust in the recycling process,

and we should acknowledge the great work already happening in this space locally. In the long-term, I expect that will see greater innovations in material recovery able to recover more value from recycled material.” iw

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Industry News //

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INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

By Miri Schroeter (Continued from front page) PREVENTION is at the top of the list, followed by re-use, recycling, recovery and, as the least preferred option, disposal, which includes landfilling and incineration without energy recovery. In line with this, the EU’s 7th Environment Action Programme sets priority objectives for waste policy. It will be guiding European environment policy until 2020. In order to give more long-term direction, it sets out a vision beyond that, of where it wants the EU to be by 2050. The vision is to reduce the amount of waste generated, maximise recycling and re-use, limit incineration to non-recyclable materials, phase out landfilling of non-recyclable and nonrecoverable waste, and ensure full

implementation of the waste policy targets in all member states. While these targets are set out by the European Commission for the EU, Petrova told delegates at Waste 2019 that a world-wide collaboration is the best way forward. “I really believe that we are all in it together. Neither Europe, Australia or Asia can do it on their own. We have to make sure that we take action for a sustainable future. “It’s important to have political leadership. It’s important to have direction.” Petrova said while the politicians globally need to identify and implement key priorities, change also happens at the level of waste associations, companies and other key decision makers. “It’s time that we as decision makers connect with each other,” she said. iw

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Industry News

A sea of plastic hidden beneath our shores By Miri Schroeter THERE is an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris floating in the ocean, or sitting kilometres out of sight on the bottom of the seabed. Plastic Oceans Australasia acting executive director, Ricki Hersburgh, highlighted these “startling” figures in her presentation, Ocean Plastics – A Real Waste Management Issue, at the Waste 2019 conference. She showed pictures of marine life suffering under the weight of plastic taking over their habitat. These are pictures that many have seen plastered on social media and in documentaries in a bid to make people think twice before dumping rubbish in the oceans. But, Hersburgh said it’s not as simple as telling people to think twice before discarding rubbish in waterways, as it’s difficult to hold anyone accountable for the plastics being dumped in the ocean. “It’s everywhere. It’s hard to identify where it’s originated from. From a social impact point of view, everyone is responsible. Every time we take a piece of plastic, we are all responsible for it. “We have information and sources everywhere that we can work with. We have an opportunity to take a global collaborative approach,” Hersburgh said.

Global crusade for less waste Australian charity organisation, Ocean Crusaders, highlights that the 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean results in four billion plastic microfibers per square kilometre. In Australia 6.9 billion plastic bags are used each year, of which 3.6 billion are plastic shopping bags, statistics highlighted by Ocean Crusaders suggest. The organisation also indicates that Australians dump 36,700 tonnes of plastic bags into landfill each year, which equates to 4,000 bags a minute or 230,000 per hour. With the scale of plastic waste widely publicised, EPA NSW litter prevention unit head, Rupert Saville, said communities are demanding more action on marine litter prevention and clean up. “The scale of the problem is only really being realised now. Marine litter is an area of real concern,” Saville said. Due to this concern and more push from the community, states such

The Waste 2019 conference was attended by more than 600 delegates.

as NSW are investing in marine litter prevention and clean-ups. Saville said NSW’s marine litter campaign will launch at the end of 2019, as part of larger program to meet the Premier’s 2020 litter prevention target. The government’s aim is to reduce the volume of litter in NSW by 40 per cent by the end of next year. This is being done with the help of initiatives such as the container deposit scheme (CDS), which the government indicated would help reduce marine litter. Overall, the government estimates that by 2020 the NSW CDS will reduce litter volumes by 25 per cent with the remaining 15 per cent of volume reduction coming through continuing education, better infrastructure and clean up, and enforcement activity. Evidence from South Australia, where a CDS has been operating since 1977, shows that its system is successful in reducing drink container litter. In 2014–15, 15 per cent of South Australian litter volume came from drink containers, compared to 44 per cent in NSW, the NSW government indicated. The effectiveness of a CDS in reducing drink container litter in the marine environment is reflected in a CSIRO Marine Debris study, from 2014, which found that South Australia had less drink container litter on beaches and in offshore waters than any other Australian state. CSIRO also calculated there are more than five pieces of rubbish per person on Australian beaches. Seventy-five per cent of marine litter is estimated to be plastic, and 59 per cent of all marine litter comes from land sources, CSIRO indicated. As part of the study, CSIRO surveyed coastal sites about

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

every 100km around the continent of Australia.

Discussion turns to action Litter, and in particular marine litter, was one of many topics tackled at the Waste 2019 conference in May. Other speakers on the topic included Bayside Council waste and cleansing services manager Joe Logiacco, who spoke about litter prevention through innovation. Bayside Council’s Beach Anti-Litter Program saw dozens of new beach bins installed at its beaches, as well as antilittering signs. The council indicated that about 300kg of litter was collected in the first week, in early 2019. In a statement, Bayside Council Mayor, Bill Saravinovski, said having the extra bins near the walkways, as well as on the beach, is making it easier for visitors to dispose of their rubbish. “Beachgoers are doing the right thing putting their litter in these bins. This is a great achievement and helps stop rubbish entering our beautiful waterways,” he said. With governments behind programs that prevent litter from ending up in the ocean, Hersburgh said she hopes everyone will take responsibility and

action, sooner rather than later. Hersburgh urged people at all levels of governance and from all companies to do their part. In her presentation at Waste 2019, she referred to recent achievements by Qantas and Emirates Airline to reduce the amount of single use plastic on flights, but she challenged the speed at which they were making changes. “It’s great that Qantas is doing something, it’s great that Emirates is doing something, but it’s so slow.” Marking the start of its plan to cut 100 million single-use plastics by the end of 2020, and eliminate 75 per cent of the its waste by the end of 2021, Qantas announced in May that it undertook a commercial flight with no landfill waste produced. In partnership with SUEZ, Qantas ensured all inflight products on a flight from Sydney to Adelaide were disposed of via compost, reuse or recycling methods. But, Hersburgh said more needs to be done, as even on short-haul flights too many plastic cups and other singleuse products are distributed daily to thousands of people, including to her. iw

There is an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean.

JUNE/JULY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Circular economy //

Waste – underestimated and undervalued By Miri Schroeter IN a country that generated 67Mt of waste in the span of a year, there is an appetite for change to the way consumers, manufacturers and all levels of government view waste. The message is clear from waste industry associations and waste management companies – give waste value. Commodities such as sports equipment, construction equipment and clothing are given value, and therefore, materials such as cotton, metals and wood are also perceived as more valuable than rubbish. But, the sense of rubbish being far more than discarded material left to sink further into piles of landfill, is a shift that commentators at the Waste 2019 conference support loud and clear. The conference, held at Coffs Harbour from May 14-16, gave local government representatives, businesses invested in the waste industry, and industry association members a chance to share their thoughts on the pressing issues within the waste industry – with the hopes of influencing key decision makers and consumers to do better. In order to improve, one issue that was highlighted is the need for mandates that push circular economy from an idea, into a reality taken up by all corners of the industry. Based on the Australian government’s National Waste Report 2018, Australia generated 67Mt of waste in 2016-17 – an estimated 2.8t per capita. This

Panellists discussed strategic objectives and challenges in the industry at Waste 2019.

waste included 17.2Mt of masonry materials, 12.9Mt of organics, 12.3Mt of ash, 7.7Mt of hazardous waste, 5.6Mt of paper and cardboard and 5.5Mt of metals.

Awareness is key By creating a circular economy that is implemented across the board, waste can be significantly reduced, according to a group of panellists who spoke at Waste 2019 about strategic objectives and challenges in the industry. Suez NSW state general manager, Tony Grebenshikoff, said in order to achieve a

Maree Lowes, who plays Dirtgirl, and Costa Georgiadis, known as Costa the Garden Gnome, from Get Grubby TV, were at Waste 2019.

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

circular economy, large enterprises such as Qantas and Ikea need to commit. “For everything from roads to Ikea plastic, we must include a percentage of recycled product.” By having support from the big players in the market, Grebenshikoff hopes this can help highlight the value of recycled products. “Most people want action. Before this, there has to be understanding. Before understanding there has to be awareness. And before awareness, there has to be potential. If we start thinking that way, we redefine the value,” he said. Re.Group chief development officer, Garth Lamb, said prior to a few years ago, the waste industry wasn’t getting much public recognition, but that has changed now. With developments such as the enforcement of the China National Sword Policy, Lamb said the industry has received a lot of public attention. Lamb explained that people need to see the value waste creates in terms of job and economic growth and the waste industry needs to stop undertaking projects in the “cheapest way possible”. “That’s the fundamental shift that all of us need to be making. If we keep trying to do everything at the lowest cost, we are not going to get there,” Lamb said. He explained that mandated recycled content in manufacturing, for example in the bottle industry, would ensure that

a percentage of materials used come from recycled products. Roads are one area that Lamb highlighted could easily benefit from recycled materials. “The answer is clear as day. We have a heap of glass we can convert to sand. If we can’t get glass right, we are kidding ourselves.”

Government support and collaboration opportunities While the answer may be an obvious one, Lamb and other panellists said radical change will not happen without leadership at a Federal level. “There needs to be an agreement. Until we have that agreement, how are we going to invest in making a high value examples of that. “What we have to do is agree on specifications – that’s what needs to happen across all materials,” Lamb said. Cleanaway NSW general manager, David Clancy, agreed that waste materials need to be treated as a resource, which can be done with Federal government support. “It’s about setting a framework that you can coordinate and innovate. The challenge is that the volume of glass we are developing in Australia is just more than we can manage.” Clancy explained that in order to manage this waste, more development in areas such as circular economy is needed. Bingo Industries CEO and managing

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Circular economy

director, Daniel Tartak, said the waste crisis Australia is currently in, is a chance to develop better processes. “[It] is our biggest opportunity. We now have the opportunity to shape the future of the waste industry. He said in order to benefit from this, government support is needed as well as collaboration across the board. “In the next few years, there’s a big investment needed in recycling infrastructure to keep up.” On the topic of Australia’s excess of glass, Tartak said if the government implemented mandates for the glass to be used in creating roads, it would solve Australia’s glass waste problem due to the sheer scale of roads being built. “We’ve just got to now do something about it. That’s the biggest frustration. If the mandate was to come out, guess what? Bingo would operate in glass tomorrow. “We’ve invested a lot of money into waste infrastructure on the back of no government procurement. Sometimes it’s hard to take that punt. The bigger we get, we just can’t operate that way,” Tartak said. He explained that without the support from the top, companies such as Bingo simply cannot afford to take independent action. Veolia NSW resource recovery general manager, Christine Hodgkiss, agreed the opportunity is there for all parties to work together to create markets that support a circular economy and waste management. “The onus is on us collectively. We’ve been living in a global market. Now is the opportunity for us to take back control and see what we can do in our own backyard,” Hodgkiss said. She explained that industry and government need to collaborate more than they have in the past, with more direction from government. “We need to innovate, and in order to innovate, we need to be able to be given that leadership. That’s what everyone is looking for – that support.” Lamb said collaboration needs to shift to a priority. “There needs to be a serious commitment that once we sit a direction, we are going to support it and we are not going to chop and change. Having sensible and transparent policy is really important. “We are all sitting here and we compete at some level, but we need that collaboration. We need to be more sensible about that and try to recognise we are trying to achieve the same thing,” Lamb said.

Composting is one way the volume of organic waste currently sent to landfill could be minimised.

highlighted circular economy as key to ensuring members of the community are supported. During a panel discussion on social enterprise, Zero Waste Network Australia executive director, Matthew Allen, said a circular economy creates

Importance of a circular economy While all speakers on the panel support the notion of better industry and government engagement, others also

The Waste 2019 had several exhibitors showcasing biodegradable bags.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

opportunities for people experiencing disadvantage, while addressing the issue of how to keep materials in use for as long as possible. “My vision for a circular economy in Australia is one where every person has access to reuse and repair hubs.”

Having easily accessible hubs would give people the opportunity to drop off items they no longer want, which others could greatly benefit from, he explained. “We want to see and approach where people have a responsibility for it right until it goes into it next productive life,” Allen said. Garage Sale Trail general manager, Barbara Gill, said creating a shared vision will motivate people to take impactful action. “Our big dream is to have a zero-waste society.” In order to move closer to a zerowaste society, targets that have been set across Australia, need to be met. The National Waste Policy 2018 targets are based on circular economy principles, an increase in Australia’s domestic capability to better manage waste, greater support for innovation, greater community engagement and job growth. The national waste targets include: 1. Reducing waste generated in Australia, including all rubbish and recyclable material by 10 per cent per person by 2030; 2. Achieving an 80 per cent average recovery rate from all resourcerecovery streams, following the waste hierarchy by 2030; 3. Having 30 per cent average recycled content across all goods and infrastructure procurement by 2030; 4. Phasing out problematic and unnecessary plastics by 2030; 5. Halving the volume of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030; 6. Implementing fit-for-purpose and timely data to be available for individuals, businesses and governments to make informed decisions. iw JUNE/JULY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Policy //

Clearer guidance for industry to promote best practice landfill design By Jan Arreza LANDFILL practices have come a long way over the past decade and South Australia’s EPA recently updated its state guidelines for the development and operation of these waste depots following consultation with industry and its stakeholders. So, what does this mean for industry moving forward? Landfill has an important role to play as part of the transition required to achieve sustainable resource recovery and waste management. In SA, the development and operation of landfill facilities are activities of environmental significance, which requires development approval under the Development Act 1993 (EP Act) and an environmental authorisation in the form of a licence. Aiming to provide guidance, the SA EPA has published the Environmental management of landfill facilities – solid waste disposal guideline (EPA 2019), which has replaced the previous Guideline for environmental Existing licenced landfill facilities must now comply with the guideline for all future cell developments in SA.

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

management of landfill facilities (municipal solid waste and commercial and industrial waste). The guideline sets out the SA EPA’s expectations of landfill operators, developers, planning authorities and regulatory bodies on the site selection, development, design, construction, operation, closure and post-closure management of landfill facilities. It also aims to minimise the risk of adverse impacts associated with waste disposal on the land, water and air environments. SA EPA director, Peter Dolan, said the decision to update the landfill guideline was not about wholesale change to industry practices, but instead aimed at bringing the guidance up to date with current industry practices. “The updates to the guideline will provide certainty for the industry through the provision of greater technical guidance and expanded clarity on the SA EPA’s expectations. “The review of the guideline is not intended to restrict industry practices, but enhance clarification of

roles and responsibilities to facilitate early engagement with all parties and stakeholders. This will allow for flexibility in design and approach, while achieving consistent performance outcomes that reflect site specific risks,” he said. The guideline states that it is vital that a precautionary approach be adopted to adequately address the environmental risks of landfill facilities, recognising that residual waste composition has changed and will continue to change over time in response to technological advances in recovery activities. The guideline has been restructured to reflect each of the design and construction elements as an integrated system, together with regulatory and operational controls. Landfill design comprises of liner system at the base and side of the landfill, leachate collection system, cover system, gas collection system, environmental monitoring system, and post-closure plan for maintenance and utilisation of the landfill after its closure.

The guideline reflects contemporary best practice engineering design and construction, based on a revised classification system, together with the inclusion of new operational practices, updated regulatory references, and expanded guidance on closure, postclosure and landfill gas obligations. It also reflects the changing nature of residual waste composition in relation to disposal, and the need to design and operate landfill facilities that take into account the changing chemical and physical composition of residual waste. This is especially relevant in SA, as it strives to introduce new and innovative resource recovery activities to further divert waste from landfill in the state. “The previous guideline was 10 years old, and industry practices and knowledge have evolved over this time,” Dolan said. “The nature of, and activities in landfill facilities have diversified, and the previous guideline did not provide guidance on the SA EPA’s expectations – for example, the conduct of resource recovery activities and the use of alternative covers. “The quality and manufacture of geosynthetics have significantly changed over the past decade, as have design and quality assurance requirements. The composition of waste has also changed and will continue to change into the future.” A workshop with industry stakeholders was conducted to establish the scope of the review before any changes were proposed, providing the industry with a genuine voice in the process. It also resulted in aspects of the guideline being excluded from review. In terms of scope, the guideline applies to development proposals for new landfill facilities, operators of existing landfill facilities who currently hold a licence in accordance with the EP Act, applications to extend or amend existing landfill facilities that trigger development as defined under the EP Act or as required by an existing condition of licence, as well as closed landfill facilities. However, it does not address the disposal of liquid waste and radioactive waste, filling of land with waste derived

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// Policy

materials for beneficial reuse, and onsite containment of contaminated soil. The guideline however, does recognise that existing and proposed landfill facilities are each subject to a different suite of individual site-specific circumstances. The SA EPA will assess each facility on a case-by-case basis when applying the suggested measures and minimum engineering requirements to further the guideline’s objectives and required outcomes consistently across the industry. Suggested measures and minimum requirements will be enforced through conditions of licence consistent with the environmental and regulatory risks presented by the site. “Being flexible and listening to industry was a vital consultation strategy and required clear communication, and while there was a degree of risk in allowing industry to guide the review scope, this step established trust and confidence from the industry, which was critical to the process,” Dolan said. “Landfill facilities incorporate a range of stakeholders, including local government authorities, consultants, engineers and licensees. Stakeholders often have differing views, so

South Australia’s EPA has updated its state guidelines for the development and operation of waste depots.

engagement with a broad range of stakeholders early, to listen and gain an understanding of their respective perspective, was invaluable. “The industry has overwhelmingly welcomed the changes to the guideline, which is attributed to early engagement and consultation, and working with industry collaboratively. The next phase is implementation, which will be conducted largely one-on-one with licensees.” All existing licenced landfill facilities must now comply with the guideline for

all future cell developments, or within 12 months of publication. Existing leachate lagoons that do not meet the minimum specification of the guideline do not need to be updated within 12 months of publication, unless it is demonstrated that they are leaking, or they are no longer serviceable. The SA EPA will assess the applicability of amended requirements of the guideline on a site-specific basis, taking into consideration existing approvals and site-specific risks. Yorke Peninsula Council’s operations

in this space will remain business as usual and there are no signs yet about how much it will affect them moving forward. Yorke Peninsula Council operations manager, Stephen Goldsworthy, said the council contracts its waste out and the contractors take it out of the area to dispose of it at two different sites – at Cleanaway and Integrated Waste services sites. “Neither of them have come back to say whether there will be any cost implications or anything like that with the updated guidelines. “So, it will be business as usual I’d say. We are currently undertaking a cost analysis on a few ideas that council has got, but that has more to do with green organics. We also just recently undertaken an audit of our three-bin system, but we have yet to have our results back on that. “We’re doing our homework to make sure we are on the right track in terms contamination levels of our waste and we are currently doing things the best that we can, but as far as the landfill guidelines affecting our operations go, we’re not aware of any major issues at this stage,” Goldsworthy said. iw

SMART WASTE, SMART THINKING Partnering with you to achieve your low landfill and clean energy goals. Our team can provide early advisory to meet your waste infrastructure needs, from helping you understand its place in a circular economy to planning and procuring advanced waste treatment facilities.

Dominic Schliebs dominic.schliebs@arcadis.com Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

www.arcadis.com/au JUNE/JULY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Industry News //

Lead acid battery transportation sparks debate By Miri Schroeter THERE are many challenges that come with the recycling sector – be it the challenge of educating the public to put the right items in the correct bin to minimise contamination, or be it the challenge of ensuring e-waste is disposed of correctly with the help of convenient collection points. These are challenges that many countries face, but a collaborative approach has proven successful in some cases, such as in battery recycling and transportation. In the two past editions of Inside Waste, contributors from the battery sector raised concerns over the safe transportation of batteries. As with many sectors, opinions can clash, but one thing is for sure – there is an overwhelming consensus that transporting batteries requires, education, good equipment and safe practices in order to keep staff and the environment from harm. It’s how this is done that is being questioned. Some say the best way to transport used lead acid batteries (ULABs) is in wood pallets, whereas others say plastic containers are much safer and more durable. Australian Battery Recycling Initiative (ABRI) CEO, Libby Chaplin, said wood pallets are a good vessel for transporting ULABs as they are the “lowest risk transport container”. “ABRI has not seen any independent evidence of health risks associated with wood pallets. In addition, there have been no concerns raised by regulators that wood pallets are an issue.” Chaplin recognises that there are risks associated with the use of any container, which means recycling companies should implement procedures to evaluate and minimise risks no matter the type of container, she said. “Wood pallets are readily available, inexpensive and designed to facilitate the loading, transport and unloading of heavy products, including new and used batteries. “They can be used with existing lifting devices such as forklifts and pallet trolleys. The use of wood pallets enables workers to easily place batteries with the terminals on top to avoid the possibility of short circuit,” Chaplin explained. She questions the use of plastic 30

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

Used lead acid batteries are often transported in plastic containers.

“ABRI has not seen any independent evidence of health risks associated with wood pallets. In addition, there have been no concerns raised by regulators that wood pallets are an issue.” boxes to transport ULABs, which she said inevitably sees workers lifting heavy used batteries into and out of a plastic container with fixed sides, which places considerable strain on the lower back and presenting a risk of musculoskeletal injuries. “Boxes, which are able to be opened from the sides, also present a serious risk to workers as heavy batteries are prone to falling out during the unloading process. “Boxes may also accumulate water and liquids. It is impossible for staff unloading containers to determine if liquids are just water or a hazardous liquid.” Chaplin’s concerns over the use of plastic boxes is regarded as unwarranted by others, who use plastic boxes to transport ULABs. UNISEG Products general manager, David Bush, said there are predominantly two reasons why plastic boxes are better than wood pallets for transporting ULABs. “Firstly, plastic boxes are capable of capturing acid leaks, thus preventing

the acid from escaping into the environment. “The second major issue with the use of wood pallets is the complex packaging requirements outlined by the Australian Code for Transportation of Dangerous Goods (ADGC). The materials required to correctly package lead acid batteries on a wood pallet, include a heavy-duty wood pallet, non-conductive separators of sufficient thickness (needs to be 30mm if soft materials like cardboard are used), plastic wrapping, strapping and strapping tool and a corrosive diamond label. “These materials/tools are not always readily available and combined with either ignorance or poor attitudes is resulting in systemic noncompliance with the ADGC packaging requirements,” Bush said. He said that the packaging of batteries in plastic boxes requires no additional materials, less operator discretion and it delivers a safer and environmentally better method for transporting batteries.

However, he said he is not in favour of banning wood pallets for the transportation of ULABs, as long as they meet all regulations. “The major benefits of wood pallets are that they are cheap and ubiquitous, enabling one-way shipment of batteries to the recyclers. “We actually don’t have an issue with the use of wood pallets, if it is done regulation compliantly, but that in our opinion is a big if. Wood pallets don’t need to be banned if high levels of compliance can be achieved. However, if the industry continues to demonstrate poor compliance levels then if I was a regulator, I would eliminate them as an option,” Bush said. Dolav Australia business development manager, Stuart Cahill, said Australia could continue to collect more than 95 per cent of ULABs on wooden pallets on the grounds that wooden pallets are always available and a much safer system cannot compete. “That was the sad story in other parts of the world, until legislation set higher standards, which are enforced.” In addition to higher standards, Cahill explained that an important factor is the need for battery recycling

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Industry News

to continue at a high rate. “Eight per cent of the world’s lead is consumed by lead acid batteries. If we don’t recycle then some estimates say that there is less than 40 years consumption remaining to be mined.” Cahill said that Australia can afford a first world collection process, so therefore it should invest in one. He is in favour of using plastic storage containers as opposed to wood pallets.

acid chemistry has proven itself to be reliable, highly recyclable, cost effective and well-supported in the Australian market. “The good news is that recycling of ULABs is one of the most successful recycling sectors in the country. More than 95 per cent of batteries are recovered and reprocessed for use in remanufacture of lead acid batteries.

Eight per cent of the world’s lead is consumed by lead acid batteries. If we don’t recycle then some estimates say that there is less than 40 years consumption remaining to be mined.” This is exactly the type of circular economy we can learn from for other waste streams, including other types of batteries,” Chaplin said. She explained that the recovery of

Harmonisation to maintain high recycling efforts Chaplin and Bush agreed that the volume of ULABs isn’t likely to subside in the near future, therefore recovering batteries in the safest and most efficient way possible is key. They, and Cahill, highlight the need for safe transportation in an industry that requires a high percentage of recycling. Chaplin said there is some transition to lithium in the car industry and this is likely to increase as a result of normal market drivers, but the volume of ULABs isn’t likely to decrease drastically. “At the current time, the lead

Wood pallets are one way to transport batteries in Australia.

all batteries could be improved with harmonised regulations for battery storage, transport and tracking. “The key would be to facilitate safe storage and transport of mixed batteries so that we could use the existing ULAB infrastructure to rapidly increase collections across the country of other types of batteries.” Cahill said there are compelling environmental and economic justifications for recycling ULABs. “Our nation’s responsibility to bequeath a clean and sustainable environment to future generations requires us to reuse the sulphuric acid, lead and plastic leaving no toxic residues in landfill or during the collection process.” While the way in which ULABs are transported continues to be debated, the need to continue efforts of recycling ULABs to the same or a higher standard is agreed upon. The question still remains, what’s makes a better storage device – plastic or wood pallets? iw

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Recycling //

Time to move the yellow bin onshore Contributed by Adam Faulkner I predict that exportation of sorted yellow-top bin recyclables will be banned within five years. Even if I’m off by a year or two, we need to move now, and fast. Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) president, Garth Lamb, recently went on record saying, “we have more people, more engaged, in an environment where we’re being listened to by more decision-makers”, and he is right. Look at the recent Federal Election. We are on the national stage, in the mainstream political and media sphere. Both major parties had costed policies on waste management and recycling. Every other election cycle I can think of was either

I applaud the many councils who have forged ahead and built roads out of glass and plastic, but why don’t we go a step further and formalise it? Quite frankly, I’m sick of talking about China. The only reason we are still talking about it is because as an industry we spent the last 18 months running around looking for the next global market to consume our sorted unprocessed yellow-top bin commodities. China was neither unforeseeable nor unexpected, we just didn’t move as it was far too easy to export into the biggest resourcehungry market in the world. When this market closed, “other Asia” was left to pick up the pieces. Again, very foreseeable – these markets have now

waste management officers knew to look further however and saw their local materials recovery facility (MRF) was actually doing the recycling. The learned few (you know who you are) were only satisfied that recycling was occurring when they received notification that the downstream recipient had taken ownership of the sorted (but unprocessed) yellow-top bin contents. Now that’s recycling, right? Wrong. Recycling, in my view, only occurs when we are using those yellow-top bin contents as an actual resource

NAWMA’s collection partner SUEZ unloads kerbside collected yellow-top bin recyclables.

deathly silent on our sector, or the matter of recycling was swatted away with the ever helpful “check your bin day with your local council”. Not anymore. Even more prophetic than Garth’s one-liner, I smile when recalling Mark Rawson from Rawtec, who is also the outgoing WMRR SA president, declaring us the cool kids. No doubt this will pass, so let’s use our new-found coolness to futureproof our industry from the next China National Sword. 32

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

either established their own import restrictions, or are in the process of doing so. The global market is shrinking. This is more evident with the recent Basel Convention announcement, which amends the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste to effectively restrict the global scrap plastic trade. So, what exactly is recycling? Many in the local government sector fondly believed that the trucks collecting those yellow-top bins was recycling – job done. Those fabulous and tenacious

input into secondary reprocessing or remanufacturing. Now I’m not going to get all misty-eyed and talk about the second revolution of mass manufacturing in Australia. But I can see, again within five years, an onshore secondary reprocessing industry driven by keeping our recycling resources local. We could build real scale, capability and capacity – a new industry built on recycling. Imagine a resident putting their plastics packaging into their yellow-top bin and linking that to the

park bench they are sitting on at the recently renovated local park. Or that same resident knowing that the glass that couldn’t be recovered for upcycling into bottles, was downcycled into the besser brick retaining wall at the same park. That’s powerful. But, before we go and remanufacture more park benches than there are kids to sit on them, we need to value these resources, not discount them. We need to mandate recycled content into procurement contracts, not find an easy way to use virgin or imported materials. We need to buy this stuff back! If we pull through this demand, and match it with the newfound scale, capability and capacity, we could solve this whole thing for good. I applaud the many councils who have forged ahead and built roads out of glass and plastic, but why don’t we go a step further and formalise it? I can see the glass and plastic stockpiles disappearing overnight if there was a 5-15 per cent recycled content directive for state and local government purchasing. This won’t cannibalise the current market for high-value commodities, but it will pull through demand for the mid-low value recyclate that currently does not always have a viable home. If you are in a council, get to work on your procurement policy. And I urge state government to review its master specifications. We used to call this green or sustainable procurement, now many call it the circular economy. I don’t particularly care what we call it, we just need to get on and do it. There are already green shoots. I see new plastics reprocessing capacity coming online each and every month across Australia. I see domestic paper manufacturers re-entering the postconsumer space. I see my industry responding. I see state governments forming working groups. I see hope. My organisation, Northern Adelaide Waste Management Authority (NAWMA), has committed to the onshore reprocessing of all recoverable resources by 2020. We are over 80 per cent committed onshore and on track to meet our target by the end of this calendar year. We are a medium-sized local government entity owned by three councils in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. If we can do it, so can others. I know that many share our philosophy but imagine for a minute if everyone

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// Recycling

made the same commitment. The secondary reprocessing sector would have confidence to invest, and a new industry would thrive. Let’s imagine a little more. What if the packaging manufacturers made their stuff out of recycled content and made it with the ability to be recycled? We’ve all seen the 2025 mandate, but what if this was actually achieved. Married with government-mandated recycled content in procurement specifications, and then we, as the resource recovery industry , can catch everything in between and do clever stuff with it. Now that’s recycling. There is no use in putting all this effort into the clever bit if we can’t get the building blocks right. In the recent turbulent times, we went close to losing the hearts and minds of many. If we wobble again, we could lose them for good. Then my good friends, we are buggered. This simply cannot happen. We need to engage with our communities differently about how to responsibly use their kerbside bins. The messaging needs to be clear, consistent and simple. It needs to be delivered with authenticity and a genuineness that will resonate with even the most reluctant recycler. The one who is

Don’t get too lost on lids, labels and scrunch tests – we just need to get waste out of the yellow-top bin and into the red-top bin, and while we’re at it, let’s get food out the red-top bin and into the green-top bin.

currently filling their bins left to right without discriminating the lid colour. Never before are we going to be asked to do more with a recycling stream that’s never been worse. It’s time to change the narrative and simplify the message. Don’t get too lost on lids, labels and scrunch tests – we just need to get waste out of the yellow-top bin and into the red-top bin, and while we’re at it, let’s get food out the red-

top bin and into the green-top bin. Lastly, be heard. Our industry associations are doing tremendous stuff. Get active in your local branches. So, this is a call to action. Make it Trommel in NAWMA’s MRF, critical equipment in sorting commingled recyclables into sorted commodity streams.

Digital ways to a cleaner world

from recycled, with the ability to be recycled. Keep our resources onshore. Activate and support the reprocessing sector to form a secondary industry. Buy this stuff back. Engage with the community authentically to drive sustained behaviour change. What if we don’t move? I don’t think this is an option anymore. For too long, we have let traditional practices get in the way of innovation. I know our industry and the people in it. Some of the smartest, strategic and agile thinkers operate in our sector, and new entrants bringing digitisation and disruption technology are helping us get better. We can get stuff done. Let’s get this done. Let’s lean in. Now, what if we pull this off? Do you think 60 Minutes would be interested? Adam Faulkner is the chief executive officer of the Northern Adelaide Waste Management Authority (NAWMA), as well as the WMRR national vicepresident. iw

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JUNE/JULY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

2017-2018

INSIDE WASTE INDUSTRY REPORT VOLUMES AND VALUES

What’s Australia’s waste management and resource recovery industry currently worth? Which are the highest value materials? How do the state waste sectors compare? Get the inside insight from our latest industry report: VOLUMES & VALUES

REPORT OVERVIEW The Australian waste management and resource recovery (WARR) industry was valued at $13.6 billion in 2018, a modest decrease since the previous Inside Waste Industry Report (2014-15), with the average value per tonne of waste reducing from $265/t to $250/t. The most notable event affecting the waste industry in the

period of this report was the China National Sword policy, which was introduced at the start of 2018. As a result of this policy, it is anticipated that the amount of waste set to be disposed to local landﬁlls will increase in 2019, while the global market price for kerbside recyclables will remain depressed.

Available for purchase at www.insidewaste.com.au/index.php/inside-waste-industry-report For more information visit our website www.insidewaste.com.au or contact Miri Schroeter at miri.schroeter@primecreative.com.au

// Energy from Waste

EfW can kill two birds with one stone – if government wants it to Contributed by Gavin Shapiro FOR THE past five years or so, we have been hearing a lot about the promise of Energy from Waste (EfW). I myself have had countless meetings with parties interested in pursuing EfW in Australia, particularly new entrants from overseas. However, the actual uptake of projects in Australia has been slow – while there have been some good starts (for example in WA), and a few smaller-scale, niche or project-specific EfW projects commenced, there hasn’t yet been the large-scale uptake for municipal and commercial and industrial (C&I) waste that we have seen in overseas jurisdictions. Admittedly, as an environmental lawyer, my perspective is limited, and necessarily heavily focussed on the regulatory side of things – so feel free to disagree or take what I say with a grain of salt. But the following is my perspective on why EfW has not yet achieved what it can in Australia, and what I believe needs to be done at a government and regulatory level to allow EfW projects to flourish.

The case for EfW Firstly, the question is – just because EfW is available, do we need it? Is it necessarily a bad thing that EfW has yet not taken off at a large-scale? In my view, there is a clear case for EfW, for a few reasons: • If done correctly, it presents a more environmentally-friendly option for disposal of waste than landfill, particularly in terms of carbon and methane emissions, as well as

Gavin Shapiro said Australia needs to explore energy from waste more than it currently is.

contamination and leachate, • W e are running out of landfill capacity in many metropolitan areas, particularly the Sydney metro, whereas EfW presents a more sustainable long-term solution, • EfW can address the current issues we are facing in recycling and landfill (discussed below), and • As I will also discuss below, EfW has the dual benefit of generating energy – something sorely needed.

We (and regulators) need to change our perspective on EfW The first issue is where EfW sits on the waste hierarchy. It is typically placed just above disposal on the pyramid of options – with recycling and reuse above. As a result, EfW policies typically require separation and resource recovery to occur as mandatory steps before material can be used for EfW. That makes perfect sense, in theory – clearly, reuse and recycling are better solutions. But The uptake of energy to waste projects in Australia has been slow.

in practice, this can make large-scale EfW commercially unattractive. And, importantly, the current reality of a recycling crisis, where we are struggling to find end markets for some recycled material, is very different to the theory. We need to adjust our expectations to fit the current market. The next issue is our entire approach to EfW. As many people know, we talk all about EfW in the waste industry – at waste conferences, in Inside Waste, etc. Typically, it is state waste regulators that are responsible for EfW policies. But we are also facing an energy crisis in Australia. The conflict between security of supply, desire to move to renewable energy, inconsistent Federal policy, and the economics involved have led to a situation where we face increasingly tenuous supply and skyrocketing energy prices. Rarely, if ever, is EfW looked at as one of the potential solutions to our current energy crisis – but it should be. It presents a sustainable, renewable source of energy, in addition to all of the other benefits it provides as a waste solution.

Planning Another issue is the difficulty in obtaining required planning approvals and licences for EfW projects. Typically, obtaining all approvals for a new waste facility in my home state of NSW takes between 18-24 months, if not longer – and if a Land and Environment Court appeal is required (which is often the case with waste projects – particularly controversial ones), you can add an extra 6-12 months. Coupled with the uncertainties involved, this makes investing in prospective large-scale EfW projects a risky proposition. Overcoming the difficulties and uncertainties on the planning side of the equation is also a key part of making EfW work in Australia.

Procurement and policy While joint organisations, Regional Organisations of Councils’ (ROCs) regional waste management groups do a great job of attempting to coordinate strategy and procurement. The reality is that there is little incentive for either individual councils, or the Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

invisible hand of the market, to take a bet on large-scale, potentially risky EfW infrastructure. There is a “missing middle” where state governments can be doing more to drive the procurement and infrastructure coordination process.

Regulatory levers and Solutions To make EfW work in Australia, it is clear that we will need a number of policy and legal responses, as well as consistency in government policy both Federally and at state levels (probably wishful thinking on my part). Getting EfW off the ground at scale requires a whole-of-government approach – particularly since these issues are regulated by different bodies and different jurisdictions. Some of the key reforms that will be needed include state EfW/waste policies that acknowledge the place of EfW in solving our current waste crisis, Federal and state energy policies and tariffs that encourage investment in EfW, and a more consistent and standardised legal environment – particularly between state and Federal jurisdictions. A far greater connection between infrastructure and needs analyses, and the actual procurement of infrastructure, as well as the planning system, is also needed to bring greater certainty. On the carbon and renewables front, significantly greater incentives could be introduced for EfW, including developing further methodologies for EfW technologies, and making it eligible for the Emissions Reduction Fund. Greater energy-side incentives could be offered, as they are overseas. And, as part of the whole-of-government approach, the Federal carbon policy approach should be married to energy policy and waste policy for EfW both Federally and at state levels. There has been a lot of talk around EfW. But now, the time has come for regulators to act to address our waste and energy crises, by killing two birds with one stone. Gavin Shapiro is a partner at Hones Lawyers. He specialises in the waste industry, including waste contracts, waste legislation, EPA investigations and prosecutions and operational issues. iw JUNE/JULY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Illegal Dumping //

Tackling Australia’s $80m illegal rubbish dumping issue through tech Contributed by Subhash Challa DODGY dumpers are causing big problems for Australia. Unwanted build-up of waste not only leads to long-term contamination of land, waterways and groundwater, it also impacts wildlife and our own public health too. It also comes with a hefty price tag. Australian taxpayers are ploughing a staggering $80 million a year in clean-up costs alone. This includes monitoring, investigating, enforcing and cleaning.

Why exactly is it so costly? Eradicating illegal dumping isn’t an easy task. Manual labour is often the most significant cost, as teams of staff have to be deployed to sieve through unwanted items, organise collections and address complaints. Additionally, once authorities have discovered an illegal dumping act, a significant amount of time and resources have to be spent going through the CCTV footage to investigate the act. This could mean manually backtracking the origin of the waste through barcodes or screening license plates to find the culprit.

Councils and governments are having to inject additional funds and resources to ensure enough employees are available to tackle this growing issue. This diverts resources away from other important issues. In some cases, council staff aren’t equipped with the expertise to deal with specialist waste. Take the removal of asbestos waste for example – specialist contractors are required to take charge of disposal, further hiking up the costs involved in tackling this issue. Charities, on the other hand, are struggling with contaminated waste left at donation bin sites. The National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations estimates 60,000 tonnes of unwanted items go to landfill each year and costs charities $13 million a year. The knock-on effect of rubbish dumping can be felt across other businesses too. Landfill organisations and waste contractors miss out on revenue that would have been generated if the waste had been correctly disposed of. Given the strain illegal dumping is placing on councils, charities and businesses alike, many cities are

inevitably struggling to obtain levels of cleanliness to improve the liveability of our cities.

A technology-driven solution awaits Despite this growing problem, there is a glimmer of hope. New technologies that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), automation, Internet-connected hardware (or IoT) and smartphones, are coming together to create a solution that can reduce the legwork required to tackle illegal dumping. We’re already seeing this technology come into our lives via smart assistants like Siri and Alexa, to internetconnected fridges and light bulbs. It is quickly becoming commonplace in our daily lives and is about to shake up the way we monitor, analyse and enforce illegal dumping activities. The commoditisation of this technology is bringing down the cost and resources required to monitor and enforce illegal dumping. Instead of needing to implement expensive hardware – such as bespoke camera equipment and a team to monitor and analyse the footage – smart technologies are able to process all this information in real-time, with much less hardware.

Taking smart technology to the next level

Illegal dumping of waste is a major issue for Australia that needs to be eradicated.

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Today, illegal dumping activities can be monitored, analysed and processed through smartphones and app-based AI-powered software. Thanks to the increased processing power and video capabilities of smartphones, nextgeneration mobile networks and AI, these app-based monitoring, analysis and reporting solutions will have a significant impact on how we combat illegal dumping. Essentially, instead of investing in bespoke camera equipment, smartphone cameras can now be used to monitor potential dumping sites. The processing power of these smartphones then allows AI-powered apps to analyse and interpret the video feed, sharing any relevant footage to the cloud and notifying relevant teams for further investigation. There’s no longer the need to rely

Subhash Challa believes the commoditisation of new technology is bringing down the cost and resources required to monitor and enforce illegal dumping.

on a few bespoke cameras, have teams constantly monitoring heaps of video footage, or only take a reactive approach to illegal dumping issues. This technology, records, monitors and analyses sites in real-time, notifying the relevant people instantly when an issue occurs. Furthermore, its small formfactor makes it extremely portable and flexible, allowing you to move it quickly and effectively when needs arise. What’s more, automation can improve enforcement. Processing video footage in real-time will enable governments and councils to penalise perpetrators rapidly. For example, the software could read the licence plate of a vehicle used by an illegal dumper, connect to a licence plate registry and automatically send a fine to the person associated with that vehicle. The video evidence is then sent to the cloud for retrieval in case of disputes. It’s simple, cost-effective, flexible and intelligent and it will significantly increase the accessibility of illegal dumping technology for councils, governments, charities and waste businesses. The start of the future lies in app-based solutions. Those businesses, councils and charities that invest in this today will reap profound rewards tomorrow. Subhash Challa is the CEO at data analytic solutions company SenSen Networks. Prior to this position he was a senior principal scientist at NICTA, University of Melbourne. Challa started his professional career as a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne in 1998. iw

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// Waste Procurement

Getting best value for your procurement process Contributed by SarahJane Widdowson and Tiffany Correggia IT’S often said that the relationship between a service provider and a buyer (council and contractor) is like a marriage. You go through a courtship process where you’re both putting forward a common vision and testing whether you can get on together. You find out that you like each other, and by contracting together you enter into a legal and financial partnership. Hopefully you’re then together for a number of years and, during this time, you’ll continue to identify the best way of working together to maintain and evolve your relationship. Hopefully. So how do you make sure that your relationship gets off to the best start? Last year, Ricardo created a free-to -download procurement toolkit which included feedback, tips, checklists and case studies from council and contractors. The toolkit splits the procurement process into five broad stages: preparation, planning, procurement, practicalities and performance. Its aim was to provide a useful roadmap for anyone going through the procurement process so that they could achieve the appropriate outcome, whether for a small collections contract or major infrastructure procurement. Going through a procurement process takes time and money for both council and contractor and it’s important to get it right the first time. Recently, there have been a number of failed procurement processes or examples where a lack of interest hasn’t driven best value for council and it’s important to learn from these to identify how they can be avoided in the future.

Preparation Start early. Gather performance data, evaluate your current service/ infrastructure, research what’s available in the market that might suit your council and begin discussions on your priorities for the future. Consult internally and externally and remember to speak and listen to potential service providers. Think about what you’re currently delivering and whether there are other people in your team who can pick up tasks/projects from you. At certain periods, such as the push for final document preparation or the evaluation

The more information you can provide to the market the better understanding they will have of how your service operates.

period, you may be working five days per week just on procurement activities. When drafting your timetable, start with your contract end-date, or the date when you need infrastructure up and running, and work backwards, taking into consideration the length of your chosen procurement route, timings for approvals, holiday periods and elections. For a service contract, you should be considering 18-24 months from preparation to contract award. For development of infrastructure, you’ll need to factor in time for planning, design and the facility being built. A detailed response takes time and a contractor will often need boardlevel sign-off (similar to committee sign-off) prior to submission. An ideal time for a service contract response would be six weeks. Remember, if you’re coming to the market at the same time as another council in the same region, think about staggering your timings slightly so that you both receive the best possible response.

Planning Use a business-case framework. The scale and complexity of your procurement will govern how detailed your business case needs to be, but following a standard business case structure – strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management sections – will provide a good framework. Thinking in these terms will also push you to have early conversations with internal colleagues about what will be affordable in the future. Design your future service. You need to understand what you’re going

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to market for and how you want your service to run in the future. For collection services, this might include options for FOGO or even moving to an extended frequency residual waste collection. Talk to the market. Market engagement can be very useful in developing and designing a procurement strategy and tender documentation. It helps provide direction on what may or may not be acceptable to the market, what elements of the contract bidders consider to be high-risk and how they would like to see those risks mitigated and apportioned.

Procurement Factor in contingency within the process. Do not underestimate the time and resources required to draft the procurement documentation, particularly the rounds of review and amendments. Ensure contingency time for this activity is incorporated into the overall timetable. Consider what examples are available from other councils. When starting the drafting process, it can be beneficial to review examples from other procurements as a basis (if available and appropriate). Remember to get feedback on what worked and what didn’t, and take care if cutting text from a previous document and pasting it into a new one – services, regulations and policy don’t stand still. Think carefully about capital assets. Recent examples have shown short-term collection contracts (three years) with the requirement of new vehicles. Ideally, contract length should be aligned with new vehicle alignment.

Consider how you can limit risk. Some recent (short-term) tenders have requested fixed price over the life of the contract instead of CPI – meaning risk is costed in by the contractor, which in turn will increase the overall price. Using a schedule or rates rather than a lump sum approach can also help to reduce risk. Consider publishing the evaluation criteria. If you’re price sensitive, then let the market know that this is your priority. If you’d like to see innovative treatment technologies, then highlight this. Once you’ve evaluated your tenders, take the time to provide both the winners and losers with detailed feedback. Bidding for a contract is a very expensive and resource intensive process, and if you can provide feedback on what was done well and what didn’t suit your needs, it will be beneficial. You may also be working together at a later point in the future, so it’s always important to maintain professional relationships.

Practicalities Once the contract has been awarded, place orders promptly to ensure sufficient time is allocated for the contractor to mobilise the contract, based on the scale and complexity of the services. Orders for new vehicles/ equipment may take many months to fulfil, so they need to be placed as soon as the contract has been awarded.

Performance A well-structured contract management plan should be prepared, and its content and protocols should be proportionate to the value, risk and complexity of the contract. For a contract relationship to work effectively, there should be mutual trust and understanding, an open and constructive environment, shared contribution in managing the contract delivery, and swift resolution of issues to prevent escalation. All the important factors that make a good marriage! SarahJane Widdowson is a procurement and waste operations business manager at Ricardo with more than 15 years’ experience in the environmental sector. Tiffany Correggia is a senior consultant at Ricardo and currently works in the waste operations and circular economy business area. iw JUNE/JULY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

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Equipment //

FOCUS Enviro to distribute UNTHA equipment down under

With the agreement, the XR shredders for PEF production will now be made available in Australia.

By Jan Arreza WASTE AND organic equipment specialist FOCUS Enviro has secured an agreement to be UNTHA’s exclusive distribution partner for its shredding technology in Australia.

Through this agreement, UNTHA’s static and mobile XR shredders for process engineered fuel (PEF) production will now be made available in the country, making it easier for Australian operators to turn their waste into a resource.

Robbie McKernan hopes UNTHA’s introduction into the market will help drive quality.

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We are starting to see a bit of a Groundhog Day situation, in which what was happening in the early UK markets is now happening here, and we need to position ourselves with the right manufacturers to ensure that the solutions we provide for the industry are the right ones. FOCUS Enviro director Robbie McKernan said the company has known of the UNTHA brand for quite some time now because they are so synonymous in the energy from waste (EfW) sector and are well-known as one of the top manufacturers of related equipment. “UNTHA’s waste shredding technology has been on our radar for at least the last decade. We’ve been intently watching the number of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and solid recovered fuel (SRF) plants that have come online in the UK and places like Austria, Germany and Denmark. Ten years of industry analysis means we’re now armed with best-practice advice to pass on to clients in Australia. “We’ve seen what has and hasn’t worked, how the market has changed,

and how alternative PEF production lines can be optimised for maximum product quality, bottom line impact and environmental gain. But, as the Australian PEF market is now gaining traction, we need best-inclass technology as robust as our knowledge. We wanted to integrate UNTHA into our offering, but to represent them on an exclusive basis here is a real honour,” McKernan said. FOCUS Enviro partnered with UNTHA to be in the best position to address the requirements of the EfW market, as well as being able to address the markets both nationally and internationally, he explained. “I suppose we have just been in a really fortunate position where we have had a fair bit of experience in the UK with these marketplaces, and

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Equipment

we’ve seen this rollercoaster of what has happened with the alternative fuel market over there and that has just armed us to better inform our clients in terms of technology choice, as well as what’s achievable and what’s not achievable in this space.” With UNTHA’s XR shredder able to process an array of input materials to meet defined fuel specifications for cement plants through to biomass burners, McKernan hopes UNTHA’s introduction into the market will help drive quality. “The markets are not as developed as they are in Europe, but certainly we want to be ahead of the curve. We are starting to see a bit of a Groundhog Day situation, in which what was happening in the early UK markets is now happening here, and we need to position ourselves with the right manufacturers to ensure that the solutions we provide for the industry are the right ones,” McKernan said. “We’ve always had the capacity to produce engineered fuel, as it is known here in Australia. The challenge has been driving acceptance and securing outlets for the resource. Some Australian waste management

Robbie McKernan, left, and Peter Streinik from UNTHA are excited about what the future holds with this new partnership in place.

companies are producing and exporting fuels, but the specifications remain extremely varied. “As the market matures and more small-medium sized businesses enter with their eyes on best-practice, I

would hope that UNTHA can help drive standardisation when it comes to fraction sizing, product quality and calorific value. We don’t have to do a lot of reinventing of the wheel – what’s capable from the equipment

and its production and performance and tonnage capacity is already very well defined,” he said. UNTHA director for global business development, Gary Moore, said Australia has one of the most exciting EfW markets in the world at present. “Alternative fuel production is in its infancy here, in comparison to parts of Europe for instance. But landfill rates are rising, environmental pressures are mounting. China’s landmark movement has forced a new direction for the country’s waste framework, and a number of international waste operators, with a presence in Australia, are driving a global knowledge transfer program to strengthen resource security,” Moore said. “FOCUS Enviro has the right technology and service ethos to represent the UNTHA brand in Australia. “You only have to look at the role they had at the recent EfW conference in Melbourne to see that they are the partner to talk to in this sector. Australia’s contribution to the overall company turnover will see significant increase over the next five years,” Moore said. iw

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Equipment //

The E320 has a high rate of compaction.

A smart solution for efficient landfill management By Jan Arreza THE TANA E320 eco-model is a purposebuilt waste landfill compactor, which according to TANA, is the result of long-term product development and proven solutions which bring benefits to the user. The E320 has a high rate of compaction and the rigid frame uses the weight of the machine through the twin drums. This results in a smooth, firmly compacted area. This allows for waste trucks to drive safely and quickly to the tipping area for unloading with minimal risk of vehicle breakdowns caused by unevenly compacted ground. The E320 has been built around a rigid articulating frame, which provides up to 100 per cent greater force on a single drum, compared to an oscillating four-wheeler of a similar weight. Some advantages include: • Providing maximum crushing force; articulation of +/- 40 degrees but zero oscillation; • Allows an even load spreading with 42

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its wide and always level blade; Minimises undesirable cabin swing; No uncontrolled weight shifting; Maximum compaction; Very simple design and extremely robust construction; and • Excellent traction and no slipping or sinking wheels. The compaction force of the fullwidth twin drums is directed straight down, thus preventing waste extrusion from underneath the compactor. Wide drums provide excellent traction, little slipping, and they do not sink in below waste. This also produces a smooth and dense surface. This design provides maximised uptime of the machine. The advantage of the full-width, twin-drum design reduces the number of passes required from six to four, which creates savings both in time and fuel. This means better compaction and waste treatment capacity with lower operating costs. The E320 also offers advanced smart tools to increase efficiency even further. A digitally imported • • • •

Overall benefits of TANA compactors:

Superior cabin ergonomics include:

• I mproves profits through increased revenues and/or reduced expenses; • Extends the life of the landfill; • Improves all vehicle cycle time in and around tipping area; • Reduced voids lessen opportunities for rodents to build nests; • Reduces amount of leachate created; • Reduces landslides and cave-ins; • Less cover soil required because of even surface; • Greatly reduces risk of fire; • Minimised airborne debris and odour; and • Reduced chassis damage to all vehicles on-site – smooth compacted surface.

• Operator having clear vision of the bottom of the blade at any articulation; • Two joystick controls with adjustable sensitivity settings; • Climate control with active carbon filtering of intake air; • Cabin air intake located on top of the cabin reducing debris intake; • Noise level 73.5 dB(A) – lower than all other compactors in the market; • Intermittent wipers and washers; • Rigid frame structure reduces cabin sway; • Vibration damped cabin minimises fatigue; • Adjustable air suspension seat with heating; and • Swivel seat.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Equipment

A requirement for low-emissions machines is increasingly becoming standard for landfills, and it is a growing trend that a Tier IV engine is a pre-requisite when purchasing new equipment. We will only see this increase more over the coming years until legislation comes into effect and regulations regarding national standards to reduce emissions from non-road engines. filling plan gives the operator a realtime view of the work process through a colour 3D interface. The weight of the E320 is distributed into the waste through the rigid frame construction, the two full-width drums and the crushing teeth. A traditional four-wheeler extrudes large amounts of waste from the middle and the sides, which means more passes for the same compaction level, and therefore lower efficiency. The size, shape, structure and total number of the crushing teeth are important. In the E320, the teeth are 200mm in height, allowing thorough, wear-resistant penetration of every fresh waste layer. The environmentally-friendly ecomodel with a Tier IV final engine reduces fuel consumption up to 8-9

per cent over Tier III engines. The Eco Tier IV engine is also more powerful and produces less emissions than the standard Tier III engine. GCM Enviro is the exclusive distributor of the E320 in Australia. GCM Enviro general manager, Nathan Connor, said the eco-models are just the new version of the TANA’s that GCM Enviro has been dealing with for years. “It is definitely getting to the stage now where everyone is moving over to a low-emissions model of their vehicles, due to new emissions laws being brought in and everyone wanting to be more sustainable. “A requirement for low-emissions machines is increasingly becoming standard for landfills, and it is a growing trend that a Tier IV engine is a pre-requisite when purchasing

The E320 eco-model is a purposebuilt waste landfill compactor.

new equipment. We will only see this increase more over the coming years, until legislation comes into effect as

well as regulations regarding national standards to reduce emissions from non-road engines,” Connor said. iw

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Young Professionals //

Wealth of knowledge helps push transition to a circular economy By Jan Arreza With experience in the packaging, resource recovery and climate change sectors, Lily Barnett engages with industry and government to reduce the environmental impacts of packaging throughout the entire value-chain. She began her career as a volunteer for the Climate Council in Australia in 2014. There, she developed research reports to convey the science behind climate change. She said this experience allowed her to work alongside some fantastic mentors and senior scientists. Working alongside some of the leading experts in the waste and packaging sector, such as Dr Helen Lewis, Anthony Peyton, Keith Chessell and Robert Dvorak, has enabled Barnett to build her own expertise and it has given her a particular passion for stakeholder engagement and disruptive innovations that will help transition the country’s supply chains into a circular economy. Now, Barnett works as a program manager for the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation’s (APCO). She is heavily involved in the technical aspects of the packaging supply-chain – from sustainable packaging design, through to material recycling. “I joined APCO at an interesting stage in the organisation’s evolution,” she said. “The government was reviewing the Covenant at the time and APCO had welcomed a new CEO, which totally transformed the organisation and really saw it evolve in making sure it was delivering what government and industry wanted.” In 2018, Barnett was responsible for the delivery of APCO’s five problematic packaging material working groups with the support of Lewis, who chaired the groups. Bringing together more than 80 representatives from industry and government from across the entire supply chain, the groups evaluated the barriers and opportunities of each material’s ability to achieve the 2025 National Packaging Targets. 44

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The five problematic packaging material working groups include glass, soft plastics, polymer-coated paperboard, compostable packaging and expanded polystyrene. In addition, Barnett also facilitated the delivery of the APCO Recycling Label Program to all APCO members in 2018, providing them with access to the Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal (PREP) and the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL). The management of these two programs has exposed Barnett to a range of experiences and expertise, and it played a big part in shaping her career. “Being exposed to, and working alongside, a lot of industry-leading experts has really enabled me to download their knowledge and bring that together for the greater good in the work that we do,” Barnett said. “Our system is quite clearly broken, so we need a whole of system of change and approach to move towards the circular economy. I am very excited to see that there is a lot of disruptive innovation coming from overseas and domestically as well. It is extremely motivating to now have the internationally aligned National Packaging Targets in place to unite industry and provide us with a clear pathway drive solutions. “I am very excited to push through those big changes that we need to see happen to be able to move to a more circular economy. “I want to make sure that we can keep thinking systemically and collaboratively in order to deliver sustainable solutions. That is the main goal.” Looking to the year ahead, Barnett will be working hard to deliver 22 new projects, which support progress towards the 2025 National Packaging Targets. These projects will drive the foundation of the 2025 Targets by collecting and collating baseline data, supporting sustainable design, unpacking issues with Australia’s systems, driving industry and consumer education, and supporting

The five problematic packaging material working groups include glass, soft plastics, polymer coated paperboard, compostable packaging and expanded polystyrene. material circularity. “I am looking forward to continuing to work with industry and the government on collaborative initiatives to progress Australia’s successful transition to a circular economy,” Barnett said.

“There is a lot going on globally and locally, and there is so much we can learn from each other. So, we will continue to try and build the network to facilitate industry collaboration in this space.” iw Lily Barnett has experience in the packaging and resource recovery sectors.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

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Wasted Space //

How far should we go to save food from waste? AS THE WEATHER gets cooler, and we sit at our desks looking down at the street through foggy, rain-soaked windows, we get a sudden urge to swap those fresh summer salads for hot soups. Most of us Wastesiders haven’t done anything about this hot-soup craving yet, but one of our colleagues did. So, she took the opportunity to gloat about the delicious laksa soup she had made. With thick rice noodles, broccoli that has that crunch in the middle, and a mix of spice that gives the taste buds another spoonful to look forward to, it sounded like the perfect near-winter warmer. But after five days of eating the same meal, the gloating was well and truly over. When asked why she was still eating it despite being sick of it by day

three, she said she couldn’t let it go to waste. Any home cook will have experienced overestimating how much food to prepare at some point in time. The folks at Wasted Space have definitely done it on more than one occasion as our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. But our colleague’s recent laksa-turned five-day-old slosh, opens up the debate of when it’s acceptable to tip out food rather than us dipping our heads into the toilet after a queasy night that is a result of eating that ill-fated old soup. We all want to minimise the amount of plastic we use, take our fabric bags to the supermarket – or preferably not even go to the supermarket at all as the farmers market is a greener way to shop. But, we can’t deny that

every now and again a rotten tomato will get the boot, or off milk will be poured down the drain. At least, the team at Wasted Space can’t deny it as the stale bread in the bin definitely came from someone in the office. But the question is, how strict should we be? Should we find the culprit that left the bread to dwell in its own, dry misery? Should we reenact a “Whodunnit” scenario to hold them accountable, to embarrass them and shame them – all to ensure no more bread will suffer at their hands? While this might be taking it to the extreme, food waste is an issue, and teaching people to buy and cook within their appetite creates positive change. Our laksa-fiend colleague has learned her lesson, as it’s safe to say she will be off any coconut milk-

based soups for at least a month. She has told us she is now cooking just enough for two days. With the help of some online recipes to practice portion control, she will soon forget her laksa fiasco. As will all of us. We cook, we over-cook, we eat, we over-eat, we throw away a thing or two, and then we start the process again. Although this is a lesson briefly learned and quickly forgotten, it serves as a subtle reminder, which will hopefully find a place in the back of our minds, to think about how much food we buy. Because remember, that apple sitting at the bottom of the fruit bowl may be a different one to the soft, brown Granny Smith you had in there last week, but we all know it’s heading for the same fate. iw

international and local experts to discuss and debate all aspects of Energy from Waste (EfW), with the goal of understanding what the barriers to acceptance are and how we can ensure that EfW can be established in Australia, while supporting an emerging circular economy.

October 23-24 Waste Expo Australia Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Waste Expo Australia is the largest gathering of waste management and resource professionals in the country, offering a premium free-to-attend business-to-business conference hosted alongside an impressive exhibition. Waste Expo Australia will focus on seven targeted areas including collections, resource recovery, landfill and transfer stations, waste to energy, commercial and industrial waste, construction and demolition waste and wastewater.

marketplace. The event brings together the industry to generate quality sales leads, discover the latest trends, showcase innovation, network with key waste and recycling decision-makers from industry and government, and attend high-quality practical seminars and workshops.

DIARY June 25-27 Waste Strategy Summit 2019 Aerial UTS Function Centre Waste Strategy Summit 2019 is designed for executives working within waste management, recycling, resource recovery and environment sustainability departments from across all sectors in Australia who are looking to improve their waste management operations. The summit presents waste management in its entire complexity following the waste hierarchy, with diverse keynote presentations and case studies illustrating how to prevent, recycle and recover waste with a strong focus on policies and regulations. August 26-28 Energy from Waste 2019 QT Canberra, ACT Under the theme of “Powering Change”, this leading industry conference will bring together 46

INSIDEWASTE JUNE/JULY 2019

September 25-27 Waste and Recycling Conference 2019 Crown Towers, Perth The Waste and Recycle Conference will once again be held at Crown Towers, Perth, from September 25-26. The conference theme will be announced in due course. The conference, hosted by the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR), Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), and Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA), is still leading the waste and resource recovery event in WA.

October 30-31 Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour AWRE is the most established commercial event dedicated to the Australasian waste and recycling

December 2-6 Ocean Plastics Congress Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Bringing together scientists, policymakers, legislators, industry and community groups from around the world in the search for solutions to the multiplicity of problems resulting from waste plastics. The focus will be on engagement, collaboration and action to design and implement effective strategies to address the many environmental, health and social effects, and their financial implications.

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