Inside Waste Aug/Sep 2021

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ISSUE 103 | AUG/SEP 2021

INSIDE 28 Waste-to-energy 34 Paint stewardship 36 Dumping technology

A how-to guide for councils rolling out FOGO bins

Butting in on the cigarette filter debate the tobacco companies themselves – came out showing the amount of harm smoking cigarettes could do to the body. Whether it was damaged lungs, bad circulation, or damage to the heart – the prognosis for what had been a cash cow for a lot of companies wasn’t good. What they needed was something that appeared to mitigate the damage tobacco was doing. Enter the plastic filter.

“There is some conjecture as to whether there was any scientific basis behind it initially, or any genuine innovation to create a safer product,” said Noble. “But that was certainly the language that the tobacco companies used – even the name ‘filter’ implies that it reduces harm.”

That was the story in the 1950s, around the same time that it was definitively proven that smoking cigarettes caused cancer. Tobacco companies really honed-in on filters as a risk reduction mechanism. But research since then shows they don’t help anyone said Noble.

“It’s arguable they may have shifted their cancer type so that people smoking through a filter draw harder and are increasing the risk of a different type of cancer, than if perhaps

they were smoking a harsher cigarette without a filter,” she said.

“The plastic filters are really there for a couple of reasons. They are cheaper.

To replace that filter with tobacco or an alternative to cellulose acetate would require substantial investment.

It’s also thought that smokers prefer a smooth and dry cigarette end, which plastic provides, as opposed to paper or filterless cigarettes that can get soggy.”

Which brings us back to the issue of the waste it causes. Noble said you have this polluting product, which is there for no reason other than the tobacco companies don’t really want to get rid of it. She points out there is broad support fortackling this issue.

There are not only environmental organisations, community groups and councils saying, “this is a problem, it is revolting, it is causing all kinds of problems, risks and hazards for marine life”, there are also some prominent public health advocates and the tobacco control advocates saying cigarette filters have no benefit, and getting rid of them could potentially reduce the appeal of smoking and smoking rates.

(Continued on page 22)

The importance of data Harper’s first point was that councils need to really know their waste streams, in particular the weight, volume and split between food organics/garden organics currently going into kerbside bins.

“Having up-to-date FOGO data not only gives you a benchmark against which to report to senior management and elected officials, it’s also the best weapon you have to raise community participation post-launch,” she said.

(Continued on page 24)

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EIGHT billion is a huge number. When you’re talking about something like grains of sand, you’d probably find that number in a couple of square metres at Bondi. When you’re talking about the number of cigarette butts that litter Australia on an annual basis, then that becomes a massive issue for the environment.

Kate Noble runs WWF-Australia’s No Plastics in Nature program, and she is a fierce advocate of getting cigarette butts out of the environment and into the waste stream. Remember, that figure is just the butts that are littered annually – add up those numbers over a decade and you’re looking at tens of billions in waterways, in streams, the sea, wastewater systems and the land.

“They can take anywhere between 10-15 years to break up into smaller pieces,” said Noble. “Despite all the work done by the community groups and councils to clean them up, we still likely have 10s of billions of cigarette butts – with plastics filters – in the environment at any given point in time.”

Noble has delved into the history of the plastic filter, first introduced in the 1950s. It was at about this time that research from neutral sources – ie, not

ADDING a bin to the recycling roster at council level can be a daunting task on many levels. Questions posed include – What resources are needed? What size should the bins be? Will the community buy in to the new service? Gwen Harper shares some of the tricks of the trade to help rollouts go smoothly. This is especially timely given the calls for councils to introduce a FOGO service.

Speaking at the WMRR webinar series in June, Harper, who is from JustWaste Consulting, provided insights into the project steps and pitfalls of a successful FOGO rollout.

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INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

FOGO fun and bad butts WHEN I first took over the editorship of Inside Waste at the beginning of the year, one of the big issues was singleuse plastics. And while that topic is still reasonably hot, the next cab off the rank has been FOGO. Having been the editor of another Prime Creative Media publication, Food & Beverage Industry News, FOGO, as well as packaging, were huge issues. So I was very interested to write a story on how to persuade the community to add yet another waste bin to their household.

In this issue we look at how councils can make it easier on themselves when putting a FOGO roll out in place. Some councils have already got such a system, and the majority of councils will soon have something similar available.

This ‘how-to’ model offers up a bevy of insights, but also facets that might not immediately be obvious when putting a plan together. For example, what do you do if somebody wants an exemption from having a FOGO bin? How much preparation is needed for the roll out itself? How integrated do council staff have to be to make sure it runs smoothly? What are some of the choke

points? These questions and more are answered in the piece.

Twenty-one years ago, I made a decision to get hypnotised. I was determined to give up smoking, a habit I’d picked up in high school during my misspent youth. The jury is out whether it was the hypnotist that got me to do it, but I did give up.

My immediate reasons for doing so were threefold – a partner who didn’t smoke and hated them; wanting to become more healthy; and save a lot of money. Yet, here I am two decades later just finding out about another reason – saving the environment. Back in the day, I was absolutely guilty of stubbing out a dart and leaving the plastic butt on the asphalt. After all, how is a little thing like that going to harm anything?

However, what if there 8 billion of them being disposed of like that annually?

This is a question that WWF Australia’s Kate Noble asked – and gave answers to – about the consequences of such an action in our other main feature of the issue. Both yarns make interesting reading as does the rest of the magazine.

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

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Inside Waste is available by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher

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Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher.

The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

Editor Mike Wheeler mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au

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 Design Production Manager copied in any form or by any means Michelle Weston (graphic, electronic or mechanical michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of Design Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to Client Success Manager accept or reject any material. While Justine Nardone every effort has been made to ensure the justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for Head Office errors or omissions or for any Prime Creative Pty Ltd consequences arising from reliance on 11-15 Buckhurst Street information published. The opinions South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia expressed in Inside Waste are not p: +61 3 9690 8766 necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed enquiries@primecreative.com.au by the publisher unless otherwise stated. www.insidewaste.com.au Business Development Manager Chelsea Daniel-Young chelsea.daniel@primecreative.com.au

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Profile | Geoff Bailey, CEO Turmec

What made you get into the waste industry?

My family have been involved in the waste industry since 1940 when my grandfather established a business collecting old rags which he sold to newspaper printers for cleaning the ink off the presses. He noticed the high volume of wasted newsprint and saw the opportunity to expand as a waste paper merchant. So, the waste business is in my blood. On returning to Ireland from South Africa in 2000, I had the opportunity to join a start up waste company, Greenstar.

I’ve worked in the waste industry ever since.

What are some of the key issues facing the industry at the moment?

There are numerous issues facing the waste industry right across the world, for instance, to list just a few: a. Adopting basic waste management practices in many developing countries, where waste is still dumped in unlined landfills, to avoid land and water contamination that occurs. b. Ridding the environment of illegal dumping: even in so-called developed countries there is a problem with a criminal element collecting waste for a charge and illegally dumping that waste. c. Plastic pollution in our rivers and oceans, which ranges from the easily visible plastic pottles and bags to micro plastics, the latter which gets into the food chain right across the animal kingdom. d. Utilising waste as a resource: there are both technological and economic challenges to overcome to enable

all the major waste types to be fully reused or recycled .

What are a couple of key differences between the Australian and European waste industries?

Australia is essentially a few years behind where Europe is now. It has been slower to move away from landfill as the primary means of waste disposal or treatment, but that is changing and the policies being adopted will see these differences narrow very quickly.

How important is it for Turmec to have a presence in Australia and why?

For any company to survive and prosper it needs to grow. Turmec’s existing markets of Ireland and the UK have largely plateaued and the opportunity for growth is limited.

The Australian recycling and waste treatment market is going through an exciting phase of rapid growth and offers great opportunity for

companies like Turmec that can design and build high-quality plants that meet customer needs. Barriers to entry in new markets such as language and culture are much lower here than they are in certain other geographies.

Going forward, where do you see the waste industry in 10 years’ time in terms of repurposing waste?

Awareness of environmental issues such as climate change; land, air and water pollution; destruction of habitats and the diminution of resources will drive momentum in: • adopting better and cleaner waste management practices; • recycling a greater range and quantity of material currently being dumped, landfilled or incinerated • converting FOGO into energy and returning nutrients to the soil; and • utilising materials and products that are either more reusable or more easily recycled.

AFGC supports government on plastics ban The AFGC believes there is a lack of quality recycled plastics.

THE Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has commended the government for the Ban on Waste Plastics Exports as a critical step to create a local packaging circular economy.

The two phases of the Waste Plastics Export ban, supported with Government funding from the $600 million Recycling Modernisation Fund invested in the recycling sector, should increase the quality of recycled plastics. Currently, there is a global shortage for high-quality 6

recycled plastic that meets the stringent quality needs for food-grade packaging. To ensure community safety, packaging for food, medicines and chemicals must meet high quality standards which cannot be compromised.

“Plastic recycling in Australia shouldn’t be a challenge and we welcome working with all stakeholders to create a circular economy and the ability to recycle these mixed plastics,” said AFGC CEO Tanya Barden.

“Today’s ban is a signal to the

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

entire supply chain that we need to think quality recycling and not just recycling and that it is a whole of industry issue.

“We need a mixture of plastics to package our food and beverages, to keep the food safe and prolong its shelf life. Without it, we will see more food waste and that alone is detrimental to the environment”.

Due to the current low recycling rates of soft plastics and the global lack of food grade plastic packaging, the AFGC is developing the

National Plastics Recycling Scheme.

With support from the Australian Government’s Product Stewardship Investment Fund, the AFGC and member companies, in collaboration with the entire plastics supply chain aim to increase collection, recycling and end market demand for recycled soft plastics. The ultimate aim is to fast-track advanced recycling that can safely recycle soft plastic packaging back into soft plastic packaging, as recently piloted by Kit Kat, Central Coast Council, Licella, IQRenew, Viva Energy, LyondellBasell and Amcor.

“Whole of supply chain collaboration and investment in advanced sorting and recycling technologies are essential by all industry sectors if we are to create a successful and sustainable circular economy,” Barden said. “The export ban for mixed plastics should focus the recycling industry’s efforts on modernising to become a supplier of high-quality inputs in the packaging supply chain rather than historically being a collector and exporter of waste. This requires the sector to take advantage of the significant government funds available to invest and innovate to meet the needs of the circular economy. iw

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

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Profile | Jonathan Beckett

What gets me excited about waste and the environment?

Apart from being a bit of a hippie at heart, I am passionate about waste management and this passion is fuelled by results driven output. Having started my waste management career as the agricultural land application programme manager for Sydney Water, during the pioneering period of biosolids reuse in Australia, I was responsible for early development of Sydney Water’s Agricultural Biosolids Land Application Programme. Looking back at how it all started I thin that once you undertake such an eye-opening project, waste management gets into your blood. I feel very fortunate to have been able to contribute to the development of key waste policy and guidelines while working in private industry and for local government over my career.

Another highlight of my career has been consulting. I noticed a trend in increased pressure on local governments to meet regulatory compliance and knew my skills would be useful in that area.

For the past seven years, I have run my own consultancy firm Waste & Environmental Strategy, where my main focus was in the delivery of operational and site assessments for local government clients, as well as development of waste and resource recovery strategy for voluntary waste groups in NSW. I recently joined Talis Consultants and am really excited about embarking on this new journey. What attracted me to work at Talis was not only the diversity of services (assets, engineering, environment, noise and spatial) offered that support the waste management team, but also, I saw the leadership and a company culture that was different and relatable.

I am passionate about providing services to Local Government and now having joined Talis, I will be able to pursue my passion and expand the company’s operations in New South Wales from its new operational base in the Newcastle area.

Profile | Mark Gifford

I am passionate about the environment and its protection, and it has been the major focus of my career. It is a challenging but very rewarding field to work in. I have had a very rewarding career working across many aspects of environment protection and conservation. In my 22+ years in the environment portfolio I have worked in many different areas ranging from pollution control and the regulation of industry, policy development and implementation, compliance and enforcement, systems development, and program delivery.

Each new area of responsibility allowed me to grow professionally and to work with some very dedicated people.

Although my career is replete with achievements, I acknowledge a few highlights, the first being, receiving the public service medal in the June 2015 Queen’s birthday honours

for outstanding public service to environment protection. It was very humbling experience.

I also acknowledges working closely with Aboriginal communities and individuals as a career highlight. It was rewarding and life changing, as it gave me a deeper understanding of the impacts of government legislation and policy on the culture and allowed me to contribute towards its protection.

I identify my leadership roles in the NSW Environment Protection Authority as another career highlight and privilege as it gave me the opportunity to mentor many great people and to see them achieve success. I have been working for Talis Consultants for over a year now. I love the company culture and feel there is a great wealth of knowledge and experience in the organisation and people work collaboratively to deliver a range of diverse projects. I have also been recently appointed chair of the Fairfield City Council Local Planning Panel (LPP) and deputy chair of the Lane Cove Council LPP and am a deputy member of the EPA Tasmania Board. I feel I have a lot more to contribute towards environment protection and public health.

Report reveals how important labelling is to recycling A new report into consumer insights has revealed that 76 per cent of Australians think that recycling is the most positive thing they can do for the environment and that the first place they turn to for accurate information about how to recycle right is the labelling on their product packaging (51 per cent).

The report, Australasian Recycling Label Consumer Insights Report 2021 by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and Planet Ark, was developed to better understand attitudes and behaviours towards recycling. It also showed that the majority of Australians want more information about what can and can’t be recycled, and that more than half check the labelling on their packaging multiple times before recycling to make sure that they are recycling correctly.

Rebecca Gilling, Planet Ark Deputy CEO, said the findings highlight how much importance Australians place 8

Australians want more information about what can and cannot be recycled.

on putting the right packaging in the right bin and why programs like the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) are so important.

“We’re really encouraged to see how passionate Australians are about recycling and developing positive recycling behaviours.

Product packaging is the first place that Australians look for recycling information and this tells us that if products display accurate and easyto-follow recycling instructions, consumers will be able to recycle

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

with greater confidence,” Gilling said.

“Initiatives like the ARL provide accurate on-pack instructions about how to recycle each part of a product’s packaging, taking the confusion out of recycling and giving Australians the confidence to know that they are recycling right.

So keep checking it before you chuck it.”

The need for correct packaging recycling labelling is critical and led to the development of the ARL, the

only evidence-based, on-pack label that clearly shows Australians how to correctly recycle and dispose of all parts of their packaging after use. Since its launch in 2018, the ARL Program has gained widespread support from government and industry, and most recently the Federal Budget allocated $5 million in additional funding to support small to medium enterprises to adopt the label.

The report shows that awareness of the ARL has grown significantly (up by 16 per cent year on year), with awareness highest among younger Australians, 16-24 year olds (82 per cent), 25 – 34 year olds (79 per cent), 35 – 44 year olds (78 per cent). One in five Australians also indicated that they would recycle a lot more if the ARL was on their product packaging and three quarters want to see the label on every item of packaging. iw

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// News

More carrot less stick to stop asbestos dumping EXPERTS in asbestos removal are calling for a state or national register or business tax breaks to dispose of hazardous material properly, in order to halt a worsening illegal dumping problem in Victoria.

Sites in Lara and Lillimur have become hotbeds for the practice, with an incident in Lillimur under investigation by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) after it caught fire in May and spewed toxic smoke across the region.

According to the EPA, illegal dumping is becoming more common in Victoria’s remote areas.

The environmental regulator plans to crack down on the potentially dangerous activity. It has created a new Waste Crimes Prevention Directorate to coordinate its efforts against waste crime in Victoria.

Industry experts such as Stephen

Marett, the managing director of Grounds Maintenance Australia, said that more needs to be done to prevent the illegal dumping of toxic waste.

Marett, whose company is helping remove the hazardous material at Lillimur, said that state and federal governments should also be incentivising good behaviour.

“It’s going to continue to happen unless the state or federal government provides some incentive for people to do the right thing, apart from being caught and prosecuted criminally, this will continue to happen,” he said.

“People panic when they hear the word asbestos and worry they can’t afford to remove it in a costeffective way.”

“Businesses like us are able to help, but if this continued illegal dumping happens, we could see people unnecessarily exposed to

Incentives are needed so people will dispose of asbestos in a responsible manner.

these substances.”

Marett would like to see small cash incentives to encourage businesses to engage professional waste removalists.

He also suggested a state-wide register to keep track of stockpiled asbestos so that states can coordinate the removal and disposal of such materials.

Newly appointed Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) CEO, Lee Miezis, said waste crime was one of his priorities for the north east of Victoria on his first visit to the region

following his appointment.

Miezis said the Authority’s regional presence will be strengthened as new regulatory powers and systems improve EPA’s ability to detect and prevent pollution and also prosecute offenders where pollution occurred, or even had the potential to occur.

The new Environment Protection Act that recently came into force has given the EPA far greater powers but also makes it everyone’s responsibility to prevent pollution before it occurs. iw

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Beef, bread, cheese – most wasted foods On average, an Australian household throws out up to 219kg of food a year.

NEW research by the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (FFW CRC) shows beef, bread, cheese and salad are the most thrown out foods in Australian kitchens.

The study is the largest investigation ever undertaken in Australia, using data from multiple sources to determine the how, why and where of food waste in Australian homes.

FFW CRC chief executive officer, Dr Steven Lapidge, said the researchers

used on-line surveys, electronic kitchen diaries, audits of kerbside bins and focus groups to understand what is really happening. The study shows that while most of us think we don’t waste food, we do, and we waste a lot. The average household throws away 219 kg of food a year. That adds up to an average of $965 per person per year – enough for a holiday.

“Looking into people’s bins as well as their minds identified not knowing what

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to do with leftovers is a major problem in Australia. Further, young people and families with children are likely to waste the most,” said Lapidge.

The study shows there’s a lot of misunderstanding about food waste and a lack of knowledge about what to do. That’s good news for those working to reduce waste because by sharing what we know about reducing food waste we can help everyone do something about it.

“The research provides a detailed analysis of why people waste food, the challenges and barriers for them to reduce it, as well as the foods and behaviours that can be prioritised to meet the Australian Government’s goal to halve food waste by 2030,” said Lapidge.

“A pleasing 93 per cent of people over 75 regularly use up the oldest ingredient first and translating that knowledge to young people would have a big impact

on what they throw away.”

Other priority areas for action include: • Check what is already in the fridge, freezer and pantry before shopping and take a ‘shelfie’ so you can check what you have back home while out shopping.

• Only buy what is on the shopping list.

• Move the oldest food items to the front of the fridge so they can be used first.

• Read the storage instructions provided on the packages – and then store food properly.

This study is part of the Designing Effective Interventions to Reduce Household Food Waste research project.

It is managed by the FFWCRC, with support from state and territory governments, the industry, as well as food rescue charities. iw

Illegal dumping of waste at Spencer NSW On 2 June 2021 Sam Abbas was convicted in the Land and Environment Court of NSW of three offences against the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997: A. Land pollution contrary to s 142A; B. Causing waste to be transported to a place that could not lawfully be used as a waste facility for that waste contrary to s 143(1); and C. Using a place as a waste facility without lawful authority contrary to s 144(1).

The offences were committed by Mr Abbas between 1 February 2015 and 10 May 2016 when he caused 733 truckloads of waste, amounting to 21,990 tonnes, to be applied to land at 5365 Wisemans Ferry Road, Spencer NSW including in areas adjacent to the Hawkesbury River. The waste comprised processed and unprocessed building and demolition material, clay, shale, dirt, woodchip, topsoil, mixed sand, mulch, fibro cement, car parts, scrap metal, glass, soil, bricks, concrete, timber, plastic, tile, rocks, rubble, bitumen, terracotta and asbestos. The property had no lawful authority to be used as a waste facility. Prior to February 2015, waste material had been tipped onto the property by others including road maintenance material, dirt, rocks, sand, grass, food wrappers, bottles and small amounts of asbestos. In 1997, a large amount of material was placed adjacent to the river to fill the jetty area.

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Whilst the Court was not satisfied that actual harm caused in relation to water pollution was significant, harm to vegetation was significant. The deposition of the waste was likely to cause environmental harm due to the potential for water pollution and land degradation. The Court found that Mr Abbas did not bring the material to the property for financial gain nor was it a part of an organised criminal activity. The Court was satisfied that Mr Abbas’s intention of committing the offences was to improve the property and to cover the waste placed on the property by others albeit this was very poorly executed from an environmental perspective. Mr Abbas was on notice that filling activities required development consent as the property was in a flood zone, and that the property did not benefit from such consent.

The EPA in September 2018 commenced a prosecution of Mr Abbas for the offences. Mr Abbas pleaded guilty to the offences on 23 October 2020. At the sentence hearing Mr Abbas expressed remorse for his actions, which the Court accepted subject to caveats. Mr Abbas acknowledged that he should remediate the property and has taken steps to prepare a Remediation Action Plan for approval by the EPA. Once the Remediation Action Plan is approved, Mr Abbas has stated that he will remediate the property.

On 2 June 2021, the Court made the following orders: 1. Sam Abbas is convicted of causing waste to be transported to a place that could not lawfully be used as a waste facility and fined $60,000.00.

2. Sam Abbas is convicted of causing the place to be used as a waste facility without lawful authority and fined $30,000.00.

3. Sam Abbas is convicted of polluting land and fined $10,000.00 4. Sam Abbas is to pay EPA’s costs agreed or assessed.

5. Sam Abbas is to pay EPA’s investigation costs of $80,157.20.

This notice has been published by order of the Land & Environment Court.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

News //

Maggots make the most of organic waste

IT’S a hard life being a black soldier fly (BSF) – first as maggots/larvae you’re put through the wringer breaking down organic waste, then before you reach adulthood, you’re turned into poultry feed.

Laura Bell was the runner-up in the 2020 Agrifutures Rural Woman Awards, and is the founder of Waste Not Food Recycling, a company that is making its mark farming BSFs in Broome, Western Australia.

Bell came across the BSF-as-afeed-and-food-waste solution by accident and instantly understood the usefulness of domesticating them.

The BSF farming mirrors nature’s ecosystem by using insects as a means to recycle waste into fertilisers and feeds.

Waste Not Food Recycling is currently at the pilot stage and hopes to be up and running soon. Products it will offer to the wider WA community include a commercial food waste collection service, live maggots/larvae, worm castings, seed larvae and larval protein meal.

On the company’s website, Bell spruiks the other benefits of farming BSFs. “Aside from the larval biomass, another by-product is the ‘frass,” she said. “The frass comprises the larval castings (poop) and any residual organic waste.”

“It can be composted, or fed into a worm-farm to produce a nutrient-balanced, organic fertiliser.

Alternatively, it can be fed into an anaerobic digestor from where it can generate energy.

In a recent interview with the ABC, Bell said that there are several other outcomes that are positive using the BSF. “There’s no biosecurity concerns, so people don’t need to be worried about introducing some kind of new pest,” she said. “No-one was utilising BSFs up here, even though we’ve got the perfect climate for them, and while we might not be a massive metropolitan city, we still have the issue with waste.”

Bell is urging the Broome community to help her domesticate the local black soldier fly stock and hopes to create a network of fly farms throughout WA. iw

CEFC commits $16.5 million in debt finance to PET facility THE CEFC has made its first investment under the Australian Recycling Investment Fund, committing up to $16.5 million in debt finance on behalf of the Australian Government to a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling facility in regional New South Wales.

The new CEFC-backed plant will recycle the equivalent of an estimated one billion PET bottles a year as well as create long-term employment opportunities in Albury-Wodonga.

The PET plastic will be used to produce more than 20,000 tonnes of new bottles and food packaging a year. Circular Plastics Australia (CPA) will be Australia’s largest PET plastic recycling plant and only the second facility of its kind in Australia to process PET end-to-end into foodgrade recycled PET. The plant will increase Australian manufactured and sourced recycled PET by two thirds, reducing Australia’s reliance on both new and imported recycled plastics.

The announcement comes just days after an export ban on sending mixed plastics overseas for recycling came into effect. The ban was agreed by Federal, State and local governments in 2019 after China and Indonesia blocked imports of waste from Australia.

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Beverages are the primary customers for the recycled PET. The project will draw on $16.5 million in debt finance from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, for a total debt finance package of $33 million, to build the

$45 million state-of-the-art recycling facility.

Construction is underway, with the plant to be part powered by renewable electricity through the installation of solar panels. iw

The PET facility will be set up in New South Wales.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

News //

Profile | Good360 Australia

disadvantaged schools Australia wide.

Good360 does this via our innovative e-commerce platform that allows charities and schools to browse online for goods their communities need and order them in the quantities required.

Since 2015, Good360 Australia has received $185.98m RRP of brand-new product donations from some of Australia’s leading brands including, BIG W, LEGO, Best & Less, Harvey Norman, Colgate, WINC and Anaconda, and has connected 20 million items to the Australians who need them via our network of over 2,800 Not for Profits and disadvantaged schools.

When was the company founded and why?

Good360 Australia was founded by Alison Covington in 2012 when she asked the question: ‘where do all the good things go?’ Australia has charities connecting excess food to people in need, but Alison couldn’t find a similar solution for nonperishable items, so she created one.

Launching in 2015, Good360 is leading the way in product philanthropy in Australia – our goal is for nothing useful to lie unused. We are an enabler and matchmaker in the circular economy, connecting brandnew, non-perishable goods donated by businesses to our charities and

What are its key services to the waste industry?

Successfully diverting almost 3,000 tonnes of brand-new goods, equivalent to 2,000 cars, from landfill and currently matching 13 items a minute, Good360 matches surplus to need, giving brand-new items a ‘first

life’. We have created a seamless and frictionless solution for the retail sector that is good for business, good for people and good for the planet.

Good360’s impact has multiple benefits, providing a solution for the surplus of the retail sector at the pre-consumer level, preventing brandnew, usable items from sitting idle in warehouses, or worse, contributing to the 76 million tonnes of waste Australians create each year.

We estimate the retail sector overproduces $1.9 billion in surplus goods each year, the majority of which is sent to landfill, a wasteful as well as expensive solution. Prior to the launch of Good360, there was no circular, cost-effective and environment-saving solution to this growing problem in Australia.

What is the company hoping to achieve over the next 12-18 months?

Connect $1bn of goods by 2025

to Australians most in need, that’s the goal motivating Alison and the Good360 team. Currently matching 13 items a minute and working towards one every second to achieve this lofty and impactful goal.

The fact that retailers do not sell through all stock and send brandnew surplus products to landfill is not widely known or talked about in Australia. Good360 has the additional challenge to educate stakeholders at a government, industry and community level on a new concept of non-perishable, brand-new product waste. With Good360 winning the top award, The Judges Choice accolade, at The Circle Awards AUS & NZ 2021, the movement has started.

Successfully attracting government funding similar to food and organic waste and recycling, and clearer articulation of the surplus non-food problem in the waste hierarchy, and therefore the National Waste Policy, is the ultimate objective.

Waste management market worth half a trillion by 2026 ACCORDING to the new market research report published by MarketsandMarkets, the waste management market size is expected to grow from an estimate USD$423.4 billion in 2021 to USDS542.7 billion by 2026, with the Asia Pacific regions set to have the biggest growth.

The key drivers for the waste management market include stringent regulations of governments worldwide for better management of waste and initiate environmental protection; strong focus of several governments to conduct awareness programs showcasing importance of waste

segregation and waste management; technological advances and shortened life cycle of electronic products help in increasing e-waste.

Titled, Waste Management Market

by Waste (Hazardous, E-waste, Plastic, Bio-medical), Service (Open dumping, Incineration, Landfill, Recycling), End User (Residential, Commercial, Industrial) and Region – Global Forecast to 2026, the report said the growth of the entire sector will be at a CAGR of 5.1 per cent, during the forecast period.

Asia Pacific accounted for the largest share of the global Waste Management Market in 2020. The region has been

The Asia Pacific region accounts for the largest share of the waste management market.

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INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

segmented, by country, into China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and Rest of Asia Pacific. Rest of Asia Pacific mainly includes Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The population growth in the region, the high disposable income of the people, and the increased demand for packaged food products are among a few major factors that drive the growth of waste management in the region.

Asia Pacific is also a key contributor to marine plastic pollution. The materials involved include plastic bottles, plastic bags, single-use plastic items, and plastic packaging, among others.

Key countries responsible for this kind of pollution include China, Indonesia and Thailand.

In addition, the rise in well-being and prosperity of urban residents is linked closely to increased consumption and production patterns with consequences for waste streams.

Increased municipal solid waste is particularly noticeable in low- and middle-income countries.

In these countries, the rate of waste generation has risen quickly and is expected to accelerate over the next decade and beyond.

According to the United Nations’

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), between 50 per cent and 65 per cent of municipal solid waste in low- and middle-income countries is organic.

This means it can be turned into highquality compost for use in agriculture, gardening, or landscaping or converted to biogas to produce heat and electricity.

There are also significant opportunities for recycling inorganic materials, such as glass, plastic, and metal.

It was also noted that the manufacturing of new glass–based materials has an ultimate opportunity for open–loop recycling and has more environmental benefits than that of landfilling.

Between 25 per cent and 35 per cent of municipal solid waste is recyclable inorganic waste; this proportion will increase over the coming decades with further development of countries, leading to rising demand for waste management.

The key players in the Waste Management Market include companies such as Waste Management (US), Veolia (France), Republic Services (US), SUEZ (France), and Waste Connections (US). iw

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

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Tasmanian companies snag recycling grants TASMANIAN businesses Timberlink, Environex and Mitchell Plastic Welding have secured the latest round of Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) grants.

The grants, which are part of a $20.3 million program co-funded by the federal and state government to revolutionise the state’s recycling industry, will see 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste diverted from Tasmanian landfills and turned into valuable products.

“It is exciting to see innovation at the centre of these projects. Not only will they turn a waste product into something of value, but they will do so while creating more than 50 jobs for local business – it is good for the economy, good for jobs and good for the environment,” Federal Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said.

Timber product manufacturer,

Future uses of recycled plastics include the making of furniture such as these made-from-recycled-plastics recliners.

Timberlink, will receive $5.8 million grant to increase its intake of highdensity polyethylene plastic from locally-collected milk bottles to manufacture a wood plastic composite product used in home timber decking.

Plastics recycler Envorinex has

secured $2.1 million to bolster its operations so it can process an extra 6000 tonnes of plastic. This will include the collection and recycling of medical sheeting, curtains and injection-moulded products.

Mitchell Plastic Welding, which

specialises, among other things, in manufacturing, plastic fabrication and repairs for the aquaculture, industrial and agricultural irrigation sectors, will receive $3 million to manufacture injection moulded products from waste plastics collected from the state’s prominent aquaculture sector.

The Tasmanian Environment Minister Roger Jaensch said the grants will help businesses invest in innovative new resource recovery technologies, which can only be good for future waste challenges the state might face.

“Today’s investment, together with our commitment to introduce a state-wide waste levy and Container Refund Scheme, industrial composting, and other innovative resource recovery initiatives, means that we are better placed to meet our future waste challenges, and turn them into opportunities,” he said. iw

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The Victorian EPA’s new powers will crack down on chemical spills and illegal chemical storage.

Vic EPA gets new powers ON 1 July the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) introduced amendments to the Act to minimise harm to the environment and Victorian health.

The new set of regulations will crack down on illicit chemical storage, contaminated soil and waste discharge and bestows the EPA with new powers to enforce compliance.

It prompts organisations to do their due diligence when it comes to identifying risk, and implementing appropriate management systems to avoid a seven-figure fine.

The environmental watchdog still carries the burden of multi-milliondollar clean up bills from chemical waste disasters over the years, but its ultimate focus remains to be protecting the environment and human health.

Environmental consultancy and project management company, Scaada Group, welcomes the changes.

“Under the new legislation businesses will be held accountable for actions that intentionally harm the environment,” said managing director of Scaada Group, Dale Smith.

“There have been cases over the years of regulations being blatantly ignored, one leading to the largest 18

industrial blaze we’ve seen in decades and costing taxpayers millions,” he said referring to the Campbellfield factory fire in 2019.

“But in the majority of cases resulting in environmental harm, there has been a lack of understanding and resources in the public domain.

“However, under the new regulations – from manufacturing to land development – the onus will be put back on business owners, including land sellers and buyers, leaving little room for excuses.

“Getting on the front foot and planning is the best way to tackle this. It doesn’t have to happen all at once. Allocate budget and amortise costs over the short-, medium- and long-term. In some cases, simple inexpensive changes are all that’s required,” said Smith.

“Once you’re in, you’re in. So if it’s spending $20,000 upfront to reduce risks on a development where you expect to profit in the millions, it’s really a no brainer.”

Smith is urging businesses to get on board with the new reform to create better outcomes for the economy, local businesses, the environment, and communities but suggests they don’t need to go at it alone and recommends calling in help to manage the transition. iw

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Repurpose It acquires Bark King VICTORIAN resource recovery company Repurpose It has taken a step towards its ambition to eliminate waste through a closed-loop economy, by acquiring organic landscape supplier Bark King.

The acquisition will expand the portfolio of resources they recover, enabling Repurpose It to diversify and enter the direct-to-consumer market, creating an end-to-end resource recovery lifecycle.

Each year Victoria generates 1.5 tonnes of organic waste which represents approximately 40 per cent of the key waste streams being sent to Victorian landfills, and according to Repurpose It CEO George Hatzimanolis, the problem will grow unless we invest in resource recovery now.

“In the past year, Bark King has recycled more than 50,000 tonnes of organic waste and with our track record of using innovation and best-in-class technology, Repurpose It plans to supercharge this impact, increasing to

200,000 tonnes in the next 12 to 18 months supporting the government’s ambition to divert 80 per cent of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030,” said Hatzimanolis.

The acquisition will also expand Repurpose It’s geographical footprint, with two new sites in south-east Melbourne, including timber and mulch recycling stations and Bark King’s distribution networks.

“Our aim is to lead Victoria’s resource recovery sector by diverting all organic waste from landfill to ultimately eliminate Victoria’s waste problem,” said Hatzimanolis. “The acquisition enables us to create a unique model in which we play a role across all touch points from receiving organic waste right through to distributing the resources we recover to the end consumer. This closed-loop model requires us to take responsibility for the waste we receive and resources we recover in a way that is unique to our industry.” iw

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Free riders big challenge for product stewardship Free riders can be a disincentive when trying to put in place new product stewardship initiatives.

LOGISTICS, governance and free-riders are the three biggest challenges facing many of Australia’s product stewardship initiatives as they tackle the Australian Government’s ambitious plan to decrease waste by 10 per cent and increase resource recovery to 80 per cent.

The Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence surveyed industry participants to understand what is holding back further development

and timely expansion of product stewardship.

Australia has about 60 active initiatives ranging from industry schemes and programs, industry and supply chain standards, initiatives championed by industry or community organisations, as well as many more individual company initiatives.

“To support the move to a circular economy and achieve the Government’s

targets, we need more businesses adopting product stewardship nationwide. That means addressing barriers to growth,” Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence director Dr Damien Giurco said.

Free-riders are businesses or organisations that may benefit from a product stewardship activity without contributing to the cost of developing and operating schemes.

Free riders can be a disincentive for initiatives to get off the ground and need to be encouraged to take greater responsibility for the products that they place on the market, Giurco said.

“Strengthening product stewardship legislation in the Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020 gives industry more options to address free-riders through scheme accreditation and the Minister’s Priority List,” he said.

The Centre of Excellence is tackling these issues head-on through a series of webinars, advisory papers, decision support tools and direct engagement with scheme proponents, which will be held in the near future.

In respect of logistics and governance, the Centre’s directors have a depth of knowledge we are applying to guide and mentor current and emerging schemes, and a panel of specialist advisers ready to tackle specific problems and barriers, according to Giurco.

“Product stewardship is all about manufacturers, importers and retailers taking responsibility in designing-out waste, making products more durable, repairable and recyclable, and providing customers with easily accessible and affordable options to reuse or recycle their products at the end of its life,” he said. iw

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From Fromthe theCEO’s CEO’sdesk desk WITH almost $70 million committed by the federal Environment Ministers will meet forFood the second government towards investment in new time this Garden year onOrganics 7 December, following coupled the first Organics (FOGO) initiatives, 2018 Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) with organics strategies and targets either developedin April, was inacross part jurisdictions, a response to the the import or in which development what’s restrictions driven by China’s National go on FOGO and are the pathways to managing Sword this Policy and material the effects thisquite policy has had across significant stream as straightforward the Australian waste resource recovery (WARR) in reality as they are and on paper? industry.

Key decisions derived the to April MEM This is a great opportunity for from Australia include: implement a nationally consistent, best practice scheme to managing food. Simply put, when looked • at Reducing waste generation, endorsing a target from a systems-based approach, implementing ofFOGO 100% of Australian packaging being recyclable, has the potential to boost landfill diversion of or reusable by 2025, and emissions, developing household material nationally,compostable which will contribute to reducing carbon targets for recycled content in packaging. as well as increasing beneficial reuse within the garden and agricultural sectors. We • Increasing domestic recycling boosted, capacity.and soils improved. However, will see newAustralia’s jobs created, local economies • Increasing the demand for recycled products. the mechanics to get us there nationally are not as clear, and the challenges of • Exploring to programs advance need waste-to-energy and waste-to-biofuels. rolling outopportunities wide-scale FOGO to be well understood and considered.

• Updating the 2009 Waste Strategy by year end, which will include circular economy principles.

Starting at the top of the food chain While the federal FOGO funding is welcome, an important piece of the food chain It puzzle is timethat to take andattention examineiswhat been achieved these decisions alsostock requires that has of avoidance in the since first instance.

This were announced.

Now, seven (7) months may not seem like a long time, however is not only the priority of the adopted waste management hierarchy, but also has a intarget that time we food havewaste seen further markets and to half by 2030.

In Julyclose 2021,(Malaysia, the Fight Indonesia, Food Waste Vietnam) CRC released if ayou are an operator under continued financial stress, seven (7) months could telling report, unveiling that the average Australian household throws away make orof break 219kg foodyou. a year, equating to a waste of some $970 per person per year. The report noted that beef, bread, cheese and salad were the most thrown out foods in Following the the April MEM, we havehad had three states withleftovers. varying Australia and community simply little clue(3) about whatstep to doinwith degrees of financial assistance for industry (councils and operators).

This should As the report highlights, the key barrier to this is a lack of knowledge; as such, bea expected considering almost all states (except Queensland and Tasmania) have national education and communication plan is pivotal to assist Australians with access to significant waste levy income each year.

On the eastern seaboard, Victoria how to reduce their food waste – whether it’s teaching people to shop for what has approximately million levytoreserves in the Sustainability Fund they need, reading$600 storage labels,inorwaste learning use leftover food.

This plan should and NSW raises more than $700 million per annum from the waste levy.

There is be done as part of, and well before, we go down the FOGO infrastructure path. certainly no lack of funds that can have be reinvested ouravoidance essentialpathway, industry.with A number of state governments embarked into on the the UK’s successful Love Food Hate Waste program running in Victoria and NSW, Funding helps but as we know, money goespresenting a much anlonger way with and Queensland recently signing up the to the initiative, opportunity to Government support and leadership, as well as appropriate policy levers. roll this out nationally. However, we need nationally consistent education to drive behavioural change to maximise food value and minimise materials that are being VICTORIA deposited within the FOGO system.

Victoria has arguably been the most active and earnest in supporting the industry post-China, with two (2)pathways relief packages announced to support the recycling Setting regulatory industry, at a and totalfunding of $37 are million.

The Victorian Government has also Policies,valued strategies, all necessary of course; however, these aregone not above andwithout beyondrobust all others states frameworks by announcing it would taketransition a leadership role effective regulatory that consistently “wastes” into creating market demand for recycled products. “resources” in order to drive beneficial reuse. These frameworks must provide processors of FOGO and users of compost with certainty in relation to standards and SOUTH AUSTRALIA specifications undertaken to ensure both a quality product and end market.

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.

At this time, the regulatory pathways are quite varied across jurisdictions. industry the Queensland Government has embarked on the development Victoria andhowever South Australia apply a General Environmental Duty (GED) framework of aputs waste strategy underpinned by aand waste disposalmeasures levy to increase that themanagement onus on businesses to take all reasonable practicable recovery and create new jobs. The will re-introduce a $70/ to recycling prevent orand minimise any resulting environmental harm.State Queensland has an tonne landfill levy in March 2019.

There are also strong attempts to use policy end-of-waste code system where a waste is approved as a resource and issued levers (levy discounts and exemptions) to incentivise the use of recycled material a code if the Department of Environment and Science considers that it meets and make it cost competitive with virgin material.

However, little has been specified quality criteria for its specific use. In NSW, resource recovery orders anddone to establish new markets and Government has not taken the lead in the procurement exemptions are issued by the EPA if the latter has determined that the re-use of a of recycled material.

There or arefit-for-purpose, grants available operations material is genuine, beneficial, andfor willresource not causerecovery human health Queenslandharm. although no monies have beenon allocated to assist in 2018. or in environmental WA consulted with industry a legislative framework for This is troubling asmaterials Queensland outtoitsdefine Container Scheme 1 November, waste-derived in anrolled attempt when Refund a material ceases on to be a which will likely cost and revenue models of the State’s MRFs – as we waste in order to beimpact grantedthe a determination; this hasn’t been finalised. have seen most recently in NSW. Therefore, we have at present an opportunity to build a nationally harmonised, forward-thinking, and future-proofed regulatory framework that facilitates the WESTERN movement of AUSTRALIA materials through the supply chain. WMRR’s view is that the approach The Western Government set up a Waste Taskforce in direct response to taken by SA andAustralian Victoria with the GED model should be adopted across Australia. the China National Sword.

As part of this announcement, the State Government This framework ensures resources can move through the supply chain and continue all local councils begin the utilisation of awithout three (3)-bin system - red for to urged be re-used, repaired, andto ultimately re-manufactured being overly general waste, yellow for recyclables and organic waste - over prescriptive and onerous, while continuing togreen protectforhuman health and the the coming years to reduce contamination.

While this taskforce is a step in the right direction, environment. A consistent education campaign based on what is accepted in the we are yet to see any tangible results from it or any funding for industry.

In October, bin must also be agreed on and undertaken – we need to avoid bespoke solutions the WA Waste Authority released its draft Waste Strategy to 2030, which comprises wherever possible to assist with consistency and reduction of contamination. aWecomprehensive andagreement detailed (or roadmap the State’s vision of must have national as close towards to harmonisation) on shared the materials becoming a sustainable, low-waste, circular economy. that can and should go into the FOGO bin, including what we do with packaging, which is accepted in some states and deemed contamination in others. Let’s hope COMMONWEALTH that the Commonwealth investment also necessitates a nationally consistent Following the MEMtoinbe April, nowthat has requires a new Federal Environment Minister, regulatory framework put Australia in place, one consistent national bin Melissa Price, who in October reiterated to media MEM’s commitment to standards as to what goes in a bin so that we won’t have to come back later to explore wastestate to energy asafter part recognising of the solution of China’s National Sword, retrofit schemes that to wethe are impacts one national marketplace. which is troubling (EfW is not a solution to recycling).

The Commonwealth has While we celebrate the fact that FOGO will play a distinct and important role also backed the Australian Recycling Label and endorsed the National Packaging in diverting material from landfill, it is important to take into consideration the Targets developed Australian Covenant (APCO), challenges and realitiesby of the rolling out thesePackaging systems, and then planOrganisation and solve them which has to date, failed to incorporate industry feedback in the development accordingly, better yet, nationally. We also must recognise that there are a number these challenges targets. To the Commonwealth’s been significant of of practical to rolling out FOGO, not thecredit, least ofthere which has is gaining coordination in reviewing the National Wastea Policy, themajority Department of approvals and licences within reasonable timeframe, problemwith for the of Environment bringing together industry players and States during the review WARR infrastructure across jurisdictions at this present time and an issue that all process. states desperately need to address now or risk missing the 80 per cent national diversion target given the lack of infrastructure being approved and delivered.

The updated Policy now go before Environment Ministers onbest 7 December.

We must harness thiswill momentum/funding for our industry to create practice, The Commonwealth can play a key role – one that goes beyond the development standard practices across all states to maximise food value and diversion so that of the Waste WMAA isand supportive the Federal maximising weNational can harness thePolicy. environmental economicofbenefits that Government come with doing so. the levers it has, including taxation and importation powers, maintain a strong, WMRR is undertaking a deep dive into these issues, challenges, andtoopportunities sustainable waste and resource recovery and will soon publish a series on FOGO. In theindustry. meantime, this is just a snapshot of factors we should chew on to give our FOGO aspirations the best chance at success.

AHEAD OF MEM 2 There mayChief be movement across Australia, with some states doing better than Gayle Sloan, Executive Officer, WMRR 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

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Pollution //

Butting in on the cigarette filter debate (Continued from front page) AUSTRALIA has been one of the leading lights when it comes to putting controls on tobacco consumption and how it is sold to the public. It has instigated such measures as plain packaging, as well as only allowing certain counters in supermarkets to sell the product.

The next frontier for public health advocates and tobacco control people is to make the product even less appealing, according to Noble.

Where Noble really gets animated though is talking about who is responsible for the waste and litter that is created by the cigarette butts.

“Most mechanisms in Australia are focussed on the downstream aspects – smokers’ behaviour and littering behaviour,” she said. “That

is important but it’s not a sensible approach to the problem. To say the responsibility for dealing with the problem falls on the community and smokers alone, allows the producers of cigarettes to shift the environmental issues onto the consumer.”

Noble would like to see a model whereby not only the community and smokers take responsibility, but also the tobacco manufacturers themselves. However, Noble also wants to go one step further – start a serious conversation about banning plastic filters altogether.

“There has been huge efforts around collection, recycling and behaviour changing campaigns, and infrastructure and butt collection.

They are all really important and they

are all making a difference for sure,” she said. “But, they are not driving the rate of littering down to an extent that it is needed to, and they are not getting rid of the problem at the source.

“There is a ceiling to what they can do. Some of the projects have really high success rates – between 50 and 80 per cent of butt reduction – but we really need to be thinking about different ways of tackling this, not just the ways we’ve been tackling it for the past decades.”

The banning of plastic filters has started to gain traction in other parts of the world. For example, in California there was a bill introduced to the state legislature that was designed to ban them.

“The bill wasn’t successful, and it

died,” said Noble. “It is not the only bill internationally that has been raised. We can and should be talking about this in Australia. Filters and butt pollution have been addressed in the US through the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, which is in the process at the moment. And the EU Directive of the reduction of certain plastics has looked at producer responsibility. It is dealing with, and has covered, cigarette butt litter and filters within its directive.”

Currently, the amount of money spent on cleaning up cigarette butt litter is approximately $74 million.

There is limited coordination of efforts and they are frequently limited by time and funds. Noble said product stewardship offers a more sensible and sustainable model to

Cigarette manufacturers need to take some responsibility for cigarette waste.

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// Pollution

deal such a the problem.

A product stewardship scheme would provide a framework for reducing and managing cigarette butts with longterm funding and clear accountability.

Options include a national scheme, which could be made mandatory, or schemes developed and delivered individually by the states and territories.

While there has been little appetite for a national approach to tackling cigarette butt pollution so far, Noble is optimistic. One reason being is that she has seen that plastic waste has come to the fore in recent years – something that wasn’t always the case.

“The good news is that there are so many wide open doors, and much opportunism that 2021 presents and beyond, in terms of plastics pollution being such a popular issue right now. That wasn’t always the case,” she said. “Over the past five

years, there has been a huge ground swell of public support for dealing with this problem from such a broad demographic and such a broad variety of people.”

Noble believes that if people think of cigarette butts like they think of single-use plastics, then that could go a long way to making them a priority in terms of getting rid of them. She also points out that cigarette butts have been targeted for action in Australia’s National Plastics Plan.

“If we take decisive action now, we’d probably see the real impact within a decade,” she said. “Scaling up mechanisms and introducing a product stewardship scheme would see a reduction in butt litter, because we’d achieve economies of scale. We’d be pumping in the same amount of money into cleaning up, behaviour change and prevention campaigns, but it would be sustainably funded.” iw

It can take years for just a single plastic cigarette butt to break down.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

23

FOGO Roll Out //

A how-to guide for councils rolling out FOGO bins (Continued from front page) “IT’S easy to get the low hanging fruit tree into organics bins, but FO is a completely different ball game and there is a lot more of it out there than people think. Widely accepted averages are about 1kg per person per week (less for seniors, more for families), and your hands-down, best chance to convince residents to put their food waste into FOGO bins is at service launch. It is the best ‘habit breaker/habit maker opportunity’.” “[We]have the data from over 57 FOGO audits and there’s still tonnes and tonnes of food waste in general waste bins, even where FOGO is compulsory. The reality is, unless you can hang out in their kitchens, people still get to choose whether they use FOGO bins for food waste. This is why ‘stakeholder engagement’ is such an important part of a FOGO rollout.”

What do councils need to know?

Get the timeline right Make sure your timespan is realistic and allows for a lot of community engagement, and if possible, time the launch close to rates notices.

If you add a FOGO service charge to household rates but only start the service six or seven months later, 24

even if the charge is a pro-rata rate, you risk alienating ratepayers before you start.

Bin sizes and caddies Mix up the bin sizes. One of the biggest barriers to participation in FOGO is the perceived value for money.

“People are used to filling up their wheelie bins, so you have to normalise the idea that you are not expecting FOGO bins to be full. It goes a long way if you can offer 120L bins or even 80L bins, but keep the service charge consistent,” said Harper.

Caddies are the smaller bins kept in the kitchen where households put their food waste. It is important for councils to provide a caddy, and not just from a practical point of view, according to Harper.

“It’s the visual cue that a habitdriven behaviour like food disposal needs,” she said. “I prefer ventilated caddies because it reduces the chances of it being repurposed as a bucket. If you can hot-stamp graphics as well as words on the lids too, that will help those with either low literacy, or have English as a second language.”

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

Compostable bags Harper concedes compostable bags can be costly, but they go a long way to get residents to trial the service as bags overcome the ‘ick’ barrier to participation. If a council is not able to supply them on a regular basis, they can be smart about it and encourage households to buy their own bags after providing a ‘starter roll’. She cited an example of a regional council that initially provided them at rollout and then annually offered a limited number for sale over a four-week period at their customer service counter.

“You can also give away bags as a way of developing goodwill, or use them as prizes in competitions,” said Harper. “You will need to make bags a comms focus, in particular the difference between compostable bags and non-FOGO friendly biodegradable ones. This problem should go away however with the federal phase out of fragmentable plastics in July next year.”

Delivery process The delivery part of the project will probably be one of the biggest challenges faced by councils, and the busiest time the project. Harper

said it was important to have electronic delivery records and ensure beforehand that they can be easily integrated into council systems. Data integration can be costly and often takes longer than estimated, so if you outsource this part of the project, book it early and budget accordingly.

“Physical rollout can take longer than estimated too. I had a rollout of 20,000 bins and the contractors, who were familiar with the area, estimated it would take about four weeks to roll out,” she said. “It took another three or so weeks afterwards to do mop ups – missed streets, missed bins, bins and caddies going missing, etcetera.”

Harper put together list of common rollout challenges: • Evaluate unit developments well in advance and work out whether they need to expand or relocate bin enclosures. Take photos and then get face-to-face meetings with the relevant housing or body corporates.

• Be careful when making schedule changes. For example, if a Thursday collection has to be split up and some households move to a Friday collection, do this before the FOGO

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// FOGO Roll Out

When rolling out a FOGO scheme communication is the big key it making it a smooth process.

roll out. If it cannot be avoided, make sure these residents get extra information in their letterboxes.

• Make sure to regularly brief your customer service team throughout the process, and that they are enthusiastic about FOGO. Once word gets out and the bins start hitting the streets, councils will get flooded with calls from people asking when their bin is arriving, so provide the customer service team a daily delivery schedule update during the rollout.

• Nominate a team of key personnel and block out a weekly ‘FOGO issues’ meeting as part of your risk management strategy during the rollout period.

Exemptions There will be a number of stakeholder groups who will want exemptions.

It’s important to work with these groups and establish a fair system, as this will go a long way towards developing a ‘social licence’ for the FOGO service and maintaining ratepayer trust in Council.

Exemptions can be done a couple of ways – examples include automatic exemptions based on property size and/or zoning, or an opt-out system where the resident fills out a council form and must prove they manage their own organic waste, or it may be that they have unusual circumstances, which makes FOGO impractical or unreasonable.

“It’s crucially important to create a set of equitable exemption criteria that can be applied by different

staff and will come up with the same result” Harper said.

She recommended a ‘scoring system’ for household size, property size and personal organic waste management systems, with published guidelines.

Harper advised not publishing the actual scores for each parameter, to prevent ‘gaming’ the system. Just having a compost bin out the back isn’t enough to warrant an exemption, as FOGO accepts material that shouldn’t go into backyard systems. She advises the exemption application process includes photographic evidence from residents.

“It’s also important to note that it must be the householder that applies as only they can officially declare what they do with their organic waste. However, as an exemption is applied to rates, tenants must also provide a letter of approval from the landlord/property owner for their application.”

Stakeholder engagement Harper was at pains to point out how important it is to get households onboard early.

The main reason for this is that FOGO represents a significant behaviour change – food waste separation, storage and disposal up to six times a day. Community engagement can take many forms, Harper recommended starting with a survey so councils can gauge community interest, issues and price sensitivity. Communications should

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also raise awareness of the problems around organic waste in landfills – e.g. social media posts explaining why it is necessary for these changes to occur.

“Why is so much effort needed?

Why won’t just a leaflet or website update do? Because if just providing people with information changed human behaviour, we would have solved issues like climate change 20 years ago,” she said.

“With FOGO we are talking about changing a habit. A habit is often described by psychologists as an automatic activity with high repetition, in a familiar context, and with little cognitive evaluation. A habit is something we do when we are thinking of something else, and they are very hard to change.

“Get out and talk to people, then they talk to other people, and that creates momentum. Speak in front of as many groups, and go to as many events as you can. Go to school fairs with some FOGO games, make it fun, and maximise kid ‘pester power’ by getting them excited about FOGO. If you can, start a group of waste-wise volunteers to help spread the word, and try to win over some of those keyboards warriors, too.”

How do communities react to such a change? Should you let communities opt-in to FOGO, or advertise it as a “trial” only? The latter was an easy question to answer, said Harper.

“Don’t be hesitant, or the service will never achieve its organic diversion goals. The trial happens

after FOGO is rolled out across the entire community.

Bins need to be rolled out as quickly as possible and it’s logistically impractical to cherry-pick which tenements do or don’t get a bin. Everybody gets a FOGO bin and only then can they apply for the exemption. The exemption form must ask for the bin serial number. This way council systems can match up the bin, the property and the service charge. This provides residents with a logical explanation as to why they can’t apply for an exemption prior to roll-out.

“There will be many FOGO objectors – people who say they don’t want it or need it – but once they trial their FOGO bin they’ll change their mind,” said Harper. “In my experience, a lot of people who said they would apply for an exemption, either never did, or withdrew their application because they ended up trialling the service.”

Harper finished off by reiterating the importance of the community engagement element of a successful FOGO rollout.

“You need to make FOGO appear as the ‘new normal’ within the first three to six months. This will encourage those still on the fence or thinking of giving up,” she said.

“Use your FOGO volume/weight data to promote how well everyone is doing, and this will provide the positive reinforcement needed to embed the new FOGO habit. Ideally, comms should continue to reinforce FOGO successes for at least 12 months after launch.” iw

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

25

Waste to Energy //

Getting an EfW project up and running is no small thing

The facility had to be located in the industrial district of Perth.

PERTH’S East Rockingham Waste to Energy is due to go live in June 2022 after what has been described as a long and painful process. Getting an energy-from-waste project green lit is not easy with all the permits that are needed, assuaging local councils, and making sure residents are not adversely affected by the site once it is up and running.

Jason Pugh is the general manager, commercial of the project and has been at the heart of its development and knows what it takes to get such a project over the line. As expected, there are many environmental factors

to take into consideration, then there are the financials, as well as getting the various organisations that need to give approval for the go-ahead to be onside.

“My journey with this project has been 10 years,” he said. “From being the first waste-to-energy approval in Australia going through to it being the second project to hit financial close. These are very tough projects and we spend a lot of time worrying about 100s of similar ones popping up like rabbits across the country. But I can assure you, they are long and slow burners.”

When the project was first mooted, the Western Australian EPA insisted that such a facility be located in a heavy industrial part of the city. This is why it is located on a 10-acre site in the Kwinana Industrial Area and is approximately two kilometres from the nearest residential area.

Not a simple task Pugh points out that while this project is dear to his heart, there is nothing straight forward about it. He said it is one of the most complex projects he has ever worked on for a number of reasons. First, there is the plant

itself. There is an array of buildings and machinery that need to be built – from the 27-metre long weighbridge through to the five bays where the waste is delivered. It will even be possible to stack rubbish trucks up to 300 metres within the site if it is a particularly busy day.

Then there is the financial side of the development. The joint venture has more than $300 million worth of bank loans, which makes it even more important to make sure all the technical and financials are understood by stakeholders, as well as making sure due diligence is adhered to throughout construction.

“From a banking syndicate perspective, this was the first of these projects that was led by an Australian bank, so NAB was our lead arranger with SMBC,” said Pugh. “CEFC and Arena also provided funding for the project, plus a range of other banks were on board, too.”

And who is taking all the risk?

UK-based John Laing has a 40 per cent stake in the venture, while UAEbased companies Masdar and Tribe have a joint venture that also takes up 40 per cent of the shareholding.

Acciona and Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) both have a 10 per cent stake each.

Pugh said that they chose one main technology provider – HZI – for a reason.

“In terms of construction of the facility…it’s a very complex and

Getting a waste-from-energy plant up and running is a ‘slow burner’.

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INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

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Waste to Energy //

difficult part of the project,” he said. “It is really important to get that right. We have a singular point of responsibility for the process equipment warranties, which is HZI. They design, procure and deliver all the process equipment. When we get to commissioning, and invariably we will have some things that don’t go right, we will only need to talk to one party. We found that to be important.

We also thought it important that the contractor has skin in the game, thus their 10 per cent stake.”

The project has been 10 years in the making.

The build Construction started in January 2020, and despite COVID-19, the facility is due to receive its first waste in December 2022.

“We are just coming to the end of our bulk civil works program now, which is an exciting time,” said Pugh.

“We have a lot of equipment arriving from all over the world and we’ll shortly be installing all that equipment onsite. The EPC Contractor has just finished installing the world’s biggest crane onsite (by lifting capacity) so it is starting to look quite impressive.

“There is a lot of construction off site by Acciona. This includes 190-tonne modules and bringing those to site premodulated. We have done that for quality control purposes and so far so good. The project is on schedule, but COVID is a continuous worry. Our next challenge is getting

specialist commissioning teams in from Europe for the project. Getting them into WA is not an easy task.”

Once completed, the facility will produce 29mW of energy annually from 300,000 tonnes of waste. While that is enough power to supply thousands of homes a year, 25mW of that energy is being supplied to Talison Lithium, who runs the Greenbushes Lithium Mine,

which is recognised as containing the world’s highest grade and largest hard rock deposit of the lithium mineral, spodumene. The power will be used to drive its crystalliser unit.

The outcome The project will deliver a 95 per cent diversion from landfill. With 300,000 tonnes of waste in, the facility will

be sending around 15,000 tonnes of the air pollution control residue at the start of the project to landfill to achieve that outcome. The important part, according to Pugh, is that it will recover the Incinerator Bottom Ash (IBA) to create Incinerator Bottom Ash Aggregate (IBAA), which means as well as creating energy, the plant will be recovering resources.

Once completed, the site will produce about 29mW of energy.

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// Waste to Energy

“The raw IBA will come from the facility,” said Pugh. “It goes through a water bath first to cool and then it is placed on a slab for approximately two weeks.

“We are trying to get the humidity of that material from 16 to 12 per cent before we process it because that will make it easier for us to recover the metals from the mineral fraction.”

The first process utilises a 200mm screen where the oversize material is taken out via an over belt magnet to recover metals. Material between 200mm and 40mm in size is removed and sent to a picking station where staff will take out the big bits of metal and also the aggregates.

Whatever is left over gets split again into a 10mm to 40mm stream and a 0mm to 10mm stream. There is a series of ferrous and non-ferrous removal through those processes.

“With the 10mm to 40mm sizes, we split it again to take everything above 20mm off to the oversize aggregate and that whole bin will go to an impact crusher and to the head of the plant,” said Pugh.

“What we end up with is 0mm to 10mm aggregate and 10mm to 20mm aggregate. It will look like blue metal and we will be getting about 45,000

tonnes of 0mm to 10mm aggregate and we’ll be getting around 19,000 tonnes of the 10mm to 20mm. We’ll also be getting 10,000 tonnes of metals out of the project as well so this is true resource recovery.

“We’ve upgraded the plant to achieve a 90 per cent ferrous removal and a 80 per cent non-ferrous removal from the IBA, which represents the best practice in the world today.”

Data collection roadblock Pugh said a lack of waste data is a big challenge with this product.

The company is not going to know what it’s going to get until it starts generating waste from the site itself.

IBA is a function of what goes in the front end of the plant. Once the project has been established, a big focus needs to go on getting some data, he said. In order to find out the likely outcomes, the company struck on the idea of importing some IBAA from the UK. However, the idea got stuck in bureaucratic red tape before it got off the ground.

“We have a $250k programme running with Curtin University in Perth looking at the civil engineering and chemical properties of IBAA,” said Pugh. “Unfortunately, the product is

caught under the Basil Convention for exporting waste. What did that mean for us? It meant to bring any of that in to Australia requires a permit from the UK and requires a permit from Singapore to transit the product, and then a separate permit in Australia, as well as a bank guarantees in all three countries. Now we are importing a product that is probably worth about $400 and to do that it will cost us about $150,000. We were never going to do that. As an industry it will be a challenge that we are facing.”

Final piece of the puzzle While there are many aspects that will have to be covered off on with the project – the regulatory approach in Western Australia on how to reuse the materials, data collection, as well as the legislative procedures in terms of the East Rockingham project – the facility needs a supply of product to be processed. Some of those contracts have already been signed.

“In terms of our foundation customers, we have the City of Coburn, the ERMC and Suez on board,” said Pugh. “In terms of our council contracts, one important facet is they all have waste-arising contracts.

What does that mean? Essentially

the only contractual promise these councils have with us is for them to bring us residual waste after recovery.

Councils in Perth are going through their change of FOGO bins by 2025.

That is completely allowed under these contacts. They are not promising to send us a set volume of waste, just the residual waste left over after processing. It doesn’t have to be take or pay. I’d say to councils, ‘don’t go take or pay, you need to give yourself the ability to recover and reduce waste into the future and also from a social license to operate’. It was a very important part of our project.”

The end game It is a $500 million project processing 300,000 tonnes of waste. The construction period is three years and there will be 500 jobs ongoing onsite during the build, with 50 permanent jobs being created once it is operational.

“Our landfill diversion is up by 95.8 per cent and our energy efficiency is 28.45 per cent, which is above the R1 energy efficiency requirement and one of the most energy efficient projects in the world today,” said Pugh. “The plant will be operated under a longterm contract with HZI.” iw

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29

Smart bin sensors //

Smart bins great for data, but be prepared to pay TECHNOLOGY is designed to make things easier for those using it – whether it be hardware or software.

Progress is also seen as a way of setting new standards, putting in innovative solutions, and making sure procedures run smoothly.

Even in the waste space, this can be a boon, which is why some councils are looking into smart bin technology to help them manage rubbish in the public arena.

Andrew Quinn is the technology director, waste and resources management, for SLR Consulting Australia. He gave a speech at the recent Waste Expo in Coffs Harbour about the different technologies that are available. This included using sensors, wifi, solar power and a plethora of other technologies to help make rubbish collection streamlined.

However, there is a price for such technologies.

“One such technology is an individual sensor and fit it to existing bins,” he said. “It works by measuring how full the bin is, often by ultrasonic means. It can also measure things like movement, for example, if a bin is knocked over. It can measure temperature in order to check against fire, and it can record its own location

via GPS. It can also record things like its maintenance life and battery life.”

Some bins are more sophisticated than others, he said. Some are solar powered and have panels on top of the bin due to power requirements.

Some of them have compactors that push waste down to create space, while others can act as a wifi hub.

Then there are others that have CC TV cameras for security reason, or even have illuminated panels for advertising and messages.

“Some will close themselves off when they are full so they don’t overflow, and some have alert lights on them so you can see from a distance whether or not they need to be emptied,” he said.

The Internet of Things (IoT) means that a lot of technology is set up to transmit data via the internet using computers and smartphones. Councils wishing to implement such technology in their bins can take advantage of the IoT and all it has to offer. But you don’t necessary have to go that deep into technology to make gather information, said Quinn. There are many different types of networks available.

“There are a number of elements I suppose. Bluetooth is a type

of network that has a very short range – just between a computer and keyboard. It is so short you do not need a licence to operate it,” he said. “Wifi is similar and is also an unlicensed network and is also short range, but slightly bigger than Bluetooth. It might cover a house with boosters, or a shopping centre.

Then there are other parts of the internet – cellular, which are licenced.

The government will provide you a licence to allow you to use a particular wavelength for your communications.”

Then there are the various other cellular and non-cellular networks. If a council has integrated or solar bins, these devices can transmit a lot of data via these networks. If doing so, it is important when setting a system up to make sure the network being implement is going to meet all the council’s needs.

And what are advantages of smart bins? For a start, they enable the collection of data for analysis, which enables councils to identify critical bins in critical areas – such as those that fill up quickly. They can also identify problems and get to them before they get out of hand. They also enable the better uses of resources, more efficient routing and cleaning

efficiencies and reduce overflowing bins. It allows councils to ensure collection efficiency, and should lead to fewer collections, which is designed to save money and time. The data will also allow users to better report and forecast for the future.

However there are other issues that need to be addressed, according to Quinn. Data security could is one. For example, is it possible for someone to hack into a bin connection? Then there is the issue that some providers don’t provide software, or if they do, it might not be compatible with the current system a council is using. Or it might be difficult to use. Then there might be the issue that some sensors have a short battery life, and some offer no Australian support. Finally, there is the price.

“As far as the bins go, some can cost up to $6,500 depending on what you want. Additional features will increase the cost,” Quinn said. “There is also a software connectivity fee.

The last I heard it was $195 per bin per year. There is also maintenance, which can be $40 per bin per month.

Other providers can provide bins up to $4,000. If you want a super duper custom system, then you might pay up to $8,000 for a bin.” iw

Smart bins can help streamline the collection process.

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Education //

BC is not BS: implementing the behaviour change continuum

By Anna Ricketts IN its most simple and basic form, this is the waste cycle – buy, use, dispose, repeat. If we set aside the environmental, social or economic impacts of this cycle for a moment, we could agree that this is a simple, straight forward and convenient process. However, it is not sustainable.

While waste education programs look to break or disrupt this cycle, we need to be mindful of the factors at play here.

Behaviours relating to consumption, generation and disposal – both desired and less desired – influence the outcomes at each stage of this cycle and these behaviours are numerous and varied. Individuals behave differently in what they buy and why they buy things; in how they choose to use these products; and ultimately in the way they dispose of them.

This decision-making cycle is also influenced by choice. We are inundated, and, in some instances, overwhelmed with choices. There are many drivers that help to sway our decision-making processes – price, convenience, social influences, peer pressure, habits, environmental drivers.

As consumers, there are many avoidance, reuse and recovery options available to us as an alternative to sending waste to landfill. The circular economy encourages us to consider waste as a resource. However, vague and inconsistent waste education approaches, and ongoing confusion and contradictory advice relating to the most appropriate disposal options for some materials, can make the process too hard, too confusing and require too much effort.

The perception by individuals or households that their waste generation and disposal decision-making processes and behaviours are harmless and inconsequential is wrong and dangerous. This is well understood within the waste industry but maybe less so by people outside of the industry.

Unless waste education is targeted and strategic and seeks to understand and address behavioural influences, it is too easy to become lost in a sea of options. When the choices are perceived to be too many, too varied, too confusing, or inconvenient, it is 32

Figure 1. Modelling a scaffolded approach to implementing effective community behaviour change programs

Community behaviour change continuum Entry point

1. Awareness:

Entry point

2. Understanding: Do I get it?

Do I know it?

Entry point

Behaviour sustain point

Behaviour change point

3. Believing:

4. Achieving

Do I believe in it?

Can I do it?

5. Sustaining Can I keep doing it?

Transition point

‘Knowing’ the behaviour

easy for waste generators to revert to the simplest behavioural form: use dispose repeat. buy

Turning industry challenges into opportunities This perception is not helped by many issues the waste industry has faced in recent years. This has created an additional challenge for waste educators, with communities remaining sceptical and unsure of how waste is managed and processed.

However, hurdles and challenges can also present opportunities. The industry continues to evolve and adapt with the delivery of policy contexts and frameworks that support the emergence of new services, technologies and infrastructure. Waste educators need to learn to be informed, agile, responsive and investigative Educating the community on waste is about understanding behaviours.

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

‘Doing’ the behaviour

in our approach so we can deliver effective and strategic community education and engagement programs that quell the fears, inspires change and meets the needs and expectations of our diverse communities.

To succeed, our programs need to be relevant, convenient, appropriate, and accessible with clear outcomes. To do this effectively, we need to understand behaviours and the drivers behind these behaviours.

Understanding behaviours While people’s habits and the way they act and behave is often apparent, what is often less visible or apparent is what shapes and influences those behaviours. Asking someone to change their behaviour is asking them to do something out of their normal behaviour. While people may have good

intentions, how do we effectively turn these intentions into actions?

Behaviours and habits can be shaped by many things – it could be what we believe, it could be the way we think, or our attitudes towards a certain thing. It could be based on emotions, on biases or on values. Often a behaviour or habit is not just shaped by one of these things, but multiple elements could be at play.

And this is the challenge.

Unwrapping and understanding the behaviour and the underlying influences or drivers on that behaviour is the only way we can change the behaviour.

Many community waste education mechanisms are based around knowledge sharing: with messaging based on the premise of “this is what we need you to do” and “this is how we want you to do it”. Not everyone learns or seeks information in the same way, so considering a range of educational interventions, tools and approaches is considered best practice. However, over-complicating educational messages can be counterproductive, and the lack of consistency across the industry can be confusing.

While knowledge building is important, when we make things too complicated, or provide too many options, we run the risk of people regressing to their old habits or opting for the path of least resistance: use dispose repeat. buy Education programs and campaigns that rely solely on relaying information are often not that effective at

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// Education

influencing sustainable behaviours.

This is because knowledge alone is not necessarily enough to influence our behaviours – there are many other factors at play.

Implementing the behaviour change continuum How then do we go about transforming people’s knowledge and good intentions into action?

There are many behaviour change models, principles and frameworks available to assist educators to take our understanding of behaviours and behaviour change and apply it to waste education programs.

EnviroCom, like others, considers behaviour change processes in a continuum rather than a progression.

This thinking and our research has led to the development of a behaviour change continuum that models a scaffolded approach to implementing effective community behaviour change programs. This approach has been effectively applied to shorter term projects such as FOGO Implementation Plans and annual waste education plans as well as longer term, five-year waste and resource recovery education strategies for a number of clients.

The five green arrows: awareness,

understanding, believing, achieving, and sustaining, represent a framework that underpins the design and implementation of effective community behaviour change tools and activities: • Awareness is building the community knowledge of the issue – not just the what but also the why.

• Understanding is making sure the community understands the key messages and what is being asked of them.

• Believing is inspiring and motivating the community to turn their understanding into desired behaviour change or behaviour sustain.

• Achieving is making sure the community has been provided with adequate and the correct tools, knowledge and means to make the change.

• Sustaining is about ensuring the behaviour change can be maintained over time so it that it effectively becomes the social norm.

Building awareness, understanding and belief is all about the community ‘knowing’ the behaviour. While knowledge is important, knowledge alone does not necessarily influence our behaviours. Studies have shown that peoples’ behaviour is strongly influenced by their confidence in their

ability to perform that behaviour.

Therefore, the second element of the model is the transition from “knowing” the behaviour, and having an intention to act, to actually “doing” the behaviour. The transition point is critical as the community moves into a phase of achieving and sustaining the desired behaviour.

In developing and delivering community education and engagement for behaviour change, it is important to understand how an individual transitions from “knowing” about a behaviour to “doing” the behaviour.

The entry points shown in the top two-way arrow considers the “why” and “how” users will engage with an educational tool. These are determined by a number of influences such as user knowledge, understanding, contemplation, attitudes, beliefs and social norms (what other people within the community are doing), as well as the perceived opportunity and capability to undertake the behaviour.

The behaviour change point and behaviour sustain points in the model consider the “what“ and “when“ that users need to transition knowledge and an intention to act into actual action.

What further educational approaches, tools and support do individuals need

in order to be able to achieve change, and when and how do they need to receive this so that they are capable, willing and motivated to sustain a changed behaviour over time?

Awareness, understanding, believing, achieving and sustaining are key elements required for effective community behaviour change. When presented on paper, the numerical sequencing of these steps is logical; however, in practice, this linear logic is not always (in fact rarely) followed.

As shown in the model, the community behaviour change continuum, depicted by the two-way arrow, suggests that individuals within a community are unlikely to transition through the scaffold sequentially from left to right but may move up and back down the scaffold over time and dependent on the topic or issue requiring a change in behaviour.

As long as there are clear entry/ access points provided and these entry points are directly and deliberately linked to barrier reduction and promoting motives, then there is a clear pathway for the behaviour change mechanism to function effectively.

Anna Ricketts is the NSW regional manager for EnvironCom Australia. iw

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

33

Product Stewardship //

Karen Gomez said that continued funding means Paintback will be around for a while.

Painting a picture of product stewardship

By Karen Gomez, chief executive and board director, Paintback

CLOSED EXPORT BORDERS NEED OPEN LOCAL MINDS The Australian ban on the export of whole used tyres from December 2021 demands real-world and innovative thinking from local rubber processors and manufacturers.

Tyre Stewardship Australia support and fund local solutions for end-of-life tyres. If you use raw rubber or tyre derived rubber in your products or have an innovative use for end-of-life tyres, we want to hear from you.

Get in contact with Tyre Stewardship Australia to discuss the myriad of options for virgin rubber right through to tyre derived products and applications.

tyrestewardship.org.au

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INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

HOUSEHOLD paint is becoming a showcase for how the circular economy can work in Australia.

That may sound like a big call – and I could, of course, be accused of bias in making it – but I think the success of Paintback in its first five years is more than just the story of one sector of the economy doing things well. It provides a model for how industries, consumers and regulators can and must work together if we as a nation are going to do more of the things that make sense but are often difficult to actually do.

Three recent events underpin my enthusiasm. The first is that Paintback will have at least another decade to prove its worth. The ACCC has announced it will continue to authorise a 15c-per-litre levy (plus GST) on the wholesale sale of architectural and design paints through to 2031. This funding makes a national paint product stewardship scheme viable.

The second is the launch of our ambitious five-pronged R&D program to kickstart the hunt for new ways to use unwanted paint and packaging in Australia. I’ll come back to this, as it is central to giving Paintback longevity.

The third is what a former high-

profile Federal Treasurer would have described as a beautiful set of numbers. In the 2020/21 financial year, Australians safely disposed of over nine million kilograms of unwanted paint and packaging through Paintback – up from 8.1 million the previous year. In our first half decade we’ve collected more than 30 million kilograms, and opened close to 170 permanent depots across all states and territories.

However, there is still work to be done. Despite our growth and success, and a heavy emphasis on marketing and education – we’ve told the Paintback story everywhere from bus shelters to Facebook – our research suggests around half of the population doesn’t know there are organisations to help them dispose of unwanted paint.

It may simply be that the issue is not front of mind; it’s easy to overlook paint in the back of the shed and not proactively look for a place to take it or make the effort to do so.

Our aim is to make safety disposing of unwanted paint as natural an action as recycling other waste in the home.

And home is at the heart of the issue; we know that one in three households have paint stored away.

The upside is that residential DIY painters are using Paintback.

In its decision in May, the ACCC commented that our scheme “is

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Product Stewardship

likely to result in environmental benefits through increased collection of waste A&D paint in Australia and less improper disposal than would be the case if state, territory and local government collection programs continued to operate without the Scheme”. It also noted likely “efficiencies from economies of scale, reducing the per-unit cost of collecting and disposing of waste A&D paint”.

Getting the numbers right has been a key to the success of this initiative from a business and industry perspective. We have 30 leading paint brands officially involved, representing over 90 per cent of the A&D paint sold in Australia. They are in the tent because they can see that the scheme works, that it brings financial as well as environmental benefits, and that it is soundly based.

Paintback is governed by a board of directors, with an independent chair. All funds are used for the company’s objectives and cannot be distributed to its members. As a company limited by guarantee, we must comply with the Corporation’s Act 2010. We are registered with the

It may simply be that the issue is not front of mind; it’s easy to overlook paint in the back of the shed and not proactively look for a place to take it or make the effort to do so. Our aim is to make safety disposing of unwanted paint as natural an action as recycling other waste in the home.

Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission. We speak and act as one.

The whole Paintback concept is pretty simple. People take their used paint to designated depots, we pick it up and bring it to our centres, where packaging and liquids are separated.

Containers are recycled where possible, solvent paint is used as an alternative energy source, and the byproduct from acrylic paint is used in a variety of industrial applications.

The challenge is to scale this up – not in terms of how much we can collect, but how much we can reuse.

Our aim is to divert from landfill at least 90 percent of the unwanted paint we collect, which at current collection rates equates to about eight and a half million kilograms a year. That’s a lot of raw material waiting for a relevant home.

Our new research program is looking

in a number of directions. Turning plastic paint pails into cleaned and shredded plastic to produce new recycled-content paint pails, reducing the reliance on virgin material, is one of them. The manufacturing process is being tested and hopefully they will go into production in Melbourne this year.

Paint is a candidate to make geopolymer concrete – a type of concrete that is made of reclaimed industrial materials and processed at room temperature. This would significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of other cements.

We are looking at how paint ingredients might replace some of the chemicals currently used in road construction products or to replace admixtures in concrete. Proof-ofconcept research also is under way

to combine plastic from recovered pails with other waste streams such as glass, carbon, and natural fibres to produce high-performance composites for the construction industry.

The research program involves separate partnerships with the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Transformation of Reclaimed Waste Resources to Engineering Materials and Solutions for a Circular Economy, the Smartcrete Co-operative Research Centre, the Australian Road Research Board and Pact Group’s Astron Sustainability. Partnerships have been another important part of the story.

As I paint this picture (pun intended) I am conscious that our product is very different to others, and there is no one-sizefits-all model. The takeaway from our experience is that what looks simple is in fact achieved through many moving parts. Paintback has been the motivating force to bring these together, problem solve and maintain the momentum for industry to move from a take, make, consume and dispose model to a circular economy. iw

Half of Australians don’t know there is an organisation they can go to that will help them dispose of paint.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

35

Dumping Technology //

Technology set to make life difficult for illegal dumpers

By Mike Wheeler ILLEGAL dumping is the bane of many council’s existence. It takes up resources to dispose of the illicit waste, it damages the environment, and most importantly, rate payers must bear the cost of removal.

And it is not going anywhere.

As of 2019 it was costing Australia approximately $80 million to clean up illegal dumping sites. There seems no abatement in both commercial and households throwing their unwanted waste on the local kerbside in the middle of the night, or in some dimly lit country lane close to the nearest urban landscape.

There have been attempts in the past to mitigate the effects that dumping has on communities, but nothing seems to have put a permanent dampener on the issue.

Then there is the inherent unfairness of somebody getting away with something that costs everybody in the end – whether it be a rates increase to cover the problem, or the environmental damage some of the more serious breaches (asbestos being the most obvious) can cause.

Speaking at the Waste 2021 Conference in Coffs Harbour, EnvironCam managing director Anthony Callaghan admits that although he has a horse in the race when it comes to spruiking technological advances in the apprehension of dumpers – he has a company that specialises in products designed to do just that – he is at pains to point out that this is not his main motivation. Catching dumpers is his raison d’etre. Long before starting his own company, he worked for the NSW police in its Technical Surveillance Division, so catching people doing surreptitious illegal acts is in his DNA. And it hasn’t been an easy road for Callaghan in terms of getting the technology right. He has developed his own cameras, and it has been hit and miss over the years.

“Many years ago, I was on a mission to find a good system to detect illegal dumping after seeing an article in a local newspaper from a council that was struggling to catch dumpers,” he said. “That became a long process over 10 years trying to 36

adapt technology to be very effective at the detection of these offences.”

One method councils have used previously has been utilising trail cameras, whose name gives a hint of their original intent – to be used on trails for hunting game. Over the years the cameras have been adapted to help snare serial dumpers. While they do work, they do have their

Another important consideration is the angle of view, said Callaghan.

He has seen – and been guilty of doing himself – a camera being put up high in a tree, which makes it difficult to capture a registration plate on a vehicle – one of the main purposes of setting up a camera in the first place. Another issue is that it might have been placed at too

“The best defence to stopping theft of these cameras is concealment.” limitations according to Callaghan.

“Trail cameras range from $300 to $1,000,” he said. “They [use] an infrared detector that will detect heat patterns and movement. The camera will take a sequence of images or video. They are fairly cheap option to get results. You have a movement detector, an infrared flash, which is an invisible flash to the human eye.

The idea is that at night-time, it allows you to capture information.”

And the aforementioned limitations? The camera is reliant on a heated object moving, which could be a person, vehicle or animal, or even a bunch of leaves – it doesn’t discriminate. All the camera sees is the heat signal off the object, moving back and forth, which triggers the camera. This will lead to sometimes getting thousands of images that don’t relate to dumping because it might be a branch moving. Using a camera is a great way of catching a culprit but councils looking to disrupt those doing the dumping need to take in various considerations outside the type of camera they are going to use when mounting a campaign.

“Concealment is the best form of defence for the cameras,” said Callaghan. “Try not to mount them in an obvious place where they are open to be seen. It does require care in the placement.”

One of the bugbears can be the limitation of the range of the device.

Most have a motion detector, so users usually need to find the right tree within 20m of the dumping area to try and get images of the incident occurring. This can lead to a device being open to being destroyed by the offender.

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sharp of an angle at the roadside.

Users can utilise clear silicon to glue bark or leaves onto the camera to help conceal it. Care has to be taken with the deployment of these. For example, it might need to be colour matched with its surrounds. It is also desirable to use cable ties to secure foliage around the camera. Callaghan

said that when he mounts a camera he is carefully bending foliage around it to help conceal it. This technique has been successfully used to read registration plates, he said.

“The best defence to stopping theft of these cameras is concealment,” he said. “The other thing to consider is that some people think they will put a camera up and they will see the incident occurring.

However, best practice is to have two cameras. You can’t have one camera trying to achieve two things. You can’t try and get the registration of the vehicle associated with the dumper and also the act of dumping.”

One of the reasons concealment is so important is that it can end up being a wasted exercise if culprits eye the camera. They might not destroy the camera, they’ll ignore it.

In one case study Callaghan cites, which was on behalf of a Sydney

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// Dumping Technology

Cameras need to be hidden well if they are going to be effective.

council, there was a particular area where rubbish was being dumped several times a week. A pile-mount camera had been trialled but people saw it and pushed the dumping

activity 100m down the road.

“The council then decided to operate a concealed camera system,” said Callaghan. “I piloted this with a lot of success. The camera was very

hard to see so someone onsite would have very little chance of seeing it.

Over a course of three months, it caught 50 offenders dumping their rubbish including an 80 per cent Dumping costs councils - and vicariously rate payers - millions of dollars each year.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

success rate of getting their number plate. That camera laid in situ over six months and caught more than 100 instances of dumping, which started to taper off because the word was out that cameras were there.”

Other issues that might arise include such instances as trying to get a registration plate at night, which can be technically challenging.

According to Callaghan, there is only one trail camera on the market that is designed to read registration plates day or night. However, it is not able to pick up anything else at night – every other detail will be black and it will just get the number plate.

“If you use a generic camera or ordinary trail camera, what you are going to end up at night-time is a washed-out area where the number plate is,” he said. “This is because the plate has a reflective surface.

The camera is sending out a flash, the flash bounces off the reflective coating and it washes out the characters out on the plate. You have to have a camera that is tuned to do that. I am surprised there no one else is bringing competing products to the market.”

The final point Callaghan wanted to make was the legality of the cameras. Was it causing confusion among councils in terms of privacy legislation?

“Absolutely. I’m cautious not to come across as big brother, in that surreptitious surveillance has been embraced by council,” he said. “An inner-city Sydney council asked me to do some surveillance in a highrise apartment block where there was urban dumping happening.

“The thing is, under common law, it is all operating from the public domain to start with. Signage is usually up in the area where dumping is happening, alerting people not to dump. There is a warning there. Using best practice to collect the evidence, the evidence is encrypted and is all date/time stamped. It’s more a council policy than a legalistic issue.

“There was a situation in Newcastle where I put some cameras in an area several years ago, and it successfully picked up 92 tyres being dumped.

There was a media release made of that. It was on the news in Newcastle, and there was a survey in the paper and the question was asked ‘are you in support of concealed cameras being used to detect illegal dumping?’

I watched with interest, and what encouraged me was that 97 per cent of people said ‘yes’. That inspired me to keep on going. I think the consensus is that people will accept this technology if it stops people dumping illegally.” iw

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

37

Waterways //

The configuration of the wheel required a lot of research.

The ARC of innovation

By Dominic Schliebs OCEAN Crusaders Foundation was founded by Ian Thomson with a vision of cleaning up Australia’s waterways to protect its precious marine wildlife.

Ian spent three years dreaming of a device to help with this mission by removing more plastic and other debris with less effort. This July he stood proudly next to the first Automatic River Cleaner (ARC) installed in the Brisbane River, an innovative design that is poised to help protect wildlife and the delicate Moreton Bay ecosystem by intercepting rubbish before it floats into the bay.

The ARC uses both hydro and solar power to convey floating debris out of waterways and into a skip bin for collection.

The concept of deploying an automated approach to cleaning 38

Australian waterways isn’t novel, but Ian’s vision was to develop a uniquely Australian approach that suited local waterways, albeit on a small budget.

Like many great stories, this plot has many characters, who have all played a role delivering the successful end result. Critical to the outcome has been RDT Engineering team, who led the charge to translate Ian’s dream into a practical, workable solution.

There was also a range of suppliers who jumped on board to help meet the deadline and either donate or supply equipment at cost, as well as other supporters who helped provide funding for the project (including Suez, IFM Investors, and the Port of Brisbane).

Ian’s introduction to RDT came by visiting some of the ReturnIt container refund points, where he realised the team’s experience

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with conveyors – and passionate specialisation in all things recycling – made them a great fit for the project. RDT designs custom conveyor systems and had previously developed floating units to remove pond weed.

RDT is a natural place for engineers who are passionate about the environment and the ARC was one of those ‘out of the box’ challenges the team jumped into for personal fulfilment, rather than commercial gain.

Engineering challenges RDT designed the waterwheel, conveyor and supporting structure, which had to be mounted on a pontoon frame that Ocean Crusaders supplied.

Parts of the pontoons had been recovered from a previous river clean up, and Ian wanted them to be repurposed and reused as part of

the project. RDT also designed the configuration of the drives including gears, pulley system, conveyor rollers and bearings, and engaged with metal fabricators to bring the project together.

The first key challenge was selecting a suitable conveyor belt and method due to the budget constraints and tough saline environment, while also keeping in mind the pontoon could only support up to two tonnes.

The conveyor had to be able to handle the full range of debris that might float down the river, including after heavy storms.

The wheel required a lot of research to determine the optimal dimensions, speed and torque to move the belt.

Although the waterwheel is quite an ancient piece of engineering, there is limited literature and conflicting data on designs.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Waterways

In this case it had to function in a tidal environment with current flowing in both directions. As one engineer noted, “it’s a mixture of engineering and art”.

The wheel was designed to use a combination of the river’s free flow velocity, as well as being supplemented by gravitational head supplied by a solar powered pump.

Lots of calculations and reasonable assumptions later, an initial prototype was ready for testing in the real world.

Although the equipment was kept as light as possible, there was also anticipation of which way the pontoon would lean and how deep the conveyor would sit in the water that needed to be taken into account.

The RDT team evaluated different materials and configurations against

criteria such as weight, durability in marine conditions, strength, simplicity, water flow through the belt, and similar situations. It ended up using a plastic modular belt supplied by Rydell Beltech, a standard off-the-shelf option that is light and allows water to flow through, which in turn ensures material can easily flow up onto the belt and out of the water.

The wheel itself was constructed out of aluminium, which helped reduce the weight and also balanced out the buoyancy required for stability.

Team results While the ARC project could have been one of those nice “do something useful to keep your hand in” opportunities during quieter times, the reality was that

the ARC needed to be delivered during a very busy period, right in between RDT completing Australia’s first ‘post China’ new MRF in Cairns, and completing another MRF in Southern Adelaide.

Despite being busy on major projects, RDT was keen to ensure the success of the ARC project.

The company saw it as an opportunity, particularly for some younger members of the team, to flex their creativity and deliver an innovative passion project that was personally rewarding.

Summing up the mood of the team, engineer Helen Dillion said, “getting back into the basic principles of physics and engineering again was so gratifying, and being able to mix environmental passion with a physical project that we can see having an impact in our backyard is

really fulfilling”.

The engineering team were inspired by the endless work Ian and his supporters put into cleaning up waterways, and strongly motivated to apply their skills, experience and passion to help deliver better results with less reliance on volunteer time manually picking rubbish out of waterways.

“We were all really excited to work on this project and dedicated a few weekends in order to get it delivered in time,” said designer Luke.

“We are all very passionate about keeping our oceans clean and hope this leads to even more investment in similar projects; we look forward to seeing how it performs in the Brisbane River and hopefully seeing more of these units floating on rivers all around Australia and the rest of the world soon.” iw

The design means that pollutants like bottles will be taken out of the river’s system.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

39

E-waste //

E-waste – where the money is ANZRP dispose of e-waste in accordance with Australia’s product stewardship legislation.

OLD smart phones and retired electric toothbrushes represent a massive resource recovery opportunity for Australia’s waste management industry.

Warren Overton, chief executive officer at the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP), told the audience at the Victorian Waste Management Association conference that there’s huge scope to expand and modernise electronic waste recycling in Australia.

The plastic recovered from electronic products needs the most investment, he said, with mixed plastics making up around 30 per cent of all recovered e-waste. Metals make up around 50 per cent, and circuit boards, which contain valuable precious metals, another “fair chunk”.

“That’s where the money is,” said Overton.

The less lucrative mixed plastic stream has been neglected but with the waste export ban now in effect, this material will no longer be shipped overseas and will need to be processed in Australia.

“The market is scrambling for people who can separate that plastic, process it, and then manage to produce a clean product.”

Also driving demand for recovered plastic from electronics are 40

commitments from manufacturers to use a percentage of recycled material in their products.

Overton said this is desirable as it neatly closes the loop on plastics in electronics and avoids downcycling of high-quality plastic material.

“It’s a bit of a travesty to have engineering-grade products being downgraded,” he said.

What ANZRP does Formed eight years ago as a part of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS), ANZRP’s main purpose is to run collection schemes and recycling programs for its members: manufacturers and distributors of television and computer products that must pay for the collection and recycling of their own e-waste in accordance with Australia’s 2011 product stewardship regulations.

The not-for-profit organisation, which is endorsed by the federal government to provide e-waste collection and recycling services to its members, does not usually do the recycling itself. Instead, it connects its members with third-party recyclers.

Since it started, the organisation has collected 180,000 tonnes of e-waste. While impressive, Overton

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“If we collect it and recycle it and no-one is willing to buy it at the end of the game, then it’s the end of the story for us.” said the NTCRS only covers a small proportion of the electronic waste, such as TVs, computer monitors and printers. This equates to about 50,000-60,000 tonnes a year, with the real estimate more like 500,000 tonnes when you factor in anything with a cord or a battery.

“We’re really only doing about 10 per cent at the moment,” he said.

This can be compared to overseas programs, Overton said, such as in Europe where it’s mandatory to collect and recycle all waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

The federal government is looking at expanding the NTCRS to include a broader range of electronic and electrical items, said Overton.

Even without an NTCRS expansion, government policies such as the hazardous waste export bans are already driving an investment boom in e-waste processing. Also important, according to Overton, are recycled content procurement plans, such as Victoria’s Recycled First program, which help create markets for recovered materials

“If we collect it and recycle it and no-one is willing to buy it at the end of the game, then it’s the end of the story for us,” he said.

There’s already several major players in the e-waste game. Overton said there are both smaller outfits manually processing the waste and larger companies using large machines to shred waste material.

Overton suggested that there’s still “a significant opportunity in e-waste to invest”, especially with a few major NTCRS players leaving the market.

E-waste recycling on wheels ANZRP has also been “dipping its toes” into novel recycling methods, such as a mobile e-waste processing factory. Currently stationed in Melbourne, the 12-metre container has a shredder and other manual disassembly equipment so that it can process e-waste on the move.

Built with Sustainability Victoria’s backing, the portable container is designed for use in remote regional areas that struggle to handle e-waste.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// E-waste

“It’s an interesting move away from large-scale centralised waste management to small-scale decentralised waste management at the location,” he said.

The organisation is also piloting other product stewardship programs, such as waste shoes.

“We consume 50 million pairs of shoes each year, so that’s a lot of tonnage,” said Overton.

The organisation is currently working with retailers such as Rebel Sport to collect unwanted shoes to turn them into gym flooring and other sporting equipment.

Overton believes that currently the NTCRS is only processing about 10 per cent of the e-waste Australia creates.

Where to from here?

Overton says Australia can look to Europe for inspiration to grow its e-waste recycling capacity.

The French program, for example, manages to process 500,000 tonnes of e-waste a year, something that Australia should also be aiming for and it’s not impossible.

In France, Overton said, e-waste recycling facilities are $10 million-plus investments capable of processing 15,000-20,000 tonnes a year.

“There’s just not that level of scale in Australia,” he said.

“If we get a full WEEE program in Australia that will give us the same scale and degree of investment.”

Recycling regulation is also often more stringent in Europe. When recycling fridges, for example,

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

recyclers are required to capture the greenhouse gas that escapes from the foam as well as from the refrigerants.

“There’s more greenhouse gases in the foam of the fridge than the

actual refrigerant.”

Given the number of fridges discarded annually, Overton expects the country would need three or four of those plants, and might be necessary in the long run. iw

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

41

Wastewater //

Why the right flow meter matters OWNING flow meters is a challenge of its own for water authorities and companies that deal in water management and wastewater treatment. This is especially so as the volume increases and consequently pipe size gets larger to serve high water demand in plants or an area with high population density.

The current go-to technology for measuring water flow is usually a full bore, inline, magnetic flow meter.

However, due to the aforementioned challenges, the cost of ownership of such a flow meter can be unexpectedly expensive. Installing, calibrating, maintaining and replacing a new meter might mean shutting down the pipe, which may

compromise water availability and attracts scrutiny.

Andrew Aditya is a sales engineer who works for instrumentation specialist AMS Instrumentation & Calibration (AMS) and knows that it is important for wastewater facilities, water networks and other facilities to have performing equipment that can be relied on to manage plant and resources in the most effective and efficient way.

His company specialises in such equipment, one being a full-profile insertion magnetic flowmeter, the McCrometer FPI Mag. “A full-profile insertion magnetic flow meter becomes a good solution because we do not need to shut down

Flow meter technology can be costly if not used correctly.

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the whole pipe during installation and maintenance,” he said. “In Australia, we started introducing the technology three years ago. There are several departments that are looking into using these units. The people that will be initially interested are instrumentation engineers. Secondly, it will be water network managers then non-regulative water managers, waste treatment plant managers, water quality managers and others who care.”

One of its key features is that it has virtually no back pressure. Aditya said that similarly to a full-bore, inline magnetic flow meter, it does not make a pump work harder to maintain good water pressure at the end destination. Having a specially designed insertion probe with a diameter of around 40mm installed straight down vertically from the top to the bottom of the pipe, allows water to flow around it easily.

“Because water authorities need to deliver the water from far flung areas and they also have to factor in multiple kinds of terrain, the water needs to go uphill as well, not just a certain distance,” said Aditya. “They need enough pressure generated by the pump – very big pumps – and that brings a large amount of energy requirement to get the water from one point to the other side. They need to have a substantial amount of pressure so they can be used for getting into large facility or a high rise.”

“Similarly in industrial plants, there are processes with machines that require sufficient water pressure to flow through a 3-D maze of pipes network,” he added.

Using a flow meter that does not cause additional back pressure to the water delivery system, does not add extra load to the pumps and thus saves energy and cost. When it comes to getting water or wastewater from one place to another, the water network needs to be controlled properly, according to Aditya. This is why the right meter is needed.

Water and wastewater managers have to ask themselves, ‘how much water or wastewater is the network managing – from getting it from the reservoir or treatment plant, or getting it from natural resources and getting it into their network, and

The flow meter has very little back pressure.

then into the market?’

“They have multiple ways to compare data but nothing really matches to each other,” according to Aditya. “There are several issues as to why they are not matching. One, the meters are inaccurate because they are old and have never been calibrated, particularly the large ones. Number two is leakage. When

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// Wastewater

there is leakage that means the water downstream is less than upstream.

There is less water delivered than supplied.”

Once you have those numbers combined or reported back into the SCADA, people who are running the whole network are confused, said Aditya.

“Where did the water go? All electronics drift as they age. There is no exception for flow meters. A full bore in line mag flow meter’s electrode’s coating and coils deteriorate over time,” he said. “It has been a standard practice where flow meter manufacturers supply a calibration certificate, usually valid for one year. The manufacturer would also recommend calibration frequency to ensure that the flow meter performs within its published specification. The dilemma is to justify the total cost including all the special services, equipment and loss due to shut down, when there is no bypass facility. The fact that many of these water pipes are buried underground, makes life even tougher.”

To better manage leakage, managers need more meters to cover more areas.

“Ageing pipes are rarely maintained. It is hard to locate leaks before making any fixes,” said Aditya. “In the case of long running water mains, one can add more fullbore inline magnetic flow meters.

However, imagine if we have 100s of kilometres of water pipes services 100s of 1000s of people. Shutting down the pipe? For how long? People would be screaming.”

According to Aditya, a lot of flow meters need a straight pipe run in order to do their job. Most of the standard requirements are 20 internal diameters upstream and 10 internal diameters of the pipe downstream from the flow meter location. A full bore inline magnetic flow meters would ask for one or two diameters upstream with one diameter of downstream. That is the same general requirement of the McCrometer FPI Mag flow meter.

McCrometer has produced a table of required straight-run distances for various flow obstructions. In some cases, the straight requirement is none – zero internal diameter upstream and downstream.

Why there is a need for that straight run is because it is ideal to have the water or wastewater flowing uniformly as much as possible. Depending on the size of the internal diameter, McCrometer’s FPI Mag is designed with multiple electrode sensing points on the

probe rod. Those points are allocated at the traverse points upon which the FPI Mag averages the reading, representing the averaged flow profile of the water. These sensing points employ Faraday’s Law, where a conductive media will disrupt the electromagnetic field produced by the electrodes and cause voltage variation across the electrodes, which

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is proportional to the velocity of the water flowing around the probe.

On the waste treatment side, the FPI Mag is best used at the effluent, where the water is “cleaner” and the pipe tends to be larger. Here, the FPI Mag also offers accuracy, maintainability for calibration and servicing, and no shut down.

“For other waste treatment

application, the pipe size tends to be smaller,” said Aditya. “In general, I’d still prefer a full-bore, inline magnetic flow meter. We do not want the FPI Mag probe to catch debris, hair, etc, and would like to avoid heavier sludgy water to ‘hammer’ the probe. We need to consider it case by case to ensure that the FPI Mag fits for the application.” iw Waste treatment plant managers will find the new flow meters make life easier.

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Young Professional //

‘Real moments of joy’ working in waste industry

Snedden is starting a new role with Clean-Up Australia.

GOING from biomedical science to waste education was a no brainer for Andrew Snedden. The recently appointed community relationships manager for Clean-Up Australia went from the virology and immunology arena to educating students and communities on how to make their lives and environment cleaner, greener, and more sustainable. It was only a chance encounter with a television programme that made him realise he might follow his current career path.

“I remember years ago, before I was in the waste industry, watching a programme on the ABC,” he said.

“It was about a resource recovery officer and I didn’t even realise that it was an option or something I could be doing.”

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Queensland, Snedden decided to take the teaching path, which included a stint overseas in South America and Vietnam. This gave him his first inkling of working in the waste industry.

“I was travelling and volunteering with a program called Workaway, whereby you volunteer at different places – whether it be farms or hostels or schools,” he said. “For a couple of months, I worked at an eco-lodge.

My role was to maintain the ecostandards of the lodge, which included managing the composting system that they had onsite.”

Being from the Northern Rivers region of NSW, he grew up in a part 44

of the state where there was no local collection of any waste by the council.

The family had to compost its own food scraps, while the recycling and other waste had to be taken to the local tip or recycling centre.

“I grew up naturally in tune with the amount of waste that was being produced around me,” said Snedden.

“I’ve always been waste aware. I was raised with sustainable and regenerative values. Certainly, since being employed in the waste industry, and working directly in education, sustainability has become a focus and has become a real passion and driving force for me.”

His most recent role was with Cleanaway. He started out in the company as a resource recovery officer where he worked with the company’s commercial customers on their waste management practices and sustainability plans. His most recent role was as an education coordinator for Cleanaway’s NSW Centre for Sustainability, which he enjoyed immensely.

“That role involved educating communities and schools across the entire state of NSW, working towards short- and long-term behaviour change,” he said. “I believe that slow generational change is needed, along with the urgent immediate change that is required, to address some of the problems that we are facing as a country and planet with regard to climate and waste.”

And what are some of the problems that are currently on his radar? There are three that he sees immediately – plastics, organic waste to landfill, and the overconsumption of resources.

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

“There are lots of different issues that we can be playing a part in solving, and it is my belief if we continue embedding some good, sustainable, and regenerative values in children when they are young, they grow up and they live those sustainable values,” he said.

One part of his education job he loved was seeing how engaged children are with waste issues, and in some cases he felt he was learning from the children themselves. He finds that they are full of ideas and solutions to some of the country’s waste issues and problem solve them on the go, even if the ideas are already out there. Such as?

“One group thought it would be a good idea to put a cover over landfills to try and trap some of the emissions they create,” he said. “This is already happening with gas-capture in landfills. Others talked about countries where their waste is burnt. They’ve got the inkling of the idea of energy from waste; taking residual waste and burning it to generate energy that feeds back into the grid. All of these ideas are around and percolating. I found it so inspiring.

“I would like to see the next generation of children growing up seeing waste like single-use plastics and coffee cups as things that you don’t need to use. Hopefully they will question why you would use something that is not recyclable or reusable that is going to end up wasted in a landfill.”

Snedden is an optimist and cites the NSW 20 Year Waste Strategy as something that is providing some much needed

direction for the industry.

“Along with the 20 Year Waste Strategy came a plan to phase out single-use plastics. Once that comes into action, there will be plans in 12 months to get start getting rid of things like plastic straws and coffee cups – to be able to phase them out and replace them with some sustainable alternatives is a positive.”

The other thing that Snedden is passionate about is organics and food waste. He said there has been some direction given around FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) over the next decade, with NSW councils providing residents with a sourceseparated organics recycling service.

“Currently, the average is almost half of the red rubbish bin being made up of organic waste, which when it goes to landfill generates methane,” he said. “It’s great to see some real action being taken on organics. It is being turned into a compost product and can be used to regenerate our soils. It is also a good example of creating a circular economy.”

Snedden is in his career for the long haul and is excited as to where it is headed with his new role at Clean-Up Australia. He said there are lots of people within the industry who say they never really intended to be in the waste sector, but fell into it, yet are intent on sticking around.

“It is a rewarding career because it is a such a varied industry,” he said.

“There are so many different roles you can do from an education perspective.

You can be working in a school and with communities all across NSW and country – in cities, in metro areas, in regional areas as well. There are so many roles in the waste industry that focus on education and resource recovery working with business, local councils, and NGOs – it is fascinating.”

Snedden said most people find their niche, which sets their passion alight for the industry.

“You can get some incredible results from your work, especially when you work on establishing new waste avoidance and recycling projects, or diverting waste from landfill,” he said. “You have real tangible results where you can see that the work you have done means that all that food waste is being composted and used again. There are some moments of real joy.” iw

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// Capabilities Statements

Komatsu Forest Company Overview: Komatsu Forest is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of forest machines. We are represented on six world continents by a network of dealers and our own sales companies.

Komatsu Forest’s head office is in Umeå, Sweden, and we have two manufacturing units, in Sweden and the USA. Our own sales companies are located in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, France, United Kingdom, Russia, USA, Australia and Brazil, and our network of dealers represent us on all other important forestry markets.

Our extensive service organisation takes care of the machines, ensuring that they perform their best throughout their service lives. We have workshops throughout the world, service vehicles for quick assistance, in-house machine and methodology instructors to help maximise productivity, and support functions for everything related to our machines and services.

Products and Services: We offer products and services that

increase productivity while simplifying the working day for you as a machine owner.

We combine all our services under our Customer Care concept. This is our promise that you will enjoy the benefits of Komatsu Forest’s investments in research, development, servicing, support, logistics and innovative services. These combined resources are at the very heart of Komatsu Forest’s offer.

Our goal is to make your working day as safe, problem-free and profitable as possible, no matter where in the world you operate. Let us show you that by choosing Komatsu, peace of mind and accessibility can become a natural part of your working day.

Brands

Company Overview: Merlo is an Italian-based industrial group that designs, manufactures and markets its products under the Merlo and Treemme brands, both synonymous with quality the world over, with a commitment to respecting the environment.

All the products in the Merlo range have the largest cabin and operator space available to the Australian market, which is characterised by innovation, technology and reliability.

They are distinctive characteristics of the Merlo Group that have earned the trust of the world telehandler markets.

Since its origins, the Merlo Group has always had an international approach in terms of product and business; this global vision of the market today generates the export of more than 90% of production.

Today the Merlo Group’s worldwide presence is guaranteed by a direct organisation of six branches (France, Germany, England, Spain, Poland and Australia), by a distribution network of over 50 importers and 800 dealers, offering widespread coverage in terms

We offer:

• Komatsu • Peterson • TimberPro Core Capabilities: Our world-wide network of highly trained service professionals is ready for you.

We know how important it is to be

Merlo Group

close to service and maintenance when help is needed. Therefore, we have a market-wide network of highly trained service professionals that knows your Komatsu, Peterson & Timberpro machine in every detail. They are, in turn, in constant contact with the Komatsu Forest head office so your voice or needs are never more than a call away from our collective expertise. Furthermore, we are constantly developing new services that will help you in your everyday work.

• Workshops and field services throughout Australia & New Zealand • Well qualified personnel with expert knowledge of Komatsu & affiliated machines • Field Service that enables us to remain close to you and your

machine • Support and maintenance throughout your machine’s service life • Maintenance agreements with fixed maintenance prices and other benefits Contact Details: AUSTRALIA Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd 4/11 Ave of Americas Newington, NSW 2127 T : +61 2 9647 3600 E : info.au@komatsuforest.com NEW ZEALAND Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd 15C Hyland Cres Rotorua, New Zealand M: John Kosar + 64 274 865 844 M: Paul Roche + 64 21 350 747

AUSTRALIA

of sales, service and spare parts.

The Merlo Group’s international approach continues to increase its global presence, guaranteeing proximity to customers and opening up new markets by introducing hightech products with superior safety standards.

The Merlo Group’s products are created from the deep experience gained in over 50 years of history; they satisfy every market and customer need.

Products & Services: The Merlo brand has always been synonymous with cuttingedge technology in the field of telehandlers, operating machines and telescopic boom tractors.

Core Capabilities: Merlo’s advanced technology has become the driving force behind a development that has made it possible to look beyond daily business. Safety, comfort, performance are the key words. As a result, every machine

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rises the bar and sets a new standard in terms of design, power, care for man and the environment. This winning attitude translates into high integration into production processes, modern construction systems, process automation, revolutionary integrated electronic systems, in robotised processes and much more.

Our commitment to maintaining an ever-closer relationship with our customers is reflected in our ongoing training and updating of programmes, our technical support services, and the trusted relationship with our extended dealer network. The results of all this

are compact machines, with ease of operation, that ensures the unrivalled operating features of, comfort, efficiency and above all, unparalleled safety. This is the strength of the Merlo product.

Merlo Group Australia - TRUSTED Contact Details: Merlo Group Australia Pty Ltd 120-124 Toongabbie Rd, Girraween NSW 2145 Phone: 1300 657 325 Email: sales@merloaustralia.com.au Web: https://www.merlo.com

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Capabilities Statements //

Komptech CEA Company Overview: Komptech CEA is the Australasian distributor of Komptech machinery and systems for the treatment and processing of solid waste and organics waste materials for recovery and recycling. Our product range includes over 30 different types of both mobile and stationary machines that cover all key processes in modern waste processing including: • Single-shaft and dual-shaft industrial shredders • Compost windrow turners for commercial operations • Star screen and trommel screen machines • Material separation equipment including windsifters, ballistic separators and stone contaminant separators • Stationary recycling system solutions including shredders, separators and screening machines Brands: • Diamond Z • Screenpod • Trackstack

• Rowan • Komptech Core Capabilities: With a specialized product portfolio that includes over thirty different types of machines covering all key processes in modern waste handling, a consultative guiding approach to solution development for customers, and full service aftersales support and parts, Komptech CEA has become a leading supplier to the recycling and waste processing industry.

Providing customer value is our focus as we strive to be the industry’s technological leader through continual innovation. Komptech CEA is dedicated to working with you to help you solve your waste problems and identify opportunities with comprehensive, detailed solutions driven by world-class technology.

Contact Details: Sydney 6 Skyline Crescent Horningsea Park, NSW 2171 1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au

Melbourne 109 Merola Way Campbellfield, VIC 3061 1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au

1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au Auckland 96 Gavin Street Mt Wellington 1060 0800 435 269 www.komptechcea.com.au

Brisbane 103 Axis Place Larapinta, QLD 4110 1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au

Key Contacts: Craig Cosgrove Product Manager 0417 320 082 c.cosgrove@cea.net.au

Adelaide 260 Cormack Rd Wingfield, SA 5013 1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au

Simon Humphris Product Manager 0478 196 263 s.humphris@cea.net.au

Perth 230-232 Welshpool Rd Welshpool, WA 6106

Davis Earthmoving & Quarrying Pty Ltd Davis Earthmoving & Quarrying is a leader in mobile waste processing in NSW. For over 45 years, Davis has successfully completed tens of thousands of diverse projects for councils, government, civil and commercial sectors. Established in 1975, Davis Earthmoving is an Australian, family-owned company offering Green Waste Recycling, Concrete Recycling, Glass Recycling, C&D Shredding, Crushing, Screening, Mulching, Land Clearing, Haulage and Supply of Recycled Products. We process over a quarter of a million tonnes of material per annum.

Davis has 100 pieces of diverse Plant & Equipment in its privately owned fleet for hire or contract, all equipment is available in-house. We operate our own service centre for scheduled maintenance and service trucks for field repairs. This guarantees safety, quality assurance and maximum efficiency. Our warehouse of spare parts minimises delay waiting for suppliers or imported parts – meaning little delay for clients.

A key goal is client satisfaction.

We’re here to help our customers by offering economical and efficient waste 46

management solutions. We’re a trusted Contractor known for our reliability – we always deliver. We’re on time, every time. CEO Eric Davis has in-depth experience in recycling and mobile waste processing. Davis Earthmoving has demonstrated stability, whilst also being progressive in an ever-evolving industry.

Products and Services: • Green Waste Recycling • Forest Mulching, Timber & Stump Grinding • Land Clearing, Road Widening & Forestry • Crushing & Concrete Recycling • Screening • Low Speed, High Speed, C&D Shredding • Glass Recycling • Quality Recycled Landscaping Supplies • Plant & Equipment Hire • Bulk & Heavy Haulage For hire: • Low Speed Shredders; Komptech • Horizontal Grinders; Diamond Z, Peterson

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• • • • • •

Picking Stations; Kiverco Mobile Crushers; Rubblemaster, Metso Soil & Trommel Screens; Pronar, Metso Forestry Mulchers; FAE Feller Bunchers; Tigercat Excavators 1.8 to 46 tonne; CAT, Komatsu • Dozers, Rollers, Compactors & Drotts • Wheel & Track Loaders Core Capabilities: Davis Earthmoving offers reliable, high-powered, mobile waste processing equipment for hire or contract in NSW. We deliver high-volume production to meet client’s varied needs and specifications. Our Low Speed Shredder processes heavy C&D, logs, palms, carpet, tires, mattresses. We have equipment

available for forestry mulching, tree felling, subdivisions, road constructions, grubbing, firebreaks. Horizontal Grinders process green waste, C&D, timber, stumps, logs. Mobile and Trommel Screens process soil, timber, green waste. Our Crushers recycle concrete, brick, rock and glass. Our aim is to efficiently recover environmentally sustainable and quality recycled products for beneficial reuse in a circular economy.

Contact Details: Davis Earthmoving & Quarrying Pty Ltd PO BOX 19 TERREY HILLS NSW 2084 Phone: (02) 9450 2288 Email: davisem@davisem.com.au Web: davisem.com.au

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// Capabilities Statements

CSS Recycling Equipment Solutions Company Overview: With 20 years of experience in our unique Australian and New Zealand region, CSS Recycling Equipment customises waste, organics, and scrap metal processing solutions, by taking a collaborative and consultative approach with their clients.

From the provision of ad hoc machinery and technology to fit an existing processing line, up to complete plant and materials handling solutions, CSS Recycling Equipment designs each solution specific to client’s requirements.

CSS Recycling Equipment takes a comprehensive approach, starting with on site reviews of existing processes, machinery and capability, analysis of client objectives, challenges, and end materials. By working closely with clients and with exclusive global suppliers to curate the best possible solutions, CSS becomes a trusted strategic partner, integrating technology, improving processes and bottom line results.

The technologies represented by

CSS Recycling Equipment Solutions are sourced from around the world, are proven and reliable and have been tried and tested in our region. CSS Recycling Equipment specialises in processing all types of materials from C&D to C&I, from MSW to FOGO, Biomass and Wood, Compost and to hard to process waste.

Products and Services: Specialising in all aspects of reduction, separation and recycling technology: • Complete consultative and collaborative plant design and delivery • Fuel Preparation Technology • Shredding • Screening • Air Separation • Baling and Shear Baling • Plastics Washing and Preparation • FOGO • Waste to Energy technology Brands: • 3Tek Scrap Metal technologies (USA) • Beier Machinery (China)

• Ecostar Dynamic Screens (Italy) • Ecohog Air Separation Technologies (Northern Ireland) • Hammel Recyclingtechnik (Germany) • Jono Enviro (China) • Lindner Recyclingtech (Austria) • Vezzani (Italy) Core Capabilities: Collaborate, consult, design, deliver and the supply of high quality equipment and plant solutions for C&D, C&I, Biomass, Organics, Wood Waste, FOGO, MSW, Scrap Metal industries.

Source innovative and strategic solutions both within and outside of our stable of equipment solutions, always with the client’s outcome as our focus.

Utilise our global relationships and local knowledge to deliver positive business outcomes for our clients and continually improving environmental solutions for Australia and New Zealand.

Specialists in: • hard to process waste • mobile and static processing solutions • manufacture of custom components • high quality and on budget projects Contact Details: CSS Recycling Solutions PO Box 359, Dee Why NSW 2099 Phone: 1800 644 978 Email: info@cssequipment.com.au Web: www.cssequipment.com.au

STEINERT Company Overview: STEINERT is a manufacturer of superior magnetic separation and state-ofthe-art sensor sorting equipment.

Headquartered in Cologne, Germany with subsidiaries in Australia, USA, Brazil, STEINERT supplies the waste, metal recycling and mining industry globally. With over 130 years of history STEINERT is at the forefront of technology and innovation with a focus on quality, reliability and continuous research.

STEINERT’s presence in Australia encompasses a manufacturing facility in Melbourne, Victoria where the Australian designed and made magnets originate.

STEINERT’s Test Facility in Perth, Western Australia provides customers with the opportunity to test small and large samples under conditions that very closely match real life scenarios.

Customers benefit from the very latest findings and technological advancements in a tried and tested environment, utilising the latest STEINERT sensor-based combination sorting solutions.

STEINERT’s Service Technicians are based on both the east coast and

west coast of Australia and have the capability to support your service requirements around the country, both on-site and remotely.

This strong presence ensures best support of the magnetic and sensor sorting equipment for the customers in Australia.

Products & Services: • Overhead suspension magnets, electric and permanent • Magnetic drums, electric and permanent • Eddy current separators • Near Infrared sorters • Optical sorters • Induction sensor sorters • X-ray transmission/fluorescence sensor sorters • Combination sensor sorters • Service & maintenance Brands: • STEINERT MAGV/MAGX suspension electromagnet • STEINERT MAGP permanent suspension magnet

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• STEINERT MTE electric drum • STEINERT EddyC eddy current separator • STEINERT ISS induction sensor sorting system • STEINERT KSS combination sensor sorting system • UniSort PR EVO 5.0 NIR sensor sorting system Core Capabilities: We support customers from the project design stage with application knowledge, material testing in our test facilities, process consultation, supply of equipment, on-site commissioning to continuous service support, maintenance and repairs from our Australian team.

Our manufacturing facility in Melbourne

enables us to hold critical spare parts for our equipment and perform full repairs and refurbishments in local response times. Together with our team of service technicians we are able to provide a high standard of after-care for our equipment.

Contact Details: STEINERT Australia Pty Ltd 14 Longstaff Road, Bayswater VIC 3153 P: +61 3 8720 0800 E: sales@steinert.com.au W: www.steinert.com.au Key Contacts: Johann Hefner Resource Recovery P: +61 499500801

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Capabilities Statements //

Diverseco

Company Overview: As one of Australia’s leading measurement and automation solutions providers, we at Diverseco pride ourselves on the sheer scope of our problem-solving expertise and supply of industry leading innovative technologies. We are heavily involved across a wide range of industries, with a comprehensive solutions portfolio specific for the waste management industry that includes both driver-specific solutions and robotic automation solutions for material recovery facilities.

Products and Services: • Waste vehicle on-board payload optimisation and overload monitoring (Chain of Responsibility and legal-fortrade operations).

• Weighbridges and portable truck scales for accurate vehicle weighing and accountability.

• Truck wheel washes for EPA and road safety compliance.

• Automated waste sortation systems: comprehensive and completely automated robotic sortation systems for MRFs. Brands: • Waste Robotics • BinWeigh Core Capabilities: At Diverseco, our core capabilities reside in our ongoing ability to meet and exceed customer requirements through our extensive problem-solving resources: we are ideal partners for any organisation looking to turn their operational problems into new, profitable capabilities.

Contact Details: 3309 Logan Road Underwood, QLD, 4119 M: 1300 069 970 E: onboardsolutions@diverseco.com.au W: diverseco.com.au

Applied Machinery

Spartel Pty Ltd aspects organic waste processing from waste generation to soil beneficiation products, technology, process data processing and control, odour prevention and control

FABCOM® Organics Under Control© www.FAB-COM.com.au

Contact Details:

Products and Services:

Harrie - 0414 37 66 99 E: info@spartel.com.au W: www.FAB-COM.com.au Company Overview: Spartel Pty Ltd was founded in 1995

by Dr Harrie Hofstede, specialist waste management scientist in waste composting and pollution control.

The company has a consulting arm, Hofstede & Associates, and waste technology R&D programme under the umbrella. The R&D has resulted in six patents in international markets. We have designed and developed two main large-scale composting systems under the FABCOM® Brand. FABCOM® Tunnels and the FABCOM® MAF system.

Core Capabilities: The overall core capability is all

Contact Details: 55-61 Nissan Drive Dandenong VIC 3175 Phone: 03 9706 8066 Email: sales@appliedmachinery.com.au Web: www.appliedmachinery.com.au Company Overview: Applied Machinery is one of Australia’s largest suppliers of quality recycling machinery. Over 30 years industry experience enables us to deliver turnkey solutions for all manner of recycling applications across Australia.

Products and Services: • Shredders and granulators • Plastic washing, tyre, and e-waste recycling plants • Repelletising systems/screen changers • Polystyrene recycling machines

48

Genox Polystar Fimic Greenmax

Core Capabilities: Applied Machinery has the capability to service the smallest single machine requirement, through to the largest of multi-site, staged installations and complete recycling line, turn-key projects. We supply some of Australia’s largest recycling organisations.

A wide range of shredders and granulators are always in stock for quick delivery.

FABCOM® MAF SUEZ Newcastle Raymond Terrace NSW Dedicated FABCOM® MAF aeration system for post Bedminster compost maturation & drying; Capacity 10,000 tpa

that allows for bespoke designs for your particular needs.

Products/Services: Contact Details: ASC Head Office 1/14 Chicago Avenue Blacktown, NSW 2148 Phone: 02 8840 8888 Email: enquiries@acoatings.com.au Web: http://ascoatings.com.au Company Overview:

ASC is a team of experienced coating and flooring professionals. We specialise in repairing and coating concrete and steel surfaces in harsh environments – waste handling, tipping sheds, chemical Recent Projects/Installations: storage and high traffic surfaces.

We are fully certified to ISO 9001, ISO PORT PLASTICS 14001, and AS 4801 Standards.

Port Macquarie Polystar Repelletising system and Genox When you call in ASC you get a large format shredder to drive recycling professional, reliable team dedicated operations in the Port Macquarie region to solving your problems and and reduce the need for transport of delivering the best outcome, on time. recyclables to metropolitan centres.

We have a solutions-oriented approach

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Recent Projects/Installations: :

Australasian Specialty Coatings

Brands: • • • •

• FABCOM® Tunnel compost plants • FABCOM® MAF composting system • Wireless data transmission and processing over a 2 km radius • Aeration controlled by process data • Remote access process control • Design and construct of compost plants • Development and optimisation of compost process and products • ODOROV™ effective odour control agent for organic waste • High nitrogen composts (4% N)

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Tipping Shed Floor Resurfacing Chemical Bund Coating & Lining Concrete Repair & Remediation Corrosion Prevention Coatings High Traffic Surfaces Leachate Resistant Materials High Grip & Anti-Slip Coatings Waterproof Membranes Tank Lining Acid Resistant Coatings Expansion Joint Rebuilding & Sealing Water Treatment Plant Coatings

Recent Projects/Installations: TIPPING SHED FLOOR RESURFACING Banksmeadow, NSW Remediation of Eroded Concrete Slab 1500m² Leachate-Resistant Floor Surface CHEMICAL STORAGE AND PUMPING BUND Lidcombe, NSW Acid & Chemical Resistant Bund Re-lining Full Remediation of Bund Internal Surfaces

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// Capabilities Statements

Hyva Pacific

ResourceCo

A fleet of service vehicles offers on-site solutions for all hydraulic, fabrication, electrical, air-conditioning and engineering requirements.

Contact Details:

Products and Services:

72 Glenwood Drive Thornton, NSW, 2322 Phone: 02 4966 3777 Email: hyvapacific@hyva.com Web: www.hyva.com

• Waste Handling Equipment (Rear loaders / Compactors) • Hookloaders • Skiploaders • Vehicle Loading Cranes

Company Overview:

Core Capabilities:

Hyva Pacific is a leading provider of innovative and highly efficient transport solutions for the commercial vehicle and environmental service industries.

Its products are used worldwide across a range of sectors including transport, construction, mining, materials handling and environmental services providers.

HSR Southern Cross is the HYVA distributor for NSW and the exclusive Australian HYVA PRESS Waste Handling Equipment distributor. HSRSX is strategically located in Western Sydney.

Hyva /HSRSX is the ‘one stop shop’ for the commercial vehicle and waste handling industry, providing a wide range of high-quality equipment including installation, engineering, service and repair in our workshops or onsite.

Company Overview:

Contact Details:

Recent Projects/Installations:

35 Holbeche Rd, Arndell Park NSW 2148 Phone: 02 9725 3347 Email: admin@hsrsx.com.au Web: www.hsrsx.com.au

ESKINE PARK PLANT Operations commenced at Tyrecycle’s (RC’s tyre recycling division) new

Contact Details: ResourceCo Head Office Level 1, 162 Fullarton Road Rose Park, SA 5067 Phone: (08) 8406 0300 Email: enquiries@resourceco.com.au Web: www.resourceco.com.au

ResourceCo (RC) is a global leader in the recovery and re-manufacture of primary resources, extracting maximum value from materials otherwise destined for landfill.

multi-million-dollar plant at Erskine Park in Sydney in June 2021, producing in excess of 9000 tonnes of rubber crumb for the construction industry and providing a local circular economy solution to rubber waste. Additional new plants are also planned for Perth and the Pilbara in WA later this year.

Products and Services: • C&D & C&I Recycling • Disposal, Treatment & Management of Contaminated Soils • Renewable Energy & Alternative Fuels • Tyre & Waste Rubber Recycling • Recycled Construction Material Brands: • • • • • • • •

ResourceCo Pty Ltd ResourceCo Material Solutions Southern Waste ResourceCo Cleanaway-ResourceCo SUEZ-ResourceCo ResourceCo Property Tyrecycle Pty Ltd Kariyarra Tyrecycle

Hitachi Zosen Inova Company Overview: Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) is a global leader in energy from waste (EfW), anaerobic digestion (AD) and Powerto-Gas, acting as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor delivering complete turnkey plants and system solutions for energy recovery from waste.

Since 2015, HZI Australia, a 100% subsidiary of HZI, is developing new projects in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Its first project, the 300,000 tpy East Rockingham WtE is now in construction and will start commercial operation in Dec 2022.

carbon-neutral economy • Development, Design, Build, Finance, Own, Operation & Maintenance Brands: • Hitachi Zosen • Aquaroll, DYNOR, Kompogas, • HZI Etogas, HZI DryMining Core Capabilities: Energy from Waste, Renewable Gas, Project Development, EPC, O&M, Asset Management Recent Projects/Installations:

Products/Services: • Thermal treatment of residual waste, energy recovery, flue gas treatment, and residue recycling • Dry anaerobic digestion of food & green resources, renewable power production, biogas upgrading to biomethane and bio-CNG • Power-to-Gas for volatile electricity into renewable synthetic gas for a

DUBAI ENERGY FROM WASTE (EFW) – START OF OPERATIONS IN 2024 Warsan, Dubai, United Arab Emirates The world’s largest EfW processing up to 1,89 mill tpy of non-recyclable municipal solid waste from the Dubai area and producing 171MW of electricity. To be designed, built and commissioned by a JV partnership between HZI and BESIX Group with a

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

minimum of 30 years’ operation and inclusive of minority ownership. Visit https://www.hz-inova.com/projects/ dubai-uae/

site. Visit https://www.hz-inova.com/ kompogas-for-the-future/

Contact Details: ZUFFENHAUSEN ANAEROBIC DIGESTION PLANT – START OF OPERATIONS IN 2023 Baden-Württemberg, Germany A dry anaerobic digestion plant using HZI’s Kompogas® technology to process 35,000 tpy of source-separated organic waste from the Stuttgart urban area into biogas, high-grade liquid fertilizer and compost. The bulk of the biogas will be used at the manufacturing plant of a well-known automaker to produce electricity and heat for direct use on

Hitachi Zosen Inova Australia Pty Ltd Level 17, 40 Mount Street North Sydney, NSW 2060 Phone: 02-8003 4110 Email: info@hz-inova.com Web site: www.inova.com Key Contacts: Dr Marc Stammbach 02 – 8003 4110 info@hz-inova.com

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

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New Technologies //

Safety signage is everywhere at the new BINGO plant in western Sydney.

Automation technologies make life easier, but staff numbers stay the same WHEN it came to new equipment being bought for its latest plant, group capital works manager for BINGO Industries, Jason Goodman, said that safety was the key and not price.

When the company recently opened its Eastern Creek Recycling Ecology Park in Western Sydney, a lot of thought went into its layout and how it would work in terms of safety for its staff and customers.

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“For example, on the tip floor area where you have customers tipping materials, you have mobile plant moving material around, spreading and inspecting loads and then transferring it to pits,” said Goodman. “There is a lot of crossover between people and plant. This meant when it was being designed there was a lot of thought put into the layout of the site too. How do you bring vehicles in and out?

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

How do customers get in and out safely? How do we minimise overlap between activities?”

The company even looked at the sweep path analysis and traffic modelling to make sure it got it right. Then there was the technology that needed to be installed. As well as the recycling plant, there is also a landfill at the facility. With the recycling side of the business, when it came to implementing the

technology, BINGO knew there would be challenges, but also knew that they would have to step-up the amount of technology that would be used in the new plant.

“We have automated waste handling cranes running the plant – similar technology they use in energy-from-waste facilities,” said Goodman. “Again, it was rather than having mobile plant, which presented safety challenges,

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// New Technologies

we’ve segregated an area for the automated cranes. They’ve got a lot of cool technology such as laser scanners measuring material heights; they’re counting loads that are being tipped into the pits; automatically working out mapping; as well as where they should be loading material from where and when. There are also a lot of interlocks. So when you get people tipping materials, if the cranes detect somebody, the cranes will stay out of the way.”

When it comes to sorting the various materials, BINGO also uses the latest technologies. Some of the key materials that the company wants to recover are aggregates, timbers – all of them being as clean as they can be – as well as ferrous and non-ferrous metals. BINGO also wants to have a bit of future proofing with its technologies to

“Again, it was rather than having mobile plant, which presented safety challenges, we’ve segregated an area for the automated cranes. They’ve got a lot of cool technology such as laser scanners measuring material heights; they’re counting loads that are being tipped into the pits; automatically working out mapping; as well as where they should be loading material from where and when. There are also a lot of interlocks.So when you get people tipping materials, if the cranes detect somebody, the cranes will stay out of the way.” allow for modifications that will be required further down the track.

“There are various technologies that we have put in place to do some of those things,” said Goodman.

“We’ve got eddy-current separators that are automatically removing non-ferrous metals. That’s a change from what we were doing on site,

which was a very manual-intensive process. We also have optical separators, which are cleaning up our aggregates and timbers. They also have the ability to be taught how to separate out other materials besides those two things. We have the equipment to recover plastics and divert plastics.’

Even with automation staff are still needed on the ground to help sort through materials.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

51

New Technologies //

“It has been really exciting to see it come together. It has obviously taken a while to plan and design these things.

Now that we are putting material through and seeing material recovered it is awesome.”

Then there are the other benefits of the equipment.

“With the optical sorters, for example, you are saving on manual labour in some ways, but it is also about the throughput and quality, too. Having a person picking on a belt presents certain limitations on how much material you can put through and how quickly, and the sort of quality you are going to get out of it. The thing about an automated process is that it can be adjusted and tuned. There is flexibility there. We are certainly trying to automate where we can, to get more throughput, better quality and minimise manual handling.”

Goodman also points out that the optical sorting machines are inspecting and sorting to a fine particle size. Typically, he said, workers are picking out the

large chunks of material that are to be recovered. He believes it is not practical to be manually picking gravel.

“We tried to do that manually in the past – to a point – but the gravel was not as good,” he said, “or you have to slow down and put in a heap of manual labour on it to try and clean it up.

“There are now better quality products coming out, and a broader number of products being sorted.”

Interestingly, even though there has been a big focus on automation with the plant, it hasn’t necessarily reduced the number of people onsite, it is more about refocussing their attention on other duties. These other tasks include preventative cleaning, tuning and adjusting equipment, cleaning lamps, as well as monitoring the performance

of the equipment.

“We have a high-tech control room at the facility,” Goodman said.

“Rather than being on a picking belt, staff will be in a control room in a controlled environment monitoring the performance via a SCADA system and cameras. We have more than 180 cameras onsite.

They are trying to pre-empt issues and pinch points using technology and then they go and sort those issues out before it starts to cause downtime. We still have specialists and quality control teams. It is still a similar requirement in terms of team numbers to do that amount of work.”

The main contractor on the build was Irish company Turmec, who has several projects underway in Australia. A lot of the design of the plant was completed in Ireland, and a lot of the conveyors were manufactured there, too. However, when it comes to other parts of equipment, BINGO has diversified.

There are technologies from different parts of Europe – the Netherlands and Austria – as well as a fair representation of companies. This

included Pallenc who supplied the optical and x-ray separators, and IFE, who supplied a lot of the screening equipment.

One of the features of the plant is how much easier it is to recover waste, said Goodman. He believes the recovery rates will only get higher.

“We’re trying to push for recovery rates of more than 90 per cent.

They were about 75-80 per cent beforehand,” he said. “The other part to that is that the purity of the recovered product is what really matters, and we are looking at achieving some high standards there.

We’re trying to push into the high 90 per cents for the purity of the different product streams. It’s still ongoing and we are optimising the plant at the moment, but that is what we are aiming for.

“It has been really exciting to see it come together. It has obviously taken a while to plan and design these things. Now that we are putting material through and seeing material recovered it is awesome.” iw

The new facility offers up an array of new technologies when sorting materials.

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INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Waste Handling Equipment Feature

Versatility and stability key to Volvo loaders TWO years ago, organics recovery and horticulture specialists SOILCO was awarded a contract to design, construct and operate a state-of-the-art organic recycling facility in NSW’s Northern Rivers Region. Since then, SOILCO has gone through the planning, approval and construction phases, with the facility commissioned in June, 2021.

Capable of processing 25,000 tonnes of organic waste annually, the purposebuilt facility will see a steady influx of material. To support operations and ensure speedy cycle times, the company brought in CJD Equipment – and purchased a Volvo wheel loader.

The purchase builds on a longstanding relationship between SOILCO and CJD, with the former owning a fleet of Volvos including an EC220D excavator and various-sized H Series wheel loaders, as well as some older models.

SOILCO general manager, Charlie Emery, explained that the company

looked at a number of wheel loader brands for the facility. However, given the site’s location and distance from SOILCO’s existing facilities, the company chose to engage CJD once again, according to Emery.

“As the new plant is quite far away, our relationship with CJD was important, as we knew we could rely on their after sales support, as well as our confidence in the product,” Emery said.

“I’ve been with SOILCO for 20 years and we’ve had a relationship with CJD all that time.

“We went away for a short period – one cycle of loaders – and the reason we came back was the after sales support and CJD’s ability to service a product that is being highly utilised 10-15 hours per day in harsh operating environments.”

Volvo bodies are built to last, Emery

said, which is important as a lot of SOILCO work is carried out in humid conditions.

“We get a lot of utilisation out of them, with a target of 60 to 70 hours a week,” he said. “It really comes down to the manoeuvrability of the machines and how they operate in tight spaces.

Volvo loaders are nimble, effective in tight turning circles and have quick loading times.

“We also have extra extensions in our booms to get over the higher trucks, and the Volvo joystick controls work well for us in that regard.”

CJD’s H Series Volvo loaders offer high-quality performance, are robust, and have a host of features that promote versatility and stability.

Volvo’s load-sensing hydraulics and a Tier 3/ Stage IIIA Volvo engine, supply power to the hydraulic functions according to demand, to boost efficiency and lower fuel consumption.

The system also ensures a fast response for shorter cycle times, while delivering smooth operation through superior control of both the load and the attachment.

Daily service checks can be carried out easily due to ground-level grouped service points, which help to achieve

maximum uptime from each machine.

“We can’t afford to have any down time, and our service team find the machines to be very economical in terms of servicing and running,” Emery said.

Similarly, with safe and easy access to centralised filters and grouped greasing points, the EC220D excavator is a user-friendly machine.

The excavator offers operators a 10 per cent increase in fuel efficiency, as well as a smart hydraulic system that increases controllability to offer smoother and easier movement when traveling and lifting simultaneously.

The EC220D also utilises an array of attachments, including X1 and X2 auxiliary circuits, quick couplers, direct fit, general-purpose and heavy-duty buckets, as well as a Volvo tooth system for all applications.

The excavator’s cab comprises robust slim cab pillars, large expanses of glass, an adjustable seat and easy-to-access controls to reduce fatigue and boost productivity.

“As a general manager you don’t often hear about the good machines, you only hear about the bad ones.

When I don’t hear much about the Volvo’s, it means that everyone is happy,” Emery said. iw

Volvo excavators are easily manoeuvrable in tight spaces and have quick loading times.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

53

Waste Handling Equipment //

Caterpillar’s new machine meets Hastings Deering transfer station technology needs IT’S not often a company can upgrade its machinery, optimise unique and world-first modifications but at the same time reduce capital spend.

Together with Hastings Deering, Caterpillar was able to ensure REMONDIS Australia delivered on specific needs with its D6-XE bulldozer.

By his own admission REMONDIS Australia’s Robert Mason was stubborn about what he wanted in a bulldozer when replacing two Cat D7E’s, the company was running at Queensland’s Northgate and Rocklea waste transfer stations.

As operations manager – transfer stations and transport Queensland, Mason was stringent about what he wanted for the transfer station in terms of build configuration.

Together with Darryl Frahm and Wayne Partridge from Hastings Deering, the team embarked on a collaboration that would not only meet REMONDIS’ criteria but ensure the profitability of the transfer station.

While happy with the past performance of the D7E Electric Drive range, Mason calculated the new D6 range was a comparable offering, with the XE Electric Drive option as well.

“It’s all about the profitability of the transfer station,” he said.

“Obviously we’re operating in a very competitive market. We are all running leaner operations to improve tender attractiveness so in replacing machinery we needed to ensure the replacement machines have a positive impact on operations.

REMONDIS Australia is part of the REMONDIS Group, globally operating in many fields of business: recovering raw materials from waste, developing innovative recycled products, offering alternative fuels and playing an important role in the water management sector supplying water and treating wastewater. In addition, REMONDIS removes pollutants from residual and hazardous wastes – which are unable to be recycled with today‘s technology – and disposes of them using ecofriendly methods.

Mason’s configuration wasn’t a standard waste specification offering, something that had never been built 54

The team at REMONDIS needed a machine that met all its expectations in terms of workload.

by Cat. Moving garbage is messy and can be dangerous. Hastings Deering’s Partridge said the dozer needed to manipulate the rubbish: breaking it up to achieve maximum payload weight on trucks transporting from transfer stations to landfill sites.

“Rubbish is bulky and the potential for the trucks to be full via volume and not have max payload weight is high,” Partridge said. “Trucks running to landfill without the maximum allowable payload weight, results in more trips which is inefficient and costly.

“There is a theory across the industry that to do this you need a dozer of D7 or bigger to get the physical weight on the ground to manipulate the waste. The D6 configuration we were able to build had nearly the same ground pressure as the current D7E, even though it was a marginally smaller and lighter machine to the D7E. “Ground pressure is the force (weight) the machines exerts on the ground over the area of its ground contact (footprint.) The D6 had a smaller footprint so the weight is exerted over a smaller area, giving a similar ground pressure.”

Mason wanted narrower track plates, 610mm or 560mm instead of 900mm to 1000mmm (which is standard), to increase ground pressure and prevent rubbish build up in the tracks. The machine sinks into the waste and can get bogged on the belly plates if too low.

It was the ability to order a waste

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

spec machine direct from the factory with features including, waste guarding, as well as front and rear strikers to prevent foreign objects being forced into the cab and thus injuring the operator, along with ‘Forestry Spec’ penetration resistant clear windows in the Cab doors, that significantly increases operator vision while keeping them safe – that made the REMONDIS decide that the D6-XE was a machine that could help it meet its goals in the waste space.

“Cat had never built a machine in this configuration: all these items were available ex-factory but not in the one configurated machine,” Partridge said.

“We spent months working with the Cat Product group convincing them this was the factory configuration

we had to build for the customer to prevent the cost of local modifications.

Robert had to prove his decision internally, putting his reputation on a machine never before built.”

The machine’s success has been seen on many levels – from fuel economy exceeding expectations (approx. to 19L/hr), to an “incredible operator acceptance” and the added safety bonus that this is “extremely quiet” for a bulldozer.

“It’s incredibly quiet,” Mason said.

“We’re working inside a transfer station building which tends to echo, so you can be working nearby on the waste pile and you barely hear anything, which improves working conditions for our employees.”

Together Hastings Deering and Cat took up and delivered on the challenge, also painting the machine white in REMONDIS corporate colours, resulting in further orders of the D6 XE and other machines.

“Unequivocally it came down to our longstanding relationship and the confidence we have in dealing with the Hastings Deering team,” Mason said. “We’ve always been happy with product support they’ve given us over the journey and their willingness to work with us and make this happen.

There was never a time, that we didn’t think we would get the outcome we wanted.” iw

The replacement machines needed to have a positive impact on operations.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Product Profiles Waste Handling Equipment

Material Handler Unit Dimensions: 3350 mm (H) X 5290 mm (L) X 2740 mm (W) Weight: 22 700 kg (min) To 26 800 kg (Max) Drive Type: Hydrostatic drive Motor: Cat® C4.4 Rotor diameter/lengths/speed: N/A Speed (slow/high): 6 km/h (Slow), 20 km/h (High) Suitable material: Waste, Recycling, Sorting Options/Extras: Drop Nose MH stick, Straight MH stick, One-Piece boom, 7.45m MH boom, Variable Angle boom, Electrical re-fuelling pump, Advanced Tool Control (one/two way high-pressure flow with drift reduction), Quick coupler circuit, Steering wheel, Cat Advanced biodegradable hydraulic oil, 360° visibility, Heated and remotely adjustable mirrors, Travel alarm, Rotating beacon on cab and chassis, Cat Asset tracker, Rear and front end steps, 2.75 mm wide MH undercarriage, 2.99 mm wide MH undercarriage, Push Blade, 75 mm retractable seat belt.

Price: POA, Name: Bassem Ibrahim Web: www.cat.com/en_AU/by-industry/demolition-scrap-recycling.html Email: Ibrahim_bassem@cat.com

Caterpillar

Application: timber grinding, land clearing, green waste mulching Suitable material: For processing trees, palms, logs, stumps, vegetation, green waste, C&D waste brush, land clearing debris, mixed woody feedstocks, asphalt shingles Features: track mounted, remote control, quick screen change, reversing fan Unit Dimensions: Screen Area 3 square metres Weight: 42.2 tonne Drive Type: Fluid Coupling Drive Motor: CATC27 Speed: High speed 1,050 HP Throughput: Up to 131 tonnes per hour Finished product size: superior particle size control, fine products, mulch Price: FOR HIRE OR CONTRACT. Rates available More: Contact Davis Earthmoving & Quarrying Pty Ltd for further information: Phone: 02-9450 2288 Email: davisem@davisem.com.au Web: www.davisem.com.au

Volvo EC220EL

Weight: 15,790 Drive Type: Hydrostatic Motor: Volvo D4J More: The optimized compact design of the ECR145EL offers a short swing radius for operating in confined spaces without compromising on performance. Catering for multiple waste applications and projects, the ECR145EL excavator guarantees high levels of production no matter the projects.

Phone number: 1300 139 804 Webpage: www.cjd.com.au/ Email: enquiries@cjd.com.au

Weight: 21,700 Drive Type: Hydrostatic Motor: Volvo D6J More: The EC220EL excavator delivers the best in class fuel efficiency without compromising on power – reducing emissions and consumption while increasing productivity.

Built for multiple applications with the ability to adapt to a number of attachments makes the Volvo EC220EL excavator a reliable and durable waste handing machine, Ph: 1300 139 804 Webpage: www.cjd.com.au/ Email: enquiries@cjd.com.au

CJD Equipment Pty Ltd

Volvo ECR145EL

Volvo L150H

Volvo EW240EMH

Weight: 25,300 Drive Type: Power Shift Motor: Volvo D13E More: Whether you’re working in recycling or any other waste application, the Volvo L150H wheel loader will effectively perform a variety of tasks with ease – increased productivity is guaranteed.

Loaded with features and wide variety of options, the machine can be tailored to best suit your needs.

Phone number: 1300 139 804 Webpage: www.cjd.com.au/ Email: enquiries@cjd.com.au

Weight: 26,000 Drive Type: Hydrostatic Motor: Volvo D6J More: Built on experience – the EW240EMH is Volvo’s largest material handler yet. Specifically designed for waste and recycling industries and manufactured in the Volvo Factory, this machine offers all the tested features from Volvo’s previous excavators and much more.

Phone Number: 1300 139 804 Webpage: www.cjd.com.au/ Email: enquiries@cjd.com.au

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

CJD Equipment Pty Ltd

CJD Equipment Pty Ltd

CJD Equipment Pty Ltd

Davis Earthmoving & Quarrying Pty Ltd FOR HIRE

DIAMOND Z DZH 6000 Horizontal Grinder FOR HIRE

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 INSIDEWASTE

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Product Profiles Waste Handling Equipment //

816 Landfill Compactor

Komptech CEA

Komptech Nemus 2700 Track Unit Dimensions: (working) 14347mm L x 6689 W x 3900mm H Weight: 22t, Drive Type: Diesel / Hydraulic Motor: Perkins Industrial Drum diameter/lengths/speed: 5.5m L x 2m Dia Speed (slow/high): Variable Suitable material: Compost, mulches, soil, gravel, waste No. of units in range: Multiple in mobile and stationary Throughput: to 170 m3/hr Finished product size: (if applicable) range of drum screens to choose from Designed for (material): Compost, mulches, soil, gravel, waste Options/Extras: Various Price: TBA

Davis Earthmoving & Quarrying Pty Ltd FOR HIRE

Caterpillar

Unit Dimensions: 3878 mm (H) X 3338 mm (W) X 7806 mm (L) Weight: 25 761 kg, Drive Type: Cat Planetary Power Shift Transmission, Motor: Cat C7.1 Rotor diameter/lengths/speed: N/A Speed (slow/high): 5.4 km/h - 8.5 Km/h (Forward) Suitable material: Municipal solid waste, construction and demolition waste, Options/Extras: antifreeze, heater, engine coolant, 240V, Radio, AM/FM/Aux/USB/Bluetooth, customer value agreements, extended warranty, LED lights, reversing fan + more, Price: POA Web: www.australia.cat.com/waste Email: Ibrahim_bassem@cat.com

Komptech Terminator Shredder 6000s FOR HIRE

Merlo TF65.9TCS -170-HF Unit Dimensions: 5260mm x 2400mm Weight: 11.2 tonne Drive Type: Hydrostatic Motor: FPT 170HP Turbo Charged Tier V Rotor diameter/lengths/speed: N/A Speed (slow/high): 40km/h – Best in class Suitable material: Multi-purpose/material handling No. of units in range: 1 Throughput: N/A Finished product size: N/A Options/Extras: Full range of attachments Price: Contact your local dealer More: Name: Merlo Group Australia Pty Ltd Phone Number: 1300 657 325 Webpage: www.merlo.com Email: sales@merloaustralia.com.au

Merlo TF42.7 – 115EE

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

Merlo Group Australia

Merlo Group Australia

Unit Dimensions: 4730mm x 2310mm Weight: 7700kg Drive Type: Hydrostatic Motor: Deutz TCD3.6 115 hp Rotor diameter/lengths/speed: N/A Speed (slow/high): 40km/h – Best in class Suitable material: Multi-purpose/material handling No. of units in range: 1 Throughput: N/A Finished product size: N/A Options/Extras: Full range of attachments Price: Contact your local dealer Name: Merlo Group Australia Pty Ltd Phone Number: 1300 657 325 Webpage: www.merlo.com Email: sales@merloaustralia.com.au

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Unit Dimensions: 11371 x 3327 x 3635 working unit position Weight: 26.50 tonne Drive Type: Hydraulic Motor: Cat C18 Rotor diameter/lengths/speed: 3m Speed (slow/high): 38 rpm max Suitable material: Mattresses, tyres, carpet, bulky goods, C&D, greenwaste, MSW Throughput: Up to 100 tonne per hour Options/Extras: On tracks with remote control and an over-band magnet Price: FOR HIRE OR CONTRACT. Rates available More: Contact Davis Earthmoving & Quarrying Pty Ltd for further information: Phone: 02-9450 2288 Email: davisem@davisem.com.au Web: www.davisem.com.au

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

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Wasted Space //

Why butts are bad for business HELLO Minister Greetings from the land of lockdowns, funny-looking marsupials, and the third best cricket team in the world.

I’ve decided to quit Minister! No, not the service, although after the Berlin Wall came down I thought it might be on the cards. Things have been pretty quiet over the past decade or two, so although the thought has crossed my mind, that is not what I am alluding to. I’m talking about the coffin nails. Yes, ciggies, gaspers, cancer sticks, durries, or as my American friends call them, stogies, or my local Antipodean sidekick’s favourite name, darts.

Why you ask? Well, there are several reasons, but primary amongst them is health of course. Then there are the cost savings. As time has

58

gone on, to be frank, it has become a rather anti-social habit.

However, what tipped me over the edge was a webinar I surreptitiously snuck into (ie hacked), which was about the amount of plastic waste the little blighter’s butts cause. You know I’ve been on a green bent since my better half decided to go vegan. Have started putting all the right waste in the right bins, started composting (glad we live in suburbia and not a high-rise), and are getting close to the zero food-waste goal that she set at the beginning of lockdown (if I have another Friday night where the only fare available are a couple of carrots, beetroot and half a head of an iceberg lettuce it might mean more martinis to take the edge off – she refuses to do a shop until ALL the edible food is,

INSIDEWASTE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021

well, eaten).

I’ve also been keeping my eye on the different initiatives for getting rid of single-plastic waste without realising that a lot of the aforementioned waste was literally on the tip of my tongue. There are 8 billion – that’s right, Sir, billion – plastic butts entering the waste stream every year in this great southern land. Now, you might argue, ‘surely a country the size of Australia can absorb that number of butts’. Well, they may only be less than half an inch, but there are 8 billion of them – about a third of the total smoked in a year. And that is 8 billion EVERY year – in other words the effects are cumulative.

A lot of waterways, coastlines, as well as national parks find a home for these discarded pieces of plastic. The

effect on the local wildlife can be quite alarming, not least when you see the odd Ibis going through the local council bins and come out with a spent ciggie hanging from its beak.

No, I’m going cold turkey, and won’t be adding to the problem – not that I did in the first place you understand. Well, if I was to be completely honest, there might have been odd night on the martinis at the local gentleman club’s garden bar where the odd butt didn’t find the ashtray.

As for giving up my current job, well, I know what happens when the likes of me decide to ‘retire’ – I’m thinking quitting the ‘darts’ might lead to more longevity in the job.

Yours JB iw

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

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