Inside Waste Oct / Nov 2020 by Prime Group

www.insidewaste.com.au

ISSUE 98 | OCT/NOV 2020

The RMF comes as a much needed boost to the industry.

INSIDE 26 Waste 2020 Conference 32 Technology 35 Young Professional

States have waste in their sights AUSTRALIA’S ground-breaking Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) arrived to much applause from the WARR industry in July. Yet, the release of funds is dependent on state governments and industry matching the $191 million Federal commitment, and many of the critical projects it underwrites won’t be realised for another five years. Inside Waste talked to Australia’s state and territory Environment Ministers to gauge the status of their budgets and plans, and how swiftly they can move projects to aid the country’s COVID battered economy. In Victoria, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio has been tackling a major transformation of the way the government manages the state’s waste, while also enduring the extended Victorian lockdown.

$300 million commitment

Record investment The Victorian Government has announced a record investment of nearly $100 million for industry and infrastructure investment. This includes $49.5 million to strengthen Victoria’s waste and recycling industry and infrastructure, so the state can process more materials locally. This package will initially target investment in infrastructure to collect, sort and process priority materials including plastic, paper, cardboard, glass and chemical waste. In February, the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund (RVIF) made available an immediate investment of $28 million targeting priority materials such as plastics, glass and paper.

Applicants developing business cases D’Ambrosio said that the process for the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund is underway and following the expressions of interest that were

submitted in February, shortlisted applicants are currently developing business cases for their projects. “This package will invest in infrastructure to collect, sort and process priority materials including plastic, paper, cardboard, glass and chemical waste. The package will also consider the infrastructure required to process organic materials, textiles, and tyres. “These are due to be submitted in the coming weeks and until this process is completed, we cannot identify the projects, or the funding requested,” she added. Meanwhile, she believes that the state government is well positioned to continue to drive investment and outcomes in the sector as a result of its record investment. “We will continue to work collaboratively with the Commonwealth and our industry partners to deliver these critical infrastructure projects in a timely manner. “Despite the challenges of current circumstances (COVID), Victoria has continued to drive the delivery of projects outlined in Recycling Victoria, the delivery of household recycling reforms, options for a container deposit scheme that meets Victoria’s needs, the start of our education program on how to recycle effectively, and significant institutional reform,” she added. (Continued on page 22)

A COMPREHENSIVE investigation from the Changing Markets Foundation has revealed a disturbing lack of will by global plastics producers to accelerate their recycling activities in the face of an unprecedented plastic pollution crisis and growing public pressure to address it. In this review of the report, Inside Waste covers the methodology, findings and positive recommendations for policymakers and companies. Badged Talking Trash: The Corporate Playbook of False Solutions, the report spanned 15 countries and regions across five continents and analysed voluntary commitments from the largest plastic polluters, dissected the most prominent group initiatives and revealed how companies across the plastic supply chain, from the oil industry to consumer brands and retailers, act privately. It was prepared by a team of global investigative journalists, researchers and experts, as well as sourcing literature reviews, interviews, freedom of information (FOI) requests and on-theground investigations. The Changing Market Foundation is a global organisation working in partnership with NGOs, other foundations and research organisations, to create and support campaigns that shift market share away from unsustainable products and companies towards environmentally and socially beneficial solutions. (Continued on page 24)

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D’Ambrosio told Inside Waste that Victoria had committed more than $300 million to transform the state’s waste and recycling system through the Recycling Victoria policy and action plan. “As part of the launch of Recycling Victoria, in February we announced close to $100 million to drive research, expand the local processing and manufacturing industry, create more products from recyclable materials and

support new local jobs. “In order to deliver these landmark reforms, we will continue to work closely with the industry, community sectors and local government on these programs. I’d like to thank industry groups and businesses for rolling up their sleeves and getting on board to transform waste and recycling in Victoria,” she said.

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Editor’s Note //

An industry engaged, prepared and ready IN OUR NEWSLETTER on August 26, the story “Landmark recycling and waste legislation for Australia” took our opening rates to a new record. Good news for Inside Waste, but better news for the Australian WARR industry. The Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020, tabled in Parliament in August, will enable Australia to take responsibility for its waste, while establishing a national industry framework for recycling. The intent behind the Bill is the complete phase out of the 645,000 tonnes of unprocessed plastic, paper, glass and tyres that Australia ships overseas. Also encompassed within the Bill is the incorporation of the framework of the Product Stewardship Act 2011. Although these topics have been covered in depth within Inside Waste, the tabling of the Bill now brings a solid sense of confidence to an industry which needs to focus on the deep work of managing transformational. This month we also release the

long-awaited Inside Waste Industry Report: Chapter 3. One of the findings which relates directly to the Bill under consideration are the targets within the National Waste Policy 2019 including reduction of total waste generation in Australia per capita by 10 per cent by 2030, an 80 per cent average recovery rate from all resource recovery streams by 2030, 30 per cent recycled content across all goods and infrastructure procurement by 2030 and phasing out problematic and unnecessary plastics by 2030.   Yet against this vision, the findings in this Chapter reveal that current council recovery rates are estimated at 48 per cent. To meet the policy’s 80 per cent target, council recovery rates will need to increase by 32 per cent in just 10 years. Over the past five years, these rates grew by only 14 per cent. To say that much work needs to be done is an understatement, but to also say that the WARR industry has a keen appetite to undertake these tasks is true. It is engaged, prepared and ready for change.

Trusted Advisors in Property, Environment, Planning, Waste & Local Government Law Experts in all areas of waste including: DAs and Land & Environment Court Appeals EPA Investigations & Prosecutions Waste Contracts Operational Issues & Waste Legislation Waste Transportation Asbestos Issues

Publisher Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au General Manager (Sydney) Terry Wogan terry.wogan@primecreative.com.au Group Managing Editor (Northern) Syed Shah syed.shah@primecreative.com.au Editor Claire Moffat claire.moffat@primecreative.com.au

Subscriptions +61 3 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au Inside Waste is available by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

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Copyright Inside Waste is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. Business Development Manager All material in Inside Waste is copyright Chelsea Daniels and no part may be reproduced or chelsea.daniels@primecreative.com.au copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical Design Production Manager including information and retrieval Michelle Weston systems) without written permission of michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au the publisher. The Editor welcomes Design contributions but reserves the right to Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the Client Success Manager accuracy of information, Prime Creative Justine Nardone Media will not accept responsibility for justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on Head Office information published. The opinions Prime Creative Pty Ltd expressed in Inside Waste 11-15 Buckhurst Street are not necessarily the South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia opinions of, or endorsed p: +61 3 9690 8766 by the publisher unless enquiries@primecreative.com.au otherwise stated. www.insidewaste.com.au

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

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Profile | Sophi MacMillan Vinyl Council of Australia Chief Executive What was your first role/job involving waste resource recovery? Relaunching Vinyl Cycle, a voluntary industry initiative to increase kerbside collection of PVC bottles across Australia for recycling, which diverted around 250 million PVC bottles from landfill, surpassing the initial target of 25 per cent recovery. In 2000, only five per cent of the 6000 tonnes of PVC bottles produced annually in Australia were being collected at kerbside, and none were being recycled. At the program’s peak, more than half of the PVC bottles were being recovered at MRFs throughout Australia. By 2012, 94 per cent of all households in councils with populations of 10,000 or more had access to recycling services, which include the collection of the bottles. What’s the favourite part of your role at The Vinyl Council? I enjoy working with a wide range of businesses from across the Australian vinyl products value chain to understand PVC product life cycles. I also appreciate working on solutions with industry and stakeholders to advance the industry’s sustainability. Used in practically every sector of the economy, vinyl accounts for a diverse range of mostly durable, long life products. I love the challenge of the material’s versatility and working with professionals, businesspeople and consumers to identify potential pathways to address what can,initially seem like difficult issues. How has The Vinyl Council changed since you became involved? I’ve been with the Council since its 1998 launch! The Council membership has

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

grown and diversified significantly as more companies recognised the value of our work to advance the industry’s sustainability. The last decade has seen the most change, as the industry’s voluntary product Stewardship Program, launched in 2002, reached a level of maturity, and the Best Practice PVC manufacturing accreditation scheme was launched in conjunction with the Green Building Council of Australia. Improving the circularity of PVC materials in Australia is a key focus. We are looking to address PVC packaging outcomes, further grow the PVC Recycling in Hospitals program, foster research and technology development for PVC waste recycling, encourage the use of recycled PVC (‘recoPVC’) in new products and better measure PVC waste and recycling in Australia. What are some of your achievements that you are most proud? Firstly, the continued industry engagement in the PVC Stewardship Program, which requires companies to meet a series of measurable commitments and targets related to the life cycle and circularity of PVC products. Through this, we have driven growth in recoPVC use by local manufacturing signatories – 2500 tonnes of recoPVC over the past four years. A second program I am proud of initiating is the PVC Recycling in Hospitals program, now operating at over 250 hospitals across Australia and New Zealand. The first of its kind, it collects single use PVC medical items – IV bags, oxygen masks and tubing – for local recycling into new, non-medical applications. In 2019, the program recovered 230 tonnes of PVC, equivalent to over 5.5 million IV bags. The program is now being adopted in other countries such as Thailand, South Africa, USA, Canada and the UK.

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Profile | Wastech

AVY DUTY HE

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What are the key services that Wastech offers? Wastech offers an extensive product range and end-to-end services for businesses and organisations that need solutions to effectively manage waste and recyclable resources and drive efficiency. Wastech supports a broad range of industry sectors from retail, waste collection, processing and resource recovery, manufacturers, and governments with tailor made solutions to suit. Whether it’s fitting a baler or compactor, or designing and delivering a major transfer station, Wastech can design solutions that fit the purpose. The organisation understands that each site and customer require something unique because one product doesn’t suit all. Through a collaborative approach, Wastech works with its customers to deliver waste solutions that provide long-term value.

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When was Wastech founded and why? Brothers Neil and Paul Bone, founded Wastech Engineering in 1993 along with a small team who have remained with the company to this day. The company was established to solve its customers’ waste handling problems, a mission that was also driven by a principle of contributing to the nation’s sustainability efforts. The organisation has grown to become an award-winning and highly-respected Australian manufacturing and engineering company committed to creating and supporting local jobs. With a local workforce of more than 100 people, Wastech maintains a deep inhouse capability with Australia wide operations.

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For more than 25 years, Wastech has been at the forefront of Australian engineering innovation by expanding and improving its products and services through investment in research and development, adoption of best-practice design, and procurement of high-quality technology and materials.

What are some of Wastech’s plans and ambitions for the next 12-18 months? Wastech has ambitious national growth plans and is presently expanding its service network with a new service centre in Brisbane and has another site underway in Sydney. The service centres will provide breakdown response and preventative maintenance support for customers, extending Wastech’s on-site service offering on Australia’s East Coast.

Wollongong Recycling (NSW) Pty Ltd convicted of contravening development consent and fined $36,000 Wollongong Recycling (NSW) Pty Ltd (Wollongong Recycling), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bingo Industries Ltd, has been convicted and ordered to pay a fine in the sum of $36,000 by the Land and Environment Court of NSW for carrying out development on land otherwise than in accordance with a development consent issued by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), contrary to ss 76(1)(b) and 125(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act). The development consent authorised Wollongong Recycling to receive and process up to 30,000 tonnes of waste at its premises at 50 Wylie Road, Kembla Grange NSW 2526 in the period 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017. However, during the 2017 calendar year, 40,023.98 tonnes of waste was received and processed on site in contravention of the development consent. On 7 September 2020, the Land and Environment Court convicted Wollongong Recycling for an offence against ss 76(1)(b) and 125(1) of the EPA Act for contravening a condition of its development consent, and ordered it to: 1.

Pay a fine in the sum of $36,000;

Pay the DPIE’s legal costs of $26,000; and

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News //

How 16 NSW councils are buying back recycled glass to create sustainable roads

Paving the Way is expected to create a market for over 20,000 tonnes of glass per year.

A GROUP of Sydney metropolitan councils have joined forces to recycle nearly 100 million glass containers per year into local roads through the largest local government-led procurement of recycled road-making materials in NSW history. Participating councils include Bayside, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, City of Sydney, Fairfield, Georges River, Hornsby, Inner West, Northern Beaches, Randwick, Ryde, Sutherland, Waverley, Willoughby and Woollahra. A request for tender (RFT) released by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) on behalf of 15 councils representing over 1.9 million people aims to initiate a new age of road-making by using recycled crushed glass (RCG) as a substitute for natural sand in roads and footpaths in line with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and AUS-SPEC specifications. The initiative, Paving the Way, is expected to create a market for over 20,000 tonnes of glass per year, or approximately one-third of these councils’ household glass recycling collections, without compromising existing recycling of glass into beverage containers.

Stimulating end markets By signalling ongoing aggregated demand to the market, SSROC aims to stimulate end markets for recycled glass, as well as support local jobs and the development of essential recycling infrastructure. The use of RCG is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding the transport of virgin sand from distant quarries. The procurement’s innovative contract model will track emissions and volumes of recycled materials 10

to help councils report on sustainability targets. Paving the Way is the first project under the Procure Recycled memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed by SSROC councils in November 2019, to prioritise recycled materials in procurement in response to China’s National Sword policy, which barred imports of Australia’s recyclable materials, and the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) decision to ban exports of unprocessed recyclable materials.

and community benefits. “Not only is this initiative set to deliver community infrastructure, it will also help protect the environment and create local jobs and economic activity,” Hancock said.

Game changer Meanwhile, SSROC President, John Faker said, “This is a game-

changer that puts every household on the frontline of a stronger, more sustainable society and reinforces the critical role played by the community in separating their recycling. Our councils are working hard to ensure that every single recyclable material put into the yellow-lidded bin is used as a resource.” iw

Government collaboration Since then, SSROC has worked closely with TfNSW, the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to refine specifications and align policies on recycled civil works materials. Procure Recycled will identify more council procurement opportunities for other materials from kerbside recycling, including products made from recycled plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and expanded polystyrene. NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean said the initiative was an important step for NSW by helping to increase the uptake in the use of recycled materials and also boosting local economies. “I want to make sure that NSW is a leader when it comes to recycling waste and maximising recycling, this is not just an environmental strategy but an economic one as well,” Kean said. Minister for Local Government, Shelley Hancock said this initiative was also “a great example of local councils working with each other and the State Government to achieve significant economic, environmental

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// News

Evans says time is up for Tyremil site ASSISTANT MINISTER for Waste and Environmental Management Trevor Evans has described the Tyremil site in Queensland as a “ticking time bomb” and called on the Queensland government to shut it down. The Minister’s response comes just a year after Queensland businessman Tony Di Carlo was fined $200,000 for a series of environmental breaches over his tyre recycling business. He was convicted in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 65 offences, including contravening environmental protection orders and waste tracking breaches. The complaints related to Tyremil operations at Rocklea, in Brisbane’s south, and Kingston, in Logan. He was previously fined, $40,000 when the Rocklea site went up in flames, blanketing the suburb in black smoke.

Shut these operators down Evans visited the site earlier this week after the situation was reported on Channel Nine’s A Current Affair. He told Inside Waste that the taxpayers of Queensland were now paying millions of dollars a year in waste levies, and the Federal Government was giving the Queensland Government record amounts of money to build new recycling facilities and infrastructure. “What we need now is for the Queensland Government to do its job, to step in, and shut these operators down. When I saw this tyre stockpile in person recently, I thought, wow, this is a ticking time bomb. I think in this dodgy operator we’ve got the classic shonky operator in the tyre recycling industry. “My understanding is that absolutely nothing has happened on this site or to the people involved for at least the last year, and that’s completely unacceptable. It should be priority number one for the Queensland Environment Department and the State Government to get in and shut it down immediately. “If that went up in flames again and it couldn’t be contained like last time, I think it truly would be Brisbane’s worst ever environmental disaster. This is a serious, serious problem. It is a very real environmental risk and that’s why we need the Queensland State Government to step in urgently and take action,” he said.

No federal tyre funding yet However, Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Enoch told Inside Waste that the Federal Government is yet to actually fund any additional tyre recycling facilities in Queensland.

“The Member for Brisbane’s attempt at creating a political blame game around a significant environmental issue is disgraceful and completely transparent. States and territories have had to drag the Federal LNP into funding waste and recycling infrastructure, and they have only recently recognised this as a problem. “The Queensland Government is investing $100 million in waste and recycling infrastructure in our state alone, which is almost as much as the Federal Government is investing across the entire country. Our Resource Recovery Industry Development Program has already funded new tyre recycling infrastructure, which will help to prevent stockpiling,” she said. Enoch added that the Queensland government was taking this matter very seriously and restated that Di Carlo and his company Tyremil Group Pty Ltd were both prosecuted in 2019 for a total of 123 charges and fined over half a million dollars.

Strong industry response Evans originally posted some comments on his Linkedin page following his visit to the site and this garnered a strong WARR industry response. Tyre Stewardship Council (TSA) CEO Lina Goodman said, “I agree, this is just not good enough. How this organisation has been allowed to remain in business is deplorable. Tyremil acts in a manner that contravenes all that Government, the industry and good recyclers/retailers are working towards.” Meanwhile, Waste Recycling Industry Queensland (WRIQ) CEO Mark Smith also told Inside Waste that WRIQ has actively taken steps to raise and resolve this issue. “The impact that this site is causing isn’t just about potential fire risk, this site is having impacts right now on legitimate businesses neighbouring the site and undermines the work of our members and other good operators. This type of situation undermines the integrity of the broader industry and the levy scheme “I recognise that sometimes these problems are challenging for DES but if DES isn’t able to resolve this issue, I’d encourage broader investigation by the government to understand what else can be done tackle it. Is this a matter for WorkSafe? The Tax office or the police. Bring all the relevant agencies and make an example of ongoing problematic sites and operators.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

Especially important when we ask a broader question of what other laws are being blatantly violated and what are the proceeds of this criminal activity funding?” he said. Smith added that waste generators or suppliers to these kinds of sites need to be held accountable. “Identifying who feeds these rogue operators and holding them accountable to tackle these challenges at both ends which is key for a longterm sustainable approach to these challenges otherwise we are always just cleaning up someone else’s mess,” he said. WRIQ and TSA are looking to involve the NSW Waste Contractors Recycling Association (WCRA) on a project that will soon begin to examine the scale of unlicensed activity within the scrap metal industry in local government areas across Queensland and New South Wales. Smith said he is confident that this work will identify a number of problem sites and the objectives are to deliver a wholistic understanding to Government about the scale of these problems but

Assistant Minister for Waste and Environmental management Trevor Evans travelled to Queensland to inspect the Tyremil site.

also offer industry suggestions on how to can tackle them. More details on this project will be released this month. “It is vital criminal activity like this doesn’t go unchecked and people behind these operations are held accountable,” he added. iw

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News //

What Cleanaway’s Vik Bansal learnt since May Bansal said there was “absolutely a need for speed” in trying to fix Cleanaway.

IN A FRANK interview with the Australian Financial Review (AFR) Cleanaway Waste Management’s CEO Vik Bansal, explained why he needed to be tough on staff to fix the company. Complaints that Bansal’s management style led to a “culture of bullying and harassment” have made headlines over the past month and come at a time when the WARR industry is working to elevate itself into a position as a significant force within the Australian economy. Bansal said there was “absolutely a need for speed” in trying to fix the troubled company when he took over in 2015, as he admitted to conduct unbecoming a chief executive while acknowledging that it was “painful” to have the spotlight turned on him.

May complaint triggered investigation A complaint in May this year, which was the subject of an independent investigation resulted in Bansal now receiving mentoring and becoming subject to enhanced reporting and monitoring. Bansal confirmed that Victoria police had been called to both the company’s St Kilda Road headquarters and its Perry Road Office and Collections Depot in Dandenong South after employees raised concerns they were asked to work from the office during the coronavirus pandemic. However, he said nothing eventuated from the police visits and the Department of Health in Victoria had complimented the company. “My personal biggest learning out of COVID is a significant appreciation of flexible hours,” he said. “I’ll be honest with you; I was one of those executives: I was not in the camp of working from home.” The May 2020 complaint was triggered by concerns employees couldn’t work from home, and pointed to previous

instances where it was seen that Mr Bansal discriminated against women who needed flexible hours. Since joining the Cleanaway (formerly known as Transpacific Industries) in 2015, Bansal has grown the company’s share by 300 per cent although that has dropped following the emergence of this issue. Inside Waste spoke with Nextek managing director Ed Kosiar who consults with Cleanaway and other international WARR companies. He said that while it’s true that the whole industry has to be tough to run successful businesses, companies such as Cleanaway need all their operations tracking well if they are to grow. “This is obviously a culture issue which appears elsewhere in the economy and the waste industry is no different from other industries either in Australia or globally,” he said.

A company under pressure However, since AFR interview in September, pressure on Bansal and the company continues. Cleanaway is now the subject of

an investigation by the government’s workplace health and safety agency, Comcare. It is also being examined by ASIC over the disclosure of the probe into Bansal. It appears that Cleanaway also potentially breached the Fair Work Act over a plan to persuade employees into negative annual leave balances during the COVID-19 crisis and is also being investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in NSW. It has been reported that although Cleanaway did not disclose the independent probe in its financial accounts, the company ascribed a 25 per cent reduction in Bansal’s short-term bonus to “COVID-19related challenges”. Although Bansal had forcefully denied a link between the STI reduction and the probe. the Cleanaway Board acknowledged last week for the first time that Bansal’s pay was cut due partly to his “behaviour”,after inquiries by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in the sale of $10 million of Bansal’s shares in August. iw

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News //

No time to waste – Victoria progresses recycling reform THE VICTORIAN Government has published details of the proposed regulatory framework to consolidate regulation of waste and recycling in Victoria. In February this year, the Victorian Government released Recycling Victoria. This strategy outlines the Victorian government’s plan to transform waste and recycling towards a circular economy. To address some of the commitments made in Recycling Victoria: A new economy, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has published its Waste and recycling legislation and governance – Options Paper (Options Paper), detailing proposed changes including new legislation (Waste Act) and a centralised oversight body (Waste Authority).

The Waste Authority The proposed Waste Authority will take over the functions of the seven existing Waste and Resource Recovery Groups (WRRGs), the infrastructure planning functions

undertaken by Sustainability Victoria, and will administer the proposed Waste Act. DELWP will retain its responsibility for state-wide waste and recycling policy, and Sustainability Victoria will perform industry development functions and undertake behaviour change programs. The EPA’s role in regulating waste and recycling in Victoria will remain unchanged.

The Waste Act The purpose of proposed Waste Act will be: • to support Victoria to achieve its waste and resource recovery goals, in accordance with the waste hierarchy; and • to ensure waste and recycling services are reliable and meet community expectations. These overarching purposes will be supported by six principles to guide decision-making in the implementation of the Waste Act: waste hierarchy; transparency; accountability; shared responsibility; climate change; and support for the

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

objectives of other waste legislation and policy frameworks. The Waste Act will also empower the Waste Authority to require businesses to separate waste for recycling from 2025 and to set minimum service standards for household waste across Victoria. This will ensure household have access to the four core waste and recycling services, including organics, glass, comingled recycling and residual waste.

Local councils Local councils will remain responsible for providing households in their local government area with both waste and recycling services, but it will be overseen by the Waste Authority. The Waste Authority will also have powers to assist local council with procuring, contract managing and maintaining waste and recycling services. Service providers will be required to support the work of the Waste Authority through mandatory reporting obligations, which is intended to complement the reporting requirements established under the amendments

to the Environment Protection Act 2017 and associated subordinate legislation. The Waste Authority will also be able to intervene in the waste market by establishing “recycling market schemes”. The Waste Act will also establish a container deposit scheme, statebased product stewardship schemes, and create a new waste and resource recovery infrastructure planning framework. In respect of infrastructure planning, the Options Paper recommends the consolidation of the current state-wide infrastructure plan and seven regional implementation plans into a single plan, referred to as the ‘Victorian Recycling Infrastructure Plan’.

Next steps The Options Paper will likely result in significant reform of the waste and recycling sector in Victoria. Industry stakeholders should consider making a submission to ensure that any concerns or potential opportunities are considered as part of the review. iw

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// News

Consumer pays in e-waste disposal scheme The TechExpress service provides another option for consumers who find a mail-back service convenient.

A NEW PARTNERSHIP between TechCollect and Australia Post where consumers can recycle up to twenty-two kilograms of e-waste, for a mailing fee of $14.95 has been queried by director and co-founder of the Ewaste Watch Institute, Rose Read. Badged TechExpress, the service by TechCollect will enable households and small businesses to recycle unwanted and “end-of-life” electrical goods and devices using any Australia Post office or post box nationwide. However, Read who is also CEO of the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIQ) told Inside Waste that, while this initiative offers consumers an alternative way to recycle their ewaste, it is unfortunate that the consumer has to pay. “This is not the intent of the Australia Government’s National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) where as per the regulation “a person must not be charged for the collection of a television or computer product for recycling if the product was used by the person only: (i) for personal, domestic or household purposes; or (ii) in relation to a small business. “I would expect any collection and recycling service provided by a NTCRS co regulatory arrangement to the public for computers, printers, computer accessories and televisions would be free,” she said.

Reasonable access TechCollect ANZRP CEO Warren Overton responded, “TechCollect provides an extensive network of free drop-off sites all around Australia through our existing TechCollect sites and this more than meets the Reasonable Access requirements for the NTCRS.

“Our TechExpress service is in addition to this network and provides another option for consumers who find a mail-back service more convenient and are willing to pay for this. “We are currently seeking clarification from the NTCRS Regulator as to whether we can include this collected material to meet our scheme target. “If the Regulator determines that the material collected cannot be counted to our scheme target, we will still continue the program as we believe it is an important service that will greatly assist some members of our community to recycle e-waste,” he said. Under the scheme, all electrical goods received via TechExpress will be manually dismantled. All data is destroyed, and components are sorted into process streams where valuable materials can be manufactured to build new products, helping to create a sustainable environment and circular economy. The initiative will run alongside ANZRP’s existing 276 drop-off sites which Overton explained will provide consumers living in regional and remote areas with a convenient, safe and secure recycling solution. Meanwhile, Read referred to MobileMuster, the official recycling program of the mobile phone industry. As a voluntary accredited scheme under the Product Stewardship Act she said that it has provided for at least 10 years or more a free national post back service for all mobile phones, chargers and accessories. “There is no charge to the consumer. This is what I would expect from all accredited ewaste

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product stewardship schemes. “Product stewards no matter what the industry or product class need to engage positively with the market and consumer without creating barriers such as mailing fees and disposal charges. “Shifting to a circular economy for ewaste will require some step-

change improvements. Ewaste Watch would prefer to see more attention being placed on product durability, reuse and repair to avoid waste as outlined in the Government’s National Waste Policy Action Plan and the Review of the Product Stewardship Act,” she concluded. iw

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News //

New chair for NSW environmental watchdog

NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean is concerned about dodgy operators.

FORMER AUSTRALIAN Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) senior executive Rayne de Gruchy AM PSM has taken over as Chair of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA). Environment Minister Matt Kean described de Gruchy as a highly experienced regulator and will play a key role in ensuring that the EPA is a world-class regulator that holds dodgy individuals and organisations to account. “Now more than ever it is important that we have a tough, independent

environmental cop on the beat – ensuring our environment and communities are protected from potentially harmful and hazardous activities,” Kean said. “The people of NSW expect our environment to be protected, so our children and their children can enjoy our natural environmental assets for generations to come. De Gruchy has come from the ACCC where she led the charge protecting consumers and fearlessly prosecuting people that broke the law – I expect her to take the same approach as

Chair≈of the EPA.” Meanwhile, De Gruchy said she was excited to be taking on the role. “I’m looking forward to contributing to the important work of the EPA and working with businesses, government and the community to reduce pollution and waste, protect human health, and prevent degradation of the spectacular natural environment in NSW,” she said. Kean thanked acting Chair Carolyn Walsh for her leadership and guidance over the past 14 months. “Carolyn has been steadfast in her commitment to drive improved environmental outcomes and hold rogue operators to account, and I thank her for her exceptional stewardship and support of the EPA team throughout the challenges of the summer bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic,” Kean added.

NSW sector has decent operators The executive director of the Waste Contractors & Recyclers Association of

NSW (WRCA) Tony Khoury told Inside Waste that he also extends a very warm welcome to de Gruchy in her new role. However, he noted that the vast majority of the NSW WARR sector is made up of decent, well-run business operators. “Our Members have often stated the view that NSW needs a strong and fair environmental regulator and a wellthought out 20-year waste strategy. This will provide industry with the confidence to invest in sustainable waste management solutions. “Minister Kean refers to ‘dodgy individuals and organisations’ in the waste sector. However, if the EPA is to be a true ‘world-class regulator’ and we are to achieve our resource recovery goals, then the EPA and the NSW Government needs to have an action plan for disrupting unlawful business models, without there being unintended impacts for legitimate operators. “We look forward to working with the new Chair and the staff of the EPA to progress these issues,” he said. iw

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Why our first battery recycling scheme matters THE COUNTRY’S two largest domestic battery suppliers Duracell and Energizer have committed to the industry led Australian Battery Stewardship Scheme. The decision which has been described by the industry as representing “goodwill by all stakeholders” follows the Product Stewardship legislation introduced to the House in September. This places a greater emphasis on manufacturers and business sectors taking greater responsibility for the entire lifecycle of the goods they produce. “Currently, around 16,650 tonnes of waste batteries (the equivalent of 810 million AA batteries), go to landfill every year, but securing the support of global manufacturers Duracell and Energizer for the national recycling scheme is a key step towards the establishment of a circular battery economy. “Batteries are everywhere in our modern world but what many of us don’t recognise is the significant hazard they can represent in landfill and in everyday recycling

facilities,” Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said. “Supported by the Morrison Government’s recycling agenda, the Australian Battery Stewardship Council has worked to secure key industry participation and has ensured ACCC authorisation to operate the scheme. “Batteries have sat on the Ministerial priority product list since 2013. The decision by Energizer and Duracell to now come on board sends a strong signal to industry and to consumers that it is time to recycle”. “We need to see all industry sectors focussing on a circular economy that will create new jobs, grow the economy and reduce pressure on the environment,” she added.

batteries join computers, televisions and mobile phones – all of which have had successful product stewardship schemes in place - delivering positive environmental and economic outcomes,” he said. “This announcement follows strong leadership and investment by the federal government on recycling, including $20 million to turbo-charge voluntary product stewardship schemes. “The Federal Government had signalled its expectation that industry take action, and we are delighted that industry, and in this case two major international brands, have now risen to the challenge ahead.”

Leveraging waste

Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) chair Gerry Morvell said, “The scheme will build a domestic battery recycling industry to add industrial growth and employment in the expanding waste management industry in Australia”. Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA) CEO Ian McAlister, also described the

Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, Trevor Evans, said that the more batteries we recycle through the circular economy, the more we reduce the adverse environmental impacts and the more we leverage waste as an asset. “The Government wants to see

Goodwill by all stakeholders

Energizer has joined with Duracell to commit to the Australian Battery Stewardship Scheme.

outcome as excellent stating that it represented consensus and goodwill by all stakeholders. He added that gives confidence in the successful implementation of the scheme.” Both ministers congratulated the Battery Stewardship Council for reaching this important milestone and encouraged all Australians to recycle their batteries under the new scheme when it is operational. “This new industry-led scheme for batteries in Australia is another key step in the Government’s commitment to move towards a more circular economy and more environmentally sustainable practices by industry,” Ley added. iw

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News //

WRIQ puts its suport behind tomorrow’s leaders A MENTORSHIP program delivering hands-on experience and tangible benefits for participants and the Queensland community and businesses is currently seeking mentors and mentees. Run by the Waste Recycling Industry of Queensland (WRIQ), the 2021 program will provide participants with an increased awareness of the key challenges impacting the future workforce, up-skill them to problem solve and create solutions for our shared future, according to WRIQ CEO Mark Smith.

Fostering mentorship

WRIQ CEO Mark Smith says that the current challenges present a great opportunity for our future leaders.

Smith said that aspiring professionals within the Queensland WARR industry will be matched with experienced and thoughtful senior leaders for 10 months. “During this time, the mentee / mentor relationship will be fostered through meetings and events and the mentee will have additional opportunities to grow their professional networks and skill by

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

participating in unique learning and development experiences. “These experiences will also enhance their understanding of the attributes of the future leaders in this industry and embed human connection, mental health and broader wellbeing as core leadership values. You will not find another leadership program like this,” he said.

Opportunities to step in “The WARR industry provide an essential service to Queenslanders. It keeps us safe, creates jobs and has vast environmental and social benefits. However, waste management is one of the world’s biggest challenges. In Queensland, our growing population is creating more waste to manage. This trajectory drives the need for effective regulation and investment in local waste and resource recovery opportunities,” Smith added. He cited the recent ban on waste exports overseas and the COVID-19 pandemic that has greatly increased business costs and emphasised

the need for Queensland to rebuild a safe, smart and sustainable local industry. “Our workplaces have already seen major disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic and this have provided a compelling real-time example of how our workplaces will need to be flexible and adaptive while maintaining connection and wellbeing. “These challenges present a great opportunity for our future leaders to step into this industry with confidence of growth and investment. They can move forward with a circular economy approach to waste and resource recovery, build partnerships across community, business and government, rebuild business based on the triple bottom line and be resilient through the challenges our collective future holds,” he added. The Future Leaders program is open to Queensland businesses, residents and non-WRIQ members. Contact mark.smith@wriq.com.au for more information. iw

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// News

How the NSW EPA is using recycling grants

Grants to the value of more than $700,000 have been awarded through the NSW Circulate Program.

SEVEN PROJECTS across NSW have received support in the latest round of grants of more than $700,000 to help reduce waste and promote recycling. Environment Protection Authority (EPA) director Circular Economy Programs Kathy Giunta said the funding supports NSW businesses which are innovating and finding new ways to recycle and repurpose materials which would otherwise end up in landfill. Among the grants is $134,500 awarded to Newcastle-based recycling project A Plastic Blueprint which gives businesses the tools to run their own soft plastic reduction and recycling program. “We all want to see waste plastic recycled or repurposed, so it doesn’t end up in landfill and projects like this – supported by the NSW Government – are helping achieve that goal,” Giunta said.

Largest funded program The Circulate Program is part of the NSW Government’s Waste Less Recycle More initiative, the largest waste and recycling funding program in Australia, managed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. A total of $731,300 has been awarded through the current intake of the Circulate Program to seven projects to repurpose or recycle materials, including plastics, textiles and food from commercial sites and turn them into new products.

“The innovation shown by the projects receiving funding is remarkable and shows the success we can have in growing the circular economy,” Giunta added. “Other projects will promote glass recycling, repurpose old textiles and help reduce food going to landfill.” Under the Waste Less, Recycle More extension, a total of $2.5 million in funding was allocated to the Circulate Program to fund eligible projects. Since 2015, the program has diverted more than 73,000 tonnes of commercial, industrial, construction and demolition waste from landfill. The seven projects awarded grants under the current intake are: 1. Circular Hub – A Plastic Blueprint – Newcastle, Sydney and regional NSW – $134,500 2. Edge Environment – Paving the way for glass recycling – Orange, Parramatta – $40,800 3. Yume Food – Eliminating food waste in manufacturing – Various NSW locations – $100,000 4. Circular Centre – Circular Textile Waste Service – Ballina, Orange, Sydney locations – $150,000 5. Valera Recycling – Recycling contaminated hard plastics – Central Coast, Illawarra, Sydney locations – $146,000 6. WildBlueGlobal Consulting – Recycling in the hydroponics industry – Central Coast, Dungog, Lake Macquarie – $80,000 7. Textile Recyclers Australia – Textile recycling – Liverpool – $80,000 iw

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WMRR CEO Statement //

From the CEO’s desk IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, we’re now into the last quarter of the year. 2020 has been interesting to say the least – undeniably because of COVID-19 but also because of the unabated attention on our essential Waste and Resource Recovery (WARR) sector. It is encouraging to see continued engagement within and beyond our industry, as also evidenced by the scores of WMRR members who put their hand up this year to lead their state/territory Branch Committees and working groups. WMRR’s 2020-2022 leaders are now firmly in their seats, working to build on the foundation laid by chairs, vice chairs, presidents and vice presidents that came before them. We are all aware that there is much work to be done over the next 12 months on both a state/territory and national level. Thus, it is timely that we go around Australia to look at the key issues WMRR’s 2020-2022 state/territory Branch Committee presidents will be focusing over the year. But as they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so, we dug deep and asked them to reveal a little-known fact or something fun about themselves. If you’d like to join your state/territory Branch Committee or any (or all!) of WMRR’s working groups, please contact the national office at info@wmrr.asn.au.

NSW Branch Committee President: Phil Carbins, SUEZ Over the next 12 months, NSW will have a new 20 Year Waste Strategy that will require WMRR’s involvement through all stages of development, as well as supporting members to transition to the future circular economy and low carbon state. Meeting the circular economy objectives will require ongoing engagement throughout the value chain, based on a demand model, and include recycled product purchasers, processors/operators, households/customers, manufacturers and product designers. The role of government policy and regulation is integral to all steps in this process. No pain no gain, I sustained an injury whilst attending the Sardinia Landfill Symposium (in the 2000s) that required a rapid return to Australia and surgery!

Queensland Branch Committee President: Matthew McCarthy, Townsville City Council The Queensland Waste Strategy, and the waste levy that underpins it, has been in place for over a year now and industry is rapidly changing on multiple fronts. The Branch continues to positively influence this change, supported by positive engagement with the working groups. At the time of writing, the Queensland

There are a number of significant WARR initiatives including the commencement and effective operation of the CDS, growth of FOGO, and EfW. Against this backdrop of change, we will continue to keep the focus on the need to develop markets for recovered resources. elections were imminent and among our priorities for the sector are ensuring Queensland has a long-term strategic state-wide WARR infrastructure plan that guides investment, with a dedicated and transparent fund to manage the levy payments collected and the reinvestment of the 70 per cent that has been committed back to our essential industry. Starting young, I recall when I was five years old, waking up early on bin collection day and watching the bins being humped to the truck, and thinking, “one day I’ll be a garbo”. Now look where I’ve ended up!

SA/NT Branch Committee President: John Phillips, Think Environment The Branch will play an important role in shaping the future of resource recovery and the circular economy through consultation and contribution, embracing ongoing EPA-driven waste reform via regulatory and strategic focus, underpinned by the 2020–2025 State Waste Strategy. The outcomes of the scoping review of the CDS legislation will have the potential to influence all jurisdictions engaged in the evolving CDS landscape. The disruption caused by COVID-19, summer bushfires, and response to COAG bans will heighten focus on WARR infrastructure, capacity, and community resilience in the context of essential services management and processes enabled through the sector. An industry veteran, my recent retirement as CEO of iconic NGO KESAB after 30 years and establishing my own consultancy will allow me to maintain an upfront position to assist various corporates and NGOs with respective sustainability engagement and project design and management.

Tasmania Branch Committee President: Justin Jones, Just Waste Consulting The Tasmanian waste and resource recovery landscape is about to embark on two major changes - the introduction of a legislated Waste Levy in 2021 and a Container Refund Scheme in 2022. The Waste Action Plan 2019 sets a variety of goals for increasing recycling, organics diversion from landfill and opportunities to look higher up the waste hierarchy with the avoidance of problematic materials. The state government has also committed to allocating 100 per cent of the levy funds collected to waste and resource recovery activities. With 2021 fast approaching, a levy amount is yet to be released and we are all hoping that a value will be set high enough to make real change and drive investment and diversion. Behind every great man… I have three beautiful children, all girls. I never thought

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From the CEO’s desk I would be a netball or ballet dad but love watching them at their chosen interests. Environment will meet for second I also love nothing better than enjoying a glass Ministers of wine and conversing withthe my wife. time this year on 7 December, following the first 2018 Meeting ofKirstin Environment (MEM) in Victoria Branch Committee President: Coote,Ministers Bunnings April, which was in part a response to the From 1 July 2021, when the new EP Act commences, the EPA will have increased import restrictions drivento by China’s National their Sword powers and we will continue to support our members prepare and understand Policy and the effects this policy has had responsibilities under this change. The state’s circular economy policy - Recycling across thethere Australian waste and resource recovery Victoria - will be implemented and will be multiple opportunities and issues(WARR) industry. Key decisions derived from the April related to the introduction of the CDS, new waste Act and authority, investment in MEM include: industry, EfW, modernising of WARR data systems, addressing high risk and hazardous waste, and transformation of kerbside services. Reducing waste generation, endorsing target Loud and proud, thanks to my •wonderful childhood on farms, I have perfectedaone of 100% of Australian packaging being recyclable, of the loudest whistles my kids have had the misfortune of hearing. It’s also proved or reusable 2025, developing to be very helpful when trying tocompostable get the attention of a largeby groups onand the odd targets for recycled content in packaging. resource recovery facility site tour over the years. • Increasing Australia’s domestic recycling capacity. • Increasing demand forPresident: recycled products. WA Branchthe Committee Lia Barnett • Exploring opportunities to advance waste-to-energy waste-to-biofuels. There are a number of significant WARR initiatives including and the commencement • Updating the 2009ofWaste Strategy byFOGO, year and end,EfW. which willthis include circular and effective operation the CDS, growth of Against backdrop economy principles. of change, we will continue to keep the focus on the need to develop markets for recovered resources. Waste education will also be a focus as consistent, effective, and It is time to take stock and examine whatthe hascall, been achieved decisions science-based education is vital. Answering it has been asince quick these rise from were announced. Now, seven (7) months may not seem like a long time, a phone call to Gayle Sloan (WMRR CEO) one lazy afternoon saying I would like however to in that timein wethe have seen further markets (Malaysia, Vietnam) get involved WMRR committee to beingclose elected presidentIndonesia, that resulted from a and if you are an aoperator under continued financial stress, seven (7) months could tight race with strong field of one (1) nominee. make breakchief you. executive officer, WMRR GayleorSloan, Following the April MEM, we have had three (3) states step in with varying degrees of financial assistance for industry (councils and operators). This should be expected considering almost all states (except Queensland and Tasmania) have access to significant waste levy income each year. On the eastern seaboard, Victoria has approximately $600 million in waste levy reserves in the Sustainability Fund and NSW raises more than $700 million per annum from the waste levy. There is certainly no lack of funds that can be reinvested into our essential industry. Funding helps but as we know, the money goes a much longer way with Government support and leadership, as well as appropriate policy levers. VICTORIA Victoria has arguably been the most active and earnest in supporting the industry post-China, with two (2) relief packages announced to support the recycling industry, valued at a total of $37 million. The Victorian Government has also gone above and beyond all others states by announcing it would take a leadership role in creating market demand for recycled products. SOUTH AUSTRALIA 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.

industry however the Queensland Government has embarked on the development of a waste management strategy underpinned by a waste disposal levy to increase recycling and recovery and create new jobs. The State will re-introduce a $70/ tonne landfill levy in March 2019. There are also strong attempts to use policy levers (levy discounts and exemptions) to incentivise the use of recycled material and make it cost competitive with virgin material. However, little has been done to establish new markets and Government has not taken the lead in the procurement of recycled material. There are grants available for resource recovery operations in Queensland although no monies have been allocated to assist in 2018. This is troubling as Queensland rolled out its Container Refund Scheme on 1 November, which will likely impact the cost and revenue models of the State’s MRFs – as we have seen most recently in NSW. WESTERN AUSTRALIA The Western Australian Government set up a Waste Taskforce in direct response to the China National Sword. As part of this announcement, the State Government urged all local councils to begin the utilisation of a three (3)-bin system - red for general waste, yellow for recyclables and green for organic waste - over the coming years to reduce contamination. While this taskforce is a step in the right direction, we are yet to see any tangible results from it or any funding for industry. In October, the WA Waste Authority released its draft Waste Strategy to 2030, which comprises a comprehensive and detailed roadmap towards the State’s shared vision of becoming a sustainable, low-waste, circular economy. COMMONWEALTH Following the MEM in April, Australia now has a new Federal Environment Minister, Melissa Price, who in October reiterated to media MEM’s commitment to explore waste to energy as part of the solution to the impacts of China’s National Sword, which is troubling (EfW is not a solution to recycling). The Commonwealth has also backed the Australian Recycling Label and endorsed the National Packaging Targets developed by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), which has to date, failed to incorporate industry feedback in the development of these targets. To the Commonwealth’s credit, there has been significant coordination in reviewing the National Waste Policy, with the Department of Environment bringing together industry players and States during the review process. The updated Policy will now go before Environment Ministers on 7 December. The Commonwealth can play a key role – one that goes beyond the development of the National Waste Policy. WMAA is supportive of the Federal Government maximising the levers it has, including taxation and importation powers, to maintain a strong, sustainable waste and resource recovery industry. AHEAD OF MEM 2 There may be movement across Australia, with some states doing better than 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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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Cover Story //

States have waste in their sights By Inside Waste (Continued from page front page) WESTERN AUSTRALIA (WA) has been the state least affected by COVID, while Environment Minister Stephen Dawson told Inside Waste that the state government has committed up to $15 million to paper and cardboard processing. “If there is a suitable project and if the Commonwealth and industry proponent agree to at least match the funding.” He said that the state government has also committed $20m ($15m plus up to $5m value in industrial land) to plastics, tyres and regional processing. “The Commonwealth has also committed $20m of the total $190m in Federal funds to WA for this purpose. Expressions of interest processes for both have been conducted and the assessment process is underway,” he said. When asked if he could provide a figure on the amount that WA would contribute to matching the RMF in the next 12 months, Dawson 22

explained that the amounts to be invested in the next 12 months are not yet known, as it depends on the outcome of the current processes. “It is likely the funds will be spent over the next three to five years, with timing of investment anticipated to be confirmed early next year.”

Paper and cardboard a priority According to Dawson, the state government recognises that paper and cardboard processing is an important issue in WA, with around 80,000 tonnes of materials a year to process. “That is why we have committed up to $15 million to increase capacity. We still need to determine if there is a suitable project and if the Commonwealth and industry proponent will agree to at least match the funding. “WA has set ambitious recovery targets in the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030, including an overall material recovery target of 75 per cent by 2030. The Waste Strategy focuses on

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

certain waste streams that will make the biggest difference to achieving these targets. “Transition to FOGO for all local governments in the Perth and Peel regions will increase municipal solid waste recovery through more organics recovery. The reuse of construction and demolition materials is another key strategy to achieve the overall target of increasing material recovery and reducing the amount of waste to landfill,” he said. He added that the WasteSorted Grants in 2020-21 provide $1.54m in funding for appropriate projects to reduce waste generation and increase material recovery.

Uncertainty a challenge Dawson described ongoing uncertainty over recycling markets, and in particular the technical and cost implications of tighter contamination limits from export markets as a challenge for industry and local governments. “Increasing the proportion of materials that are processed and used within WA and Australia

will take some time to mature in response to these pressures, but can be assisted by targeted local procurement initiatives.” Aside from a general increase in the level of uncertainty over future economic activity, Dawson said he had observed that COVID related restrictions have impacted on the ability to source equipment and specialist technical staff required to build, operate and maintain specialised equipment used in waste processing facilities.

Northern Territory lists priorities The Northern Territory (NT) held an election in August and returned the incumbent government with the Environment Minister, Eva Lawler retaining her portfolio. Lawler told Inside Waste that her government is presently in discussions with the Federal Government about how funding from the RMF and the NT’s contribution can best be utilised for the Territory. She said that through its commitment to the National Waste Policy 2018: Less Waste, More

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// Cover Story

Roger Jaensch.

Resources and supporting the delivery of the COAG waste export ban, the NT had identified a number of commitments which it will deliver, including: • Investigating reducing single use plastics in the NT. • Encouraging reuse and recycling of waste (especially glass, paper, plastic and tyres) through a review of government procurement practices and standards • Identification of critical infrastructure to facilitate increased waste and recycling in the NT. • Working with industry, local councils and communities to identify opportunities to develop a circular economy through the reuse and recycling of waste, and • Reducing regulatory and administrative burden associated with licences and approvals to encourage improved treatment, recycling and reuse of waste. Lawler identified the NT’s biggest challenge in generating

a circular economy for key waste streams such as paper, tyres, glass and plastic is overcoming the barriers to sustained investment in waste and recycling. She said that these barriers include: • Comparatively small and dispersed population and industry. • Cost of transporting waste to a centralised location for processing as well as transport of end commodities to markets. • Insufficient waste material for reprocessing, recycling or reuse to support an economically viable business. • The need for increased incentive for industry to invest in the NT compared to other parts of Australia, and • Generating demand for recycling or reprocessed materials by the community, industry and government. While COVID has impacted many industries, Lawler said that the NT government has kept work moving and jobs flowing as much as possible. “We are the comeback capital of Australia and we will partner with local businesses and operators when it comes to our investment in waste and recycling,” she added confidently.

National Partnership Agreement Tasmania Environment Minister Roger Jaensch told Inside Waste that the government would match funding provided by the Federal Government to Tasmania through the RMF. “This coordinated funding will support businesses to improve the processing capacity for the materials covered by the waste export bans. We are looking forward to working with all levels of government to help build domestic markets for these materials so we are not shipping our waste offshore, when it could be reused here or reprocessed into value-added

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

Lily D’Ambrosio.

Eva Lawler.

Stephen Dawson.

Matt Kean.

We are currently developing the legislative framework for a CRS and our intention is for the scheme to commence operation in 2022. Roger Jaensch commodities,” he said. Jaensch added that the government expects to announce the size of its funding shortly, once the National Partnership Agreement has been finalised and signed.

Grants program “Once the funding arrangements for the RMF are finalised, we will run a grants program to allocate this funding. We will then be in a position to make an announcement on the priority projects for the RMF once this process has been run,” Jaensch said. Meanwhile, he explained that the finalisation of Tasmania’s Waste Action Plan, the delivery of a Container Refund Scheme (CRS) and the introduction of a state-wide waste levy remain important priorities for the Tasmanian Government. “We are currently developing the legislative framework for a CRS and our intention is for the scheme to commence operation in 2022. “The government is also aiming to introduce appropriate legislation next year to implement a waste levy in Tasmania. The introduction

of a waste levy will fund innovative reuse and recycling schemes and support co-investment with recycling businesses that will improve our recovery of recyclables and will also generate more jobs for Tasmanians.” Jaensch said that the government was committed and remained on track to deliver its waste projects. “These projects remain a priority and we don’t anticipate there being delays to their implementation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Progressing projects that support our economy and create jobs, specifically the resource and recovery sector in this instance, are important for our community as we recover from the COVID pandemic,” he added. Perhaps the last word is best left to NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean who told Inside Waste that, “NSW is working closely with the Commonwealth to finalise funding arrangements. “We look forward to working with industry and the community to take forward the projects that will make our waste and resource recovery system more resilient and help us transition to a circular economy.” iw

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Plastic //

Plastic study reveals deep intransience to change Recommendations for Policymakers:

against it in Africa, China and the United States.

Key findings from the case studies:

Talking Trash The corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis

By Inside Waste (Continued from page 1) THE TALKING Trash methodology comprised critical analysis of voluntary commitments from the ten biggest plastic emitters (mutlinational food and beverage fast moving consumer goods companies) which have a joint plastic footprint of almost 10 million tonnes per year – the equivalent of 30 times the weight of the US Empire State Building. It assessed their commitments based on their support for progressive legislation (for example, calling for mandatory collection of more than 90 per cent plastic packaging); the ambition of their targets for plastic reduction; their commitments to reuse; their introduction of recycled content; and their transparency and accountability – including whether their commitments are applied across all markets in which they operate. It also analysed whether companies ensured their reduction of single-use plastics avoided substitution with other single-use materials, and whether their commitments to increase recycling and recycled content rely on false solutions, like chemical recycling. The most prominent group initiatives were investigated, such as the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, where these companies have made commitments.

Well organised lobbying The picture that emerges from the report shows a well-organised network of organisations that lobby at every 24

level, mobilising against even the smallest attempt to restrict or otherwise regulate plastic production. Of most concern, the study revealed how companies often use these commitments to appear to be part of the solution, while at the same time using trade associations, producer responsibility organisations and even fake environmental groups to aggressively oppose and lobby to delay progressive legislation to tackle the plastics crisis. The main case studies analysed in the report focus on the United States, European Union, Scotland, France, Austria, Spain, Czech Republic, Japan, China, Kenya, Uruguay and Bolivia, while the report also briefly looked at the situation in the UK, Portugal and The Netherlands. It appears, from the report, that the problem with voluntary commitments and group initiatives lies within a lack of ambition and focus on end-of-pipe solutions, such as clean-ups, products’ recyclability or biodegradability. Companies also tend to rely on problematic solutions, such as biobased plastics or chemical recycling, which fail to address the root cause of the problem and may scale up other environmental problems in their wake. Real solutions, such as mandatory collection of packaging, policies to increase reuse and phase out certain problematic plastic types or products, rarely feature in the voluntary approach and according to the report, are strongly fought against, if proposed by policy-makers. It also revealed that Coca-Cola, which recently proclaimed support for some legislation in the EU, still lobbies

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

• In the United States, it appears that the industry has shifted the blame and responsibility for plastic pollution from the corporations to consumers and public authorities, all while promoting recycling as a reason to produce more plastic. Fake environmental groups and increasing numbers of new voluntary initiatives have been used to distract from accountability, while legislation – such as plastic-bag bans and bottle bills – has been actively opposed for years. • In Europe, the industry lobbied at the EU level to weaken and delay the EU Plastics Strategy and the EU SUP Directive. One of the said multinationals attempted to eradicate deposit return schemes (DRS) in Scotland; efforts by retailers, beverage producers and producer-responsibility organisations to undermine DRS in Austria, Spain and the Czech Republic; and an opportunity was missed in France, where reuse targets were introduced without the systems to deliver them at scale. • In Asia, specifically China which shook the world of waste in 2018 by banning plastic-waste imports. This step is contrasted by low corporate action, with the only focus on cleanups and an array of commitments to switch to biodegradable and compostable alternatives. In Japan, despite citizens’ very high commitment to separate collection, there is little awareness that most waste is actually incinerated or exported. Beyond Japan’s borders, the government is also pushing problematic incineration technologies and bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics as part of its foreign aid ‘solutions’. • In Uruguay, audacious industry lobbying was revealed, and in Bolivia, there was a knee-jerk industry reaction to an ambitious plastics ban. Finally, in Kenya, a country slowly overwhelmed by plastic waste from companies looking to grow in Africa. That multinational company– despite its recent U-turn in support of DRS in Europe continues to fight against DRS in Kenya.

The biggest takeaway from the report is its identification that voluntary initiatives and commitments by the industry are ineffective. As a result, it recommends that policymakers should adopt progressive legislation, built on the following key elements: Separate collection • Introduce legislation mandating at least 90 per cent separate collection of plastic waste (while systems for plastic bottles and other beverage containers are already well established, this should go beyond beverage containers to look at other types of packaging), and acknowledge that mandatory DRS are the only proven and effective way to achieve high levels of collection and litter reduction. Reuse policy • Introduce reuse targets and other supportive policy mechanisms (such as differentiated deposits for refillables), built into policies from the outset – and, in doing so, acknowledge that plastics and other materials cannot be reused at a significant scale without at least 90 per cent mandatory collection and DRS. Recycled content • Implement minimum recycled-content targets in the production of packaging and containers of at least 50 per cent for beverage containers and at least 30 per cent for other items, as a starting point. This creates a market for effective plastic recycling, and maintains plastic in a closed loop without downcycling the material. • Address the issue of hazardous chemicals, and ensure companies design products from the start that can be recycled in a healthy closed loop. For example, at the EU level, end exemptions for chemicals in recycled materials and regulate chemical groups (rather than individual chemicals) to avoid regrettable substitution. Virgin-plastic tax • Introduce a tax on virgin plastic, ensuring the use of recycled plastic is incentivised over virgin plastic. Accompanied this with a clear position on the use of alternative materials, such as bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastic.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Plastic

Australia’s troubling plastic question Waste Management & Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMMR) CEO Gayle Sloan told Inside Waste that she absolutely agreed with the Recommendations within the Report; however, she would adapt #1 for Australia to include a greater emphasis on design, including material selection. “In Australia, we just don’t have enough emphasis on design and we also need to have a greater focus on avoidance,” she said. However, Sloan believes that Australia’s troubling question which remains unanswered relates to our low recycled content plastic target compared to the rest of the western world. “Why are we only calling for a plastic recycled content target of 20 per cent by 2025 when plastic is our biggest challenge and not 30 per cent by 2022

like the UK and the rest of the world? “I feel like the Report while, highlighting a lot that we already know, also comes at an ideal time when we looking for better solutions. With the Product Stewardship Bill presently being tabled, I think it is a great time to look at our plastics targets,” she added. Sloan juxtaposed the situation in the UK where they will have a tax on virgin plastic by April 2022 (this applies to plastic packaging produced in, or imported into the UK that does not contain at least 30 per cent recycled plastic) against Australia’s position of having 20 per cent recyclable by 2025? “Why don’t we have the same standard as Europe?” she posed. Sloan also addressed the role of the multi-national companies which were covered in the Report. The question for those global companies who operate here is: “Are they keeping up with the progress they are making in Europe and if not why not?” she concluded.

include support for reuse, redesign of products and effective recycling. • Ensure transparency in reporting progress on the number of units. Clarity on alternative materials • Outline clear positions on the use of alternative materials, such as bio-based, bio-degradable and compostable plastic, with justifications for what is – and isn’t – a good use of these materials. • Ensure such products are only commercialised in markets with the appropriate waste-management infrastructure to deal with them. Consistency across markets • Ensure commitments are enacted across all markets where the company operates ensuring there is no contradiction between how a company acts on the issue in one market compared to how it acts in another. Robust voluntary commitments • Ensure any voluntary initiative the company is part of adheres to the guidelines on what a good voluntary initiative looks like.

COVID-19 hampers progress Ban harmful materials and chemicals • Introduce bans on unnecessary or harmful plastic materials, such as PVC and polystyrene, and on single-use products that frequently end up as litter in the environment and ocean. • Ban toxic chemicals across all products, and in recycled materials as well as in virgin materials. • Prioritise reusable alternatives and act to avoid substitutions – for example, replacing single-use plastic with other single-use materials, such as biobased, biodegradable or compostable plastic – which do not fix pollution problems and may also lead to other environmental problems. Extended producer responsibility • Introduce well-designed Extended Producer Responsibility schemes with modulated fees, the polluter-pays principle and reduction targets, and include funding for better alternatives to single-use. Zero Waste Cities • Support the Zero Waste Cities approach by creating and implementing systems that continuously intend to phase out waste – not by incinerating, landfilling or exporting it, but instead by not generating waste in the first place. Global action • Establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee at the UN Environment Assembly for a dedicated global agreement – a Convention on Plastic Pollution – that eliminates plastic discharges into the environment, while also promoting a safe circular economy for plastics; one

that addressing production and design to prevention and waste management. Include affected communities • When legislation is developed in countries with informal wastecollection sectors, it is important that it is context-specific and actively includes waste-picker communities in its development.

Recommendations for companies Support legislation • Ensure commitments are more ambitious than existing, or proposed, legislation to address plastic pollution. • Openly express support of – and call for – progressive legislation to address the plastic crisis, encourage peers to do the same and leave any industry initiatives that oppose, delay or undermine progressive legislation – including its implementation. Transparency • Be transparent about the company’s full plastic footprint and progress against targets on plastic, setting out a holistic approach to discourage ‘virtue signalling’ with tokenistic gestures • Ensure reporting includes achievements across all markets and brands based on independently verified data. Reduction • Commit to meaningful measures that would lead to a significant reduction in single-use plastics and other single-use materials. They need to be specific, measurable, time-bound and independently verified, and should

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Meanwhile, at the beginning of 2020, it seemed like the tide had started to turn with governments from Europe to

Africa introducing legislation to ban certain single-use plastic products and implement DRS. However, since the start of COVID-19 and while while PPE represents a small percentage of plastic output, the report said plastic producers are again arguing the case for single-use plastic. Reloop Pacific director, Robert Kelman told Inside Waste that plastic packaging pollution remains a scourge. “This is no trivial matter and tackling plastics in our environment is a number one priority. “The findings in this report that these large companies make promises they never keep and use various tactics to derail schemes that aim to increase recycling should come as no surprise,” he said. Kelman added that this report is further evidence that voluntary commitments are inadequate and that large brand owner’s commercial interests will always override sustainability. “Producers should not be put in charge of these kinds of policy programs and government must drive these.” Inside Waste gave The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation the opportunity to respond to the issues raised in the Report. iw

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Waste 2020 //

A case study: Battery Stewardship 2020 By Inside Waste IN SEPTEMBER, a decade of hard work came to fruition for the Battery Stewardship Council when it was granted the two authorisations necessary for the implementation of an industry-led stewardship scheme to significantly increase the recycling of batteries. As CEO of the Council, Libby Chaplin has been at the core of the process and earlier this year on the Waste 2020 Product Stewardship Webinar, described some of the key dilemmas faced by the Council and how these were overcome. The Battery Stewardship case study has been a work in progress for 10 years, including the earliest discussions that proceeded the listing in 2013 of batteries as a priority product. “Over that time there were numerous working groups, lots of research and pilots before the Battery Stewardship Council was formed in 2018 and finally, we arrived in 2020 where the Minister 26

indicated he wanted to turbo charge Stewardship,” she said. Chaplin explained that the process commenced with the definition of Product Stewardship and that essentially the responsibility lies with the Producer. This is because they have the biggest ability to affect the lifecycle impacts of products. However, for Australia this involves a challenge as the Producer is often not located here. “So, our ability to influence the entire lifecycle is lessened. As a result, the majority of Product Stewardship (PS) schemes in Australia have focused on end of life management, rather than the whole life cycle.” Chaplin noted that Energiser and Duracell were two companies which while not originally supportive, have become much more engaged in the past six months. She explained that the two companies had four key issues. First, they wanted their targets to reflect what was available for recycling. However, Chaplin said

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

that this has moved forward to the stage where all parties are on the same page about how targets will be met, and performance measured for the scheme. Secondly, they wanted ACCC authorisation, a request which the Council was easily able to meet. Then, there was the environmental burden where they wanted to understand the lifecycle impacts of what they were doing. This was also able to be met by the Council which had already considered a lifecycle analysis and the creation of a baseline and annual report.

Visible Fee Finally, Chaplin said that the biggest sticking point was what the producers called the Visible Fee which, from the Councils’ point of view, had already been included in the scheme. “They [the companies] felt that it was important that the consumer knew that they were paying a levy which was contributing to a recycling system. As well as knowing where to take their batteries and that they

would be responsibly managed at the end of life. “But they also believed it should be made visible through a retailer levy and not a producer levy and that this needed to be put very clearly on the retail receipt so that the consumer had transparency,” she said. Chaplin explained that this would have been “an administration headache” as there are 135,000 retailers in Australia compared to 75 producers/suppliers. “So, I think that we made a clear case as to why this wasn’t going to work in Australia for clear practical and political reasons,” she said. However, she said that, as this remains a significant concern, there has been a follow-up meeting with the Minister, and “we will see where that goes.” Meanwhile, Chaplin outlined the three key dilemmas that the Council and industry has faced.

Free Riders She described Free Riders as people who are industry participants but

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// Waste 2020

The Council and the industry has faced several dilemmas up to this point for the scheme.

don’t really contribute. “It’s a real problem because they create an unlevel playing field which disadvantages responsible participants. Meanwhile, the cost of managing free riders is borne by the industry and often they can be used as an excuse to justify inaction,” she said. However, the resolution to these issues has come through • ACCC Authorisations • Enterprise to Enterprise Agreements • Commercial Pressure • Potential change to Product Stewardship Act • Promotion and differentiation of Stewards

Competing perspectives of supply chain partners Chaplin was clear that much of the genesis of this dilemma lay with the very fixed ideas on what is possible, and particularly the impacts for offshore brands who have seen things work in specific ways elsewhere and may not understand the Australian culture and context. “For some of those operators, Stewardship is not their core business and they may not have much of an understanding of circular economies, so an educational piece has been necessary. It also takes time to develop a shared approach.” The Council found resolution to these issues by conducting pilots and

independent research to discover the costings to implement such a scheme. According to Chaplin, collaborations for sustainable change were significant where they were able to create shared vision and objectives, listen actively and document agreements. She said that securing key industry allies such as Woolworths and Panasonic, along with media coverage and political support were key.

Resolutions

Reliance on Offshore Producers

Managing the supply chain

Dilemma (perhaps the most challenging one) • Because Australia is dependant on offshore producers, it makes it hard to have a holistic approach…how do you influence product design when the design doesn’t happen in this country? • Challenging to get decision makers involved. They are just aware what’s going on in Australia from a political perspective so it takes quite some time to raise awareness to the extent that they can understand the reality of what can happen and what’s not going to happen here. • That requires strong commitment from government to influence. • Hard to build in the externalities of a product when it’s happening offshore. • When the driver is shareholder value it is difficult.

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• Getting local support is absolutely key; • Political support; • Key industry allies; • These are the two key factors which have been absolutely crucial: Openness in the dialogues and having a really positive attitude… keeping your eyes on the goal has been really crucial.

Product stewardship and sustainability consultant Dr Helen Lewis has been working with the Australian Packaging Covenant organisation (APCO) on the first comprehensive study of packaging consumption and recovery to benchmark performance against the 2025 Packaging Targets. The intention is that this will be updated annually to help inform the National Waste Packaging Plan. Lewis presentation focused on the data that had been uncovered and how it informed Product Strategy. Lewis said that she was aware that anyone who is involved in a Product Stewardship scheme knows that it’s difficult to proceed until you have a really good understanding of material flows. “It’s critical to understand how much is being consumed and generated as waste, how much has been recovered and where the gaps lie,” she said.

She considered a strong benefit of the study was the picture it provided of the eco system and some of the gaps that needed to be addressed. As a result, a series of targets were developed, and Lewis gave an overview of the industry’s progress against these.

Target #1 • 100 per cent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025 or earlier. The first analysis from the study revealed that the industry was presently tracking at 88 per cent.

Target #2 • 70 per cent of plastic packaging being recycled or composted by 2025. Lewis acknowledged that this is challenging as it is presently sitting at 16 per cent. She said it will need a significant focus over the next couple of years.

Target #3 • 50 per cent of average recycled content included in packaging. This figure has been lifted from 30 per cent. The industry is currently at 35 per cent.

Target #4 • The phase out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics packaging.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Waste 2020 //

Dr Helen Lewis is a consultant to APCO.

Lewis said that APCO is still in the phase of nailing down which items are in that category and that a lot more work needs to be done. Lewis stated that, of the 5.4 million tonnes of packaging waste of which paper and paperboard is the biggest, 2.7 million is recovered at the processing end about 63 per cent is paper, glass at 46 per cent, plastic at 16 per cent and metal at 48 per cent. “The important recovery rate figure was estimated at around 49 per cent for 2017/18,” she said.

Recycled content Lewis added that 35 per cent of packaging contained recycled content and they are also in the process are setting a target for that. The Report also identified 88 per cent of packaging which could be recyclable. “We divided it into good, (designed in a way that there is good collection and recycling services and viable end markets) poor (recyclable with lost value and may contaminate other streams) unrecyclable (not technically recyclable and no streams) and unknown (insufficient indication to assess recoverability). “This data has been extremely important in developing the 2025 target, we also put in a material flow model to look at what happens in 28

Battery Stewardship Council CEO Libby Chaplin.

each stage of the recovery process. That was critical to developing the strategy. • 5.4 million tonnes placed on the market (12 per cent not recyclable by design due to the composite material) • 4.8 million that is recyclable (32 per cent roughly not collected) • 3.3 million collected for recycling (18 per cent loss at that point) • 2.7 million tonnes recycled The Strategy that emerged from the study was launched earlier this year and titled Our Packaging Future. Lewis said that the data led to three clear outcomes which they wanted to achieve by 2025: 1. Packaging design for circularity. 2. Improved collection and recycling systems. 3. Expanded markets for used packaging. There are eleven strategies that support those three outcomes: 1.1 Reduce packaging through design and innovation. 1.2 Phase out problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics packaging. 1.3 Increase proportion of re-useable plastic. 1.4 Design for material recycling. 1.5 Design for compost ability when appropriate. 2.1 Standardise kerbside

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

collection systems 2.2 E xpand drop-off and take back systems for packaging 2.3 Improve the infrastructure for sortation and recycling 2.4 Educate households and business to source separate effectively. 3.1 Increase recycled content in packaging. 3.2 Increase recycled packaging materials in other products and civil construction. “I also need to stress that a lot of those strategies are not something that APCO and its members can influence and that’s why it’s called a collective impact. “APCO members have a lot to do at the beginning so that the packaging is designed for recyclability, which means they need to work closely with other parts of the chain. There is obviously a lot more work we can do,” she said.

Future direction Meanwhile, Lewis said that the survey is about to be updated in next two months to deliver: • More data on B2B packaging by industry. • Measuring flows of reusable packaging (for the first time). • More details on flows of CDS containers. • Packaging flows to 2025 under

various scenarios. • Climate change impact of recovery and disposal. • Lost financial value of landfilled packaging. • Industry employment and industry capacity. When asked by a webinar participant how better management of the supply chain and involving producers to achieve the outcomes, Lewis acknowledged the importance of the question. “APCO has quite a few working groups where we do have representation from the WARR industry, and we are working closely with ACOR and WRIQ. The next stage is to get more specific working groups, particularly around the producers in plastics. “I think it’s something that we have never done well enough right along the value chain,” she said. Libby Chaplin also answered the question by saying that the Council has tried to address this by taking a different approach at board level. “Typically, Product Stewardship schemes are run by the brands and we have decided to move away from that, to ensure that the whole supply chain is represented on the board. There’s a lot of things that needs to go on behind the scenes,” she added. iw

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Inside Waste Industry Report //

A sector adapting to rapid change By Inside Waste WITH the release of Chapter 3 of the Inside Waste Industry Report – The Role of Local Government, Inside Waste examines how councils are adapting to a rapidly changing waste sector. Since the last Inside Waste Industry Survey in 20142015, Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector has changed dramatically.    With the introduction of restrictive contamination limits, China’s 2018 National Sword Policy effectively banned the import of 24 mixed grade waste streams. This was followed by similarly restrictive policies in India, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, effectively a collapse of international waste trade markets. For local governments and the WARR industry, this left 4.4 million tonnes of recyclable waste subject to domestic end-market uncertainty. It essentially flipped the previous model of local recycling providers paying councils for material, with many councils forced to pay recyclers to accept their material. This in turn led to an increase in council recycling costs and Chapter 3 highlights the impact on the

While the ban has called Australia’s domestic processing capacity into question, the Federal Government’s $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund is expected to generate $600 million in infrastructure investment. majority of councils which will be forced to increase waste spending over the next five years, and sadly not to improve their waste recovery, but rather as a result of rising levies, collection and transport expenses. While state governments have attempted to offset this burden through additional funding, the effects of export market cessation have been felt by councils across the country.

Export bans and local govt Perhaps the most significant change since the last report, one that directly responds to China’s National Sword, is the Council of Australian Government’s forthcoming export ban. Announced in August 2019, the ban seeks to take onshore responsibility for managing Australia’s waste. The first round of bans, on unprocessed glass, is set to take

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

effect from January 2021. Staged bans on the export of waste plastic, paper and tyres will then be introduced, with all material set to face export restrictions by 1 July 2024.   The impacts of the ban will likely vary across local governments, with significant diversity in the capacity and capability of waste and resource recovery infrastructure between metropolitan, regional and remote councils. Local governments have also raised concerns that the ban could negatively impact the value proposition of kerbside recycling bins, particularly in relation to mixed plastic, which has limited domestic end-markets. Councils are now likely to face increasing costs to recycle materials collected at kerbside, in the absence of localised investment in processing facilities. The export

ban may also trigger variations to kerbside contacts, with contract renegotiations creating a potential cost to councils. While the ban has called Australia’s domestic processing capacity into question, the Federal Government’s $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund is expected to generate $600 million in infrastructure investment. At the time of writing, the Federal Government had provided little detail on who can apply for funding and the requirements of scale, making the eligibility of local governments to apply for funding uncertain. This will likely create future budget challenges, with multiple survey respondents highlighting a desire to receive grant funding to support their resource recovery investments. Another significant change since the last survey is the release of an updated National Waste Policy in 2019.  The policy proposes targets such as reducing total waste generation in Australia per capita by 10 per cent by 2030, an 80 per cent average recovery rate from all resource recovery streams by 2030, 30 per cent recycled content across all goods and infrastructure procurement by 2030 and phasing out problematic

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// Inside Waste Industry Report

and unnecessary plastics by 2030.   While these targets are certainly a step in the right direction, as highlighted in Chapter 3, current council recovery rates are estimated at 48 per cent. To meet the policy’s 80 per cent target, council recovery rates will need to increase by 32 per cent in just 10 years. Over the past five years, as found in the chapter, council recovery rates grew by only 14 per cent. This suggests that if current trends continue, we likely wouldn’t see an 80 per cent recovery rate for at least 20 years with flow-on effects of the export ban still largely unknown. In order to achieve policy objectives and help local government’s increase recovery rates, the Federal Government will need to ensure the Recycling Modernisation Fund, as well as other funding mechanisms, allocate investments in a localised manner. Particularly one that responds to the differing needs of state, territory and local governments.

Organics out of landfill Chapter 3 also reveals that local governments have placed a greater emphasis on organics recovery since the 2014-15 survey – with the highest recovery rates reported by councils offering three-bin FOGO services. Additionally, a high percentage of respondents – 32 per cent – indicated they were very interested in implementing a FOGO service over the next five years. Similarly, state governments are driving organics reform, with NSW targeting zero organics to landfill by 2030 and Victoria targeting a 50 per cent reduction in organics to landfill by 2030. To support its target, the NSW Government has injected $24 million into kerbside FOGO to support local councils so they can improve source separation. As Chapter 3 shows, the average recovery rate for NSW councils offering FOGO is 63 per cent and, while this is significant, it accounts only for councils with a

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

FOGO service currently in place. As highlighted in the chapter, an estimated 27 per cent of NSW councils do not currently offer either a GO or FOGO collection service. Meanwhile, on a national level only 22 per cent of surveyed councils have a FOGO service in place. The survey highlights contamination, limited processing facilities and uncertain end-markets as the top barriers towards wider FOGO uptake. Survey results show that for councils offering FOGO services in Victoria, the recovery rate is 49 per cent, while for those offering GO services, the recovery rate is 41 per cent. Despite these rates being not far off the 50 per cent target, they again only account for councils with organics collection services insitu. The Victorian Government’s Recycling Victoria policy aims to ensure all Victorian households have access to FOGO recycling services or local composting by 2030. However,

with the COVID –19 challenges faced by the Victorian Government, this may be amended as effective engagement with new services takes time and investment in education programs. While the survey was undertaken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, associated challenges will create an added burden on local governments and their ability to meet national waste targets. Australia’s 537 councils sit at the coalface of our waste and resource recovery sector, acting as a conduit between the WARR industry and wider community. While the full effects of COVID-19 are yet to be fully realised, council’s willingness to adapt and face challenges head on suggests significant opportunities lie on the road to recovery. The third Chapter of the Inside Waste Industry Report – The Role of Local Government – is now available for purchase. iw

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Technology //

Translating waste tech from laboratory to local manufacturing By Inside Waste FOUNDED in 2008 by Professor Veena Sahajwalla, the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) at the University of New South Wales, collaborates with industry, global research partners, not-for-profits, and governments to develop innovative environmental solutions for some of the world’s largest waste challenges. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, SMaRT forged collaborations with several organisations, some of which were the result of connections made via the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) COVID-19 Manufacturer Response Register. “We used our Microfactorie technology recently to reform waste plastic into high-quality filament to 3D print frames for PPE face shields for testing in medical clinical situations,” Sahajwalla said. “There is currently a huge demand for 3D filament worldwide, yet Australia has to purchase most of its supply from overseas. Being able to create local supply chains using waste plastic creates opportunities to develop parts and products that are not readily available in Australia. This is particularly important when global supply chains

are disrupted, as was the case when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit,” she added.

Trialled at Port Macquarie Numerous face shields that utilised SMaRT’s high-quality filament were produced and trialled at a medical clinic at Port Macquarie, with excellent feedback received across various clinical settings. These collaborative partnerships have seen SMaRT create various Microfactorie technologies that transform problematic waste materials – like glass, textiles and plastics – into new value-added materials and products. From engineered green ceramics for the built environment, through to plastic filament as a renewable resource for 3D printing, all of the materials and products created by SMaRT eradicate, or greatly reduce, reliance on virgin resources. According to Sahajwalla, “Through our ongoing collaborations, we have developed these new manufacturing and recycling solutions. These solutions address some of the urgent problems and deficiencies in relation to waste, while at the same time boosting manufacturing capability, job creation and, of course, environmental benefits. “We now have an incredible

The collaborations have seen SMaRT create various Microfactorie tecnologies that transform problematic waste materials.

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Professor Veena Sahajwalla has forged collaborations via the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) COVID-19 Manufacturer Response Register.

opportunity to solve numerous existential problems at once: we can collectively address waste and recycling issues and lower our carbon footprint, while also enhancing our manufacturing capability. This, in turn, will create new supply chains that enhance our sovereign capability.”

plastics to Native Secrets’ biowaste to create building panels. Based in Cootamundra in regional New South Wales, Mattress Recycle Australia (MRA) is also collaborating with SMaRT on the manufacture of high-quality ‘green ceramic’ using old beer bottles and mattresses.

Business partnerships

According to MRA managing director, Andrew Douglas, “Mattresses are the worst thing for councils because they are big and bulky and they take up a lot of space in landfill, which is not good. “About seven years ago I approached Veena and her team and said, ‘Look, this is a big problem, we need to find a solution for all this textile waste’.” And they did. Councils and individuals pay MRA to collect mattresses which they deconstruct and use magnets to extract any steel components, which are then recycled. Industrial blowers then separate the wood from the textiles. Both the wood and textiles are then reused, thanks to the help of SMaRT’s technology and progressive industry-research collaboration. iw

With support from AMGC, SMaRT has partnered with various businesses over the years, including several SMEs in regional areas. The objective of all these partnerships has been to translate SMaRT’s technologies from a research-focused lab environment into a commercialised industrial setting, enhancing local manufacturing capability and supply chains in the process. For instance, SMaRT has worked with Form Cut, an Adelaidebased manufacturer of packaging, handling and storage solutions for defence materials, to research plastics recycling. SMaRT is also working with AMGC member Native Secrets, a manufacturer of natural skincare products. SMaRT is adding high-grade

Tackling mattress recycling

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Technology

Technology eliminates cardboard recycling limitations at reduced life-cycle cost By Inside Waste TECHNOLOGISTS have developed a zero-waste technology that uses waste cardboard to produce degradable feedstock materials. The feedstock is then used as a resource for manufacturing wide-ranging industrial products and consumer goods, such as degradable agricultural containers, materials for goods packaging, soil conditioning, construction and environmental protection.

Closed loop system Various blends of defibered cardboard and degradable mineral-based composites comprise the feedstock materials. They are produced in a simple and scalable closed-loop system using conventional mineral and food processing equipment. The technology has been developed by Pact Renewables Central to manage the use of massive volumes of waste cardboard and precursor

minerals. These are available at a low cost for commercial manufacture of industrial products and consumer goods, as they have properties and functionalities comparable to, or better than their plastic/polymer based counterparts. As the cardboard and mineral-based composites are both degradable, this enables the products, at the end of their useful life, to be placed in soil for safe natural degradation. As a result, the need for landfilling or incineration is eliminated. PACT Renewables has invested over 20 years in developing sustainable technologies for recovery of values from saline waters and wastewaters.

Limited options According to director and chief technologist Dr Aharon Arakel, it is common knowledge that options for safe and cost-effective disposal of waste cardboard are currently very limited because of its short recycling loop, bulkiness and low cost.

“Recycling is therefore not a total solution for waste cardboard management and landfilling/ incineration is costly and goes against the principles of sustainability and circular economy. “These, together with the recent imposition of export bans on wastepaper and cardboard, have further highlighted the overwhelming need for sustainable technology solutions. Waste cardboard is very different from plastic and glass wastes and therefore solutions need a complete rethink,” he said.

CO2 gas and brine discharge Arakel added that for the first time, technology can use waste CO2 gas, where available, as well as minerals recoverable from brine discharge of seawater desalination facilities for further reduction in product lifecycle costs. “Initial testing also indicates that packaging beads and aggregates produced in our technology can

effectively replace the goods packaging materials made largely from plastics/polymers, and most importantly, our packaging materials can be placed in garden soil to provide conditioning effects after their use.” “Apart from the use of cardboard as a cheap resource and eliminating the need for landfilling/incineration of the products, another key differentiator of the waste cardboard solution is the capability of our zero-waste technology to sustainably address multiple environmental challenges across a range of industries and regions,” he added. “The success of this project is a significant development for addressing the growing challenge of sustainable management of waste cardboard, and working on this exciting project has given us the opportunity to explore various application areas and ideas. We will soon seek partnership in the commercialisation of this technology,” Arakel concluded. iw

Options for safe and cost-effective disposal of waste cardboard are currently very limited.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Packaging //

Why two is a good number for ARL By Brooke Donnelly IT’S incredible to think that two years have already passed since the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) team joined Minister Price and industry leaders from retail, manufacturing and recycling to officially launch the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) to the market. Since then, the program has had much to celebrate. More than 460 organisations have joined the ARL Program, and we are continuing to welcome new members every day. Tens of thousands of products now carry the label, and a recent study by the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) found 23 per cent of products surveyed featured the ARL. A huge thank you to our industry champions who have adopted the label and are leading the way for other businesses in their sector. It’s always hard to provide context around how successful program uptake has been. But some recent figures from similar programs being delivered overseas show that Australia is well on track. The United States’ How2Recycle Program (which began in 2012), reported 225 brand owner and retailer members across North America in 2019.

Strong uptake Meanwhile the UK’s OPRL Program (which launched in 2009) reported 500 members in 2020. This widespread uptake was one of the factors that was commended in a recent report from the UN Environment Programme. The ARL Program was recognised as a world-leading consumer education initiative, celebrated for its clarity, reliability and accessibility. The report also singled out one of the program’s critical success factors – the importance of transparent and evidence-based governance. For a business to adopt the label, they first must assess their packaging’s recyclability using PREP. To ensure PREP’s determinations are as accurate as possible, in 2018 34

APCO formed the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), a group of experts from across the value chain in recycling and packaging. The TAC is responsible for reviewing the thresholds underpinning the PREP assessments to ensure all technical and kerbside data is as accurate and current as possible. Working in partnership with the TAC is the Marketing Advisory Committee (MAC), a group of leading experts across the supply chain, including major FMCG brands, the waste and recycling industry, and all levels of government. The MAC ensures that all campaign activity is underpinned by best practice consumer education and behaviour change methodology.

Brooke Donnelly said that the ARL program will grow and expand.

Check It! Before You Chuck It Looking ahead, the ARL Program will continue to expand and evolve. In October we will launch the new Check It! Before You Chuck It campaign to improve recycling behaviours by encouraging all Australians to look for the ARL every time they are at the bin. The high-profile campaign will feature a cast of new characters and a catchy song to be used in advertising across Australia. All of the campaign resources will be available in a series of resource toolkits (free to download on www. arl.org.au). Check It! will be the first major focus of a broader national consumer education campaign, which will run from July 2020 - July 2022. The project is designed to improve sustainable packaging awareness and behaviour in Australia by focusing on six core topics: recycling, recycled content, reusable packaging, packaging reduction and avoidance, compostable packaging and the functional role of packaging. Ultimately, our goal is to see the ARL on every item of packaging sold into the Australian market. Through the APCO Membership model, the Program is currently freely available to approximately 80 per cent of the supply chain, and we look forward to expanding that reach to include

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The ARL Program was recognised as a world-leading consumer education initiative, celebrated for its clarity, reliability and accessibility. smaller businesses and packaging in the B2B space. In 2021, the ARL Program will also expand to communicate new information, including recycled content contained in packaging and reusable packaging formats.

Bigger picture Looking to the bigger picture, the ARL is one part of a much bigger program of work currently being delivered by APCO and our partners to bring to life the 2025 National Packaging Targets. It is also one of APCO’s priority actions under the Federal Government’s 2019 National Waste Policy Action Plan. Education is a critical piece of the puzzle and we need to continue to drive engagement and support across the supply chain. There has never been a better time to be part of the ARL Program. According to Planet Ark CEO Paul Klymenko, “We know over 60 per cent of Australians expect brands to tell them how to dispose of their packaging, so it is gratifying

to see the tremendous support for the ARL by companies since we launched it. I would like to thank them and look forward to even more companies getting on board over the next year to meet the vital need for clear on-pack consumer recycling information.” Unilever Australia and New Zealand CEO Nicole Sparshott added, “As a founding signatory of the Australasian Recycling Label we are really excited that nearly a quarter of all products on supermarket shelves now contain the label. At Unilever, we believe that packaging has its place, but that place is not in the environment. By educating consumers how to recycle correctly we can create behaviour change at scale and significantly reduce the amount of packaging waste. Key to achieving this is making sure Australia has a clear, consistent and evidence-based label on every product and packaging type which is why the ARL is so valuable and we encourage other organisations to join the program.” iw

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Young Professional

What inspired a fledgling WARR leader to pursue her career By Inside Waste IN THIS MONTH’S Young Professional article, we profile SLR’s senior project consultant Waste and Resources Management,Celine El Khouri. It was while she was watched a documentary at the University of New South Wales that revealed the impact that e-waste from western countries was having on the health of the population of African countries, that Celine El Khouri made a deep commitment to the WARR industry. “I have wanted to be in this industry since those days when I studied Civil and Environmental Engineering and saw that documentary. “We also researched how contaminants ended up in waterways or in soils and contributed to human illnesses. One case was the cadmium from e-waste, which contributed to increased cases of cancer,” she said. According to El Khouri, it was then that she realised that it wasn’t only the environment that was impacted by consumption, but that human health, on a global scale, was directly linked to the ability to manage resources that are consumed. “From then I committed to work where I could contribute to improved resource management processes and to the health of our communities and the environment,” she said.

Climate Council volunteer El Khouri accepted a volunteer role at the Climate Council, one which she said helped her to understand the experience of communities in relation to environmental issues. She was also able to gain a deep appreciation for the role of expert science and research in the journey to sustainability. From there, she moved into a paid position as an engineer in a contaminated lands consultancy. “While I learned valuable skills, I knew that this wasn’t the role I had envisioned where I would contribute to the resource recovery industry. I then decided to join the WARR industry and found my way into GHD’s waste and resources team, and most recently SLR’s,” she said.

Challenge to find solutions Within her role as a solutions advisor, El Khouri believes the

resource management, and I hope to contribute to this, with my role as chair of the NSW Young Professionals Working Group of WMRR. Being a part of the Group was a long-term goal, so I’m also really looking forward to learning from other young professionals in this industry, especially since I think we have a large role in working together for the continuous improvement of our industry,” she added.

Celine El Khouri was inspired to manage the impact waste has on human health and the environment.

Her vision for Australia

“The ability to fully understand all the impacts that a resource recovery system could have, including impacts on employment opportunities, long term health effects, and emissions across the whole life cycle of the solution, is not simple, but it is important.” biggest challenge is to be able to grasp all the impacts that a solution to a problem might have on a large variety of people, then finding the answer that might be the best fit for all. “The ability to fully understand all the impacts that a resource recovery system could have, including impacts on employment opportunities, long term health effects, and emissions across the whole life cycle of the solution, is not simple, but it is important,” she said.

A COVID insight For El Khouri, COVID heightened her awareness of the essential nature of the WARR industry. “I think COVID has also made others realise that we have a need

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

for local infrastructure to support us in changing situations, especially where there may be surges in particular types of wastes. Living through COVID, I feel like it has not only made this industry a busier one, but hopefully with added attention, there will also come more support for additional infrastructure and resource management processes,” she explained.

Technical leadership El Khouri is clearly focused on her goals and believes that by 2025, she will be on her my way to becoming a technical leader in the area of waste and resource recovery. “I also want to find ways to drive universities to encourage students to enter the industry of

If El Khouri was either Prime Minister or Environment Minister, her first priority would be to encourage Australian universities to develop undergraduate courses specific to waste management and resource recovery. “Our industry is going to keep growing and will need young and bright professionals, so I think starting with undergraduate courses is a great way to contribute to the growth of this industry. “My second priority would be to look at ways to create a greater local market for recyclables. In order to support Australia in its progressive move towards a circular economy, it would be beneficial if local incentives for buying our resources are there, including perhaps the implementation of policies for producers to support the circulation of resources. “This could include for example, ways to encourage or mandate that producers create products that can be disassembled and recycled, and that local producers include a percentage of recycled materials in their products. “My third priority would be to look at funding for innovation and construction of resource recovery collection systems and infrastructure, especially in relation to organic waste, in order to help increase the diversion of organic waste and valuable resources from Australian landfills, and decrease our greenhouse gas emissions,” she concluded. El Khouri is chair of the WMRR Young Professionals group. If you are interested in joining the WMRR Young Professionals, please contact office@wmrr.asn.au. iw

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

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

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

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Melbourne 109 Merola Way Campbellfield, VIC 3061 1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au Brisbane 103 Axis Place Larapinta, QLD 4110 1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au Adelaide 260 Cormack Rd Wingfield, SA 5013 1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au Perth 135 Chisholm Crescent Kewdale, WA 6105

1300 352 378 www.komptechcea.com.au Auckland 96 Gavin Street Mt Wellington 1060 0800 435 269 www.komptechcea.com.au Key Contacts: Craig Cosgrove Product Manager 0417 320 082 c.cosgrove@cea.net.au Simon Humphris Product Manager 0478 196 263 s.humphris@cea.net.au

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Capabilities Statements

FOCUS enviro Company Overview: For FOCUS enviro waste processing and organic recycling opportunities lie at the core of our business and our success. This can be found where there is the opportunity to impart our experience and knowledge in determining the technologies that are the best fit for waste and organic processing applications. FOCUS enviro’s best attributes are our people who enable the interface of technology, applications and local customer connections to run smoothly. Our concentration on support and service is evident from the scale and profile of many repeat customers and the companies and councils that comprise the eco-system in which FOCUS operates. Products and Services: • FOGO Processing plants and Organic recycling equipment. • Tyre shredding – TDF production using only 1 machine • Plastics and Medical Waste sizing and destruction.

• Australian Construction Waste Mobile, Modular and stationary solutions. • Picking/Sorting Stations, mobile, modular and tracked. • Density separators and air separation systems. • Food waste de-packaging systems. • Electric no emissions high speed grinders and screening systems. Brands: • EDGE Innovate – Mobile recycling and Organic processing equipment • M&K Group – Waste Recycling Plant Manufacturer – Stationary and mobile solutions. • UNTHA – Specialist manufacturer of shredding technology, experts in WTE and Hard to shred materials • ROTORCHOPPER–high speed electric and diesel high speed grinders. • CK International – Industrial baling manufacturers • CrossWrap –bale wrapping and de-wiring solutions.

Core Capabilities:

Recent Projects/Installations:

FOCUS enviro offers experience. For the past 20 years the team from FOCUS have been designing, constructing and commissioning stationary and mobile solutions for the waste processing and organic recycling industries both here in Australia and previously in Europe. In depth application knowledge together with excellent product support is the standard set by the team at FOCUS enviro.

SUPPLY OF ADVANCED TYRE SHREDDING TECHNOLOGY TO PEARL GLOBAL Brisbane, Queensland

Recent Projects/Installations:

companies, recycling businesses, contractors and farmers. It is now available exclusively through GCM Enviro.

FOGO PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR BIOMIX Stanhope, Victoria Contact Details: FOCUS enviro info@focusenviro.com.au +61 (02) 4365 4247 www.focusenviro.com.au

GCM Enviro Company Overview:

Brands:

GCM Enviro is a leading distributor for the latest in waste management and recycling equipment; from landfill compactors and shredders through to state-of-the-art screeners and compost turners. We offer high quality equipment from world-renowned European manufacturers including TANA, Terra Select, Backhus and Jenz. GCM Enviro’s mission is to provide customers with innovative technology in soild waste management combined with state-of-the-art control and monitoring systems. The objective of this mission is to improve our customer’s business and enable them to increase revenue - “from waste to value”. Our philosophy is to maintain constant dialogue between manufacturers and clients to ensure that design is governed by market requirements, particularly in the harsh climatic conditions we experience. Throughout the country, we have sold over 3200 machines. These machines have earned an excellent reputation for robust design and reliability.

• • • • •

TANA Terra Select Backhus Jenz Gremac

Core Capabilities: We offer a variety of waste management solutions for our clients with our range of Landfill Compactors, Shredders, Trommel Screens, Windsifters, Windrow Turners, Lane Turners and Biomass Processors. At GCM Enviro, we build lasting relationships with our customers, from the sale of quality equipment and machines, to the servicing, maintenance, spare parts and technical assistance to support the equipment in the field. Our service team has specialised knowledge, training and experience to carry out all types of maintenance to our range of machines. We also have a comprehensive spare parts department for products from our manufacturers.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

KARRATHA CITY COUNCIL This month Karratha City Council took delivery of one of our new Tana E520 Landfill compactors, the 52 tonne compactor will be put to work at their waste management facility. GREMAC E2 TROMMEL SCREEN The GREMAC E2 Trommel Screen has just been released in Australia and is set to be a game changer for landscape

Contact Details GCM ENVIRO 34 Beaumont Road Mount Kuring-Gai NSW 2080 Phone: 02 9457 9399 Email: sales@gcmenviro.com.au Web site: www.gcmenviro.com

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Capabilities Statements //

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. 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

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, EPC Recent Projects/Installations: EAST ROCKINGHAM WTE East Rockingham, Perth 300,000 tpy EfW for domestic and industrial waste from Greater Perth. Designed, built and commissioned by the EPC consortium HZI and Acciona Industrial with HZI’s scope ‘chute-tostack’. First EfW plant in Australia by HZI inclusive integrated bottom ash aggregate and metal recycling; partowned and operated by HZI. www.erwte.com.au

ANRÖCHTE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION & COMPOST PLANT Anröchte, Germany Digests and composts 30,000 tpy food and green organic resources to renewable electricity and nutrientrich compost. Demand-driven power is generated with 12 hours biogas buffering and two generators. In accordance with Germany’s latest requirement for >90% organic anaerobic digestion and low emission standards for biological treatment. https://www.esg-soest.de/?mp_id=314 HZI JÖNKÖPING BIOGAS AB Jönköping, Sweden Processing 40,000 tpy food and green organic resources into liquid fertilizer, compost, and carbonneutral biogas which is upgraded

to bio-CNG and used as a renewable alternative in diesel trucks. The plant contributes to Sweden’s transport sector decarbonisation strategy. It is designed, financed, built, owned, and operated by HZI. https://hzi-biogas-operations.com/ Contact Details: 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

Onetrak

Onetrak Company Overview:

Products and Services: Onetrak is an Australian owned heavy equipment supplier with a national footprint. Sales and service outlets are located in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. The business now consists of 7 branch locations, 40 field service vehicles and around 100 staff members.

• • • • • • • • • •

Material Handlers Bulldozers Excavators Wheel Loaders Graders Backhoe Loaders Crushers & Screens Grapples & other attachments Carbonisers Rockbreakers

Brands: Onetrak specialises in equipment for bulk material handling including waste and recycling, extractive industries, construction, earthmoving and forestry. Onetrak offers complete heavy equipment solutions including new and used machine sales, rental equipment, attachments, service and parts. The aftersales teams service and supply parts for all makes and models.

• • • • • • • • • •

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Fuchs Material Handlers Dressta Bulldozers Hidromek Construction Equipment Rotobec Material Handling Attachments Striker Crushing & Screening Anaconda Material Handling Screens Hyundai Construction Equipment (Tasmania only) Tigercat Carbonisers Alicon Rockbreakers Timbermax Winch Systems

Contact Details: Phone: 1300 727 520 Email:contact@onetrak.com.au Web: www.onetrak.com.au

Onetrak Tumut 208-216 Snowy Mountains Hwy Tumut NSW 2720

Onetrak Hallam 1-5 Marlo Place Hallam VIC 3803

Onetrak Davenport 8 Wallis Road Davenport WA 6230

Onetrak Bridgewater 80 Possum Road Bridgewater TAS 7030

Onetrak Mount Gambier 11 Pinaceae Court Mount Gambier SA 5290

Onetrak Somerset 2 McKays Road Somerset TAS 7322

Onetrak Rocklea 28 Shettleston Street Rocklea QLD 4106

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Capabilities Statements

Applied Machinery

Australasian Specialty Coatings that allows for bespoke designs for your particular needs.

Brands: • • • •

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

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. Recent Projects/Installations: PORT PLASTICS Port Macquarie Polystar Repelletising system and Genox large format shredder to drive recycling operations in the Port Macquarie region and reduce the need for transport of recyclables to metropolitan centres.

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 storage and high traffic surfaces. We are fully certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and AS 4801 Standards. When you call in ASC you get a professional, reliable team dedicated to solving your problems and delivering the best outcome, on time. We have a solutions-oriented approach

• • • • • • • • • • • •

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

ResourceCo

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 Company Overview: ResourceCo is a global leader in the recovery and re-manufacture of primary resources, extracting maximum value from materials otherwise destined for landfill. Recent Projects/Installations: TOPCOAT ASPHALT PLANT 6 Meyer Road, Lonsdale SA 5160 ResourceCo Property led the project

management of a new Topcoat Asphalt Plant in 2020. A collaboration between leading companies Topcoat Asphalt, ResourceCo, Tyrecycle and McMahon Services, the plant will produce high recycled content mixes including recycled asphalt and crumb rubber. 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

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

CT-2500-W-5 Wrapping Line

Unit dimensions: 4070mm x 13020mm Motor: 22kW Rotor diameter/lengths/speed: n/a Suitable material: RDF, SRF, MSW, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE, shredded paper, aluminium cans, steel cans, No. of units in range: 6 Finished product size: Bale Dimensions: 1400 x 1100 x 1100 Designed for: Complete bale wrapping line for baling RDF, SRF, MWS, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE paper, shredder wood fiber and other recovered materials. Feed Opening: 2500 Options/Extras: application specific Price: POA More: +61 (02) 4365 4247, info@focusenviro.com.au www.focusenviro.com.au

Unit Dimensions: 4070mm x 13020mm Motor: 22kW Suitable material: RDF, SRF, MSW, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE, shredded paper, aluminium cans, steel cans, No. of units in range: 2 Finished product size: variable Designed for: Direct bale wrapper for wrapping without any steel wire or plastic ties. Suitable for wrapping RDF, SRF, MWS, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE, paper, shredder wood fibers and other recovered materials. Compaction Force: 80t/120t Feed Opening: 2200 Options/Extras: applications specific Price: POA More: +61 (02) 4365 4247 info@focusenviro.com.au www.focusenviro.com.au

Focus Enviro

CW-2500-LW-1-5 WRAPPING LINE

Mobile Compactor MX160S

Unit Dimensions: 4300 x 2300 x 1500 mm Weight: 3500 kg Drive Type: Electro-Hydraulic Motor: 11 KW Cycle time crusher: 31s Crusher volume: 1.5 m3 Throughput: 172 m3/h Designed for (material): general waste and recyclables Options/Extras: Bin lifter to suit 120l, 240l, 660l and 1100l bins. More: www.hyva.com

Unit Dimensions: 7000 x 2500 x 2900 mm Weight: 5400 kg Drive Type: Electro-Hydraulic Motor: 5.5 KW Cycle time crusher: 20 s Crusher volume: 1.4 m3 No. of units in range: 3 Throughput: 135-155 m3/h Designed for: General Waste and Recyclables Options/Extras: Bin lifter to suit 120l, 240l, 660l and 1100l bins More: www.hyva.com

Hyva

Static Compactor HM1520

TANA E450 Landfill Compactor

Weight: 52,000kg Engine: Cummins QSX15-C535 Power: 525 bhp (399KW) Emissions Limits: Tier 3 or Tier 4 Transmission Type: Hydrostatic Crushing Force: 255 kN Front/Rear Drum: 3800 mm/3800 mm Dozer Blade: 5000 mm Frame: Modular More: (02) 9457 9399 www.gcmenviro.com

Weight: 45,000kg Engine: Cummins QSX15-C535 Power: 525 bhp (399KW) Emissions Limits: Tier 3 or Tier 4 Transmission Type: Hydrostatic Crushing Force: 221kN Front/Rear Drum: 3800mm/3800mm Dozer Blade: 5000mm Frame: Modular More: (02) 9457 9399 www.gcmenviro.com

GCM Enviro

TANA E520 Landfill Compactor

TANA E380 Landfill Compactor

TANA E320 Landfill Compactor

Weight: 38,000kg Engine: QSM11-C375 / QSX15-C450 eco Power: 375 bhp /450 bhp eco Emissions Limits: Tier 3 or Tier 4 Transmission Type: Hydrostatic Crushing Force: 186 kN Front/Rear Drum: 2660mm/3800 mm Dozer Blade: 4500 mm Frame: Modular More: (02) 9457 9399 www.gcmenviro.com

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

GCM Enviro

Hyva

Focus Enviro

Product Profile // Compactors

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

Balers // Product Profile

Material Recovery Solutions

Godswill Twin Ram Balers Product/model name: Godswill Twin Ram Balers - GB-1175TR. Unit Dimensions: 10m x 3m x 2.85m Weight: ~28t (without oil) Drive Type: Hydraulic System of free flow design with regenerative bypass on main cylinder for optimal cycle times. Motor: 120hp MEPS compliant motors, 2 x 45KW (2 x 60hp). Hopper Size: Infeed hopper opening – 1.02m deep by 1.8m wide. Suitable material: designed to bale High memory materials, but can bale an array of other material types. No. of units in range: 40hp to 180hp options available. Throughput: plastic bottles and LDPR and Hard plastics, up to 5t/h and 6t/h and 8t/h respectively. Finished product size: (if applicable) bale size 1.1m by 0.8m by typically 1.5m~1.6m, bales are sized to fit 2 x wide by 3 x High into a high cube container. Designed for (material): baling high memory martials with automatic tying. Typically, plastic bottles and LDPR and hard plastics. Options/Extras: VFD Drive for 20 per cent increase throughput More: (07) 5629 0092, sales@MaterialRecoverySolutions.com.au www.materialrecoverysolutions.com.au

Focus Enviro

Weight: 26,000kg Engine: QSL9- C250 / SL9-C265 eco Power: 250 bhp /265 bhp eco Emissions Limits: Tier 3 or Tier 4 Transmission Type: Hydrostatic Crushing Force: 127kN Front/Rear Drum: 2660mm/2660mm Dozer Blade: 3660mm Frame: Modular More: (02) 9457 9399 www.gcmenviro.com

CK International Twin Ram Fully Automatic Baler Application: Twin Ram Recycling baler for baling RDF, SRF, MWS, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE, Bulk Bags, mattresses, carpets, shredded paper, aluminium and steel cans and other recovered materials. Unit Dimensions: 4700mm x 9900mm Motor: 22kW/37kW/59kW/74kW Suitable material: RDF, SRF, MSW, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE, shredded paper, aluminium cans, steel cans, No. of units in range: 3 Bale Dimensions: 750mm x 1100mm x 1300mm Designed for (material): Compaction Force: 60t/80t/120t Feed Opening: 2250mm x 1060mm Options/Extras: Application Specific Price: POA More: +61 (02) 4365 4247, info@focusenviro.com.au, www.focusenviro.com.au

CK International Twin Ram Fully Automatic Baler

Focus Enviro

GCM Enviro

TANA E320 Landfill Compactor

Application: Twin Ram Recycling baler for baling RDF, SRF, MWS, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE, Bulk Bags, mattresses, carpets, shredded paper, aluminum and steel cans and other recovered materials. Unit Dimensions: 4750mm x 12000mm Motor: 59kW/74kW/110kW Rotor diameter/lengths/speed: n/a Suitable material: RDF, SRF, MSW, cardboard, plastics, PET, HDPE, shredded paper, aluminium cans, steel cans, Finished product size: bale dimensions – 1000mm x 1050mm x 1400mm Compaction Force: 80t/120t Feed Opening: 2250mm x 1060mm Options/Extras: applications specific Price: POA More: +61 (02) 4 365 4 247, info@focusenviro.com.au, www.focusenviro.com.au

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The RMF comes as needed a much boost to the indus try.

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| AUG/ SEPT ISSUE 97

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expected of jobs are ng Thousands by the Recycli to be created Fund to lead on. Monetisation recessi out of deep Australia

/NO V 2020

26 Waste 2020 Con ference 32 Technolo gy 35 Young Professiona l

INSIDE

s speaks 24 Trevor Evan rthed 26 FOGO unea al g Profession 34 City’s Youn

98 | OCT

INSIDE

.com.au

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Plastic st reveals udy de intransien ep change ce to

AUSTRALI A’S groun d-breaking Recycling Modernisa tion arrived to support new local much appla Fund (RMF) jobs. WARR indus use from “In order the try in July. to deliver release of reforms, Yet, the submitted funds is we will conti these landmark in depe governme closely with nue to work applicants February, shortlisted nts and indus ndent on state are curre the $191 sectors and the industry, comm ntly deve business A COMPREHE million Fede try matching loping cases unity local gove NSIVE inves and many ral programs. rnment on the Chan “This pack for their projects. tigation of the critic commitment, I’d like to ging Marke these underwrit al group thank indus ts Foundatio from infrastruc age will invest in proje has revea ry s cts and busin es won’t it ture try led n erable indust anoth esses their sleev process prior to collect, sort been consid will by globa a disturbing lack er five years be realised for es and getti for rolling up and of THERE HAS ity mate l plastics . t Stewardship to Insid Produc ng plast rials inclu transform accelerate producers e Waste te ic, paper, ding debate around compulsory mandastate waste and on board talked to their recyc to cardboard, Victoria,” chemical Australia’s of a recycling ling activ in the face glass and she said. waste. The virgin Minis and territory Envir ities in and the lack of using onment to stop consider package ment ters to gaug plastic pollu an unprecedented will also the infra for companies that the govern ing. tion crisis e the statu budgets structure Record to proce Wilson said their packag public press and in s and of across als requi grow ss their inve plans the they organic mate materi red ing action ure stment , and how play The Victo atmosphere, and tyres can move rials, texti knows we need tobut to also In this revie to address it. swiftly rian Gove . Against this projects to-resourceles, w of the in waste policy in leading the l Government’s rnment has country’s wasteanno to full ent Federa Waste “Thes aid unce the the repor role COVID batte the a resurg e are da covers the t, advent of amend the ng cycle. an important faced down red methodolo Inside nearly $100 record investmen In in the comi due to be submitted and posit to early July to manufacturi of recession. t of AS VICTORIANS the arrival gy, findin the Victoria, the Minis economy. million for ive ng weeks decision in s innovation 2011, Envir country out gs -19 in July, and infra ter for Energ process is and until industry rdship Act policymak recommendations “That require structure design-in e onment and Clima wave of COVID ment’s $190 million this completed for ers y, Product Stewa nism to improv waste and inves Lily D’Am includes te Change says , we cann identify Talking Trash and companies. Badg mecha design-out (RMF) brosio has requires $49.5 millio tment. This the proje of Federal Govern Opposition ue ces to legislative : recycling; it nisation Fund cts, or the ot Victoria’s n requested, r transforma been tackling of False Solut The Corporate Playb ed re-use of resour majo so that re-use and funding waste and to strengthen Recycling Moder the WARR industry a ” she adde funding overd , was the use and tion of the ook dship reform ition recycling and infra ed by d. management government mana 15 countries ions, the report spann Meanwhile y for the way product stewar Labor Oppos struc industry was welcom support waste responsibilit ges the state the ed Although the nt as process more ture, so the state state gove , she believes that arms. continents and regions acros ly welcomed. while also endu producers take products; it requires announceme ’s waste, with open can rnment is s five the materials ring the forms and analy overwhelming nt ing because their described the Victo review of assista surpris well exten to w This local sed tion rian cycle comm waited conti isn’t positioned life voluntary packa ded ly. collec This e” shado itments from nue to drive waste This long-a Australia’slockdown. ements to , Josh “long-overdu investmen ge will initially targe action on the investmen the large outcomes polluters, g reform of further improv infrastructure at COAG the environment RMF t in infra st plastic government t and in the secto t dissected $30and part of ongoin and struc the minister for y plan agreed sort and its record the most r as a resul group initia dship regime 0 million com and sorting, process prior ture to collect, wledged that recovery strateg overdue, making prominent investmen t of tives and mitment product stewar al Waste in local and reprocessing D’Am Wilson ackno including ity t. long companies revealed “We will s from the Nation brosi for recycling s a major gap when o plastic, pape materials in March is timeline how continue across the follows on agreed lasttold Inside Wast e; and it require d at will help addres glass and tive that a a time to work collaborat r, cardboard, chain, from plast Plan 2019Victoria had e that infrastructur deman capacity at chemical committed it more impera possible. ively with the oil indus ic supply Policy Action to support of environment waste. reprocessing as soon as jobs is key. the Comm more than and our In Febru brands and a meeting$300 million to try to consu procurement ff what sustainable indus s until ary, the onwe be pronounced transform retail that November at scale to kick-o wastal Recycling investing in Infrastruc than six month tes these critic try partners to deliv alth e and recyc the state in the Nation a long time It was prepa ers, act privately. mer a necessary Victoria ture Fund There is less known for ’s al infrastruc ry ling syste eating surge s activa er ministers, and red recove “We’ve job-cr the export (RVIF a ce avail by a be Recy glass m inves timel a ture resour ) able through team of 2018. made cling has should to a tigative journ projects y manner. an ng.” the ban on ban on Waste Policy in actio StewardshipVictoria manufacturi when you stick $28 millio immediate inves alists, resea global s until the has and at the and exper “Despite of Product n plan.industry policy and Australian tment of n targeting and 12 month government rcher are created review ts, the A the ready as jobs chall s is WARR y well that plan is such as plast “As part enges of priority mate s. circumsta as sourcing literature He added ered by the e the countr a of thetolaunc ndent analys current to nces (COV plastic export ics, glass reviews, rials been consid d an indepe Victoria, ioning present, I believ sustainability and ID), Victo h of Recy inter antly, the key the continued and pape informatio in Febru l lever in transit commissione r require a ria has Most import r. to drive n (FOI) reque views, freedom of t it, most will be Applica ary we anno cling as a critica Australia may to adapt greate a new way of life,” the deliv projects and withou of the RMF ground inves to $100 nts dev my,close sts and on-th unced that shows ery recycling outlined cy as to meet the success tual. n to eloping busines tigations. circular econo expa ineffecmillio increase in ein Recycling of self-sufficien the deliv various states drive nd the s cases The Chan ives are left 400 per cent Waste. local ed hile, ery of hous to cope with Victoria, ability of the ging Marke processing research, other initiat manu follow the e capacity D’Ambrosi he told Inside ehold recyc reforms, funding. Meanw the ban, factuyring is a globa t and was quickl detail about infrastructur o said that options for ling thetry, a third of the l organisatio Foundation indus to The Review produ million need more from the export nes, wait until to “We the timeli waste the a schem creat needs conta the nal $20 partn cts Recy process for n working of e more al Plastic from recyc e that cling iner depo d additio ership with especially the industry in by the release lable mate sit Investment d to the Nation NGOs, other Fund is unde Victoria Infrastruc down the belate funding and s until start of our meets Victoria’s and resea rials and t Stewardship and he pointe March) at which no needs, the ture foundation it is six month 12 rch organ Treasurer hands and then for the education new Produc and from in expression rway and following considering er isations, s to recycle s and program and supp nced. of this fund Summit (held to s of inter the on effectively ort camp glass export g was annou budget in Octob legislation. Fund. As part are able to est that aigns that create the ban on , and signi how institution share away on plastic to enact the policy or fundin direct businesses were ban clear that shift the 2020, fican al ed, $1 Parliament said 8, from unsu to market t July always ng and months until (Continued reform,” she adde is being prepar and comp stainable of $300,000 “Labor has g of t be clear, recycli d. While this anies towa on page products to be seen apply for grants p industry-led produc the strengthenin vital, 22) exports. Let’s e is only rds and socia also needs funding for infrastructur ry is lly beneficial environmentally the rollout a national million to develo es and improve the needed waste indust reprocessing (Continued solutions. context of schem Australia’s $60 the major reform crisis. within the on page which is g schemes. stewardship we promised one part of 24) waste and society ng in existin which is why Australia’s recycling fund economic government rates of recycli a national to deal with commercial the biggest 22.) million for al needs a bated by n. nued on page grappling with materi exacer ed electio the (Conti y, 2019 Recycl think a centur during the it is folly to downturn in the on page 20.) end-user and wns. (Continued to deal with ongoing lockdo clearer that an market is ready e.” ing ry It is becom volum this indust anticipated lies within Primary opportunity to recovery and Seco pave the way ndary syste to not only Who

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDEWASTE

Wasted Space //

Igniting a “latent love” for recycling

After they have guzzled the contents, the average Lithuanian can feed their containers into reverse vending machines installed in shops, which spit the deposit back out. Nice work. The machines’ contents are then sent directly to recycling centres and by the end of 2017, 92 per cent of all bottles and cans sold in Lithuania were being returned. This was almost triple the amount before the scheme began. Nearly 90 per cent of Lithuanians have used the machines at least once, while the overall plastic packaging recycling rate increased by almost 20 per cent.

insidewaste.com.au 42

INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

Call me crazy, but some of my EU friends have actually told me that a “latent love” for recycling has been ignited within the average Lithuanian citizen. Perhaps that’s what’s happened at Bingo? Has the corporate culture ignited such a love for recycling within the company that they are going above and beyond what anyone could expect? Who can be sure, but 200 per cent profit is some incentive. Yours, JB Permanent Secretary for All Things To Do With Waste iw

The RMF comes needed boost as a much to the industr y.

Official Publication of the

www.inside waste

.com.au ISSUE 98 | OCT/

ISSUE 97 | AUG/SEPT 2020

www.insidewaste.com.au Thousands of jobs are expected to be created by the Recycling Monetisation Fund to lead Australia out of deep recession.

24 Trevor Evans speaks 26 FOGO unearthed 34 City’s Young Professional

States ha ve w te in their Isas Product si

Plastic stu reveals deedy intransiencep to change

AUSTRALIA’S ground-break Recycling Moder ing nisation Fund support new arrived to local jobs. (RMF) much applau “In order to se from the WARR indust deliver these submitted ry in July. reforms, we in February, landmark Yet, release of will contin shortlisted applicants funds is depen the ue to work closely with are currently dent on state A COMPREHENS governments the industry, developing business cases and IVE investigation community sectors and for their projec the Changing the $191 million industry matching local govern from “This packa Markets Found ment on these Federal comm programs. ge will invest ts. has reveale and many ation I’d like to itment, infrastructur of the critica d a disturb in thank indust groups and ing lack of e to l projects it ry will by global underwrites busine process priorit collect, sort and won’t be realise THERE HASsses been plastics produc forconsiderable their sleeve rolling up industry y materials accelerate another five ers to d for s andaround including gettinProduct their recycli debate Stewardshipplastic, paper, years. g on board to transform ng activities cardbo in the face Inside Waste ard, glass chemi and of an unprec the lack ofrecycl a compulsory Wilson saidtothat the governmentVictor and waste in waste policy but to also play and talked ing in mandate cal waste. The edented ia,” she said. Austra plastic polluti state and territo for companies to stop using virginconsider the infrast package will also knows ry weEnviro need actionlia’s across on crisis and an important role in leading the nment public pressu growing Ministers to ructure to process re to addres in their packaging. thegauge full waste-to-resource-tocountry out of recession. Record materials the status organic mater required s it. budgets and investmen In this review ials, textile plans, and cycle.of their thist atmosphere, the and tyres. manufacturing of the report The VictorianAgainst s, how swiftly Waste covers they can move , Govern Opposition says mentFederal the methodology Inside of the “That requires innovation to announcedadvent projec has Government’s “These are due to ts to aid and positiv country’s COVID a record invest be submitted , findings thedesign-in funding overdue in the comin e recommenda earlyment Julyofto amend the design-out waste and battered nearly $100decision in g weeks and tions for econo policymaker In Victoria, millionStewardship until this process is s and compa for industry Act 2011, the Although the Labor Opposition re-use and recycling;my. it requiresand infrast Product the Minist completed, nies. Badge er for Energy Talking Trash: Environment ructure invest we cannot d identify the , and Climat The described the announcement as legislative mechanism product stewardship ment. Thisto improve includes $49.5 projects, or e Change reform so that of False Solutio Corporate Playbook Lily the fundin reques “long-overdue” shadow assistant D’Ambrosio use andtore-use of resources to producers take responsibility for the ia’s the million ns, ted,” has streng g Victor the been she added. report spann then tackling a 15 countries major waste and ed Meanwhile, recycl and region their products; it requires minister for the environment, Josh transformat wasteing management, life cycle and infrast support ion ofofthe industry was she believes s across five continents government ructure, so way the state that and manag the furtheresimprovements Wilson acknowledged that the RMF the welcomed. government analysed volunt process more overwhelmingly state the state’s to collection can commitment while also is well positio ary materi long-awaited waste, to continue enduri s from and sorting, and infrastructure will help address a major gap in local ned locally. review forms This packag This als to drive invest polluters, dissec the largest plastic Victorian lockdo ng the extended e willofinitial outcomes in ment and forwn. recycling and reprocessinginvestment part reprocessing capacity at a time when ongoing ted the most ly reform of Australia’s the group initiat in infrastructur target its record invest sector as a result of ives and reveal prominent infrastructure; and it requiressort and investing in sustainable jobs$300 is key. product stewardship regime and e to collec ment. compa million com process priorit ed t, how nies across “We y materi procurement support demand ating “We’ve known for a long time that follows on from the mitmtoent includ the plastic als National Waste will continue to work chain, from D’Ambrosio plastic, paper, supply collab toldaInside the oil indust necessary scale to kick-offglass whatand when you stick to a resource recovery Policy Action Plan 2019 agreed lastoratively with cardbo ard, Waste ry to consum brands and Victor chemical waste. the Commonwea that and our indust retailers, act er should a job-creating surgeIninFebrua November plan jobs are created and at the ia had comm at a meeting of environment ittedbemore lth ry partne private $300 It was prepar ry, than Recycling ed by a team ly. manufacturing.” Infrastructu the present, I believe the country is million ready to Australian ministers, and the National these critical infrast rs to deliver transform the investigative waste and of global ructure projec re Fund (RVIF) Victoria state’s a timely manne recyclingHesystem journalists, added that the government has to adapt greater sustainability and Waste Policymade 2018. ts in available r. researchers and expert the Recycl an immediate through s, as well as “Despihas commissioned invest self-sufficiency as a new way of life,”ing Victor of ment Product Stewardship te the challe $28 analysis ia policy andan independent million target A review sourcing literature review action plan. of nges of curren circum ing priorit stances (COVID that shows Australia may require he told Inside Waste. considered by the WARR industry s, interviews, such asaplastic been t y materi inform als “As part of freedom of ), Victoria s, as ation (FOI) glass continued the 400 and paper. has perofcent increase in recycling “We need more detail about the a critical lever in transitioning to ato drive requests and launch ground invest Victoria, in the delivery Recycling on-theprojec Appl Februainfrastructure igation of ts capacity to cope with funding and especially the timelines, circular economy, and without it, most icant outlin ry s. we announced s developin ed in Recycl close to $100 The Changing the delivery ing Victoria, g million additional from thebusin exportess ban,caseother considering it is six months until initiatives are left ineffectual. Market Found of household drivewaste is a global expan ation s resear d the local andto recycling organisation s, options pointed toch, the National Plastic the ban on glass exportsmanuf and 12 The Review was quicklyreform followed proceshe D’Ambrosio working in sing for a contai partnership and said that the acturing indust schem ner depos with NGOs, Summit (held in March) at months until the ban onproduc plastic by the proces releases for of $20 million toe the that meets thewhich Recyclno ry, create other founda and research ing Victoria Victoria’s needs, it more ts from start tions organisation of our educat or funding was exports. Let’s be clear, recycling and recyclclear Product Stewardship Investment Fundannounced. the tructu able policy is underway newInfras s, to create materials re and support ion program to and and said and recycle campaigns follow on how “Labor has always thatsions direct reprocessing infrastructure is only Fund. As ing partthe of this fund fromeffectively, expres that shift marke share away of interest and signifi institutional from unsust cant funding for the strengthening of one part of the major reform needed Julythat 8, 2020, to reform were businesses are able ainable produc t and compa ,” she added (Contito nies toward ts . nued Australia’s waste industry is vital, to deal with Australia’s waste crisis. apply for grants of $300,000 $1 on page s environment and sociall 22) ally y beneficial which is why we promised $60 Recycled material needs a commercial million to develop industry-led product solutions. (Continued on page 24) million for a national recycling fund end-user and it is folly to think the stewardship schemes and improve the during the 2019 election. market is ready to deal with the rates of recycling in existing schemes. (Continued on page 20.) anticipated volume.” (Continued on page 22.)

Stewardship reform the turning point?

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Once-in-a-generation revamp of Australia’s recycling system AS VICTORIANS faced down a resurgent wave of COVID-19 in July, the arrival of Federal Government’s $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) was welcomed by the WARR industry with open arms. This isn’t surprising because government action on the waste recovery strategy plan agreed at COAG in March is long overdue, making it more imperative that a timeline be pronounced as soon as possible. There is less than six months until the ban on glass exports activates and 12 months until the ban on plastic exports. Most importantly, the key to the success of the RMF will be the ability of the various states to meet a third of the funding. Meanwhile, the industry needs to wait until the Treasurer hands down the belated budget in October and then for the Parliament to enact the legislation. While this is being prepared, the rollout also needs to be seen within the context of a national government and society which is grappling with the biggest economic downturn in a century, exacerbated by ongoing lockdowns. It is becoming clearer that an opportunity lies within this industry to not only pave the way to recovery

NOV 2020

INSIDE

26 Waste 2020 Conference 32 Technolog y 35 Young Profe ssional

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On an international flavour, have you heard what the Lithuanians are up to these days? As you would have noticed in my missive last month, I was enthralled with the Japanese, but Lithuania has taken it to a whole new level. Almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of plastic packaging waste was recycled there in 2017, the highest proportion in Europe. The EU average was 42 per cent. It seems their secret waste source is due to a deposit refund scheme, introduced in 2016. Customers pay €0.10 extra when buying drinks containers.

PP: 100024538

DEAR MINISTER, I did my darndest to get into Queensland to look at that nasty stockpile of tyres at Tyremil for you (I really didn’t think that there were any secret service devices hidden in there, but we can’t be too careful). But that Waste Minister, Trevor Evans, beat me to it. He glided effortlessly into the Sunshine state while I was interrogated through the car window at the border and turned back! I was just about to post my grievance on LinkedIn when Evans popped up there himself warning us all of the dangers of stockpiling tyres in our backyards or our neighbour’s backyard for that matter. I can only imagine that the Queensland scene he witnessed with his own two eyes was literally tyre popping. Speaking of tyres, I recently observed a Bingo truck making its way to a site while I was on my well-earned coffee break. It reminded me of the ”little (waste) truck who could” after reading that the company reported a 200 per cent profit. Yes, Minister 200 per cent! It seems that Bingo came out of the blocks only a few years ago when, leaving behind its origins as a small family-owned skip bin business in Western Sydney, it began expanding with the acquisition of Toro Waste Equipment and then Dial-A-Dump. Perhaps Bingo can continue to impress as a well managed waste company which can also turn a dollar?

Primary and Secondary systems for Whole tyre Off the Road export ban (OTR), Truck opportuniti es…want to and Passenger know more tyre recycling ? | info@ focusenvir o.com.au

Primary and Secondary systems for Off the Road (OTR), Truck and Passenger tyre recycling Whole tyre export ban opportunities…want to know more? | info@focusenviro.com.au

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London, Oslo and Dublin Rely on Our Energy-from-Waste Technology. London, United Kingdom

Oslo, Norway

Dublin, Ireland

So Does Perth. Rockingham, Australia

Our solutions are based on efficient and environmentally sound in-house technology, and cover the entire life cycle of an Energy-from-Waste facility. Our proven technologies have been part of more than 700 plants worldwide. As a global leader in energy from waste we are proud to be able to say: We deliver. Check our references.

Waste is our Energy www.hz-inova.com