ISW 20181218 by Prime Creative Media

Official Publication of the

ISSUE 87 | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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INSIDE

Investors across the waste industry mull the next steps following the EPA’s decision to stop the use of AWT on agricultural land.

NSW EPA ends AWT

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FOLLOWING COMPREHENSIVE independent studies, the NSW EPA is stopping the restricted use of mixed waste organic material or alternative waste treatments (AWT) on agricultural land and is ceasing use on plantation forests and mining rehabilitation land until further controls can be considered, with applications on agricultural land ceasing since October 26 this year. NSW EPA mentioned that there was a “robust scientific” basis for the its decision to stop the use of the material. “The restricted use of the mixed waste organic material had been permitted on the basis that it provided beneficial reuse of waste, and extensive independent research commissioned by the EPA found that it no longer passed that test,” the report had said. The EPA had commissioned an assessment overseen by an independent panel formed by the Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer for possible health risks related to the use of this product on agricultural land. The assessment used what the EPA called “very cautious assumptions”, to estimate how much exposure a person might have to chemicals present in the material. The NSW Food Authority and NSW Health have reviewed the initial findings of the health risk assessment and expert scientific advice, and further work is

being done, overseen by an independent panel formed by the Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer. The full results of the review are expected to be completed in the coming months. As of now, upon reviewing the findings on whether or not it posed any health risks to human beings, it was reported by the EPA that the use of mixed waste organic material on agricultural land in unlikely to present any health risk to the general public. In response to this action, the Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA) is calling for greater involvement in consultations following the surprise announcement. The waste and resource recovery industry were informed some six weeks ago that the EPA had completed research into the impacts of mixed waste organics and the exception was that the regulator would then release its findings for wider consultation. “It is imperative that industry is given a chance to review the findings, particularly as the EPA has confirmed its statement that the use of mixed waste organic material on agricultural land is unlikely to present any health risk to the general public,” said Gayle Sloan, WMAA CEO. “Industry and local councils have invested significantly in AWT in NSW over many years with the support of

the EPA. “The EPA itself, in its review of waste and resource recovery infrastructure, noted in 2017 there was in fact a one million tonne shortage of AWT processing capacity across the state. “It is also important that industry does not suffer losses because of this decision.” Sloan stressed the importance of maintaining the public’s confidence in the waste industry with the many challenges it constantly faces. “Industry and government have a shared responsibility to work together to find long-term sustainable solutions,” Sloan continued. “We appreciate government is willing to look into financial relief packages for industry and local government that may be severely impacted by the revocation of this exemption and order.” Tony Khoury, executive director of the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association (WCRA) is concerned that the NSW government’s decision to stop AWT outputs will not be beneficial to the industry. “This decision by the NSW Government to revoke the Resource Recovery Exemption and Order for Mixed Waste Organic Outputs (MWOO) on 26 October 2018 with 24 hours’ notice, has threatened the viability of the AWT sector both in NSW and potentially nationally,” Khoury said. “Further to the recent issues regarding the China national sword,

18 Year In Review 20 National Waste Policy revisited 28 Breaking down of the National Packaging Targets 40 Site visit of Veolia’s leachate facility

waste generators will be also asking the question about whether recycling and resource recovery are sustainable in the short term.” Khoury added that these NSW businesses form a significant part of the resource recovery industry (accounting for 500,000 tonnes annually), and the EPA’s decision will have what he calls “dire long-term consequences”. “As a matter of urgency, we have called on the NSW Government to release all reports, that the Government has relied upon and led to this decision. Further, we will continue lobbying the NSW Government for clarity around how businesses will be compensated for the landfill levy, gate fees, loss of income and carbon credit losses arising from this surprise decision.” Khoury continued. Garth Lamb, chief development officer of Re.Group, shared similar concerns with Inside Waste saying that the EPA’s decision has implications for all resource recovery operators in NSW, and not just AWT operators. “The critical question is: How will the government now work with operators and councils to ensure that its decision does not have negative impacts on those who have invested and acted in good faith to keep material out of landfill and in the productive economy?” Lamb concluded. More on this story on page 15: Anissa Levy steps down as EPA chief. For the full report go to: www.insidewaste.com.au

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Editor’s Note // Official Publication of the

Rocking on THE YEAR will not close out quietly for the waste industry. It started out on rocky roads with the announcement of the China National Sword. Effective since January 1, 2018, it is the latest and strictest regulation on imports of solid wastes as raw materials. This effectively ended the export of waste to China. This means that we had to regroup and find the means to manage our own waste problems – something that the state and federal governments have been scrambling to do for this past year. The policy bans various plastic, paper and solid waste, including plastics such as PET, PE, PVC and PS. On paper, it set a much tougher standard on the limit of contamination in scrap plastic, and various different metals allowed in a waste shipment – increasing from 90-95 per cent purity to 99.5 per cent (a standard that is practically impossible to meet). Some states reacted quicker than others, with NSW and Victoria providing help packages to tackle the China National Sword issue. By the middle of the year, China’s

decision to restrict the imports of 24 categories of waste has caused commodity prices to plunge, leaving some private operators having to pay for recyclables to be collected. Many have been in discussions with local governments around contracts, solutions, and price increases. As we move into the new year, let’s look forward to more help packages, innovations and initiatives from the industry. Some cause for joy in other areas was with the review of the act ban on plastic bags this year. It found that in 2017 alone, the ban in ACT reduced the use by over 55 million bags. This translates to a reduce in consumption by over 60 per cent or 1,131 tonnes, according to the official review. To look at the bigger picture, it did reduce the amount of plastic bag waste going to landfill. But, while the numbers look impressive, is it really that significant? According to waste consultants AECOM, in this issue of Inside Waste, no, and yes (to some extent). No, in a sense that plastic bags

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alone represent less than one per cent of waste going to landfill and have no material impact on waste generation or the need for new landfills. AECOM however, urge the authorities to be more specific on the kind of plastics to focus on – such as single-use plastic bags made from polyethylene (soft plastics), which represent more than five percent of the waste going to landfill. To compound the issue, there are also no recycling markets in the country for these soft plastics. Despite this, the policy does bring about a good reduction in litter volume and in educating consumers to help them engage in behaviours, which could help make a difference in the war on waste in the long run. Policies sometimes can take unexpected turns that can rattle an industry. As per our cover story, the NSW EPA has recently announced the end of agricultural use of mixed waste organic material. It looks to be permanent until “further controls can be considered”, according to the EPA’s news release. While there have been strong responses from various stakeholders questioning the pull-out, despite the initial health reasons given, the industry awaits the full report on the findings in the coming months. But while we wait for, hopefully, a mitigating response or decision, the industry still asks – until when and at what cost? Inside Waste will be following this developing story closely as it unfolds. In this issue, we feature the thoughts of the newly minted CEO of the NWRIC, Rose Read, on the organisation’s take on the new national recycling targets (NWP). Read describes the NWP as a “refreshed” one that is more than an apt response to the many ongoing industry challenges including the China Sword, War on Waste or optimising state-based landfill levies. She stressed that it is also about steering Australia towards a circular economy while staying competitve. The industry leaders have pointed out that the Australian waste industry is still playing catch up to international trends and activities despite having all the tools. Now, all we need are steady pairs of hands across the board to steer us through to better days. Until then, stay safe, have a good break, recharge and see all of you in 2019!

Publisher Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au Group Managing Editor - Northern Syed Shah syed.shah@primecreative.com.au Journalist Jan Arreza jan.arreza@primecreative.com.au Art Director Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Design Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty Business Development Manager Alastair Bryers alastair.bryers@primecreative.com.au +61 431 730 886 Client Success Manager Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

Head Office Prime Creative Pty Ltd 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia p: +61 3 9690 8766 enquiries@primecreative.com.au www.insidewaste.com.au Subscriptions +61 3 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au Inside Waste is available by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format. Copyright Inside Waste is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in Inside Waste is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Inside Waste are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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Profile | Gavin Shapiro Gavin Shapiro is a partner in Hones Lawyers environment and planning team. What was your first job in the sector and what attracted you to it? I was first exposed to waste as a baby environment and planning lawyer 12 years ago. I found the depth of the industry, and the range and complexity of legal issues in waste to be really exciting. Favourite part of the job? Going toe-to-toe with the EPA or a council in an investigation or prosecution or appearing as prosecutor for some of our council clients against illegal dumpers. This is where we can really prove our worth as lawyers if we can get a great result for our clients. How has the waste management changed during your time in the industry? Two main things. Sophistication – there has been a lot of consolidation and some of the players are far more sophisticated. Complexity – the laws, caselaw and contracts in the industry are becoming increasingly complex and difficult for clients to navigate. Achievements that you are most proud of? Probably having a hand in some of the largest tenders for waste services and seeing those projects get off the ground, such as the SSROC-Veolia Woodlawn Advanced Waste Treatment project. What’s next for Hones Lawyers? There is a huge amount of waste contract activity at the moment – both with refund sharing agreements under the container deposit scheme and contract variations related to the China National Sword. Next year, I’m hoping that we will have a hand in some new projects, particularly in energy-from-waste, Best advice ever given to you? Never take life too seriously – you’ll never get out alive.

South Australian MP calls for national container deposit scheme SOUTH Australian independent MP Rebekha Sharkie is calling on the Federal government to implement a national container deposit scheme and for it to be rolled out before the next Federal election. The Centre Alliance MP says Australians use more than 13 billion beverage containers a year, which amounts to

The Centre Alliance MP says Australians use more than 13 billion beverage containers a year.

more than 36 million each day. She’s calling on Tasmania and Victoria to follow other states and territories to implement the policy. “Back in 1977, when people were still wearing flares, each generation of South Australian kids have been crunching cans on the pavement or under the back verandah for that extra bit of pocket money,” Sharkie said. “The scheme refunded more than $58 million drink containers for recycling from 2016 to 2017. Increased aluminium recycling would help Australia meet its Paris commitments.” Tasmanian Labor MP Brian Mitchell “wholeheartedly” agrees with the proposal and said last month’s state Labor conference unanimously supported the idea. Sharkie’s call for the recycling scheme comes after a parliamentary committee report recommended it as part of a plan to tackle Australia’s growing waste woes.

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// News

WCRA to hold Awards night

WCRA will be holding its annual Industry Awards on November 30 in Sydney.

THE Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA) will be holding its Industry Awards at the William Inglis Hotel, Warwick Farm, in conjunction with its annual dinner on November 30, 2018. On the night there will be two awards, which will be judged by the four members of the WCRA senior executive. The President’s Award will be awarded to either an organisation or individual from the NSW or ACT waste management sector that enhances the reputation of the waste and recycling industry. This is done through the improvement

of service levels, operational efficiency or sustainability of resource management. The WCRA Safety Award will be awarded for an initiative or response in the year 2018, which was developed by an individual or group on behalf of either a WCRA member or an associate member or sponsor of the WCRA. In order to win the award, the individual(s) would have to have shown initiative to improve the safety of workers in the waste and recycling industry and/or members of the public who might otherwise be exposed to safety risks posed by the operator of the waste and recycling industry. At last year’s Safety Award, Darell Wilson from Suez took home the Safety Award for averting what WCRA said was potentially a catastrophic accident which would have resulted in many deaths. His quick actions in turning his truck towards a concrete wall to avoid a school bus carrying 20 children that pulled in front of him averted the collision. The winner of both awards will take home a gift of $500.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

Profile | JDM Aust JDM Aust supply a wide range of recycling and materials handling equipment from world-class manufacturers around the world, which are competitively priced and recognised as having a strong commitment to providing solutions to customer needs. When was the company founded and why? JDM Aust was founded in 2004 after identifying a real need for high-quality waste and recycling equipment for the industries. What are the key machines/equipment and services that JDM Aust offers? We offer a very comprehensive range of equipment and services. We supply only what we believe is the best equipment for the application. Our equipment range includes shredders, screening equipment, magnetic equipment, air separation equipment, optical sorting equipment, balers, ballistic separators, tyre recycling equipment, landfill truck tippers, horizontal grinders), picking stations, and C&D and C&I sorting plants. How does JDM Aust work with its customers to create tailor-made solutions? JDM works very closely with our customers and supply partners to ensure the equipment we specify for a project is fit for purpose. It is extremely important to us that our equipment does what our customer expects, so we go into great detail when assessing projects and applications, and fully engage our supply partners. What are some of JDM Australia’s plans and ambitions for the next 12-18 months? We have just been appointed the new Doppstadt dealer for Australia and New Zealand, so we will be very busy over the next 12 months building this brand and incorporating it into our portfolio. Our aim is to set up similar operations to our Brisbane headquarters in both NSW and Victoria over the next two years. More: www.jdmaust.net.au or 1300 767 589 or email sales@jdmaust.net.au

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

News //

North Queensland mayors voice concerns about waste levy NORTH Queensland mayors have called for changes to the state government’s proposed waste levy, currently set to take effect on March 4, 2019. Lyn McLaughlin, North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NQROC) chairperson and mayor of Burdekin Shire Council, said it was important for regional councils to raise their concerns about the new waste levy. “NQROC members remain concerned about the impact of the proposed waste levy on our communities,” McLaughlin continued. “We are asking the government to listen to our concerns. In our recent submission on the waste levy, North Queensland Councils made nine recommendations for change and we hope our submission are successful.” The NQROC submission calls on the state government to change the levy implementation date to July 1, 2019, so it aligns with the commencement of the new financial year. It also recommends the introduction of a

NQROC calls for cheaper levies for the regions.

differential levy rate system, in line with NSW and Victoria, where rates for metropolitan and regional areas vary. Alternatively, a specific regional subsidy scheme to cover the hidden

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costs of the waste levy should be introduced. “The need to transport waste to distant recycling markets is one of the hidden costs of the waste levy for regional councils,” McLaughlin said. “It’s less expensive for the larger Metropolitan Councils, who have recycling facilities close to them. However, transportation costs are a huge issue for regional and rural communities. “We need a cheaper levy for the regions or the government must assist with the cost of transporting our waste to other parts of the state.” Another significant NQROC recommendation related to how the Waste Levy Zone is determined and called for Charters Towers Regional Council and Hinchinbrook Shire Council to be removed from the proposed Waste Levy Zone. “Right now, population is the only criteria for determining if you are in the Waste Levy Zone,” McLaughlin said. “Regional economies are more complex than that and it is our view other factors like local economic conditions and financial sustainability should also be considered.” According to Liz Schmidt, NQROC deputy chair and mayor of Charters Towers, their council was a perfect example of why a population-only approach doesn’t work. “Charters Towers Regional Council is just over the waste levy population threshold, so we are included in the Waste Levy Zone,” Schmidt added. “This ignores the fact that the number of people we provide waste services for is much less than the actual population. We have a large number

of rural properties covering an area the size of Tasmania, who deal with their own waste. “Then there are the costs of waste management for townships like Balfes Creek, Homestead, Pentland, Greenvale, Harvey Range, Sellheim, Mingela and Ravenswood. “Waste costs for these towns are already heavily subsidised by council and are unlikely to ever be self-sustaining. A waste levy just adds a greater financial burden, which means more cost for our communities. “We aren’t like the larger councils of South East Queensland, but the government doesn’t seem to realise that.” Ramon Jayo, Hinchinbrook Shire Council mayor, also expressed concerns about the population-only approach to the Waste Levy Zone. “Hinchinbrook’s commercial and agricultural sectors are struggling financially, due to the downturn in the sugar industry,” Jayo added. “The requirement to pay a waste levy on top of existing waste fees will over burden small business and result in significant adverse impacts to the local economy. This levy, if introduced in its current format, will cripple small regional economies. “According to the latest census, we are only 885 people over the population threshold, and our population is declining.” NQROC members have appealed to the state government to listen to their concerns. Members councils include Burdekin Shire Council, Charters Towers Regional Council, Hinchinbrook Shire Council, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council, and Townsville City Council.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// News

Australian-first thermal WtE to be located in Kwinana THE City of South Perth, through a partnership with the Rivers Regional Council (RRC), Phoenix Energy Australia and the cities of Armadale, Gosnells, Mandurah, Canning, and the Shire of Murray, have announced a project to develop Australia’s first thermal Waste to Energy (WtE) facility, which will be located in Kwinana – 40km south of Perth. A financial close was reached last week and the construction of the facility, which has been co-developed by Macquarie Capital and Phoenix Energy, will commence this month and is scheduled to open by the end of 2021. With increasing pressure on landfill capacity, and community efforts to reduce landfill levels, WtE is an opportunity for the generation of affordable green power. The Kwinana facility will use Keppel Seghers moving grate technology, which thermally treats the waste and converts the recovered energy into steam to produce electricity. The facility will export 36MW of electricity to the local grid per year, which is sufficient to power more than 50,000 households. Metallic materials will be recovered and recycled, while other by-products will be re-used as construction materials. “It is no longer feasible to consider landfill as the long-term solution to managing general waste,” said Sue Doherty, City of South Perth mayor. “As our population continues to grow, the City of South Perth must consider alternatives to landfill for the disposal of general household waste.” The following benefits would reportedly be reaped with the construction of the WtE: • 400,000 tonnes of household, commercial, and industrial waste to

be diverted from Western Australian landfill per year, equivalent to one quarter of Perth’s post-recycling rubbish; • A consequent reduction of 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, equivalent to taking 85,000 cars off the road; • 36MW of reliable baseload energy to be exported to the grid, sufficient to power more than 50,000 households; • Strong support from the Australian and Western Australian governments through funding and leasing agreements; • Long-term waste supply agreements already in place with a number of local councils allowing for an affordable and sustainable solution for the disposal of household waste; and • More than 800 jobs, including apprenticeships, to be created in Western Australia during construction and 60 full-time positions once operational. The WtE facility has already received all necessary environmental and development approvals required from Western Australian government agencies in order to commence construction of the facility on Leath Road, within the Kwinana Industrial Area. The project is supported by 20-year waste supply agreements with RRC and the City of Kwinana. In addition, the report stated that the project also has a five-year waste supply agreement with Veolia. The Western Australia Local Government Association (WALGA) has appointed the Kwinana WtE facility as a preferred supplier of baseload renewable energy, representing a reliable source of baseload power to WALGA members.

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News //

European Parliament vote for ambitious proposal to ban single-use plastics THE European Parliament has voted in favour of an ambitious proposal for a blanket-ban on the use of single-use plastics from 2021 in a bid to stop polluting the environment, particularly the world’s oceans. The bill, which was introduced by the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Frederique Ries, was passed by 571-53 votes, and comes after the European Commission proposed the ban back in May of this year, in response to ongoing public awareness of, and outcry against, plastic pollution. The proposed ban will result in the eradication of plastic straws, cotton swabs, as well as disposable plastic plates and cutlery from the EU market from 2021. According to the European Commission, such plastics make up 70 per cent of all marine litter. MEPs broadened the scope of the ban by added some additional items to the list of banned plastics, including products made of oxo-degradable plastics such as bags or packaging, as well as fast-food containers made of expanded polystyrene.

Member states will also have to reduce the consumption of plastic products, which have no alternatives, by at least 25 per cent by 2025. The plan also requires that the EU recycles 90 per cent of certain plastics – including beverage bottles – by 2025, and cigarette makers would have to slash use of plastic in filters by 80 per cent by 2030. Member states should also ensure that at least 50 per cent of lost or abandoned fishing gear containing plastic is collected per year, with a recycling target of at least 15 per cent by 2025. Fishing gear represents 27 per cent of waste found on Europe’s beaches. A recent EU study said that about 150,000 tonnes of plastic are tossed into European water every year, and looking globally, they estimate that around eight million tonnes of plastic enter the world’s ocean annually, which has a huge negative effect on marine life. When these plastic debris break down from wear and tear, it does not

A recent EU study said that about 150,000 tonnes of plastic are tossed into European water every year.

decompose the way other products would, and instead breaks down into smaller pieces know as microplastic. These fragments often end up in fish and can then be passed on to humans. Large volumes of plastic waste also wash up on beaches, where they can be eaten by sea birds and other animals, which in turn kills them. The European Commission said businesses will benefit from one set of rules for an EU market of around 500 million people. The Commission said it will encourage EU companies to develop economies of scale and become more competitive in the global

market for sustainable products. Lately, several countries and companies have been already taking their own measures in response to growing calls from environmentalists and rising public support for stringent steps to curb plastic packaging waste. Just last week, the UK government announced plans to ban plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds in a bid to turn the tide on plastic pollution. Multinational giants from the consumer goods industry have pledged to ensure all plastic packaging to be either recyclable or compostable by 2025 through plastic reduction strategies.

Global commitment to eliminate plastic pollution at the source launched A global commitment to eradicate plastic waste and pollution at the source has been signed by over 290 organisations, representing 20 per cent of all plastic packaging produced globally. The commitment was officially unveiled by Ellen MacArthur at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali this week. The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with UN

Environment, includes signatories from many of the world’s largest packaging producers, brands, retailers and recyclers, as well as government and NGOs. Signatories include well-known consumer businesses such as Danone, H&M Group, L’Oreal, Mars, PepsiCo, the Coca-Cola Company and Unilever, as well as major packaging producers such as Amcor, plastic producers including Novamount, and resource management

specialist Veolia. “We know that cleaning up plastics from our beaches and oceans is vital, but this does not stop the tide of plastic entering the oceans each year,” Ellen MacArthur said. “We need to move upstream to the source of the flow. The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment draws a line in the sand, with businesses, governments and others around the world uniting behind a clear vision

The Global Commitment aims to create a ‘new normal’ for plastic packaging with set targets.

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

for what we need to create a circular economy for plastic.” The Global Commitment aims to create a “new normal” for plastic packaging. Targets will be reviewed every 18 months and become increasingly ambitious over the coming years. Businesses that sign the commitment will publish annual data on their progress to ensure transparency. Targets include: • Eliminating problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and move from single-use to reuse packaging models. • Innovate to ensure 100 per cent of plastic packaging can be easily and safely reused, recycled or composted by 2025. • Circulate the plastic produced, by significantly increasing the amounts of plastics reused or recycled and made into new packaging or products. Eliminating unnecessary and problematic plastics in an essential part of the Global Commitment vision and will make it easier to keep remaining plastics in the economy and out of the environment.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// News

Boomerang Alliance joins forces with WA’s Bassendean BOOMERANG Alliance has taken the first step in bringing its highly successful Communities Taking Control (CTC) program to Western Australia, joining forces with the Town of Bassendean as part of an ambitious initiative to create a ‘Plastic Free Bassendean’. The program will work alongside Bassendean Council over a 12-month period, engaging the business community to review supply chains and provide much needed support in making the transition away from single-use plastics. After three pilot programs on the east coast, which have made significant inroads into eliminating six key, singleuse plastic items from food service and hospitality outlets in Noosa, Byron Bay and Wollongong. Boomerang Alliance received funding from the WA Waste Authority in July to bring the program to WA. “Having considered a shortlist of local councils active on the issue of plastic waste, we are excited to confirm a partnership with the Town of Bassendean to create WA’s first PlasticFree Community,” said Kellie Lindsay, CTC program manager at Boomerang

Alliance. “The CTC model has undergone rigorous testing through our recent pilot programs and we are confident that we can use our knowledge and well-established supplier networks to facilitate a major shift away from single-use plastics in the Bassendean community.” Unlike many programs, which seek to drive the shift through community action, CTC focuses on achieving wide-scale change through a sourcereduction approach, to reduce a community’s plastic footprint. To achieve this, the program engages directly with local businesses, events, markets and organisations, to switch from identified single-use plastic items to sustainable alternatives. The key to success has been direct engagement with target audiences, removing the barriers to transition, providing well-researched information on alternative materials and making it a simple process to go plastic free. “The Town of Bassendean is firmly committed to going plastic free,” said Bassendean mayor Renee McLennan. “We have a number of initiatives

The CTC program focuses on achieving wide-scale change through a source-reduction approach, to reduce a community’s plastic footprint.

already underway across the council area, but the opportunity to partner with Boomerang Alliance to create ‘Plastic-Free Bassendean’ will help us turn our vision into reality. “We encourage the residents of Bassendean to get behind this program and support those businesses that are taking steps to reduce plastic pollution and drive positive outcomes for our environment.” Early program evaluations point to the elimination of more than 30,000 singleuse plastic items in one community alone, in less than a year. As the initial pilots drew to a close,

it is anticipated that final results will demonstrate significantly higher levels of elimination, highlighting the success of the program from the outset. “We are excited to be bringing CTC to the west coast and hope that this will be the beginning of a state-wide program that will change the plastic pollution landscape in Perth and across Western Australia,” said Jayne Paramor, deputy director of Boomerang Alliance. “We look forward to engaging a local coordinator in coming weeks, to get the program into full swing and to seeing the whole of WA take up the challenge to go plastic free.”

ANU engineers join the fight against e-waste with new invention

Australia produces 200,000 tonnes of e-waste every year, but only four per cent of that waste is recycled.

A semiconductor with organic and inorganic materials that can efficiently convert electricity into light and is also flexible and thin enough to make devices like mobile phones bendable, has been invented by engineers at the Australian National University (ANU). According to the ANU engineers,

the invention opens the door to a new generation of high-performance electronic devices made with organic materials, which will be biodegradable or that can be easily recycled. Ultimately, this innovation could help to substantially reduce e-waste. Australia produces 200,000 tonnes of e-waste every year, but only four per

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

cent of that waste is recycled. The organic component has the thickness of just one atom, which is made from just carbon and hydrogen, and forms part of the semiconductor that the ANU team developed. The inorganic component has the thickness of around two atoms. The hybrid structure is said to be capable of converting electricity into light efficiently for displays on mobile phones, televisions and other electronic devices. ANU engineers grew the organic semiconductor component molecule by molecule, in a similar way to 3D printing, which is a process known as chemical vapour deposition. ANU Research School of Engineering lead engineer and associate professor Larry Lu said the invention was a major breakthrough in the field. “For the first time, we have developed an ultra-thin electronics component with excellent semiconducting properties that is an organicinorganic hybrid structure, which is thin and flexible enough for future technologies, such as bendable mobile phones and display screens,” Lu said. “We characterised the opto-electronic

and electrical properties of our invention to confirm the tremendous potential of it to be used as a future semiconductor component. “The semiconductor could be recycled multiple times and could target a lot of the world’s plastic and electronic waste. “We are working on growing our semiconductor component on a largescale, so it can be commercialised in collaboration with prospective industry partners.” According to PhD researcher Ankur Sharma, experiments demonstrated the performance of their semiconductor would be much more efficient than conventional semiconductors made with inorganic materials such as silicon. “We have the potential with this semiconductor to make mobile phones as powerful as today’s supercomputers,” Sharma continued. “The light emission from our semiconducting structure is very sharp, so it can be used for highresolution displays and since the materials are ultra-thin, they have the flexibility to be made into bendable screens and mobile phones in the near future.”

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

News //

Japan vows to advance the circular economy as country takes presidency of G20

When it comes to the bulk handling process, there is no limitation to the design possibilities for JOEST products, whether your need is pre-classifying or sorting, separation and screening or conveying and dosing.

AT THE CLOSING event of the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2018, Japan’s state minister of the environment Tsukasa Akimoto pledged that Japan will advance the circular economy when it takes up the presidency of the G20 in 2019. “Japan will bring the output of this forum to various international conferences such as the Asia-Pacific 3R promotion forum, United Nations Environment Assembly UNEA4 and G20, which Japan will be the chair country of next year, and show strong leadership for the circular economy,” Akimoto said. At the forum, Finland’s minister of the environment Kimmo Tiilikainen stressed that Finland’s EU and Japan’s G20-presidency in 2019 will be a fantastic opportunity to promote the solutions of circular economy and to fight environmental collapse and climate change. At the WCEF 2018, Japan’s minister of the environment Yoshiaki Harada and Tiilikainen signed the Memorandum of Environmental Cooperation, which will pave the way for more intensive cooperation between Universities, research institutions and companies. The importance of cooperation was highlighted by Jyrki Katainen, vicepresident of the European Commission. “The circular economy is the industrial leg of fighting climate change. The public sector does not tackle this by itself, we need cooperation with the private sector,” Katainen said. The forum themes included economic benefits and social equity of the circular economy, sustainable lifestyles and consumer solutions, energy and climate, global value chains and trade, as well as the mobility revolution and circular solutions for reducing plastic waste. According to the WCEF, the circular economy decouples virgin and nonrenewable resource use from economic growth and puts an end to the era of overconsumption. “It’s time for us to face the culprit of these crises – the ever-growing consumption of energy and materials, and the unsustainable use of natural resources,” said Mari Pantsar, who leads the Carbon-Neutral Circular Economy theme at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.

Food scraps trial to reduce landfill With our proven JOEST technologies, there is a wide range of system solutions available to the recycling and waste incineration processes.

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THE CITY OF SYDNEY is inviting 100 apartment buildings and 300 houses to join its first food scraps collection trial in mid-2019. The trial is part of the City’s Leave Nothing to Waste action plan, which has a target of diverting more than 90 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030. “We know our residents are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment, so we’re really excited to start this trial,” lord mayor Clover Moore said. “We currently divert 67 per cent of residential waste from landfill, and this new kerbside collection is a crucial part of our work to achieve zero waste by 2030. “I encourage people who live in houses or apartments buildings to apply for the trial, which we will look at expanding in 2020.” Food scraps make up one third of the red-lidded bins in the local area. Food waste collected in the trial will be turned into nutrient-rich fertiliser that can be used to grow plants and improve soil. This trial will also test

the best way to collect food waste from different building types. The City is calling for expressions of interest until December 31, 2018 for resident and building managers to register to take part in the trial. Residents can find out more about the trial and register on the City of Sydney website. People who sign up will receive a kitchen caddy, compostable liners and a food scraps bin. These will be different for houses and apartments. Residents and buildings will also receive an information pack to help them get stated. The City will assess all households that register against the trial guidelines. Residents living in apartments will need to provide contact details for building managers and selected buildings will require strata committee approval. Residents who can’t join in the first phase of the trial will receive details of other local program and services they can use to reduce food waste and compost leftovers.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// News

Anissa Levy steps down as EPA chief By Jan Arreza

INSIDE WASTE had been informed by industry sources in early November about the decision of Anissa Levy, who had only joined the NSW’s EPA as acting chair and CEO in March this year, to resign from her position. This development comes after the announcement from the NSW EPA in relation to the restriction of the use of mixed waste organic material on agricultural land, as well as on forestry and mining land, until further controls can be considered. The decision had been met with some concern from industry players (see cover story). Prior to her joining the NSW EPA, Levy held several senior executive positions within the NSW government. As deputy CEO at Infrastructure NSW, she oversaw the development, implementation and operation of the Infrastructure Investor Assurance framework – a risk-based framework for the oversight of the NSW government’s ambitious infrastructure program. Before this, Levy was the deputy director general of planning and programs at Transport for NSW, where she was responsible for the Transport Cluster capital budget, the Bureau of Transport statistics, strategic integrated transport planning and transport project development. Inside Waste caught up with leaders within the industry to get their take on this recent development, Levy’s time as acting chair and CEO of the NSW EPA, as well as on what they hope would come out of this moving forward. Most are saddened at her departure and hope that the organisation finds its feet again in these challenging times. “The NSW waste and resource recovery industry needs certainty at this very difficult and challenging time, and it is extremely unfortunate

Anissa Levy’s departure from the NSW EPA follows the AWT pull-out announcement by the organisation in October.

that we are yet again without a CEO at an agency that is so important and essential to our industry,” said Gayle Sloan, Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA) CEO. “While the recent decision in relation to the revocation of orders is not one that the industry supports, and is obviously taken under advisement, the time that we had Anissa at the EPA, we found her to be a breath of fresh air. She brought energy and a can-do approach to NSW EPA that we haven’t seen in many years,” Sloan said. Sloan described Levy as a person who was committed to developing partnerships with industry. “She completely understood that you can’t just regulate the industry to make it successful, we would need to do market development and create secondary markets and job opportunities in NSW, and industry was working well with her to progress those initiatives and change the culture of the EPA,” Sloan said.

“It is extremely disappointing that someone who brought so much energy is now lost to us. We want to see all of the work that Levy commenced to continue. Levy was extremely generous with her time and worked very hard, and we don’t want to go back to not having access and a problem-solving attitude in the EPA,” Sloan added. Sloan also mentioned that the industry needs the minister (NSW Minister for Environment, Gabrielle Upton) to lead through this difficult time and focus on delivering certainty, as well as the reforms and support that the industry needs. These issues include the transition through issues like the China Sword and the recent revocation of the orders. “We’ve had 18 months of turmoil and what we need is stability and solutions. We need the government to work with industry to solve the issues we face and not create more instability for us,” Sloan said. Other industry leaders also voiced their concerns about the resignation during these trying times. “WCRA is disappointed to hear that Anissa has resigned from her position at the EPA,” said Tony Khoury, executive director of the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA). “Levy and the EPA, in recent times, were doing a good job in difficult circumstances, and while the industry may not have always agreed with the EPA’s position, the EPA was communicating well with industry,” said Khoury. “We are not sure how Anissa’s departure is going to help resolve any of the many outstanding issues that are being caused by the current government, many of which have been detailed in the 36 recommendations of the NSW parliamentary inquiry. “Further, the government should use this opportunity to split the role of the EPA chair and CEO and appoint

two separate persons.” Rose Read, CEO of the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) described the resignation as being “quite unfortunate” because Levy was seen as a proactive leader who was engaging and had constructive discussions with the industry that was appreciated as a whole. “We are looking for stability within the government, so they can focus on addressing the issues facing the industry in NSW. The industry is committed to delivering excellent waste and recycling services and want to see that the department’s new appointment is completed sooner rather than later. “We were very happy with how Levy was engaging and working in collaboration with industry to address these issues, as well as bringing the councils and industry all together with government agencies to come up with solutions that are sensible and proactive.” Garth Lamb, chief development officer of Re.Group and WMAA’s national president called for unity within the ministerial offices and departments in light of the larger importance of the Australian waste industry and its ongoing challenges. “Recent developments highlight the importance to our sector of ministerial offices and their departments maintaining functional relationships,” Lamb said. “None of us in industry want to be dragged through the mud while people are arguing internally, and that feels like that is what has happened here. “Our sector is too important to become collateral damage due to internal warring spilling into tabloid press. We need, and absolutely deserve, strong leadership from our state government to continue delivering essential services for the community.”

Five million containers returned in first week of Queensland’s recycling scheme QUEENSLAND’S container refund scheme, Containers for Change, has seen more than five million containers returned and recycled within one week of its launch. Queensland’s minister for environment Leeanne Enoch launched the scheme on November 1 in a move to reduce beverage container litter in the state. The government also announced that Darling Downs residents have returned

more than 385,000 containers. “Across Queensland, more than five million containers have been returned – that’s half a million dollars that has already gone back to Queenslanders, charities and community groups,” Enoch said. “Containers for Change is about encouraging more recycling and reducing litter in the environment by allowing Queenslanders to get 10c back for returning their cans and bottles.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

“Queenslanders use nearly three billion containers every year, and sadly, they are the second most commonly littered item in the environment, despite the fact they can be easily recycled. “The scheme has created nearly 500 jobs across the state and expects the number of jobs to increase in the future.” Australian not-for-profit organisation Container Exchange (CoEx) is

responsible for implementing and managing the container refund scheme. “We have had an exceptional response from community groups and charities wanting to become a Donation Point after recognising the benefits of being a part of the scheme,” said Ken Noye, CoEx CEO. Residents who returned containers received the refund at various locations, including over-the-counter, drop-off and reverse vending machine services.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

news

From the CEO’s desk Environment Ministers will meet for the second time this year on 7 December, following the first 2018 Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) in April, which was in part a response to the import restrictions driven by China’s National Sword Policy and the effects this policy has had across the Australian waste and resource recovery (WARR) industry. Key decisions derived from the April MEM include: • Reducing waste generation, endorsing a target of 100% of Australian packaging being recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025, and developing targets for recycled content in packaging. • Increasing Australia’s domestic recycling capacity. • Increasing the demand for recycled products. • Exploring opportunities to advance waste-to-energy and waste-to-biofuels. • Updating the 2009 Waste Strategy by year end, which will include circular economy principles. It is time to take stock and examine what has been achieved since these decisions were announced. Now, seven (7) months may not seem like a long time, however in that time we have seen further markets close (Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam) and if you are an operator under continued financial stress, seven (7) months could make or break you. 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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Year in Review //

SNAPSHOT OF 2018 May

Inside Waste Report The year has passed by quickly and Inside Waste has revamped its website, bringing you news and other updates from the industry even faster than before. Like in previous years, it’s good to take stock of the milestones and highlights that have happened. We try to leave no stone unturned on this one.

January

Recycling contracts in Australia came under threat and a crisis was looming after China implemented its National Sword Policy on January 1, which restricted the import of 24 categories of solid waste and limited contamination of those materials to less than 0.5 per cent. Recycling contracts were at risk of defaulting or being cancelled and the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) proposed preliminary solutions, including the renegotiation of contracts between local governments and recycling providers to improve risk sharing and lower contamination, increasing stockpiling allowances where environmentally safe, and making Commonwealth assistance available to open new export markets.

JAN

FEB

February

March

The Queensland government announced that it will reintroduce a waste levy after considering a report into the interstate transport of waste. It will sit in the $60 to $70 per tonne range, making it less enticing for transporters to truck waste from NSW to Queensland. The NSW government committed $65 million to make the state cleaner with an updated NSW Illegal Dumping Strategy – delivered by the EPA. The strategy outlines key actions for combatting illegal dumping through education, collaborative partnerships, enforcement and infrastructure. It includes a plan to spend $9 million for regional illegal dumping (RID) programs and squads, who will support local government to prevent and clean-up local illegal dumping. It also plans to spend $3 million for the Clean-up and Prevention Program for land managers and community groups, and $1 million for the Aboriginal Land Clean-up and Prevention Program.

MAR

The implementation of the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) was implemented in February. According to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), the ARL will “help alleviate the country’s critical waste by increasing recycling rates and clearly outlining for consumers what product packaging is made from so they can correctly recycle it after use”. The label will also lead to greater transparency amongst industry and drive more sustainable supply-chain models. Businesses that pledge their commitment to the ARL gain access to a unique analysis tool called PREP Design, which will allow them to better understand the materials they use in their packaging and any associated environmental impacts it may have. Product recyclability in Australia continues to be a major issue and China’s ban on the importation of certain foreign waste and recyclable materials is expected to impact more than 600,000 tonnes of exported recyclable material each year. Prior to January 1, 2018, 30 per cent of Australia’s recycling was sent to China for processing. Since then, China had banned 24 categories of recyclables and solid waste and enforced stricter quality controls, which effectively closed the doors to much of the world’s rubbish. This has forced the Australian waste industry to rethink its strategies to manage waste and the ARL is one of the many positive initiatives being implemented.

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

APR

The ACT developed a roadmap for public consultation with ambitious goals, including a 90 per cent landfill diversion target by 2025 and a carbon-neutral waste sector by 2025. Meegan Fitzharris, minister for city services, acknowledged then that the ACT’s resource recovery rate has peaked at 70 per cent over the last 10 years. The Waste Feasibility Study gave the ACT government a better understanding of local and national waste management systems, their sensitivities, and areas for improvement. It put forward recommendations in the roadmap to aid the design of a framework that could drive change over the next five years. Based on expert analysis, it was estimated that the ACT would achieve a diversion rate of over 85 per cent once all initiatives are successfully implemented.

MAY

April

The ACCC has announced that it will not oppose the proposed acquisition of Toxfree by Cleanaway. Cleanaway and Toxfree both supply waste management services, including the collection, treatment and disposal of municipal, commercial and industrial, liquid, hazardous and medical waste. They also provide various types of industrial services. In WA, the state government amended regulations to ensure sites that accept only clean fill and uncontaminated fill that meet environmental and health thresholds after testing, are not licensed as landfill premises or liable for the waste levy. Amendments to the Environmental Protection Amendment Regulations 2018 and the Landfill Waste Classification and Waste Definitions 1996 were also undertaken by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) in consultation with experts, industry and the community.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Year in Review

June

China’s decision to restrict the imports of 24 categories of waste caused commodity prices to plunge, leaving some private operators to pay for recyclables to be collected. In SA, a Local Government Association (LGA) commissioned report unveiled that the impact of China’s National Sword Policy on the state’s recycling sector was as high as $8.8 million – a figure based on a $63 per tonne increase in the cost of processing recycled materials. In Queensland, the LGA told a Senate inquiry into Australia’s waste and recycling industry that at least 10 councils braced themselves for up to a $7 million hit in 201819 and called on the state government to roll out an emergency assistance package. In WA, the state government set up a waste taskforce which will provide advice directly to the minister for the environment. Back then, only Victoria and NSW had offered multimillion-dollar rescue packages. The NSW government released its 2018-19 budget. There is a revision in revenue from the waste levy in 2016-17 to $727 million in 2017-18 – an increase of $162 million. The government said the higher than expected revenue from the waste levy is due to strong construction activity. It also committed $196 million to “protect the health of the environment, reduce waste, and strengthen recycling”.

JUN

JUL

July

In the lead up to Victoria’s ban on e-waste to landfill, the state government launched a $1.5 million public education and awareness campaign, which aims to help Victorians better understand e-waste and reduce the amount sent to landfill ahead of the July 1, 2019 ban. Queensland and WA join the move to phase out lightweight plastic bags in Australia. The ban saw plastic bags disappear from all retail outlets, with shoppers encouraged to bring their own bags, as part of a push to reduce plastic waste. Most retailers began the ban from July 1 or faced a $6,300 fine each time they are caught using a thin plastic bag. It was the beginning of a slow process to reduce the amount of accumulated plastics in the environment. To date, Victoria and NSW have yet to see much progress with following the rest of the country in supporting the ban.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

August

Bingo Industries announced it will acquire Dial A Dump Industries (DADI) for $577.5 million. Assets that will be acquired include the Genesis Transfer Station in Alexandria, the Genesis Waste Facility in Eastern Creek, and a collections fleet of 55 vehicles. In FY18, DADI generated revenue of $198.2m. Following completion of the acquisition, DADI CEO, Ian Malouf, joined the Bingo board with shares of up to 12 per cent. In Melbourne, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) committed up to $38 million for a mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) plant.

November

Industry leaders spanning the waste and recycling, packaging and sustainability sectors were appointed as directors to the APCO board during the organisation’s Annual General Meeting. The new board directors includes David Singh, chair of the Australian Council of Recycling and owner of Re.Group; Andrew Petersen, CEO, director and company secretary of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia (previously known as Sustainable Business Australia) and board director of the Banksia Foundation; and Keith Chessell, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Packaging.

October

Following comprehensive independent studies, the NSW EPA announced that it was stopping the restricted use of mixed waste organic material on agricultural land and is ceasing use on plantation forests and mining rehabilitation land until “further controls can be considered”, with applications on agricultural land ceasing from Friday, October 26 with a 24-hour notice. The City of South Perth, through a partnership with the Rivers Regional Council (RRC), Phoenix Energy Australia and the cities of Armadale, Gosnells, Mandurah, Canning, and the Shire of Murray, announced a project to develop Australia’s first thermal Waste to Energy (WtE) facility, which will be located in Kwinana – 40km south of Perth. The project is supported by 20-year waste supply agreements with RRC and the City of Kwinana. The project also has a five-year waste supply agreement with Veolia.

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

September

The Australian government and the country’s business leaders came together to support industry leadership in packaging waste reduction and improving recycling in Australia. Melissa Price, minister for the environment, joined leaders from packaging, retail, logistics, manufacturing, recycling and waste management businesses in a pledge to better manage packaging waste. The 2025 National Packaging Targets includes: • 100 per cent of all Australia’s packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 or earlier. • 70 per cent of Australia’s plastic packaging will be recycled or composted by 2025. • 30 per cent average recycled content will be included across all packaging by 2025. • Problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging will be phased out through design, innovation or introduction of alternatives. To support the 2025 targets, members of the initial working group are joined by industry representatives and environmental groups including Aldi, ALGA, Amcor, Australia Post, Boomerang Alliance, CHEP, Close the Loop, Coca-Cola Amatil, Coles, Detmold, Goodman Fielder, Lion, Metcash, Nestle, Orora, Pact Group, Planet Ark, REDcycle, Simplot, Suez, Tetra Pak, Unilever, Veolia, Visy and Woolworths.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Policy //

A unique opportunity for a harmonised national direction By Rose Read, CEO of the National Waste Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) THE NWRIC WELCOMES the Commonwealth and state governments’ work to refresh the National Waste Policy 2009. It has the potential to reset the compass on national priorities for waste avoidance, resource recovery and the transition to a circular economy. It is a unique opportunity for the Commonwealth government to show the leadership expected by all levels of government, business, industry and communities, to facilitate the collaboration necessary to significantly improve how materials are managed. A refreshed NWP is much more than a response to China Sword, War on Waste or optimising statebased landfill levies. It is also about maintaining and building Australia’s competitiveness in a global market, maximising resource efficiency and steering Australia towards a circular economy. Australia is needlessly behind international trends and activities despite having the legislative tools, regulations and voluntary programs that could bolster and direct our resource economy. The NWRIC sees the NWP refresh process as the key vehicle to: • Set the Australian direction towards a circular economy; • Acknowledge the importance of waste avoidance as a critical imperative; • Transform waste into highest value resources, including energy/fuel; • Implement incentives and regulatory tools like product stewardship that will move Australia to more responsible production and consumption; • Drive greater consistency and national harmonisation of regulations and community education; • Create a shared, long-term direction for waste and recycling infrastructure; and • Engage all levels of government and industries across sectors to ensure effective integration, economywide reform, and encourage investment. However, the NWRIC believes 20

that the draft policy falls short on big ticket items such as how implementation will be resourced, infrastructure planning, regulatory harmonisation, effective policing and widespread implementation of product stewardship.

Specific reforms and initiatives At a practical level, the NWRIC sees the main barriers that are preventing waste avoidance and increasing resource recovery include: • Lack of inconsistent community and business education on how, what, where, and why to reduce waste and what do with waste; • Hazardous waste contaminating recovered materials i.e. asbestos, batteries and tyres; • Low quality recovered materials due to contamination and lack of appropriate processing technology; • Stockpiling, fires and illegal dumping; • Declining overseas markets for recovered materials; • Lack of local markets for recovered materials, e.g. glass, tyres, papers, plastics, food and clothing; • Growing volumes of organic and food waste; • Poor product and packaging design ,including material selection, repairability, durability, ease of disassembly and recyclability; • Lack of investment in new processing / recycling / energy from waste technologies, and • Lack of research and development into innovative material recovery businesses and jobs through better resource recovery. Many of these issues are due to inconsistent landfill levy pricing and investment between states to drive material recovery and reuse up the waste hierarchy. They are further exacerbated by a lack of the long-term infrastructure planning nationwide that is required to provide certainty for investment. Misdirected policing and implementation of standards by states, to eliminate poor practices including inappropriate disposal of hazardous wastes is also a continuing issue in need of focused attention. In particular the NWRIC believes that urgent priority should be given to:

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A refreshed NWP is much more than a response to China Sword, War on Waste or optimising state-based landfill levies. It is also about maintaining and building Australia’s competitiveness in a global market, maximising resource efficiency and steering Australia towards a circular economy. • Establishing a National Waste and Recycling Infrastructure plan; • The 30% government procurement of recycled materials to create markets; • Implementing a common approach to waste regulation; and • Establishing a regulated product stewardship scheme for batteries. To achieve the Policy’s resource recovery targets of “an 80 per cent resource recovery rate by 2030”, and “halving the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030”, waste and recycling infrastructure capacity will need to be doubled. In addition, much of the existing major infrastructure will need to be renewed as total waste generated is expected to grow between 60 per cent to 100 per cent by the year 2050. The national waste and recycling infrastructure plan ideally would extend to the year 2050 and be a combination of state and territory plans and be endorsed by all state government agencies and local governments. This plan will ensure the NWP targets are in order to deliver economic, environment and social benefits to all Australians.

A “Waste and Resource Recovery Commissioner” to engage and activate Stakeholder engagement and collaboration between key players along the supply-chain, including NGOs and the public, is essential to improving material management and progress towards a circular economy. The NWRIC calls on the Commonwealth environment minister to appoint a Waste and Resource Recovery Commissioner within the Department of the Environment and Energy (not unlike the Endangered Species Commissioner). Somewhat detached from the departmental processes and over-extended timeframes, the Commissioner would oversee the

implementation of the NWP, develop a National Waste and Recycling Infrastructure Strategy, execute the Product Stewardship Act, establish a National Waste Account and facilitate collaboration across states, local councils, industry and the business sector. A Waste and Resource Recovery Commissioner would inject new energy and ideas while also being the national touchpoint on waste avoidance, resource recovery and the transition to a circular economy. In fulfilling this vital role, the NWRIC believes the Commonwealth government must allocate appropriate resources to ensure effective engagement and monitoring.

Action on Product Stewardship across industries and products The Commonwealth government’s Product Stewardship Act and National Environment Protection Measure for Packaging are clearly underutilised when it comes to driving improved resource recovery and recycling outcomes. It is fair to say that in many instances, the public is underwhelmed with slow moving voluntary stewardship programs that market themselves poorly and deliver mediocre results, given the total throughput of new product entering the Australian market. The refreshed NWP must wholeheartedly embrace Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a key approach and tool. For EPR to operate effectively, the NWRIC believes that stewardship schemes must be regulated and appropriately enforced. Where voluntary efforts are under-performing, poorly marketed or drawn-out in development, regulatory intervention should proceed as a priority. Stewardship schemes should also be applied uniformly across jurisdictions, to prevent cross border

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// Policy

transport of products/materials into and out of covered regions. Highly problematic waste streams in need of urgent attention via the NWP include batteries. Lithium ion batteries are a major risk management issue causing fires in trucks, landfills and other waste management sites. Similarly, the hazards created by stockpiles of used tyres are well documented and need to be calledout for more proactive stewardship activity by producers, importers and retailers. The NWRIC believes both these product categories should be regulated under the Product Stewardship Act by 2020. While there has been some good progress in designing a national stewardship scheme for batteries under 5kgs over the last 10 months, it has failed to engage all major brands in committing to the proposed voluntary approach. Therefore, batteries must be regulated under the Product Stewardship Act now. Likewise, while the Tyre Stewardship Council has been established, dumping, stockpiling

and poor tyre recycling practices still continue. Partial industry engagement through voluntary approaches is glacial and fails to deliver the required resource recovery rates. It is only when these schemes are regulated that we see real change, as demonstrated by the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, the mandatory Oil Stewardship Scheme, and more recently, the NSW Container Deposit Scheme.

Key opportunities All members of the NWRIC are committed to the highest standards in waste management, resources recovery and recycling. They already invest heavily and are ready to commit additional resources to work with all levels of government and key stakeholders to ensure the NWP is effectively implemented. The Commonwealth government has a vital role to play in delivering the NWP and must commit increased resources to facilitate its implementation

To achieve the Policy’s resource recovery targets of “an 80 per cent resource recovery rate by 2030”, and “halving the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030”, waste and recycling infrastructure capacity will need to be doubled. In addition, much of the existing major infrastructure will need to be renewed as total waste generated is expected to grow between 60 per cent to 100 per cent by the year 2050. including the appointment of a Waste and Resource Recovery Commissioner. By bringing together the state governments, councils, the business sector and the waste and recycling industry to work collaboratively, the NWP can be operationalised to remove current inequities and false markets, while also ensuring forward planning to create a more sustainable approach to how we manage our waste. Australia has the technical and commercial nous to design and deliver a circular economy. Furthermore, the public is ready to embrace new patterns of consumption that optimise resource use through low carbon solutions

that are restorative and regenerative. However, strong and clear leadership at a national level through the Commonwealth is vital if the necessary planning and transformation is to become a reality. Now is the time to aim for unprecedented levels of resource recovery, responsible consumption and production, investment in infrastructure, and national harmonisation of regulations. This will provide the waste and recycling industry with the certainty it needs to invest long-term. The NWP refresh process must not be wasted. iw

The importance of a refreshed National Waste Policy (NWP) should not be underestimated.

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Policy //

Measuring up to CoR mass management regulations By Brenton Cunningham, DiversCo CEO ON OCTOBER 1, 2018, the new Chain of Responsibility (CoR) provisions associated with Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) legislation came into effect, which will have far-reaching implications for the road transport industry and organisations with road transport supply chains. Existing obligations have been reformulated as primary duties and any business or individual who is involved in a road transport supply chain now has a primary duty of care to ensure the safety of road transport operations, including operations outside of their direct control, within their supply chain. In practical terms, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) says this primary duty represents an obligation to eliminate or minimise potential harm or loss by doing all that is reasonably practicable to ensure safety. Because the new CoR provisions focus on managing risk, all parties in the road transport supply chain must take a broader and more targeted risk assessment benchmarked against new industry codes of practice and develop tailored mitigating and remedial safety measures to discharge their primary duty of care. This means that organisations can proactively reduce risks related to their transport tasks; rather than reacting when there’s a possible breach of the law. It also means ensuring that supply chain activities are considered through risk assessments and systems to manage safety. For these reasons, enforcement agencies, such as VicRoads, now have greater powers to investigate possible breaches of the HVNL. To avoid penalties, which can include prison sentences in serious cases, all parties within the road transport supply chain must ensure that they have safety management systems in place – which can include vehicle weighing devices – to ensure heavy vehicle safety. Considering that heavy goods vehicle (HGV) overloading and unequal load distribution are among the chief safety risks in any road transport operation, industrial weighing system 22

solution providers AccuOnboard, AccuWeigh and Ultrahawke have put together their combined expertise to come up with a guide to the mass management controls that organisations can include in their safety regimes to prevent breaches of CoR laws and improve safety. This guide entitled “The Ultimate Guide to Vehicle Weighing Systems” is designed to help industry stakeholders within organisations operating with road transport supply chains to measure up to the new CoR mass management laws. It provides valuable insights, information and knowledge about the range of vehicle weighing devices available, their features, functions and benefits, and conditions that they are best suited to.

Keeping to the new CoR laws With new stringent CoR laws in effect, it is imperative that organisations review their safety management systems and mass management processes. This is where vehicle weighing systems come in to enable organisations to take the guesswork out of the safe, legal vehicle loading of HGVs in their road transport supply chain. This is done by enabling drivers to avoid overloading and ensure equal load distribution while maximising payloads. To determine if an HGV is overloaded, or that a load is unequally distributed, enforcement agencies inspect, measure and sum axle group loads, rather than individual axles within the group. An axle group can be any combination of single, twin, tri or quad axles. Depending how the axle group is constructed, errors can occur when weighing individual axles in an axle group because of load redistribution. This is why loadings in all data sheets related to heavy vehicles, show axle group weights not individual axle weights, and they are policed in this way. By integrating vehicle weighing solutions into an organisation’s safety management system will not only improve the safety of its road transport operations, but also have other benefits such as meeting compliance requirements, boosting operating efficiencies, ensuring optimum allocation of resources and

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

Vehicle weighing systems enable organisations to take the guesswork out of the safe, legal vehicle loading of HGVs in their road transport supply chain.

sharing information with supply chain partners. While most readers will be familiar with weighbridges, which can be suitable for trade-use where the weight of product will determine a charge; most organisations will only require a system that will be used as a control point to measure axle group weights for safety and CoR compliance purposes. There are six static and dynamic weighing devices that can be used to obtain the axle group weights of HGVs.

Weighbridges These are considered the most accurate vehicle weighing system out there. It is used to reliably and accurately determine the gross weight of a vehicle and its axle group weights.

It is usually mounted on a concrete surface and has an electronic or digital monitor that displays the weight of the vehicle. With a capacity of up to 300 tonnes or more, weighbridges are constructed from one or more platforms (also known as decks). They are available in a variety of configurations, including single and multiple deck. If a multideck weighbridge is in use, an operator drives the truck onto the weighbridge and then stops in the correct position to capture both the axle group weights and the gross vehicle mass. The advantage of this is that individual axle groups can be weighed both individually and simultaneously. Weighbridges are ideal for use in National Measure Institute’s (NMI) Trade Approved purposes, where invoices are raised based on a truck’s

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// Policy

payload weight, high throughput operations, where weighing vehicles need to be weighed while they are being loaded, and at sites with restricted space where ‘end and end’ split weighing occurs.

Static Axle Weighers These are ideal for weighing individual axle groups. They are typically 4x3m and are installed in a pit, so the deck is at ground level. The decks tend to be of a lower profile than a full-length weighbridge, requiring less excavation and foundation works. To record weights for each axle group on a static axle weigher, the truck is driven across the weigher, stopping in the correct position to weigh each axle group. This system is great, provided the site is level as static axle weighers can be a relatively economical solution for CoR legislation requirements. In addition, less site excavation is required compared to that required for a weighbridge. It is perfect for weighing of all types of heavy goods vehicles in operations with moderate throughputs.

Low Profile Axle (LPAX) Weighers LPAX weighers are designed for weighing single axle groups. They are modular, lightweight, easily transportable and fully portable weighing devices with a 30-tonne capacity. The standalone unit can be up to 65mm above ground, or in a 65mm shallow recess. Weighing occurs on two 3.6m long tracks that enable the weight of each axle group to be captured efficiently. They are very portable, at about 1.25 tonnes per wheel track, and can be moved with just a fork lift.

suspension system, or to the loading equipment attached to the vehicle itself. This means that onboard systems can be used quite effectively for both static and dynamic weighing applications. Onboard systems are available in many different configurations, from simple overload detection/warning devices, through to full legal-for-trade solutions. These are easy to fit on new and some existing vehicles and most of these systems utilise solid state electronics, which means little wear and tear. In addition, under harsh conditions; these systems are proven to be extremely reliable and almost maintenance free. There is also very little that the driver has to do since most of these systems operate automatically.

Wheel Weigh Pads Wheel weigh pads (also known as axle weigh or wheel pad scales) are portable scales designed to weigh individual wheels and axles, and so can help ensure compliance with axle group legal load limits. Lightweight, low-profile, compact and

self-contained scales constructed of aluminium, which enables them to be easily transported in the boot of a vehicle and carried by the average person. They are fully portable and easily transported. They are also a rugged, durable design that can endure accidental tyre overrun at all points, including the digital display area. They are also solar powered, which means they can be recharged constantly.

Selecting the Right Vehicle Weighing System

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Finally, it is important to make an informed decision when looking for the right weighing system. There are a number of important factors that need to be considered when selecting a vehicle weighing system – from maximum weights and sizes, through to its suitability to your site and your operation. A simple checklist would look like: • Can the weighing equipment be custom designed and is it suited to site and operational requirements? • Is the equipment manufactured to stringent, superior Australian Quality Standards, and so suited

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to the Australian duty cycle and Australian HGV fleets? Does the weighing system meet the National Measure Institute’s legalfor-trade weighing requirements? Is it bought direct from the weighbridge manufacturer or from a third-party reseller? If it’s the latter, does the seller have the requisite expertise to quickly find and rectify faults? Do the supplier stock replacement parts and have a local service centre? Can your weighing device be transformed – using accessories and software – into “intelligent” weighing systems that delivers a string of benefits, such as automating processes and collecting data? Will your supplier modify your existing single deck weighbridge to capture axle group weights? Does the weighing equipment come complete with comprehensive warranty? Do they come with flexible power supply options available, including battery power, solar power, and mains power? iw

It is important to make an informed decision when looking for the right weighing system.

Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) System WIM systems can automatically capture and record the weight readings of each individual axle loading and identify the Gross Vehicle Mass of both the vehicle and its trailer while the vehicle is in motion. WIM systems measure 7.3x3m and are supported by four loadcells. It is highly efficient because they don’t require vehicles to stop for weighing. Operators simply drive over the weighbridge steadily at a reduced speed of up to 5km per hour. This makes the weighing process more efficient, eliminating unnecessary delays and downtime. Onboard Weighing Systems As the name suggests, onboard overload and payload control systems are installed directly on-board heavy goods vehicles and trailers. They are usually fitted to a vehicle’s chassis, Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Plastic //

The ACT’s plastic bag ban: past, present and possible futures By Bruce Edgerton, principal waste consultant at AECOM BANGLADESH was the first jurisdiction in the world to completely ban singleuse plastic shopping bags in 2002, in response to stormwater drains becoming blocked. Urban flooding was exacerbated, property was destroyed, and lives were lost. Then, in 2007, San Francisco became the first North American jurisdiction to ban the bags. The San Francisco ban, like the Australian state and territory bans that were to follow, responded to community concerns about a disposable society, where we are drowning in packaging detritus. Addressing the issue of single-use plastic bags has been the focus of community campaigns since the 1990s. It also made the agenda of the then Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) a number of times in the mid-2000s. As is often the way with Council of Australian Government (COAG) processes, no consensus could be reached on how to address the issue.

SA decided to act unilaterally, passing the Plastic Shopping Bags (Waste Avoidance) Act in 2008. After the 2008 Territory elections, the ACT Greens held the balance of power. A Parliamentary Agreement was established between Labor and the ACT Greens. One of the focal points in the agreement was the introduction of “a levy on plastic bags in supermarkets and other retailers”. This was to commence as a 12-month trial. After examining the cost and benefits of a range of approaches, the ACT decided to implement the simplest and lowest risk option with the least regulatory burden – mirroring the SA ban.

Canberra’s ban - Was it worth it? Two reviews of the ACT ban were undertaken, in 2012 and 2014. The reviews reflected considerable public support for the ban, including amongst those most impacted - the primary shoppers. These reviews concluded that the ban greatly reduced the number of plastic bags being distributed in the

ACT and probably reduced the plastic bag waste going landfill.

Looking into the issue Plastic bags represent less than one per cent of the waste going to landfill and have no material impact on waste generation or on the need for new landfills. This is with the assumption that the ACT was using 80 million bags per year before the ban (a conservative estimate extrapolated from Queensland estimates), and a single-use plastic bag weighs 18g. If all the bags went to landfill, that would be 1,440 tonnes. The ACT typically landfills between 200-300,000 tonnes of waste a year. This implies 0.4-0.8 per cent of the waste to landfill may have been singleuse plastic shopping bags. However, single-use plastic bags are made from polyethylene and there are currently no significant recycling markets in Australia for soft plastics. These soft plastics represent over five per cent of the waste going to landfill and this category of waste is increasing, according to audits done by Transport Canberra and City Services.

It seems likely that Australian plastic bag bans will make only a modest impact on the problem of soft plastics in Australia and no discernible difference from a global sustainability perspective.

Benefits through policy intervention From a policy perspective the plastic bag ban has two main benefits. One of these is the reduction of litter. Plastic bags make up a relatively small amount of the litter stream in Australia. However, they can have more impact on our drains and water ways than other forms of litter, as was demonstrated in Bangladesh. Among the litter entering our oceans, single-use plastic shopping bags are unique for their ability to float through the ocean looking remarkably like a jelly fish. Autopsies of dead turtles undertaken by the University of Queensland find that even mature turtles died from starvation, having been fooled into filling their stomachs with indigestible plastic bags rather than jelly fish. According to a research

In the absence of a national levy, states or territories could introduce a mandatory minimum fee for the distribution of shopping bags.

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// Plastic

paper by Qamar Schuyler, titled Mistaken identity? Visual similarities of marine debris to natural prey items of sea turtles, young turtles suffering the same fate generally have all sorts of plastic in their stomachs. Plastic litter over the last 50 years has washed into the ocean and led to garbage patches forming in the ocean gyres – the one in the North Pacific is the most famous. The plastic in the ocean is breaking down into microplastics, and these appear to provide an effective pathway for various compounds of concern – such as heavy metals – to enter the food chain. However, the Australian plastic bag bans will make no material difference to the growth rate of the plastic garbage patches, nor to the problem of microplastics. The ACT plastic bag ban will not extend the life of a sea turtle, although the Queensland one could. Does this make the ACT’s plastic bag ban pointless? Not at all. The ban has placed a relatively modest burden on shoppers. Polling suggested shoppers support the bans, so much so that Woolworths and Coles have decided to extend the model nationally, including to the two most populous Australian states, neither of which currently have a plastic bag ban. The ban can play a role in educating consumers about the problems of a “disposable” “single use society” and help them engage in behaviour changes that could make a difference. As with climate change policy, Australia needs to act if it is to have a credible voice in global efforts to address global problems. Australia can and should demonstrate policy interventions to address plastic pollution to waterways and single-use products that are difficult to recycle. The plastic bag bans are a small step in this direction, undertaken by states and territories in the absence of national leadership. However, continuing the analogy with climate change, the problem of plastic waste polluting our oceans is a global one. Australians wishing to make a difference need to act locally as part of a wider international approach. If state and territory plastic bag bans lead only to individuals and households feeling that the problem is solved and nothing more needs to be done, then they are actually detrimental to global progress towards sustainability.

Opportunities: Where to from here? Levies and mandatory charges A number of jurisdictions in the UK and Europe, as well as San Francisco, have introduced either a levy or a mandatory minimum charge for

businesses providing shopping bags to customers. International experience shows that this price signal is very effective in reducing plastic bag consumption. A levy has the additional benefit of raising funds that can be used to address the wider issue of other plastic entering the waterways. However, a state or territory specific plastic bag levies would create a significant regulatory burden for local businesses and would be expensive to administer, relative to the amount of money they would raise. This would not be the case were the Commonwealth to apply a national bag levy to the small number of plastic bags manufacturers or importers. In the absence of a national levy, states or territories could introduce

Barrier bags are the bags provided for your unpackaged fruit and veggies. Due to their health and convenience benefits, no Australian jurisdiction is banning these bags. However, many councils now provide food and garden organic (FOGO) kerbside collection services. Many studies of FOGO collections have found that the key to their success is community participation to capture more food waste and to keep contamination down. One of the greatest barriers to effective participation is the requirement for people to sort and handle their food waste. If biodegradable barrier bags were mandated households would have a free source of bin liners readily available for their kitchen scraps. They could also pick up their spoilt fruit and vegetables

As with climate change policy, Australia needs to act if it is to have a credible voice in global efforts to address global problems. Australia can and should demonstrate policy interventions to address plastic pollution to waterways and single-use products that are difficult to recycle. The plastic bag bans are a small step in this direction, undertaken by states and territories in the absence of national leadership. a mandatory minimum fee for the distribution of shopping bags. This could also be applied to department store bags. Such a fee would further reduce the consumption of plastic bags and reinforce the educational benefits, consistently rewarding people who bring their own shopping bags. Biodegradable bags and the third bin A number of voices in the plastic bag debate have argued that conventional polyethylene bags be replaced with biodegradable (or compostable) bags. This would be poor policy. Biodegradable bags are not only more expensive, but using current technologies and agricultural feedstocks, they have a greater environmental burden than conventional bags. Biodegradable bags do not break down rapidly in the oceans nor in the stomachs of turtles, but they do break down to microbeads (or microplastics) in the oceans. Biodegradable plastics do degrade much faster in landfill than their synthetic counterparts – creating more greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, they need to be composted, rather than landfilled, if they are to have a benefit. However, this too is difficult as commercial composting facilities struggle to identify biodegradable bags amongst the other plastic contamination. There may be an application where biodegradable bags could make a positive difference.

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directly from the fridge, still in the barrier bag, and place it in the third bin without causing contamination. For biodegradable barrier bags to be effective they would need to be coloured and labelled in a unique manner to support public education and to enable the downstream composting facility to easily identify which soft plastic needs to be removed and which can safely remain. Product Stewardship Product stewardship is where the companies involved in producing, distributing or selling products work to ensure that those products are appropriately managed throughout their life cycle – typically by finding and funding sustainable pathways back into the circular economy, diverted away from landfill. An effective product stewardship scheme for all soft plastic would ensure the companies that make and use film plastics take responsibility for developing sustainable markets for this waste. A packaging product stewardship program could require companies producing waste that turns up in our litter stream (as measured by national litter audits) to contribute proportionally to litter clean-up activities and education campaigns. There are a number of voluntary and state and territory-based product stewardship programs. However, voluntary product stewardship schemes are generally only effective

in a situation where the industry is dominated by only a few players (an oligopoly). They fail to be effective in competitive markets with diverse suppliers due to ‘free rider’ issues. The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation has many more free riders than members. State and territory product stewardship schemes can be inefficient and impose an unnecessarily high regulatory burden, especially when compared to national schemes. Hence, with regards to plastic bags and other packaging, states and territories should focus on achieving national action on packaging, while supporting the existing voluntary programs (such as REDcycle) through purchasing and facilitating greater retailer participation.

An emerging role for waste to energy (WtE)? In 2017-18, a crisis developed in Australia’s recycling industry as China’s National Sword policy shut a number of the main markets to which Australia’s recyclable material was sent. This has especially impacted markets for mixed plastics and has led to a renewed focus on waste to energy (W2E) opportunities. There are a range of waste products for which energy generation should be considered as part of the solution. Soft plastics and mixed plastics are suitable for energy generation and have limited market options for their beneficial reuse or recycling. The Energy Australia & Re.Group proposal to use refuse derived fuel (RDF) to make steam for a conventional coal fire power plant at Mt Piper demonstrates a relatively low-tech, low-risk approach to help decarbonise both our waste sector and power sector. However, over the longer-term Australia’s coal power plants will be phased out, hopefully before 2045. Waste to transport fuels could play a key role in decarbonising the global economy. There is no obvious replacement for heavy hydrocarbons to fuel flight and long haul freight, so we need sustainable replacements for diesel and aviation fuels as a matter of urgency if we are to effectively address climate change. Soft plastic can be catalytically cracked and refined into transport and aviation fuels. From an environmental lifecycle perspective and from the perspective of techno-economic market analysis, this is a highly sustainable option. However, WtE, including waste to fuel, continues to face community and regulatory push back, as demonstrated by a 2017 proposal for a small plasticsto-fuel plant in the ACT. iw

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Plastic //

World-first study discovers microplastics in human stools By Jan Arreza MICROPLASTICS have been found in the human food chain, as particles made of polypropylene (PP), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and others were detected in human stools, according to studies carried out by researchers at the Austrian Environment Agency and the Medical University of Vienna. Microplastics are small particles of plastic less than 5mm and are used in 26

various products for specific purposes, as well as being created unintentionally by the breaking down of larger pieces of plastic through weathering, degradation, wear and tear. Microplastic may impact human health via the GI tract, where it could affect the tolerance and immune response of the gut by bioaccumulation or by aiding transmission of toxic chemical and pathogens. For the pilot study, researchers

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“I think this is quite a telling story. Plastic is getting everywhere, and it doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what you do, or how you live your life, it is starting to permeate human kind all over the planet.” monitored a group of participants from countries across the world, including Finland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, the UK and Austria. Each person kept a food diary in

the week leading up to their stool sampling, which showed that all participants were exposed to plastics by consuming plastic wrapped foods or drinking from plastic bottles. None of

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// Plastic

Once in the ocean, plastics are often consumed by sea animals and enter the food chain, where they are more than likely to be consumed by humans down the line.

“From a government perspective, we believe that there needs to be a lot more investment and development of infrastructure within the recycling sector, and we also believe that the recently released 2025 targets, though a good start, should’ve been a more robust and ambitious proposal.”

Global plastics production has increased substantially, and it is estimated that 2-5 per cent of all plastics produced end up polluting our oceans.

Jayne Paramor, Boomerang Alliance deputy director.

the participants were vegetarians and six of them consumed sea fish. The stools were tested at the Environment Agency Austria for 10 types of plastics, following a newly developed analytical procedure. Up to nine different plastics – sized between 50 and 500 micrometres – were found, with PP and PET being the most common. On average, the researchers found 20 microplastic particles per 10g of stool. “The study has been conducted across eight participants, all from eight different countries, living in very different environments, and interestingly, every single one of the participants showed evidence of plastic in their stool,” said Jayne Paramor, Boomerang Alliance deputy director. “I think this is quite a telling story. Plastic is getting everywhere, and it doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what you do, or how you live your life, it is starting to permeate human kind all over the planet.” Global plastics production has increased substantially from the 1950s and continues to grow every year. For their many practical characteristics, plastics are pervasive in everyday life

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and humans are exposed to plastics in numerous ways. It is estimated that through pollution, 2-5 per cent of all plastics produced end up in our seas. Once in the ocean, plastics are often consumed by sea animals and enter the food chain, where ultimately, they are more than likely to be consumed by humans. Significant amounts of microplastic have been detected in tuna, lobster and shrimp. “From a government perspective, we believe that there needs to be a lot more investment and development of infrastructure within the recycling sector, and we also believe that the recently released 2025 targets, though a good start, should’ve been a more robust and ambitious proposal,” Paramor said. “There is no silver bullet and we all have to play a part in this process. We need to create demand for all of that recycled content at the end of the cycle in order to implement a closed loop system around it. And the way that we are operating at the moment, we don’t have that market in place here in Australia. “The China ban, which came in at

the beginning of the year, ultimately had a massive negative impact on our capacity to manage our own waste. The government needs to step up in this space and actually do a lot more, such as creating mandatory objectives that everyone has to adhere to.” With 15 years of experience in this space, Paramor believes that Boomerang Alliance sits in a great position to be able to facilitate discussions around solving these issues around plastic, as well as discussions around how Australia can transition to a more circular economy around plastic waste. “We will try to drive a bit more ambition from the government, in terms of what we can achieve from the targets they have set, and we are trying to set up a roundtable with the government and industry in order to open up conversations around our transition to a circular economy for plastics,” Paramor said. “We are also looking more into mandatory product stewardship programs, as well as keeping an eye on what is going on in Europe, especially considering the region’s recent announcement of implementing a ban on single-use plastics. “The leadership that Europe has taken in this space is really impressive and they have set a really high bar for the rest of the world to follow. And we will continue to try and drive industry and government collaboration to bring the same standards here in Australia.” iw

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Packaging //

Business and government unite to tackle the waste challenge By Brooke Donnelly, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) CEO

IN SEPTEMBER, the Australian government and business leaders joined forces to show support and leadership in reducing packaging waste and improving recycling in Australia. Our event at the Pact Group HQ in Melbourne welcomed the Hon Melissa Price, minister for the environment, alongside leaders from packaging, retail, logistics, manufacturing, recycling and waste management businesses in a commitment to better manage packaging waste. The day saw the announcement of Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets, which build on commitments made by Commonwealth, state and territory environment ministers and the president of the Australian Local

Government Association (ALGA) in April this year to set a sustainable path for Australia’s recyclable waste. The full suite of 2025 National Packaging Targets are: • 100 per cent of all Australia’s packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 or earlier; • 70 per cent of Australia’s plastic packaging will be recycled or composted by 2025; • 30 per cent average recycled content will be included across all packaging by 2025; and • Problematic and unnecessary singleuse plastic packaging will be phased out through design, innovation or introduction of alternatives. The announcement of these targets is a powerful recognition of industry’s commitment and capability to lead change. As a collective, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) members have already made

great efforts to reduce the impacts of packaging on the environment, and the support of government is critical to further these commitments. In order to fully close the loop on packaging, we need collaboration from the entire packaging supply chain, from raw material manufacturers through to retailers, consumers and recyclers. Sharing our respective responsibilities for the sustainable management of packaging is the only way to achieve a truly circular economy. Creating a circular economy for our own recycled materials should be our ultimate goal and in order to achieve this we need to have clean recycling streams and reduced contamination. The target to make 100 per cent of packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable looks at designing out waste and ensuring materials are able to be recovered. It is one part of the set of targets that work together to achieve

a circular economy for packaging and it provides an excellent overarching strategic approach to minimising packaging waste. APCO members recognise the importance of driving the circular economy here in Australia and ensuring

In order to fully close the loop on packaging, we need collaboration from the entire packaging supply chain.

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// Packaging

that our approach aligns with other global initiatives. Last month’s joint announcement between industry and government supports and reinforces the global commitments made under the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative. This commitment also recognises that Australia faces particular challenges that extend beyond plastic packaging that we seek to address through collaboration between industry and government. The setting of the National Packaging Waste targets comes in an environment of increased attention on waste policy in Australia and internationally. This increased attention can be seen as a result of four significant issues: • Increasing concern about the environmental impacts of packaging waste, such as the harmful effects of marine debris; • Concern about unsustainable resource consumption, and an intent to derive greater value from materials by keeping them in productive use longer, reflected in ideas such as the circular economy; • Destabilised market conditions for materials recovered through waste collection and recycling systems; and • Recognition that the increasing

consumption of packaging will exacerbate these issues if concerted action is not taken. Packaging is only part of the move to a circular economy. Action is also needed on other waste streams, and the packaging targets have been set in the context of an update to Australia’s National Waste Policy, which is expected to be completed by December 2018. The discussion paper, Updating the 2009 National Waste Policy: Less waste, more resources, published in September 2018, proposes a number of principles to underpin waste management, recycling and resource recovery consistent with a circular economy. These include: • Avoiding waste: Prioritise waste avoidance, encourage efficient use, reuse and repair; design products so waste is minimised, they are made to last and materials are more easily recoverable. • I mproving resource recovery: Improving material collection systems and processes for recycling; improve the quality of recycled material we produce. • Increased use of recycled material and build demand and markets for recycled products. • Better managing material flows

to benefit human health, the environment and the economy. • Improving information to support innovation, guide investment and enable informed consumer decisions. However, for brand owners and packaging manufacturers, one of the most immediate solutions is for brand owners to implement the newly launched Australasian Recycling Label (ARL). The new labelling system was developed by Planet Ark, PREP Design and APCO to help consumers better understand how to recycle packaging. With more than 200 recycling labels currently being used in Australian packaging, the new evidence-based system is designed to combat confusion about recycling and reduce the levels of contamination in the waste stream. While our research has shown that Australians are good recyclers, we have also found that the majority of people are confused about the recycling of common items. This can be caused by misleading or incorrect labelling on packaging and means that, even with the best intentions, we may be sending precious recyclable materials to landfill and creating a high level of contamination in the waste stream. The Australasian Recycling Label will help

people make informed decisions and ensure our recycling efforts are resulting in maximum resource recovery. We are currently working with businesses across all industries and sectors to help them incorporate the label into their packaging. While more organisations are joining regularly, the process for businesses to transition their packaging range to a new label does take time. However, we are actively encouraging as many businesses as possible to join the label, by contacting APCO. The packaging sector is adopting ambitious targets, but consumers will play a key role in ensuring we shift our consumption patterns and dispose of materials correctly. The best action consumers can take is to understand the impact of daily choices and look out for products that support our journey towards 2025. The announcement of the National Packaging Targets this year is just the start of the journey towards a circular economy in this country, one that will require everyone to make adjustments to their perceptions and behaviours to ensure they are supporting the achievement of the targets and a true circular economy. iw

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APCO Awards //

Detmold takes out the big one at this year’s APCO Awards By Jan Arreza Packaging manufacturer Detmold Group recently took out the coveted Sustainable Packaging Excellence Award, which is the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) Awards’ most prestigious recognition. The South Australian family-owned business won the award for its innovation and collaboration with customers and researchers to work towards sustainable packaging through its packaging group Detpak, who designs, manufactures and supplies the foodservice industry with world-class paper and cardboard packaging solutions. Detmold also took out APCO’s Manufacturer Sustainability Award for the second year in a row and celebrated five consecutive years of recognition in the “High Performer” category. Offering over 1,000 paper and board packaging solutions, including cups and cup accessories, cartons, bags, napkins, trays and wraps, Detpak’s design and printing service has earned a reputation as a provider of high quality, custom printed packaging solutions. According to Tom Lunn, Detmold Group general manager (marketing and innovation), the award was testament to the Group’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. “Our ongoing recognition from APCO is the result of providing our customers with products that capture the latest in sustainability initiatives and providing clarity, so our customers can be confident in what they need to achieve with their packaging and how to get there practically and competitively,” Lunn said. With a consistent overall on-site waste recycling rate of 85-86 per cent, Detmold has been successful in developing closed-loop collaborative

projects for sustainable recycling solutions. “The difference with this year’s award is it really recognises the key partnerships we’ve created, such as our work with Australian Paper, Shred-X, Planet Ark, Veolia, as well as a whole bunch of other recyclers and collectors,” Lunn continued. “Our partnerships have culminated in our RecycleMe program, which is a great example of how industry can apply innovation to solve difficult problems, like diverting takeaway cups from landfill.” RecycleMe is a comprehensive coffee cup recycling system with an ongoing commitment to the reduction of landfill. The program guarantees that each cup collected gets counted and recycled, and is currently available in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Europe. Detpak’s RecycleMe cups are easily recycled thanks to the key partners, who use existing collection and transporting infrastructure to recycle these coffee cups into paper, reducing the burden on virgin resources. “In Australia, we already have prominent food services and coffee brands signing up to get involved with RecycleMe, and we will soon be rolling out the same program in New Zealand, the UK and Europe,” Lunn said. “We believe that in order for us to move forward, we can’t just act on our own and control our own patch of grass. We have to work with others to bring these innovative solutions to the market. “That’s really what’s rewarding for us, and we will continue to keep going down that path of collaboration and building partnerships with industry to find solutions to the issues we currently face.”

Detmold Group general manager (marketing and innovation), Tom Lunn accepted the coveted Sustainable Packaging Excellence Award at the APCO Awards 2018.

Recently, Australia’s environment ministers made an announcement to make 100 per cent of packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 or earlier, and the Detmold Group is positioned well to support these sustainability targets. “We are now in the process of helping all of our key customers to better understand what the new Federal government targets mean and what they would need to change in their operations to comply with it,” Lunn said. “We’ve conducted audits on all of their current packaging and we give them development plans for what they would need to change moving forward. We’ve got development plans for our own product range too, but right now, our role is about helping other brands, seeing as we are the suppliers of printed packaging for many of these brands.” The targets build on commitments made by the Australian Federal, state and territory environment ministers, as well as the president of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA),

who in April this year set out to develop a sustainable path for the country’s recyclable waste. To support the 2025 targets, members of the initial working group have also been joined by industry representatives and environmental groups including Detmold Group, as well as Aldi, ALGA, Amcor, Australia Post, Boomerang Alliance, Chep, Close the Loop, CocaCola Amatil, Coles, Goodman Fielder, Lion, Metcash, Nestle, Orora, Pact Group, Planet Ark, REDcycle, Simplot, SUEZ, Tetra Pak, Unilever, Veolia, Visy and Woolworths. “The bigger and more well-known brands are well aware of the new targets, and the majority of them are keen to be a leader in this space, so they have begun to start making changes within their operations almost instantly,” Lunn said. “There’s a much lower level of understanding when you get down to individual restaurants and cafés, so we need to do better in raising awareness of what needs to be done for those businesses to comply with the new targets. “It’s a really good time with plenty going on in this space, such as the implementation of the 2025 targets as mentioned, and with the introduction of the Australasian Recycling Label, as well as all of the good work done by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. “Consumers have shown to be highly engaged, especially since the whole War on Waste show began, and organisations are now fully aware of the potential increase in sales for their products if they are shown to be doing the right thing.” iw

Key partners use existing collection and transporting infrastructure to easily recycle RecycleMe coffee cups into paper.

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APCO Awards //

Education is key at Campbell Arnott’s Australia By Jan Arreza Campbell Arnott’s Australia was recently recognised at the annual Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) Awards for its ongoing commitment to sustainable packaging, taking out the Outstanding Achievement in Packaging Design Award, as well as the Food and Beverage Sustainability Award. Campbell Arnott’s has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to operating more sustainably, and in 2017, the organisation implemented mandatory sustainability training for its internal packaging team. They have also been successful in converting over 1,400 tonnes of tertiary packaging from bleached white board to higher recycled content domestic brown board. Through this, Campbell Arnott’s was able to close the loop on paper and corrugated board recycling. The company was able to achieve great results in a short amount of time due to the strong support of the organisation’s leadership and manufacturing teams, as well as with the strong partnerships with its suppliers. “We have a packaging team who are quite passionate and dedicated to driving this initiative, so it’s a great recognition for all the hard work that has gone into pushing them through,” said Liza Vernalls, Campbell Arnott’s director of packaging development, Asia-Pacific. “This initiative was something that we turned around really quickly in our business and was implemented with

Campbell Arnott’s have been able to achieve great results in a short time, due to the strong support of its leadership and manufacturing teams.

a good, rigorous approach. As for the second award, that was definitely a pleasant surprise for us. “We work closely with our environmental officers on site to make sure that whatever we can reuse we do. We set a target for our business of 90 per cent diversion of waste to landfill, and across our production sites, we’ve already achieved 95 per cent.” Campbell Arnott’s has been a member of APCO since 2010 and has used the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines (SPGs) to define their

packaging inputs for the new packaging developments that the company has done over the years. “The training program entails the need for the SPGs, which is a guideline on how to manufacture the best package from an environmental perspective, while ensuring that it keeps food safe and can still achieve the right shelf life,” Vernalls said. “It’s very important that we have this document and that people really understood how to use the guide and implement it on new projects. “Now, we are looking towards the

2025 goals, which we are very keen to support in every area that we can. We already use a lot of recycled board where we can, we are keen to move towards using more recycled PET, and from a soft plastic perspective, we have supported REDcycle for a number of years now. “We are also in the process of rolling out the Australasian Recycling Label and are actively working to analyse our current packaging line, so we learn how we can improve in this space and develop more sustainable packaging product.” iw

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// Recycling

Bingo acquisition of DADI may open up C&I sorting capacity in Australia By Mike Ritchie, MRA Consulting Group Managing Director According to the 2016 National Waste Report, commercial and industrial waste (C&I) represents 20 MT of the 53 MT of waste generated in Australia (or 40 per cent of generation). It also: • Represents 34 per cent of all waste sent to landfill or 7.2MT out of 21MT; and • Achieves a 64 per cent recovery rate compared to construction and demolition (C&D) waste (64 per cent) and municipal solid waste (51 per cent). Not bad in the scheme of things. However, the potential to improve C&I recycling rates is very high and it underperforms as a sector in the race to achieve a 70 per cent recovery rate. Most C&I recycling happens on site at waste generator locations. That is, it happens because generators separate it at the source. Generators separate cardboard, plastic, metals and other materials into separate bins, which are then collected by the waste sector and delivered to paper mills, plastic re-processors and metal shredders. Think hotels sorting their glass and cardboard. Smash repair shops separating their metal offcuts. By and large, it is the effort of generators and not of the waste sector. There is almost no sorting of mixed C&I waste in Australia. There are only three small facilities in Sydney (SUEZ, Waste Free and Doyle Bros) sorting mixed commercial waste into reusable products for sale. And this only happens in Sydney because of the high cost of landfill (around $300/t) driven by the landfill levy, which is currently at $140.20/t. And yet there are hundreds of mixed C&D facilities across Australia sorting mixed C&D waste. Why? The difference is a result of homogeneity, weight and markets. C&D waste tends to be more homogenous with large percentages of concrete, steel and soil. These are relatively easily separated. C&D waste is also relatively heavy and therefore more responsive to landfill levy price

So far, the industry has largely avoided C&I sorting because they see it as too hard, though the potential to improve on this in Australia is high.

signals. There are also robust markets for recycled concrete, steel and the like. Commercial waste does not have these advantages. It tends to be more heterogenous (think fibre, plastic, food, textiles, pallets, e-waste and glass) and on average is about a third of the weight per m3 than C&D waste. The markets for C&I waste are however quite good if you can sort the material into its component streams. While mixed fibre and mixed plastic have taken a hit due to the China National Sword policy there are still good prices for clean cardboard, newsprint, PET and HDPE plastics, aluminium, steel and some other streams. The challenge is to develop commercially viable sorting systems that can recover these streams. So far, the industry has largely avoided C&I sorting because they see

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it as too hard. We are seeing a big move towards waste derived, engineered fuels, i.e. turning mixed dry C&I and C&D waste into processed engineered fuel. But not towards treating materials recovered from C&I waste as commodities. A couple of alternative waste treatment (AWT) and MRF plants take mixed C&I waste in small quantities to sort out valuable products. Remondis tried to build a big C&I sorting platform but could not get planning approval for the site they chose. In Sydney and Melbourne, we have seen Bingo utilising its C&D sorting systems to sort mixed C&I waste and thereby compete with traditional C&I collectors. Therefore Bingo, in contrast to traditional collectors, is seeking to offer diversion from landfill for mixed C&I waste streams. The trend in recent tenders has seen Bingo

win a number of commercial waste contracts on the back of its diversion from landfill offering. The recently announced acquisition of DADI by Bingo includes significant recycling infrastructure, such as the Genesis Waste Facility at Eastern Creek, and is therefore expected to strengthen Bingo’s position more importantly, it will offer waste generators further opportunities for recovering mixed C&I. It remains to be seen whether the traditional waste collectors move into C&I sorting at all. Certainly, the economic drivers (levy and landfill prices, government grants), the policy drivers (such as diversion targets, NABERS and Green Star Ratings) and the availability of markets (domestic and international for both sorted streams and PEF) suggest that a more systematic and sustained move into C&I sorting should occur. iw

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Recycling //

The importance of re-thinking measurement of success in waste management By Dr Darren Perrin, international associate director, resource efficiency & waste management, Ricardo WITH CHINA effectively closing its doors to the receipt of recycled materials, Malaysia imposing a ban on scrap plastics and Vietnam looking to follow suit, industry is thinking about what the future will look like with respect to waste management. In the short term, several states have met the financial shortfall in maintaining service provision. In the medium term, many are considering energy recovery and circular economy strategies to provide resilience to external market fluctuations and manage resource flows more sustainably. Those countries most impacted by the ban have the highest gross domestic product (GDP) and resources to address end market issues. Recent media coverage has been quick to blame industry for the alleged ‘recycling crisis’, but it is a timely reminder that simply placing material in a recycling container does not offset recycling responsibilities. It needs to be more publicly acknowledged that this action of waste storage is only the start of the journey to efficient waste management. Recycling occurs only when a material is made into another product. If it fails to reach that point of beneficial re-use, it remains waste, regardless of how it is collected and the intentions when discarded. It is increasingly clear that there is a need to focus on quality and secure end markets for the materials collected, and to recognise that recycling and resource recovery costs money and may cost more in the future to achieve.

Sustainability and circular economy – what’s the difference? The concept of sustainability is embedded within the philosophy of wanting to minimise our environmental impact. This is succinctly defined by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature 36

as an economic activity that meets the needs of the present generation, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. What then is the difference between sustainability and the circular economy? Definitions of circular economy consider regenerative systems in which resource input, wastage, emission and energy leakage are minimised through long-lasting design, maintenance, repair, reuse, remanufacturing, refurbishing, recycling, and upcycling. In other words, embedding sustainability. But sustainability and circular economy are very different. Sustainability should reside in the governments’ environment departments, whereas circular economy should sit within the business and economic arena. If circular economy is considered only an environment phenomenon, it may be dismissed as a nice philosophy, rather than an endless, untapped source of opportunity, economic value and growth. The key difference may therefore be that sustainability focuses on minimising environmental impact, whereas circular economy focuses on maximising opportunity and value from making less. The overlap between the two could be referred to as resource efficiency; a combination of efficient resource use and minimising the environmental impact. Ricardo has been instrumental in delivering circular economy support to businesses over the past three decades, initially with the Energy Efficiency and Environmental Technology Best Practice Programs, Envirowise and Business Resource Efficiency programs, and more recently, the Resource Efficient Scotland program, which helps the Scottish government support small and medium-sized enterprises to deliver new circular business models.

New measures When considering sustainability as minimising impact, it is not surprising that the focus of waste management

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

has been: • Waste avoidance and reduction – removing the need for virgin materials. • Recycling – making new products from existing materials, saving natural resources. • Minimising landfilled material – reducing release of methane to the atmosphere, leachate into watercourses or requirement for new land. Governments have traditionally prioritised weight-based recycling and landfill diversion targets as key performance indicators (KPIs), as the greater the weight, the more significant the impact avoided. However, it is important to consider the wider environmental benefits of recycling, such as the embodied carbon within the materials. This can vary significantly and is not proportional to the material weight. For example, the embodied carbon is higher in metals than paper and the potential carbon savings for textiles is even greater. Textiles have the largest contribution of CO2 saved relative to weight, yet are rarely targeted for recycling. The increasing purity levels required for recycled paper, the shift from singleuse contaminated plastic packaging to contaminated board packaging and the energy requirements to recycle paper and board raises questions on the value of energy recovery from these renewable sources. Coupled with increasing container deposit and food and garden organic collections, this begins to challenge the dynamics of what should be collected at the kerbside. Ricardo has supported this transformational thinking through evaluation of local authorities’ recycling performance based on carbon metrics instead of recycling rate. Recently, Ricardo supported the Environmental Services Association to consider alternative metrics for waste management post-Brexit and the London Waste and Recycling Board metrics report. Given the transformational shift in thinking required for a circular

In light of the China ban, Dr Darren Perrin believes that there is a need to focus on quality and secure end markets for the materials collected.

economy, there is a need for a transformational shift in how a circular economy is measured. Clearly, recycling and landfill diversion will remain important KPIs, but with a greater emphasis on valorisation success measures need to be more diverse. When looking at developing metrics, it’s important to consider some of the following points: • Easy to measure/data availability – is the data needed to monitor the metric readily available? Does it require updating regularly? Is it easy to measure or are complex programs and technical experience needed? • Easy to implement at minimum cost – what costs are associated with implementing the metric and its monitoring and reporting? Do infrastructure or systems need to change to meet best practice, and if so, what are the costs and who bears them? • Easy to understand and communicate – is the metric simple to understand and can it be communicated to all stakeholders easily? • Does it create perverse impacts or behaviour – are multiple metrics compatible with each other and could they cause any unintended consequences or impact other sectors?

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// Recycling

• O ffers consistency over time – can the metric be communicated longterm and adapted to reflect future changes? • Compatible with other benchmarks – is the metric compatible and comparable with other targets and goals in the waste and resource recovery sector and other sectors? • Translatable with other markets – can the metric easily be measured within other markets regionally, nationally and internationally? • Is it a good indicator of performance – does the metric show a true measure of performance? While not conclusive, thoughts on categorisation of KPIs to measure the evolution of a circular economy are: Generation and consumption: As a primary focus of circular economy is regeneration and decoupling waste growth from population growth a ‘waste generation per capita ratio’ would be sensible. Given the increasing visibility of packaging, which serves a valid purpose in reducing wastage in its own right, a KPI on ‘product packaging ratio’ (the relationship

between the product weight and the weight of its packaging) would help ensure the balance is appropriate.

End market demand: The ‘pull’ of end markets to drive demand is essential to the circular economy and embedded in procurement and product design. Metrics could include: • Secondary materials share of overall materials demand (e.g. percentage of recycled content). • Proportion of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable. • Monitoring and measuring efforts in terms of reaching specific recycling, composting or reuse targets. • Proportion of procurements that include environmental requirements.

Quality and environmental value: While the impact of waste and the contribution of initiatives to capture recyclable material through landfill diversion and recycling rates should

remain, additional KPIs to recognise the importance of quality and the relative environmental value and contribution of capturing materials and processes within industry could include: • Differential mandatory recycling rates of active and inactive waste in the different waste sources (municipal, commercial and industrial and construction and demolition). • Composting rate. • Re-use rate. • Carbon metric per tonne of recycled material. • Recycled bio-waste per capita. • MRF output material quality standards/thresholds.

Valorisation and economic value: KPIs that recognise the economic contribution and the necessity to rethink existing business models to maximise material value are a priority. These include: • Resource productivity ratio. • Waste generation per GDP unit. • Number and value of investments

in the sector. • N umber of persons employed in the circular economy sector. • Valorisation ratio (relationship between the value of current end destination and new end destination route).

Concluding thought Over the past half century, the issue of waste management has evolved at various levels of progress and pace around the globe. From concern over the impact of waste on the environment and human health, it has progressed to the desire to capture and maximise the value of waste as a resource and finally developed into a philosophy of maintaining opportunity for as long as possible by moving from a linear to circular economy. The metrics used to measure performance and success must evolve too, focusing on value and the measure of growth and opportunity in addition to assessing the impact. Whatever the metrics used, it is important that these are considered and implemented soon. iw

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Recycling //

Recycling: it’s complicated Other industries can learn a lot from the examples of the steel industry and its successes in the recycling space.

By Professor Geoffrey Brooks MOST people are in favour of recycling. Recycling as a concept is appealing to almost everybody. You do not need training in life cycle analysis or sustainability engineering to grasp the basic idea and inherent appeal of recycling materials, rather than simply dumping or burying our consumer goods that we know longer want. But to quote Meryl Streep, “it’s complicated”. Recycling does not just depend on goodwill and nice intentions. Successful recycling systems require investment in collection infrastructure, regulatory frameworks to support the activity, investment in processing technology, and often a lot of business and technical innovation to succeed. A good example of a successful recycling industry is steel recycling. Steel is the most recycled material in the world, with an overall recycling rate of 86 per cent, according to the Steel Recycling Institute. This has not happened by accident, as most firstworld countries have good systems for collecting and processing steel scrap. We also have laws in place to prevent people from simply dumping large steel items (e.g. you are not allowed to just dump an old car where you want) and

governments have been supportive of setting up scrap processing facilities. The steel industry has also embraced steel recycling and there has been strong investment in steel recycling technology and R&D. For a long time, steel recycling was associated with low-grade steel products, but in the last 30 years, there has been a shift towards making higher grade steel (e.g. automotive sheet) from scrap steel. This push has also put pressure on scrap merchants to be cleverer in sorting steel and for steelmakers to develop new techniques for controlling quality. And this happy story keeps on giving, because the steel recycling industry has also become much better at limiting the environmental impact of its processes. In our country, the steel recyclers have been active in finding ways of using the residues from the process in building materials. In the last 10 years, OneSteel (now Liberty) developed a process for including recycled rubber materials in the steelmaking process, which they have commercialised internationally. Of course, there are still challenges, such as the issues around recovering valuables from the dusts generated (they often contain significant zinc) and there are impurities in the steel that are very difficult to remove

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

(amusingly called ‘tramp elements’), an issue that my research team at Swinburne is currently working on. There has been business innovation in this industry as well. In the US during the 80s and 90s, Nucor successfully challenged the traditional management model associated with big steel companies by emphasising teamwork, community involvement and reducing the layers of management in their steel recycling plants. Many of these approaches have been adopted across the industry, so in a sense, innovation in the management of scrap processing lead the way for the industry as a whole. Underlying this success story is a basic value proposition – recycling steel makes economic and environmental sense. When you recycle steel, you use approximately half the energy required compared to starting from the ore. Because you can make good quality steel from scrap, investment can be attracted to the technology. Governments encourage the industry because it provides worthwhile employment for its citizens. So, what can we learn from the success of steel recycling? Firstly, there needs to be a basic value proposition that drives the investment.

Secondly, you want the recycling technology to produce high-value products (or at least has the prospect of doing so), as this also will encourage investment and R&D. Finally, you need to get government support, so that the laws and infrastructure investment supports the development of the industry. It’s the issues that we need to address in our push to develop better recycling processes for plastics and e-waste. In the case of e-waste, it is clear that there is a value proposition in place with the prospect of high-value products being extracted from the waste, namely, the gold, silver, copper and rare earth elements present. Precious metals make up almost 80 per cent of the value of circuit boards and are many times richer than ores that we mine for these materials. However, the intermingling of the valuable components with the less valuable plastic and ceramic parts of the waste stream, means any e-waste processor needs to find a way to find value for the plastic and ceramic portions without excessive investment in processing equipment and infrastructure. Recently, a techno-economic analysis of e-waste processing technologies carried out at Swinburne found that profitable enterprises could

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

HIS YAWEI LASER IS YAWEI LASER IS ESIGNED TO CUT GNED TO CUT BOVE THE REST. VE THE REST. OW THAT’S APPLIED W THAT’S APPLIED HINKING. KING.

// Recycling

Recycling does not just depend on goodwill and nice intentions. Successful recycling systems require investment in collection infrastructure, regulatory frameworks to support the activity, investment in processing technology, and often a lot of business and technical innovation to succeed. be set up in Australia above the scale of 30,000 tonnes per annum. These calculations suggest that Australia could have two or three profitable e-waste processing plants set up in our three biggest population centres. In this case, I think what is lacking is the right regulatory environment and government support to get the industry established. There are successful e-waste recycling industries in other countries (Belgium is notable) and it is clear that in these countries, there is strong government support for the industry. In the cases of plastic and composite recycling, there are many complex and varied issues associated with each type of material, i.e. the prospects for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) recycling are very different from low-density polyethylene (LDPE). But in general, there are problems with the value proposition because of the relatively low-value of products generally made

from plastic recycling. This suggests that even with strong government support to process these materials, we will struggle to find investment and long-term solutions. Simply put, waste plastics are not generally attractive enough as a source of wealth to encourage investors to build new processing facilities. I think this is why some countries simply use these materials as fuel for energy generation, as combustion is a relatively low-cost method of getting some value from polymer-based materials. Of course, breaking down complex polymeric materials to carbon monoxide and water molecules is a crude way to extract value and this is where there is space for new and innovative ideas. Experience shows that goodwill alone will not improve these recycling dilemmas, as long-term solutions require investment and innovation. In short, it’s complicated. iw

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Professor Geoffrey Brooks, director of the Joint Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing in Shandong, China, and associate dean of research at Swinburne University.

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Waste Tech //

The new lined evaporation dam being built.

Veolia rethinks waste management with the delivery of a $12m leachate treatment plant in Tarago, NSW By Jan Arreza LOCATED in Tarago, NSW, approximately 250km south-west of Sydney, Veolia’s

Woodlawn Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facility and adjacent bioreactor processes thousands of tonnes of putrescible waste each

Veolia’s project team during commissioning works in the operations building (taken in front of the ultrafiltration system).

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

year, generated from both Sydney and surrounding areas of regional NSW. A significant volume of the residual waste is repurposed; organics are collected and processed into compost and glass and metal is recycled. However, an inevitable component and by-product of any landfill is leachate, a waste stream resulting from the ingress of water into solid waste storage. With a desire to rethink sustainability, minimise potential impact on the local environment and meet EPA licence requirements, Veolia has invested $12 million on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a state-of-the-art new leachate treatment plant. Danny Conlon, CEO and managing director of Veolia Australia and New Zealand, explained the significance of the investment for the business, which

offers a broad-based service offering to the waste industry. “Veolia operates at all levels of the waste hierarchy, as evidenced by our capability in recycling, wasteto-energy, incineration and landfill,” Conlon said. “We believe all levels of the waste hierarchy have a role to play and we will continue to explore how we can improve the management and sustainability of all our facilities. Our $12 million investment in a state-ofthe-art leachate treatment plant at our Woodlawn facility exemplifies this commitment. “We want to create best-practice treatment facilities that can serve as critical solutions for the Australian market.” Conlon believes Veolia’s investment in the state-of-art treatment plant

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Waste Tech

“The site complies with the EPA’s expectations, in regard to a long-term leachate management plan for the site and the control of leachate levels in the bioreactor, to optimise methane capture and biogas production for energy generation,”

demonstrates its focus on technical and sustainability leadership. Currently in the pre-commissioning phase, the plant will treat raw leachate from the bioreactor and MBT Facility once fully operational to minimise and reduce potential environmental impacts associated with: • Contamination of groundwater; • Contamination of surface water; • Odour generation; •A ccumulation of the leachate in the bioreactor dampening the site operations to produce biogas; and •A ccumulation of non-treated leachate on the site. According to Alberto Costa, head of engineering at Veolia Australia and New Zealand, the key objective of the new leachate treatment plant is to “reduce the odour producing

A close-up of the ultrafiltration system.

compounds from the raw leachate that is extracted from the bioreactor to address the local community request of odour control and management, as part of the site operations”. “The site complies with the EPA’s expectations, in regard to a long-term

Veolia’s project team and the German commissioning manager check the biological seeding in the treatment tanks during commissioning works.

An aerial view of the new Woodlawn leachate treatment plant, with the new lined evaporation dam in view.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

leachate management plan for the site and the control of leachate levels in the bioreactor, to optimise methane capture and biogas production for energy generation,” Costa added. The leachate treatment plant consists of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment system with a design capacity of 4L/s (350 cubic metres/d). The MBR system has been designed as a modified activated sludge biological process to treat the main parameters found in the raw leachate extracted from the Woodlawn bioreactor, creating a higher quality effluent preventing off-site odour impacts and meeting local community expectations in regard to site odour management. “Commissioning and start-up operations will represent a good challenge in this type of treatment plant,” Costa said. “Since the treatment plant consists of a modified biological process involving chemical addition and biomass control across the system for the removal of potential odour producing compounds, the early commissioning works and biological seeding – the supply of biomass or microbial population to treat the raw leachate - are critical stages for the successful operation and stabilisation of the system.” The biological seed will be sourced from EarthPower, one of Veolia’s sites located in Camellia, NSW. Pre-commissioning or dry commissioning works commenced in

October 2018, when the first leachate was pumped to the plant. This was followed by commissioning, and finally the process performance period, which is expected to take up to six months. In line with EPA requirements, during the six-month optimisation period the treatment plant performance will be verified against a benchmark process modelling output. It should demonstrate a consistent improvement in treatment performance towards final discharge acceptance criteria across all contaminants to minimise and reduce odour generation. During the early commissioning works and operations start-up, the treatment plant will be monitored closely to maintain and facilitate biomass growth conditions and create optimal operation conditions and other leachate characteristic variabilities that can create a slower than required processing capacity. “As with any biological treatment process, it will take some time for the treatment plant to reach a consistent point of performance, referred to as a process optimisation period,” Costa said. “A timeframe of approximately six months is expected to achieve reliable and conforming discharge specifications, post-commissioning. “Of course, these key milestones would not be able to be achieved without the great work performed by the project team, led by Veolia’s senior process engineer and project manager, Justin Conway.” iw

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Equipment //

Compost treatment 2.0: Technology for separating glass and stones in the fine fraction By Gottfried Reither, Komptech system technology manager IN COUNTRIES where separate organics collection is not yet in place or only partially so, the production of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;quality compostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from contaminated municipal waste is the only way to meet the demand for compost. Even where organics are sourceseparated, other trash can get put in the organics bin by mistake, and improper prior treatment can result in contraries like glass, stones and plastic getting into the material. How can this be addressed in compost treatment? To make pure compost with a grain between zero and 20mm takes the right machines and components working together as a well-functioning system. Another requirement might be a certain level of mobility of the

system, so that it can serve multiple smaller sites or be used to provide contract services. For Komtech compost preparation, the compost to be cleaned needs to be sufficiently cured and dry. The moisture content should not exceed 30 per cent necessary not just for good screening, but also for the reliable functioning of downstream processing (air separator table). Preparation starts with drum or star screening. The material is separated into a fine (undersize) fraction of 0-15 (or 20) mm and an oversize fraction. The resulting fines are now screened for contraries with one or more air separation steps, and then reunited with the oversize product. An air separator table is basically a tilted vibration plate with fine holes through which air is blown. The ballistic separation effect removes

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

Processing starts with screening of the cured compost to the grain size, which can be done with stationary or mobile screen drums or star screens.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Equipment

Even where organics are source-separated, other trash can get put in the organics bin by mistake, and improper prior treatment can result in contraries like glass, stones and plastic in the material. Process steps at a glance: • P rocessing starts with screening of the cured compost to the grain size specified by the customers. This can be done with stationary or mobile screen drums or star screens. • Before the overlengths are returned to composting they should be as free of contraries as possible. The Stonefex, Hurrikan and Hurrifex are all suitable separators. Since the material is pre-screened, they are all highly efficient. The choice of machine will depend on the kind of contrary in the oversize fraction. • The undersize fraction that will become compost is cleaned of contraries by air separator table, consisting of a vibration plate with fine holes through which air flows. Thereafter, it goes on to ballistic separation, which removes contraries like glass and stones, as well as light plastics thanks to the airflow. iw

Heavy-parts from 0-15mm fraction.

REF2307-1018-1.1

contraries like glass and stones, while the airflow gets rid of light plastic pieces. The 15 (or 20) mm overs left after screening go back to composting to increase the amount of final product. Before that, they too should be freed of plastic film and stones, which is normally done by a wind sifter. Following cleaning by a wind sifter, stone separator, or a combination thereof, the oversize fraction can be returned to the rotting process. The cleaned oversize fraction then goes back to the composting process, where it acts as a structural material that provides for the necessary ventilation, and after multiple passes through composting, ends up in the fines. Cleaning compost is no longer theoretical, but a very functional process of proven effectiveness when the right technical steps and parameters are applied.

Don’t let one event lay waste to years of work A string of high-profile fires at major waste and recycling plants has led to increasing insurance premiums for businesses in the sector. Gallagher specialises in helping waste management and recycling businesses minimise their risks, and in tailoring insurance programs to fit their needs. We’re the real experts in this space. Don’t waste your time with anyone else.

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

Equipment News //

Doppstadt Down Under: New sales and service partner in Australia DOPPSTADT has announced a new partnership with Australian recycling specialist JDM Aust. Effective from November 1, the Brisbane-based company became an official partner for the sales, service and spare parts business of mobile and stationary Doppstadt machines. JDM Aust was founded in 2004, when high-quality recycling and material processing technology was in particularly high demand in the waste industry. The company quickly established itself as the link between leading global manufacturers and the domestic market with its particular requirements. The company sells solutions covering all industry sectors, it also offers comprehensive service and support to ensure the availability of spare parts for their numerous customers in Australia and New Zealand. “This foreign market has a lot of potential for us in store,“ said

Christopher Pickhardt, the responsible area sales manager at Doppstadt. “We are very excited to cooperate with a distinguished company, which had managed to rise to the top of the market in a very short time and will be of invaluable help in expanding our business, thanks to its deep technical and market knowledge, practical experience and close customer relations it has developed over the years.“ JDM Aust managing director Jim Kenny said the company is very proud and excited to be appointed the new Australian and New Zealand dealer for such a prestigious and globally recognised manufacturer as Doppstadt. “We can now offer our customers a very high-quality range of both mobile and stationary equipment for their needs,” Kenny continued. “From JDM’s humble beginnings, we have maintained our belief in offering high-quality equipment manufactured by world leaders in their fields of

JDM’s managing director Jim Kenny and business partner Jeff Steine during the Doppstadt Dealer Product Sales Information event in Germany.

expertise and Doppstadt certainly fits within this category. “With over 500 pieces of equipment throughout Australia and New Zealand, this has proven to be successful for us,

and most importantly, our customers. “We are looking forward to working with our new partner to continue building the Doppstadt brand in Australia and New Zealand.”

We rethink water through reuse, rethink waste through recycling and rethink energy through recovery. Committed to driving improved sustainability outcomes for ourselves, our customers and our communities, Veolia will succeed in our global mission to Resource the World.

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

// Equipment News

The RCB to pave the way Hyva’s new release of the rear-loader collection bodies has been in the workings for quite a while and the company wanted to make sure that they have released a piece of equipment that would fit the Australian market. The focus for this RCB is on strength, durability and simplicity. The first size range is the RC0912 and RC0914 (Refuse Collection). The RC09 series is the Hopper capacity that has 9m3 and 12/14 m3 body capacity. The company started with the Hyva global body RCB and then incorporated a Sydney-based repairer HSR Southern Cross – a privately-owned and operated company in the waste industry to compliment the offerings in the Australian market. Taking on their many years of experience, Hyva started working closely with HSR to manufacture strength floor 5mm Hardox walls st355 4mm, roof st355 4mm, full boxed chassis and sub frames. The hopper/bowl is 3mm Hardox

Hyva’s RCB in collaboration with HSR Southern Cross.

with extra external stiffeners to reduce distortion. Durability-wise, internally the body has been fully welded to stop the bin juice from eating the body from the inside out. This is because the acidic nature of moisture in the bodies is very damaging. HSR installed an electrical system supplied by Danfoss. This is compiled by a user interface control screen, which is easy to use and functional.

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

The logic in the interface controller has been written by HSR so there are many options that cater to OH&S, including work safe, machinery safe and operator safe. “We have limited the amount of proxies, switches, senders and problems, making it simpler to use for the operator. And Danfoss has supplied our RCBs with a new touch button controller for the rear end of the body,”

said Shannon Whipper, manager of waste handling equipment. “As HSR Southern Cross is our distributor of Hyva products and Hyva has distributors in every state, this also gives the equipment a nationwide support network with HSR Supplying Tech support because garbage trucks can’t stop.” More: www.hyva.com.au or (02) 4966 3777

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 INSIDEWASTE

MultiSort Bins

Company: Contenur Australia Product name: Igloo Range Bin Type: Crane Lift Range Bin Material: High density linear polyethylene Minimum Order: 1 Options/Extras: 2600L, 3200L / Glass, Paper Opening, Accessible Price: From $2,295 More: 1800 026 683, www.contenur.com.au, sales@contenur.com.au

Bin Type: Flexible indoor modular system Bin Material: Durable HDPE Minimum Order: Nil Options/Extras: Educational Signs, Trolley Options, Compost-A-Pak liners. Price: Various depending on modular options More: 1300 739 913, www. sourceseparationsystems. com.au

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Bin Type: Solar-powered/AC selfcompacting waste or recycling bins, for indoor or outdoor use. Houses the 120l or 240l MGB. Real-time fill-level visibility and notifications when bin requires collection. Bin Material: Galvanised steel sheet metal construction for both interior and exterior structures and powder coating for optimal durability and weatherability. Polycarbonate protective cover for PV panel Minimum Order: 1 Options/Extras: Educational Messages, Advertising Panels, CCTV, Free Public WIFI, Beacon Technology, Environmental Technology, Price: P.O.A More: www.smartcitysolutions.com.au, sales@smartcitysolutions.com.au

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Product Profile: Bins and Bags //

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TEREX ECOTEC TDS820 SLOW SPEED SHREDDER - The TDS820 is an aggressive slow speed shredder suitable for all types of material. - Independently driven gearboxes with 2m shafts. - Customisable shredding programs allow operators to configure the machine to specific requirements, reducing wrapping and maximising production. - German designed shredding chamber.

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Bag Volume: Various from 8 Litres to 240 Litres, or specialty like Coffee Knock tube liners Bag Material: Australian Certified Compostable Waste Type: All Minimum Order: Nil Options/Extras: Can be customised (Min order qualities apply) Price: From $5 (roll) More: 02 4954 3023, compostapak.com.au

Bin Type: Domestic Kitchen Caddy for Organic Waste Bin Material: PP with unique educational in-mould label imbedded into lid Minimum Order: Nil Options/Extras: Compost-A-Pak liners Price: Varies with volumes More: 02 4954 3023, compostapak.com.au

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Product Profile: Bins and Bags //

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I’M PROUD

TO HAVE SUPPORTED AN AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURER.

“I’ve been using Iveco ACCOs for 15 years and I reckon they’re one of the best trucks you can get. They do everything I ask of them and don’t cost much to run – they’re reliable, don’t give me grief and have never broken down. Another great thing about the ACCO is that it’s Australian-made.” It’s a decision all of us here at KADS Hire are pretty proud of.” Don Emtsis, Proprietor – KADS Plant Hire

THAT’S COMMITMENT. THAT’S AUSTRALIAN JOBS. THAT’S IVECO. www.iveco.com.au/manufacturing

Wasted Space //

Wasted Space: a mixed review YOU HAVE TO hand it to the NSW EPA for not being short on surprises. Following “comprehensive independent studies”, the EPA, in its infinite wisdom, revealed it would stop the restricted use of mixed waste organic materials on agricultural land in late October. Collaboration is clearly one of the agency’s strong suits, having informed the industry “some six weeks ago” of its research. Revoking the resource recovery exception order without publishing the findings of internal research, and doing it with 24 hours’ notice, obviously shows the EPA had the foresight to predict there will be no backlash or negative repercussions from its decision. Wasted Space trusts that the EPA has done its due diligence, as the agency and governments before it in NSW have always had the best interests of the waste and resource recovery sector at heart. Never mind that the consistent advice of the NSW government since the early 2000s was that there was a shortage of alternative waste treatment (AWT) processing capacity. Let’s also for a moment forget there are several existing longterm contracts that include AWT infrastructure – we are sure industry can move on from any millions spent

throughout the often-speedy planning and development process. Tenders and long-term contracts be damned, there’s always a hole in the ground to fill that void. But when you take a moment to consider how the decision impacts the organics recycling industry, there are obviously no concerns to worry about, given Australians have some of the best source separation in the world and a pervasive food and garden organics collection footprint. This means the clean contaminate-free materials will require minimal technological intervention before they can be onsold further into robust end markets. If all else fails on that front, we are sure the industry will be compensated for any potential landfill levy, gate fee, loss of income or carbon credit losses from any of the remaining waste levy funds sitting in state coffers. Alternatively, we have a National Waste Policy that looks to halve the nation’s food waste by 2030 and a Draft Circular Economy policy that talks about the problem in great length. It is our duty to consider discussing the problem of food waste and its impact in landfill, while ensuring public confidence in the industry’s ability to find an end market for the materials remains high.

DIARY February 15-16 Regional Waste Warriors Expo Tamworth Jockey Club, NSW The Rotary Club of Tamworth First Light is proud to present the first Regional Waste Warriors Expo. A response to the recent China National Sword Policy, the Expo will highlight new products and innovations in the field of turning regional waste into a resource and provide a platform for discussion around new approaches to sustainability. http://www.wastewarriorexpo.com.au/ February 19-22 Australian Waste to Energy Forum 2019 Mercure, Ballarat The Australian Waste to Energy Forum aims to provide a platform for all interested parties to discuss the

development of a waste-to-energy industry within Australia. Government, industry and individuals will be able to learn, network and discuss issues in an open forum with like-minded and interested companies and individuals. http://aien.com.au/wteforum/ February 21-22 AWA/ANZBP Biosolids National Conference Emporium Hotel South Bank, Brisbane The Australian Water Association and the Australian & New Zealand Biosolids Partnerships’ Biosolid National Conference will examine key developments of the water industry and drive discussion, debates and collaboration, which will help set the future direction for these specialisms.

INSIDEWASTE DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

March 26-29 2019 Australian Landfill & Transfer Stations Conference Pullman Mercure, Brisbane The Waste Management Association of Australia will be hosting the 2019 Australian Landfill & Transfer Stations Conference. More information will be available in the coming months. For enquiries, please contact (02) 8746 5000. April 1-2 National Sustainability Conference 2019 Hotel Grand Chancellor, Brisbane The annual National Sustainability Conference will be looking at current topics and also looking forward to emerging sustainability considerations. The educational program will include sustainability research, participation

from diverse industry sectors and topics of integration, technology, automation, climate risk, procurement, renewable energy and sustainable construction. https://conference.sustainability.asn. au/ May 14-16 Waste 2019 Conference Opal Cover Resort, Coffs Harbour The Coffs Harbour Waste Conference is the leading conference for the waste management industry in Australia. Attracting over 630 delegates both nationally and internationally, the conference is targeted at anyone who works in, or has an interest in waste management issues, with particular relevance to local government. https://www.coffswasteconference. com.au/2019/

Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au

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