Official Publication of the
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ISSUE 80 | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
INSIDE
Proving that nothing should go to waste, Territorians got crafty, building boats out of used beer cans for the 43rd annual Beer Can Regatta. This year, 16,000 people gathered at Darwin’s Mindil Beach for the event. (Credit: Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta)
18 Taking down the barriers 30 Out and about 41 Keeping with the current
Of inquiries and investigations
Hazardous waste trends upwards
PP: 255003/07055
ISSN 1837-5618
A new Department of Environment report shows Australia produced around 5.6 million tonnes of hazardous waste in 2014-15, a 30% increase from 2010-11. The report highlighted that hazardous waste growth has trended strongly upwards at a rate of approximately 9% each year in the five years to 2014-15. “This is despite downturns in traditional industries such as heavy manufacturing and aluminium smelting leading to declining volumes of traditional wastes like acids, alkalis and various organic and inorganic chemical residues”, the report noted. Aside from increases related to domestic activities in line with population growth (for e.g. vehicle oils, grease trap waste, tyres and biosolids)
hazardous waste growth highlights the emergence of new waste types and industries. The most notable of these is the rapid expansion of Queensland’s coal seam gas (CSG) industry and the large volumes of high-salinity waste it generates. On the list of top wastes produced by weight in 2014-15, CSG waste ranked seventh (4.1%) behind contaminated soils (26%), asbestos (18%), grease trap waste (10%), tyres (7%), animal industry wastes (6%) and waste oil (5.5%). “This is notable because all of the top six wastes arise in proportion and geographic distribution with population, as distinct from CSG wastes that occur primarily in one jurisdiction and, more to the point, one area, the
overlapping Surat and Bowen Basins,” the report said. “This is the most significant example of a ‘new’ waste stream disrupting the market in terms of location of the waste and traditional location of the infrastructure built to manage it.” The rapid growth of hazardous waste is also associated with new waste types emerging from changes in technology and consumer products and consequently the “increased regulatory understanding of the hazards of entrained chemicals in the wastes that they become or create.” Despite the steady increase in hazardous waste, there is limited domestic infrastructure to treat new waste.
THE ABC’s Four Corners program in August certainly put the spotlight on the waste and resource recovery sector. It was the talk of the town for weeks and has led to calls for a Senate inquiry to scrutinise the problems raised in the show. And the Waste Management Association of Australia is supportive of the move. “A Senate inquiry is a great opportunity to create more federal discussion about the actions we can take to ensure this sector is able to provide even better services to the people of Australia,” WMAA CEO Gayle Sloan said. “We support and endorse this inquiry into illegal dumping. WMAA welcome efforts to establish a level playing field and ensure the legitimate business practices of the many are not undermined by illegal activity of a few. “WMAA wants to see the federal government taking a more active stand and scrutinise what is going on in the recycling industry. There are too many examples of loopholes that we all know need to be closed, but which clearly have not been fully addressed by each state jurisidiction working in isolation.” On the issue of interstate waste transportation, particularly from NSW to Queensland, the Queensland Premier has expressed her shock and horror at the extent of the movement of waste and the government has launched an investigation into the issue. Retired Supreme Court Judge, The Honourable Peter Lyons QC will lead the three-month independent investigation. More throughout the issue.
Editor’s Note //
An opportune time OVER the last two months, ABC’s Four Corners program was front and centre of many conversations. Like a number of you in the industry, we were incensed at some of the inaccurate reports, upset that Steve Beaman got scapegoated, and disappointed that the good work of the majority of the sector did not come under the spotlight. After a flurry of activity and lots of chatter, it is time to take stock of the opportunities that have come out of the program. Never has there been such intense political and community attention on the waste and resource recovery industry and with all eyes on us, the questions we should ask ourselves are, how do we prove that we’re best practice or moving towards best practice? How do we allay community concerns? And how can we pressure governments to fix the issues and close the regulatory loopholes that have been present for far too long? As Inside Waste made the trek across NSW, to the ACT, and Melbourne for a range of events and site visits, we took the opportunity to talk to various stakeholders. In August, the annual Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo returned to Melbourne and there, Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA) executive officer, Andrew Tytherleigh told attendees there are a number of challenges facing the sector but it is evident that industry is trying to assist with these issues. At the end of the day however, government intervention is required.
At the same event, we also caught up with National Waste and Recycling Industry Council CEO, Max Spedding, who pointed to the disparity in levies across the country that has led to the interstate transport of waste. A simple fix would be to make the levy liability portable, he said. More on these discussions on pages 22 and 23. Meanwhile, the Waste Management Association of Australia has launched an initiative, calling on the industry to commit to not transporting waste unnecessarily long distances. Just three days after launching the Waste of Origin pledge, more than 20 companies signed up, pledging to support the responsible management of Australia’s waste. More on page 25. In this issue, we also take a closer look at the state of energy from waste in Australia, with MRA Consulting Group’s Mike Ritchie offering a breakdown on page 26 of the existing and emerging plants and where he thinks Australia is headed. As it appears that Australia is close to developing its first domestic energy from waste plant, Lee Bell from the National Toxics Network Australia is urging the sector to think about the dioxin problem and the existing measurement tools, questioning whether high levels of dioxin emissions are truly a thing of the past with “old” incinerators. More on page 28. We hope you enjoy the issue.
Official Publication of the
Senior Editor: Jacqueline Ong (jacqueline.ong@mayfam.net) Journalists: Jan Arreza (jan.arreza@mayfam.net) Catarina Fraga Matos (catarina@mayfam.net) Advertising: Alastair Bryers (alastair.bryers@mayfam.net or 0431 730 886) Creative Director, Patterntwo Creative Studio: Toni Middendorf Published by Mayfam Media Phone: (02) 9267 1166 Web: www.insidewaste.com.au COPYRIGHT WARNING All editorial copy and some advertisements in this publication are subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without the written authorisation of the managing editor. Offenders will be prosecuted.
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Profile | Andrew Shek Andrew Shek is general manager Australasia for Envirosuite and is responsible for executing Envirosuite’s growth strategy in key Asia Pacific markets. What was your first job in the sector and what attracted you to it? My first job was as an environmental engineer in the coal fired power industry. A power station is definitely an excellent place to learn environmental management. Power generation and the electricity industry is largely taken for granted, yet it is a complex process that has a large range of plant, equipment and environmental impacts. Favourite part of your current job? Helping clients optimise managing their operations using new technology and the diversity of industries Envirosuite serves. What is the strangest thing you have had to do (or found)? I’ve always found it strange how people are reluctant to use new technology at the beginning. This is possibly because of a fear of doing something differently, or changing a 10-year-old process. However, it’s always the same result. Once they actually start using it, they can’t remember how they worked without it in the past. How has waste management changed in your time in the industry? The industry has shifted towards a much greater focus on transfer stations and resource recovery rather than traditional landfill. Landfills have evolved where possible to become longer term recovery operations and renewable energy generation has grown from a management requirement and greenhouse reduction requirement into a pre-planned best practice by design revenue generation process. Best advice ever given to you? Always seek out the most credible information and form your own opinion.
And the winners are...
IN August, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) held its annual awards ceremony, acknowledging signatories that had gone above and beyond for the year. This year, 41 finalists vied for awards across nine industry categories. “With annual reporting ratings of 4.2 or higher, the award finalists have shown their continued efforts towards the goals of the covenant,” APCO interim CEO Brooke Donnelly said. “As we have many finalists for each category this year, winners are determined by their performance in embedding sustainable packaging design, implementing comprehensive recycling systems, and participating in product stewardship activities to develop sustainable supply chains.” APCO also acknowledged signatories for outstanding achievement in design, recycling, and packaging stewardship. The big winner of the night however, was Kathmandu, which took home the APCO 2017 Member of Year (more on page 24). Meanwhile, The Smith’s Snackfoods Company and Sakata Rice Snacks won the Outstanding Achievement in Design award; Nestlé Australia was
awarded Outstanding Achievement in Recycling; and Jurlique International won the Outstanding Achievement in Packaging Stewardship Award. And here are the winners across the nine categories: • Clothing, footwear and fashion: Lululemon Athletica Australia and Kathmandu. • Communications and electronics: Fuji Xerox Australia, HP PPS Australia, and Singtel Optus. • Food and beverage: Rawbone Pet Foods, Pernod Ricard Winemakers, and The Smith’s Snackfoods Company and Sakata Rice Snacks. • Quick service restaurant: McDonald’s Australia. • Hardware and Homeware: Brown & Watson International • Pharmaceutical, personal care and medical: Jurlique International, Blackmores, and Unilever Australia. • Shipping and transport: Qantas Airways. • Tobacco: British American Tobacco Australia. • Packaging manufacturer: CHEP Australia and Detmold Packaging.
ACCC takes JJ Richards to court IN its first action since extending the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) to cover standard contracts involving small businesses in November last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has instituted proceedings in the federal court against JJ Richards. The ACCC has alleged that eight clauses in JJ Richards’ standard form small business contract are void because they are unfair under the ACL. These eight unfair contract terms include: • binding customers to subsequent contracts unless they cancel the contract within 30 days before the end of the term; • allowing JJ Richards to unilaterally increase its prices; • removing any liability for JJ Richards where its performance is “prevented or hindered in any way”; • allowing JJ Richards to charge 6
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customers for services not rendered for reasons that are beyond the customer’s control; • granting JJ Richards exclusive rights to remove waste from a customer’s premises; • allowing JJ Richards to suspend its service but continue to charge the customer if payment is not made after seven days; • creating an unlimited indemnity in favour of JJ Richards; and • preventing customers from terminating their contracts if they have payments outstanding and entitles JJ Richards to continue charging customers equipment rental after the termination of the contract. The ACCC is seeking declarations that the terms are unfair and consequently void, and injunctions to prevent JJ Richards from relying on those terms or entering into future contracts with small businesses that contain them.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// News
Remondis acquires collection business
Profile | Plastic Forests
EFFECTIVE September 8, Remondis is now the new owner of Queensland liquid waste collection business, Waste Trans, operated by AusWaste Environmental. The transaction involves Remondis taking future responsibility for all client contracts and purchasing the majority of the organisation’s equipment and vehicles. All employees have taken up positions with Remondis, including the management team and Remondis will continue to operate the existing Waste Trans’ sites located at Staplyton and Tanawah. The acquisition significantly increases Remondis’ capability in the region, adding a fleet of 17 liquid waste collection vehicles to its operations in Queensland. Similarly, the company can now provide Waste Trans’ existing customers with access to its solid waste and recycling services in the region.
When was the company founded and why? Plastic Forests was founded in 2011 with the aim of solving one of the biggest environmental problems globally - recycling contaminated plastic film. Plastic Forests invested years of research to develop its innovative dry-cleaning process for contaminated plastic film and is the first company in the world to achieve this commercially, on an industrial scale. We recently opened our super-site in Albury NSW to expand our recycling service to the east coast of Australia. How does your business model work? Plastic Forests provides a unique recycling service mainly to the food industry, who previously sent their contaminated plastic film to landfill. Customers include George Weston Foods, Unilever, Fuji Xerox, Ingham’s, Nespresso, SPC and Australian Native Landscapes. Plastic Forests has a vertically integrated business with a ‘double-customer model’ those who recycle their plastic film and those who purchase our plastic products. We endeavour to assist our customers to complete the 360° economy whilst meeting their environmental goals. Tell us more about your services and products. Plastic Forests offers a complete service for our customers. This includes the identification of suitable plastic at plant level, and assistance with the collection, storage and transportation of their plastic film. At our new facility, the plastic is dry-cleaned and recycled into resin which is then sold back into the plastics industry or manufactured into value added products, including cable cover and garden edging, under our GreenMongrel brand. What are some of the company’s goals and plans for the next 12-18 months? Our goal is to ‘keep plastic as plastic, at its highest level’, running 24/7 to achieve our maximum capacity. With the help of an $800,000 grant from the NSW EPA’s ‘Waste Less, Recycle More’ program, we will also install a new garbage bag production line running on solar power, further facilitating the ‘360° economy’ with our customers. More: www.plasticforests.com.au
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29% increase in landfill diversion in WA THERE has been a 29% increase in landfill diversion since 2011, according to a report released by the WA Waste Authority in August. However, it is not all good news. The report, prepared by ASK Waste Management, revealed data for 201516, including waste and recycling trends for the year. All up, 5.42 million tonnes of waste were generated in WA in 2015-16 and waste diverted from landfill has been on the rise, from 2.04 million tonnes in 2010-11 to 2.63 million tonnes in 2015-16. The Perth metropolitan region produces approximately 65% of total waste generated across the state and recycles 75%. While there were some sustained positive trends in diversion rates statewide for a couple of waste streams, there has been a negative trend in MSW diversion for the Perth metropolitan region since 2011. In that region, the MSW recycling rate fell to 36%, well below the state’s target of 50% Overall, when it comes to specific
waste streams in 2015-16: • MSW that was landfilled rose to 1.15 million tonnes from 1.08 million tonnes the year before; • C&I that was landfilled remained the same as 2014-15 at 0.76 million tonnes although diversion grew from 0.82 million tonnes to 0.95 million tonnes, meeting the state-wide diversion target of 56%. • C&D made a vast improvement, with volumes sent to landfill falling from 1.77 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 0.87 million tonnes. The recycling rate has improved 15 percentage points to 57% compared to the previous year. Turning to complex recycled materials for the year, metals made the largest volume at 579,000 tonnes, followed by organics at 479,500 tonnes, paper/cardboard at 235,000 tonnes, and finally, plastics at 16,100 tonnes.
Local government services The WA Waste Authority also released a second report that looked at local
Waste diverted and landfilled in WA. (Source: WA Waste Authority)
government waste and recycling services for 2015-16. According to the census, local governments in WA spent $288 million collecting 1.5 million tonnes of domestic waste in 2015-16, with an average of 28 kilograms of waste generated per household each week. 69% of the reported domestic waste was collected in the Perth metropolitan region with 38% of this waste reported as recovered. 31% of the reported domestic waste was collected outside the Perth metropolitan region with a lower recovery rate of 24%. Statewide, 66% of the reported domestic waste was disposed to landfill with the remaining 34% recovered. Most domestic waste (67%) was collected by regular kerbside services and 98% of local governments provide a regular kerbside waste and/or recycling service for their residents.
In Perth, most domestic waste recovery was achieved through the kerbside system while outside of the metropolitan area, drop-off facilities remain significant for the collection of recovered domestic waste, with around half of all recovered materials being sourced from waste dropped off by residents at these facilities In 2015-16, the best performing kerbside system for waste recovery included the collection of mixed waste for processing at a waste composting facility or alternative waste treatment (AWT). Systems that included AWT had an average kerbside recovery rate of 48%. The census showed that threebin systems, including those in the government’s Better Bins program, were the next best performing kerbside arrangement (41% recovery rate), outperforming the two-bin kerbside system (19% recovery rate).
Dib Hanna extradited for alleged illegal dumping SERIAL dumper Dib Hanna has become the first person to be extradited in relation to alleged environmental offences. Hanna is in custody after being arrested and extradited from Victoria in September to face the NSW Land and Environment Court on charges of illegal dumping brought forward by the NSW EPA. In late 2016, the EPA began prosecution action in the NSW Land and Environment Court against Hanna for eight repeat waste offences. These relate to the alleged illegal dumping of waste, including asbestos, on private properties in western Sydney in 2015 and 2016. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of $250,000 and/or two years imprisonment. Hanna’s failure to attend court on several occasions in relation to these charges led to a warrant being
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issued for his arrest. “I would like to thank the NSW and Victorian Police for their cooperation and assistance in bringing Mr Hanna before the court so he can face these serious charges,” EPA acting chair and CEO Mark Gifford said. “The NSW EPA takes illegal dumping very seriously. This crime creates an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment.” An individual can be fined up to $1,000,000 and/or receive a seven-year prison sentence for wilful dumping offences, and $500,000 or a four-year prison sentence for negligent offences. A corporation can face up to $5,000,000 for wilful offences and $2,000,000 for negligent offences. There are also on the spot fines that apply for illegal dumping: up to $7500 for an individual and up to $15,000 for a company.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// News
Input sought for WA CDS WA Premier Mark McGowan is seeking input in shaping the state’s container deposit scheme, an election commitment set by the Labor government. The WA Department of Environmental Regulation has released the Western Australia Container Deposit Scheme Discussion Paper ahead of the January 1, 2019 start date and a stakeholder advisory group will also assist with the CDS’ design. Some arrangements have already been agreed on, including the type of containers eligible for refund plastic and glass bottles, paper-board cartons, and steel and aluminium cans between 150 millilitres and three litres - containers that are not part of the scheme, including sachets for wine of 250ml or more and flavoured milk containers of 1L or more, the refund amount of 10-cents per container, and the need for a refund mark to identify eligible containers. However, there are features that have not been determined and a series of questions has been developed to help guide feedback on
certain key issues. Turning to accessibility and operation of the collection network, scheme costs, kerbside recycling and containers from other states and territories, the department wants to know: 1. What would be reasonable access for metropolitan, regional and remote areas of the state to balance convenience and cost? Are there any considerations you believe should be included in deciding this? 2. What full cash value refund options should be considered? 3. What other refund options should refund points consider offering? 4. What options are there for the retail sector to participate in the scheme? 5. What features are important for commercial container deposit points? 6. What advantages and concerns do you see for the verification approaches described above? Are there alternative approaches that should be considered? 7. Should containers be required to have a barcode to be approved for sale under the scheme?
Conceptual CDS model. (Source: WA DER)
8. How should handling fees be determined? 9. How should costs be allocated to beverage suppliers? 10. How should the number of eligible containers in kerbside recycling be determined? Who should be responsible for ensuring that periodic audits of any estimation methodologies are conducted? 11. Should Western Australia permit redemption of scheme containers from other participating states
and territories? Input is also being sought on the administration and governance of the scheme, including its structure, assigned roles and responsibilities of involved parties, performance measures, appropriate checks and balances, and accountability frameworks. Comments on the CDS must be made by Monday, October 23. Meanwhile, lightweight, single-use plastic shopping bags will be banned in Western Australia from July 1 next year.
New law passed in Qld QUEENSLAND’S Waste Reduction and Recycling Amendment Bill 2017 that introduces the state’s container refund scheme and plastic shopping bag ban was passed by state Parliament in September with bipartisan support. Queensland joins SA, NT, ACT and Tasmania in banning lightweight single-use plastic shopping bags. Environment Minister Stephen Miles applauded the initiative of retailers whom he said were proactively banning the supply of lightweight plastic shopping bags in advance of the ban commencing on July 1, 2018. And on July 1, 2018, Queensland will also have a container refund scheme under which most drink containers between 150ml and three litres will be eligible for a 10-cent refund. Some containers are exempt, such as containers for plain milk, wine and pure juice. Refunds will be available when empty eligible containers are returned to designated container refund points across the state. Reverse vending machines are likely to play a significant role in people’s ability to access the refund. CEO of Waste Recycling Industry Association (Qld), Rick Ralph, said
the association strongly supported the introduction of the scheme. “The introduction of this scheme gives every Queenslander access to a recycling system for used containers,” Ralph said. “Until now, unless you have a kerbside collection system recycling in remote and regional areas has been very limited. “That limitation will be removed, enabling new jobs and greater community engagement through a CRS system. It will make such a tremendous difference to the environment. “The next time we think about throwing away our drink containers we can think again, knowing there’s a better way, and now we’re paid to do it!” Similar container refund schemes have been operating in SA and NT for a number of years, with NSW to bring in a refund scheme in December this year. Mile said the government would continue to work closely with beverage manufacturers, retailers, local government, the waste and resource recovery industry, and the community on both proposals to ensure a smooth transition and operation of the container refund scheme and plastic bag ban.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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All about tyres EPA Victoria has commenced the removal of the infamous Stawell tyre stockpile, comprising millions of unused tyres in western Victoria that has sat dormant for close to a decade. The regulator commenced removal works in August, with EPA Victoria CEO Nial Finegan noting that there has been no obvious activity at the site for an extended period of time. He added that it is the EPA’s view that the stockpile appears to have been abandoned or is being handled in a manner by the owners that is likely to cause an environmental hazard. Finegan, who said the exact number of tyres at the site was unknown - estimates range from one million to nine million - noted that the EPA decided to take action after “repeated failure by the site’s owners to comply with EPA notices and a Country Fire Authority (CFA) Fire Protection Notice issued to reduce the risk of fire at the site to protect the community,” “As a result, EPA has used its powers under Section 62 of the Environment
Protection Act 1970 to conduct the cleanup,” Finegan said. And because it is unknown exactly how many tyres are on the site, Finegan said it is difficult to determine how long it will take to reduce the tyre stockpile so it does not pose a huge environmental hazard. Tyrecycle has been engaged to assist in the project, which will result in at least a million tyres being removed. “It is estimated that about 8-10 trucks filled with tyres will leave the site six days a week and be sent to Melbourne for shredding,” Finegan said. “Once tyres are shredded, they can be used throughout the construction, manufacturing and automotive industries. The end products of these are many and varied but could include athletics tracks, brake pads, new tyres and road surfaces. “A portion of these shredded tyres will also be used as tyre-derived fuel, which is often shipped overseas to destinations that have the technology to use it.’
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Geelong manufacturers give waste tyres new life Two Geelong high tech manufacturing companies, Polymeric Powders and Austeng, have joined forces to use end-of-life tyre crumb combined with polyolefin plastic to manufacture a superior quality composite material, enabling the production of commercial pipes using what they’ve said is an Australian developed, world-first process. They are currently working on perfecting the manufacturing process. The new products offer the potential to develop markets on both a national and PPC Composite pipe from recycled tyre rubber used in international level, citrus irrigation. and Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) has moulding and extrusion processes, been central to funding research offering opportunities for its use in and testing focussed on proving a global injection moulded plastics performance that will help realise market that is expected to reach that commercial opportunity. US$252 billion (AU$317.12 billion) The unique patented Polymeric in 2018. Powders technology converts rubber In addition, the new composite crumb, sourced from end-of-life material has also been produced tyres, into a modified rubber powder in a filament form for use in 3D that can be chemically bonded with printing, positioning it well in one other materials. The technology of the fastest growing industrial allows the recycled material to be manufacturing processes. used as a composite in a wide range In Perth... of applications including in industrial There’s more good news for end-of-life tools and components, building and tyres as a world-first Australian construction, mining, oil and gas, recycling plant built specifically to irrigation and sewerage, automotive, handle off-the-road (OTR) tyres is aerospace, and flexible electronics. due to open in Perth in June 2018. This new composite material The project is a joint venture has desirable properties compared between the Tytec Group and Green to traditional plastics, including Distillation Technologies and will use increased shock absorption the latter’s ‘destructive distillation’ (vibration damping), resistance to process to recycle tyres into oil, cracking, thermal insulation and carbon and steel. Tytec Logistics acoustic insulation. will transport end-of-life tyres from The pipes produced have passed mine sites around Australia to the stringent standard performance tests recycling plant. for non-pressure pipe applications The plant, which will recycle such as irrigation and sewerage. the tyres whole without cutting or The tests included cold bending and crumbing the rubber, will be located straightening and impact testing on the Tytec facility in the Perth ranging in temperature from 0 to suburb of Welshpool. It will have 50 degrees Celsius. The results a capacity of 5000 tonnes of OTR mark the first-time plastic/rubber tyres per year, which will amount to composite pipes using 50% modified more than two million litres of oil, tyre crumb have passed such tests. approximately 2000 tonnes of carbon Another positive is that the new and 1000 tonnes of steel. material can be utilised in traditional Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
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UNSW professor among world-leading innovators UNSW professor Veena Sahajwalla, has been awarded the inaugural US$50,000 (AU$62,480) PLuS Alliance Prize for Research Innovation for her project ‘The new science of green manufacturing’. Sahajwalla is the director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology in Australia. Her project is revolutionising recycling to enable global industries to safely utilise toxic and complex wastes as low-cost alternatives to
virgin raw materials and fossil fuels. The process reimagines the supply chain by ‘mining’ over-burdened landfills for resources. Launched in 2016, the PLuS Alliance is a unique international collaboration between Arizona State University, King’s College London, and UNSW Sydney. The alliance’s prizes, launched for the first time this year, award innovation in research and education that addresses a globally-significant
issue, makes a direct and positive impact, and helps, or has the potential to help communities globally. In receiving her award Sahajwalla said: “The work we’ve been doing to help global industries use green materials over virgin raw materials is vital to sustainability. This recognition by the PLuS Alliance for the work we’ve been doing to drive change and impact communities across the world is a real honour.”
UNSW professor Veena Sahajwalla.
SV finds solutions for fines SUSTAINABILITY Victoria is funding research into new uses for used glass, with teams of scientists developing new markets for glass fines that have traditionally been hard to recycle. “We’ve invested more than $2 million to develop markets via partnerships with industry; Deakin, Melbourne, Monash and Swinburne Universities, and the Australian Packaging Covenant,” Sustainability Victoria action CEO, Carl Muller, said. “Researchers are working on new
uses for glass and plastics and while there are challenges, we’re helping to create new markets and technologies, jobs and, most importantly, ensure our community has confidence in the resource recovery sector.” According to Sustainability Victoria, this is what the future of used glass looks like: • With rubber and plastic now used in road base Swinburne University researchers are investigating how
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glass and flexible plastics could also be added to the road base mix. • RMIT is looking at new processing methods to recycle glass into household items including kitchen bench-tops, floors, wall or roof tiles. • The University of Melbourne is looking at how to incorporate fine glass particles into lightweight concrete for prefabricated buildings. The technology is being developed in partnership with PrefabAus, the peak body for prefabricated building construction. Apart from using a ‘waste’ product pre-fabricated buildings minimise waste production by making everything
to specification, and eliminate the need to cut materials to size on site. Adding glass to the panels reduces the greenhouse gas emissions generated in the concrete-making process and reduces the need to use virgin raw materials. If the research stacks up, Australian pre-fab products could be used globally and generate jobs and investment. • Monash University’s is looking at how flexible plastics can be used in railways sleepers. The aim is a locally made product containing 100% recycled material that can compete with international imports.
Turning a challenge into an opportunity GEELONG-BASED GT Recycling is turning what it’s called a “hiccup in international trade” - China’s Green Fence policy - into a job creation opportunity whilst tackling the plastic waste problem. The plastic recovery company has, for the last 20 years, recycled wheelie bins, plastic drums, plant pots, bumper bars, and packaging film. Now, through a $170,000 Sustainability Victoria grant and $258,000 from the Australian Packaging Covenant, GT recycling has invested in specialised equipment to recycle heavy duty woven polypropylene. In Australia, some 232,000 tonnes of polypropylene are used annually for rope, bulk storage bags used in manufacturing and agriculture, tarpaulins, and other heavy-duty products. GT Recycling’s $2.5 million polypropylene recycling plant can re-process up to 1500 tonnes of
material a year and turn it back into a raw material for future use in manufacturing. The family-owned business employs 30 people, including three generations of the McLean family. GT Recycling managing director Trevor McLean is optimistic about the future of plastic recycling, saying difficult-to-recycle material can create new opportunities. “The Chinese market for scrap plastic is tightening, so we’re recalibrating and providing a local recycling option for this of type of scrap,” he said. “It’s a resource which is better recycled than being burned onfarm or sent to landfills where it’s buried forever. “It’s a niche market and several years of R&D work on how to recycle this product utilising the latest technology has allowed for the recycling of a range of packaging items.”
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// News
Cleanaway offered $90M loan A best-in-class resource recovery centre at Erskine Park in NSW is Cleanaway’s first confirmed project that will draw on a newly announced $90 million corporate loan from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). The centre will be capable of processing 150,000 tonnes of waste a year and is just one of a range of eligible waste management projects that would be financed by the loan including facilities for organics processing and resource recovery, as well as landfill gas projects. CEFC waste sector lead Henry Anning labelled the loan a “milestone transaction” for the company in the area of waste and bioenergy which he said play a vital role in the transition to clean energy. “As our first major transaction with a leading Australian waste management company, we are looking to demonstrate how clean energy technologies can be used to tackle the problem of waste emissions,” Anning said. “Cleanaway is already using innovative solutions to generate
renewable energy from waste and reduce landfill, and the company will achieve further significant emissions reductions with this CEFC finance.” CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth said reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and managing landfill emissions is critical in Australia where around 48 million tonnes of waste are generated each year, with as much as 44% ending up in landfill. Cleanaway CEO Vik Bansal said the company is committed to helping industry, businesses and householders create a more sustainable Australia. “We already have a strong focus on sustainable practices and we are excited about what further investment this will enable us to achieve,” Bansal said. “This CEFC finance will help us accelerate moves away from traditional landfill solutions by adopting technologies and practices that will help us achieve better environmental, social and economic outcomes,” he added. CEFC’s finance for Cleanaway is part of its Sustainable Cities Investment Program which aims to invest $1 billion over 10 years in clean energy and
energy efficient technology solutions in cities and the built environment. Previous CEFC investments in the sector include: • $30 million to resource recovery company ResourceCo to transform selected non-recyclable waste streams into processed engineered fuel (PEF).
• $100 million towards the Australian Bioenergy Fund, to invest in bioenergy and energy from waste projects. • A $10 million commitment to Landfill Gas Industries to expand bioenergy at landfill sites in Central and Southern Queensland.
Veolia helps farmers VEOLIA has signed a three-year deal with Farm Waste Recovery (FWR), part of the Industry Waste Recovery (IWR) group, to provide collection, transport and recycling services of polypropylene packaging for their closed-loop network across Australia. FWR was established in 2015 and is the flagship program supported by cornerstone businesses, Incitec Pivot Fertilisers and Impact Fertilisers. It helps industries and farmers recycle agricultural packaging and product waste in a sustainable manner. Leveraging Veolia’s waste collections and management expertise, IWR will work with industry stakeholders to significantly reduce the number of landfilled polypropylene bags, also known as flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) bags. This initiative will allow businesses to pre-purchase the packaging, which can then be used and dropped off at collection sites, to be further transported and processed by Veolia. “We saw an incredible opportunity in partnering with an industry leader that is tackling the challenge of packaging waste head on, in particular an issue as widespread as FIBC waste. IWR has ambitious recovery targets and together, we will deliver an environment-friendly solution to
recycle an otherwise wasted resource,” Veolia Australia and New Zealand general manager, Danny Conlon, said. “Our partnership with IWR is part of a wider, united targeted approach to waste management. Veolia is pleased to be part of a large stakeholder group, who are placing recycling at the top of their agenda.” The significant rise in the use of polypropylene bags and its associated waste has prompted IWR to develop a solution that encourages the development of long-term collection and disposal practices. Stephen Richards, IWR managing director, confirmed FWR operates on a closed-loop supply chain and involves a cross-section of industry operators, like Veolia, as well as farmers, manufacturers and associations, which has led to gaining the support of governments and councils. “To date, IWR has successfully recovered 1,123,928kg of plastic which has been turned it into re-usable plastic and is targeting the recovery of 12,000,000kg of plastic by June 2020,” Richards said. “Partnering with Veolia will enable national coverage to all of our new and existing customers, and we see this collaboration as a step in the right direction for our group.”
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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Equipment news //
Presenting the new Rotochopper A new Rotochopper - the Rotochopper MP-2 compact Grind-&-Color solution - has landed on our shores. The machine is able to transform pallets, tree chips, sorted construction debris and other wood fibre sources into vibrant colour-enhanced mulch with an exclusive on-board chamber colour injection system.
Key features include: • on-board colouriser with water tank, colour and water pumps, and grinding chamber injection manifold; • steel slat infeed conveyor; • Powerfeed roller with serrated cleats; • gapless infeed transition system;
• engine load regulated variable feed speeds; • rotor with interchangeable teeth; and • cam lock screen installation system. More: www.jdmaust.net.au or 1300 767 589
The new Rotochopper MP-2 compact Grind-&-Color solution.
Ditch Witch introduces Screenpod Airvac range SCREENPOD designs and manufactures specialist screening and recycling equipment for the global market and Ditch Witch Australia is unveiling the latter’s Airvac range of lights recovery separation systems. The Airvac separation system comprises an adjustable vacuum head unit fitted over a stockpile conveyor belt or screen boxes with electric, hydraulic or diesel engine options. The units are suitable for the removal of plastic or lights contamination from compost, bark, skip waste rejects and recycled aggregates.
The systems have infinitely variable vacuum control with a choice of vacuum drive systems with fast on-site setup time, often less than 15 minutes with universal fit conveyor attachments. The Airknife separation system is an adjustable, conveyor-mounted common frame along with a blower unit and a lights recovery chute, with a high energy blower and variable airflow angle and nozzle opening. Screenpod units are built to last, using high quality materials. This ensures long-term reliability and value for money.
With an innovative range, Screenpod supplies versatile products that meet a customer’s specific needs on varying applications. “We make it a priority to understand the needs and demands of our customers and we respond accordingly with innovative solutions,” Ditch Witch Australia, which has a national network of
Ditch Witch is bringing the Screenpod Airvac range to Australia.
company-owned branches to support the Screenpod range, said. More: http://www.dwaus.com.au or 02 4777 7115
Martin Peters is a “tried and true” customer of Barker Trailers.
A long history of craftsmanship BARKER Trailers has a long heritage in the Australian transport industry with a diverse product range servicing a number of market segments, and a fantastic reputation for refuse, recycle, and aluminium chip bins and walking floor trailers. The 43-year-old Woodend-based family business prides itself on quality, durability, and the custom design to meet the demanding needs of the market. Over the decades, the extensive and loyal Barker customer base has benefited from the quality of design and build, with Australian steel, true craftsmanship, and a focus on the customer relationship. This loyalty has been reinforced recently with very strong order intake across the full range of products, and significant demand for their market-leading walking floor chip bin transfer trailers. One of the most recent deliveries has been to “a tried and true” customer in Martin Peters says Rod Cunningham, GM sales and marketing. 14
INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
“Martin is a long-standing customer that goes right back to the days when Barker first diversified into the waste trailer segment. In fact, it was Martin that the company approached when they built their first prototype back in 2003,” Cunningham said. “We worked together with Barker back in those early days to get all the little things right so that the product would work well in the tough environment of waste,” Peters added. “History has shown that this trailer was the first of many more Barkers to come which has helped both companies prosper over the years”. Peters recently took delivery of his latest addition to the fleet being a Walking Floor Chip Bin - 48ft waste trailer with BPW axles and suspension and Cargo floor with 21 planks. In addition to waste trailers Barker is also building a large number of units for woodchip and dry freight applications. More: www.barkertrailers.com.au or 03 5427 9999
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
news
Waste Management Association of Australia: Suite 4.08 | 10 Century Circuit | Baulkham Hills NSW 2135 | t: 02 8746 5000 | e: info@wmaa.asn.au | w: www.wmaa.asn.au
From the CEO’s desk The issue of interstate transportation and landfill levies is not new, the recent ‘Trashed’ episode of 4 Corners showed nothing new to us in the industry. Industry and WMAA have been highlighting the problem of landfill price disparity for years. The solution is a harmonised approach to landfill levies across Australia which need to be set at a high enough level to reflect the true cost of land filling, and to encourage alternative approaches. NSW has the highest levies, and it’s also investing the most back into the resource recovery sector, with over $800 million being returned from the levy. Meanwhile Queensland has one of the worst recycling rates in Australia, with its current policies undermining legitimate businesses in NSW and presenting investment in these essential industries within its own state. The majority of the industry are reputable and passionate operators who want to do the right thing. There is no environmental or social benefit in transporting waste over long distances, simply a commercial benefit - as we know waste is like a river - it flows down to the cheapest point unless there are barriers to divert it. We currently have at least four reviews in to levies and interstate transportation going on in government - Queensland Government, NSW Parliament, Federal Parliament and WA Government - simply more talk. Add to this the fact that this had been a standing item on Heads of EPA agenda all year.
What we need is less talk and more action - we all know what needs to be done to solve this. WMAA has long said that there has to be shared responsibility for tackling challenges like the ones we’ve seen on 4 Corners; so we are taking the lead with industry to take action, we are calling on members, operators and stakeholders in the sector to sign a “Best Waste Practices” Waste of Origin Pledge. Our members see environmental stewardship and protection as key principles of their businesses. This Pledge will be in place until 31December 2017, we hope that operators and waste generators will sign, and the practice will cease - but Government needs to act to make this permanent, why can’t this be fixed by Christmas? We all know that transportation of waste over long distances is irresponsible, dangerous and environmentally damaging. Right now inconsistent State regulation creates a massive incentive for millions of tonnes of waste to be transported many hundreds of kilometres. This creates environmental harm and this situation must stop. WMAA once again calls on state regulators to support legitimate operators by closing the loopholes that create an uneven playing field. Government - now over to you! Gayle Sloan Chief Executive Officer Waste management Association of Australia
“Best Waste Practices” pledge The Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA) is continuing to take a stand against irresponsible, dangerous and environmentally damaging practices in the sector.
from New South Wales, as well as between southern states. This interstate waste transportation was undertaken by a few operators with the explicit aim of avoiding paying landfill levies to gain a commercial advantage.
Australia’s peak national body for the waste and resource recovery industry is calling on members, operators and stakeholders in the sector to sign a “Best Waste Practices” Waste of Origin Pledge.
Transportation of waste over many hundreds of kilometres creates: increased heavy vehicle traffic and congestion; additional fuel consumption and increased carbon emissions; increased risk of accidents, waste spillages, contamination and environmental damage.
The Australian waste and recycling industry employs over 50,000 people, and by and large ensures the safe and efficient management of more than 50 million tonnes of waste generated across the country each year. A small number of waste industry operators continue to use irresponsible and dangerous practices including transportation of waste over many hundreds of kilometres to avoid paying landfill levies and gain a commercial advantage. To date these small number of irresponsible operators have been left unchecked and not held accountable for their actions because they are able to take advantage of regulatory loopholes. They also fail basic, well accepted principles like the waste management hierarchy, which encourages reduction, reuse and recycling, with disposal as a last resort.
It is time for the States and the Commonwealth to work together to solve this burgeoning issue and to encourage reduction, reuse, recycling, treatment, and disposal only as a last resort. “WMAA wants to see the federal government taking a more active stand and scrutinise what is going on in the recycling industry,” said Gayle Sloan - WMAA CEO. “There are too many examples of loopholes that we all know need to be closed, but which clearly have not been fully addressed by each state jurisidiction working in isolation.” Australian businesses and communities are entitled to have confidence that the waste management sector is managing their waste responsibly. Waste operator signatories are pledging responsible waste management, effective immediately, and in advance of any regulatory response from government.
Signatories to the Pledge will commit to: 1. Not transporting waste unnecessarily long distances 2. Promoting the principles of the Waste Management Hierarchy 3. Helping our local communities to manage their waste as close as practicable to its place of generation
The pledge is open to all industry participants and stakeholders and will stay in force until 31 December 2017. This provides sufficient time for our State, Territory and Federal Governments to work with industry and develop effective action and get sound regulation and enforcement in place to solve this critical environmental problem.
In 2016, more than 650,000 tonnes of waste was transported to Queensland
Make the pledge today by visiting - www.wmaa.asn.au
W E I V E R NSW WASTE POLICY UNDER On 1 July 2012, the incoming Queensland LNP Government kept its election promise to reduce the cost of living by repealing the Queensland Landfill levy through the amendment of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Regulation 2011. The official reason for its repeal was that the levy was a significant cost impost on business and industry and repealing the levy helped to meet the government’s commitment to reduce the cost of living. Whilst Queensland landfill owners and waste transporters were rejoicing, the abolition of the landfill levy in Queensland had an undesired and immediate impact on its Southern neighbours. The abolition of the landfill levy in Queensland and the ever increasing levy in NSW created an arbitrage which made it more commercially worthwhile to transport waste to Queensland and landfill it in that state rather than to engage in resource recovery and dispose of the residual waste in NSW. The most amazing aspect is not that it occurred at all but that the policy makers were asleep at the wheel and didn’t see that it was coming. The result is of course, that 20 years of NSW EPA policy to encourage resource recovery and discourage landfilling has been comprehensively undermined and the Sydney recycling industry all but destroyed. When challenged, some industry players disingenuously claim that they transported waste for the purpose of recycling it interstate. We all know the value of those claims. There is not enough profit to be gained from the sale of recycled materials in NSW [much less Queensland] to justify the additional cost of interstate transportation to the processing cost of recycled material. In November 2012, just four months after the repeal of the Queensland Levy, when the then policy makers were just dozing off, Ian Malouf Managing Director of DADI gave them a wake-up call.
FOUR CORNERS REPORTS On Monday August 7th a joint Four Corners/Fairfax Media Investigation claimed to uncover “the dirty truth about your rubbish”. What that program revealed was not news to stakeholders and it was not news to the Queensland Premier who claimed she was “horrified” to hear the extent of illegal dumping of waste from NSW to Queensland. Despite the ABC’s dramatic flair in reporting, transportation of waste between the States is not illegal. Interstate trade generally is protected from discriminatory regulations or imposts under s92 of the Australian Constitution. The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) recently gave evidence to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the NSW Waste Industry to the effect that in the past financial year 670,000 tonnes of waste has been transported from NSW to Queensland. How much has actually gone there? The industry view reckons that the figure is closer to 1 million tonnes in one year. We all know of course that transporting NSW waste interstate, negatively impacts NSW and Australia by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, fuel usage and enhancing the risk of road accidents and of pollution by landfilling. Road infrastructure is also placed under increased and unnecessary stress. We also know that the interstate transportation of waste has cost jobs in the NSW waste recycling industry and significantly impacted Government revenue available from the s88 waste levy. This is revenue which historically, has been directed towards waste minimisation programs and assisting NSW Councils.
He wrote to the then Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Robyn Parker and the Minister for Finance, the Hon. Gregory Pearce predicting effects for the years to come. “Dear Ministers, we are facing something of a crisis in our waste disposal industry at present and we predict that if it is not addressed this will have an unforeseen and adverse effect on NSW Government revenues in the forthcoming year” “We estimate that revenue of the order of $100 million per annum is potentially being lost in NSW to the Government and without action this can potentially grow to $200 million per annum very quickly”. Chair and CEO of the EPA, Barry Buffier replied on the Minister’s behalf saying that there was to be an independent review into the operation of the waste levy and, said, “Should this initial analysis indicate that the interstate transport of waste is a significant issue, the EPA will be working with our Queensland counterparts and industry to develop a workable solution that delivers the best resource recovery and environmental outcomes”. Only five years have passed and a “workable solution” has yet to be delivered. That’s not to say that the EPA hasn’t tried to address the issue but the regulator’s instinctive response to a problem is to use the power of government to legislate or regulate the problem away. It has taken 5 years for the NSW EPA to learn that in an environment where the Commonwealth Constitution bars you from doing precisely that, the alternative choices are limited.
DADI calls for boycott – cover of brochure
counterfeiting of its records the clear aim of which can only be directed to one purpose, which is to be able to show the fraud dockets and receipts as evidence of a supposed landfill destination for particular waste. Hands up anyone who thinks it’s time for the NSW EPA to spend less of its energy and resources on technical breaches with no significant environmental harm at licensed premises than on sorting out the big and the really important issues.
Greenstar Certification, as we all appreciate is undoubtedly a “feel good” program which allowed builders and developers to wrap themselves in the Nanna blanket of being responsible corporate citizens. But Greenstar was nevertheless only a valuable tool in a commercial environment where recycling and resource recovery was encouraged by State policy where interstate movement and landfilling of waste did not exist and counterfeiting of receipt documentation was virtually unknown. Did you notice that we said Greenstar was a valuable tool? Past tense. What is cruelly evident is that circumstances have changed and policy once again has not kept up with those changed circumstances. The cosy reassuring Nanna blanket has become transformed by policy and circumstances to become the rug used to cover a multitude of sins. Recent evidence of counterfeiting must surely mean that some waste transporters are misleading their clients as to the proper or actual destinations of asbestos containing materials (ACM). Perhaps ACM has been sent interstate, perhaps it is still in Sydney. Who would know? A rhetorical question not directed to the NSW EPA. For other construction and demolition (C&D) wastes which could be recycled but instead are now being sent interstate, the plain fact is that we know that there is not enough money to be earned from the sale of recycled/ recovered products to cover the overheads of the processing and interstate transportation. It logically follows therefore that C&D waste is not being transported for the purposes of recycling. The default position is that waste is transported for one purpose only and that is for landfilling.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF PROGRAMS SUCH AS GREENSTAR? It logically follows from what we have written above that if some erstwhile genuine recyclers are both issuing favourable Greenstar reports and transporting large quantities of waste to Queensland then there is a serious problem. To do both of these things at once is plainly to perpetrate a fraud upon the Greenstar system. Developers and builders whether private or Government would be well advised to take direct steps to validate the information they are given. Reliance upon a Greenstar report without such validation may in the long term prove to be more trouble than it was worth in the first place. Almost certainly it may prove more expensive than first thought and potentially could also result in a hitherto unforeseen civil liability. It has been reported in the last few days that after the Grenfell tragedy in the UK, Australian Banks lending money to fund large developments are now themselves investigating in some detail the flammability and safety of materials proposed to be used.
If asbestos contaminated material is “rebirthed” by mixing it with virgin soils for use in landscaping or is allowed to be buried in situ by government agencies instead of being properly landfilled then the human health damage which the community has faced over the last thirty years could potentially go on for many many more decades with an ever widening circle of victims.
What are the Bank’s positions likely to be if they consider that asbestos laden products might potentially be used either in the building itself or in the surrounding gardens and landscaping. Can there be any more effective way to destroy the recycling industry than to undermine and ultimately destroy the integrity of programs such as Greenstar?
It’s well overdue for the regulators to get tough on both those who would by counterfeit and fraud deliberately recirculate asbestos contaminated materials within our community and also those who allow the importation of similarly contaminated building materials from China or other places.
First the Proximity principle, the amended Proximity principle, the Proximity principle no longer to be enforced.
In an email dated 10 July 2014 Ian Malouf expressed his concern to EPA Director of Waste and Resource Recovery Steve Beaman,
Litigation against the Victorian regulator which had purported to regulate for interstate trade in waste, collapsed and for the very same reasons as had occurred in NSW against a well known player.
That issue, potentially the most dangerous of all, is the consequence of the abject failure of the NSW Waste Tracking system.
“This Queensland thing is shredding our industry and it is getting dramatically worse each day. Waste containing asbestos and contaminated other waste is being back loaded with grain in the same vehicles bodies just for an example”.
DADI Group can’t be the only stakeholder in the waste industry to experience the recent and growing phenomenon of fraud from the
This is a clear and present danger to the health of the community and it should be faced up to now.
There is a bigger concern of course which until recently had not so far been openly acknowledged.
WHAT VALUE IS GREENSTAR?
Responses by the NSW EPA have been both confused and ineffectual.
All of these followed by a Consultation paper promoting draft regulations relating to the management of C&D waste. There were holes in it big enough to drive a truck through.
It might be practicable [as has been recently suggested] to make transfer stations liable to collect levy but that surely won’t prevent waste bypassing transfer stations altogether in order to avoid that levy liability. One – so called “easy” solution which has been suggested would be for the Queensland State Government to re-impose its landfill levy, or for the NSW State Government to reduce its rate of tax. The former is unlikely to happen in the short term due to election commitments given in that state and the latter runs counter to the longstanding NSW policy of discouraging landfilling and encouraging resource recovery. Another solution which has also been recently canvassed is for a so-called homogenisation of environmental regulation including landfill levies. Unless the State Governments refer their environment powers to the Commonwealth [unlikely] or the Commonwealth Government imposes a standard rate of tax [excise?] across landfilling in all states [even more unlikely] or Queensland quickly reinstates a modest landfill levy, the issue looks set to smoulder on.
Dial A Dump Industries Group has continued to achieve 80% resource recovery while others have transported interstate for landfilling.
Genesis continues its commitment to resource recovery with expansion into C&I waste streams
And, [if there weren’t enough suggestions already] yet another suggestion to hit the traps is that plan of using mutual recognition legislation where one state could [in effect] collect another state’s tax on the first state’s behalf and remit it to the first state.
Dial A Dump Industries 02 9519 9999 www.dadi.com.au enquiries@dadi.com.au Quite apart from the logistical difficulties involved, one might have thought that the question of the extra territorial effect of state legislation would be called into question. In effect an Australian state [not a sovereign national entity] legislating an entitlement to impose a tax resulting from an activity carried out beyond its borders and a tax collected on its behalf by another state. Anything more calculated to enliven either s90 or s92 of the Commonwealth Constitution is hard to imagine. So we see that the theoretical policy alternatives for regulators are many, the real solutions which must overcome the constitutional difficulties are few, the consequences of inaction enormous. In January 2017 Dial A Dump Industries produced a Black letter law solution – easily implemented, constitutionally sound and a solution for NSW that does not rely on the state government of Queensland. The existing s88 Levy would be recast as a Waste Responsibility Levy [WRL] and would, [unlike the current levy] be legally imposed primarily on the generator or originator of the waste. The collection point would remain as it is now, at the Landfill weighbridge. The WRL would then create economic incentives and legal imperatives on the person who originally generated the waste to ensure it is disposed of properly including recovering and recycling the useful and valuable components. Waste generators would not simply be able to wash their hands of responsibility.
capacity. The technology uses as its fuel the residue building and demolition wastes left over after the recycling process to generate electricity.
This year, DADI Group commissioned the carrying out of an independent poll of the community the results of which were quite interesting.
Energy from Waste provides:
Of the 1,200 people surveyed, 69% of the general public in NSW supported the proposed Energy from Waste facility at the Eastern Creek industrial estate with 32% supporting it strongly.
• • • • • •
Cheaper electricity Additional baseload power generation form a 60% renewable source Safe alternative to landfilling Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions Cleaner alternative than burning coal for electricity generation Job creation and it’s safe
These types of facilities have been proven to be a safe and efficient way to generate power and are often located in urban areas alongside homes, schools and offices. There are now over 2,200 Energy from Waste facilities operating in 35 countries across the world. Marc Stammbach, Managing Director of Hitachi Zosen Inova which has built more than 500 thermal energy waste to energy plants worldwide recently told the Parliamentary Upper House Inquiry “Our technologies operate every day – safe, reliably, environmentally compliant and energy efficient”.
There is still asbestos not being adequately tracked and the current levy rate in NSW a clear disincentive to landfill it. That is a contradiction which must also be solved. We understand that the simplistic notion of reducing or abolishing the levy entirely on ACM would not work and would be likely to encourage the deliberate contamination of wastes and soils to avail of a reduced or nil levy rate.
Is there really any wonder that the system is broken? For goodness sake it’s not rocket science to solve these problems, we say just sit down with some rocket scientists and come up with a solution.
ENERGY FROM WASTE Even if a miracle occurred and the interstate issue was fixed and NSW recycling policy restored and recycling to the max occurred there would still also be a large amount of residual waste that can at present only be directed to landfill. There is no real dispute that the Sydney metropolitan area is running short on landfills. The NSW Energy from Waste Policy provides part of the answer, recognising as it does that as long as we consume, we produce waste. By unlocking energy from residual combustible materials that would otherwise end up in the ground addresses the landfill shortage and we can also significantly abate Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions generated by landfill. We believe that an Energy from Waste proposal can be a valuable solution to Sydney’s growing problem of waste disposal and diminishing landfill
Dial A Dump is a principal provider of waste collections and waste management services in New South Wales.
(i) for those outside the 20km vicinity of the site the most important issues are: 1. creating jobs (+87) 2. cost of living (+86) 3. the need to reduce waste (+85); and 4. lowering the cost of energy (+84).
92% agreed with the statement that we need to do more to recycle waste and reduce harmful greenhouse gases. 90% agreed with the statement that we need to develop more ways of creating energy to bring energy prices down.
Artist’s impression of proposed The Next Generation EfW Facility, Eastern Creek
The proposed facility at Eastern Creek will use proven thermal technology to process the waste in a safe and efficient manner, while generating enough power for 100,000 homes a year. In Europe and the UK the facilities had all passed rigorous approval processes and, for many years have been producing clean, cheap energy with less harm to the environment, compared with coal fired stations or by dumping waste into landfill.
83% agreed with the statement that using waste we can recycle as fuel to generate electricity is a smart way to reduce greenhouse gas and stabilise power supplies. Of people who support the Energy from Waste facility proposed at Eastern Creek: • 49.5% said they support the project because it is good way to remove waste while creating power; and • 21% said they support the project because it reduces climate change, emissions and pollution. Only 15% of people within the 20km vicinity and 5% of people outside the 20 kilometre vicinity expressed opposition to the proposed facility.
The NSW EPA has “draft” policy guidelines for the management of Asbestos Containing Material [ACM ]but in practice is wholly unrealistic and inconsistent about how ACM can be managed. Maintaining an inflexible standard response that 6 pieces of asbestos sheet found on the surface of a hill contaminates the entire hill is frankly ridiculous and especially so when set against the current failings both of tracking and of interstate transport. Lets summarize, …… a “draft” policy, inconsistently applied, inadequate waste tracking of ACM, uncontrolled transportation of waste across state borders, counterfeiting of documents and a levy rate which acts as a disincentive to landfill ACM.
In relation to prompted issues,
The survey indicates there is low awareness among the general public in NSW of the shortage of landfill sites (+35).
DADI Group says, bite the bullet amend the s88 levy in the way suggested and do it Now!
Even if we are able to resolve the interstate waste transportation arbitrage being exploited by operators that will only get us back to where we were 5 years ago. We will only have solved part of the problem.
The survey highlighted that the most important issues for people in Sydney and NSW are: 36% Transport and Infrastructure 15% Cost of Living 10% Local issues within communities 8% Health & Care
(ii) for those inside the 20km vicinity of the site the most important issues are, 1. the lowering of cost of energy (+90) 2. cost of living (+86); and 3. creating jobs (+85).
The EPA has been in possession of the methodology for more than six months and the Barrister’s advice in relation to it has been supplied to the Government. Not one person from the Government or the EPA has made any contact with us in relation to it. Surely that must indicate that no-one is seriously addressing the problem?
WHERE IS THE FUTURE?
65% of people within the 20km vicinity of the site support the project, with 27% of them supporting it strongly.
Of people who are opposed to the Energy from Waste facility proposed at Eastern Creek: • 26% said they oppose the project because it is too close to the residential areas; and Sophisticated filters and scrubbers ensure that the power generation process is completely safe and pollution free (Image courtesy of Hitachi Zosen Inova)
Superheated steam drives turbines to generate power to the grid for the equivalent of all homes in BLACKTOWN City area (Image courtesy of Hitachi Zosen Inova)
We believe that Energy from Waste is an integral part of the solution for future sustainable waste management in Australia. The EfW solution will mean more cheap and reliable electricity and avoid the need for large – and long scale transportation of waste. Here in New South Wales whether it is an airport, or a motorway there is always the inevitable tension between the need for infrastructure, the desire for convenience and development and those who say, ok yes... but not in my backyard. By and large people are creatures of habit and of convenience. They are used to their surrounds and any developments which affect that in any measure are, as a matter of human nature, likely to be instinctively opposed. The need for vital infrastructure must therefore mean something more than the narrow and focussed opinion of those people who will live in close proximity to a particular development. If it did not, then all of the motorway developments currently going on around Sydney and all of the light rail and infrastructure developments through the centre of Sydney would have to cease for the same reason. The minority of people whose homes and businesses are nearby would argue that there is no need for these developments whilst the wider community thinks otherwise.
Dial A Product is the producer and supplier of a vast range of qulaity recycled products at our Genesis recylcing facility in Eastern Creek, including wood chip and road base.
• 21% said they oppose the project because it reduces air quality in the local area. Residents in all other Regions support the proposed facility including residents in Mt Druitt, Rooty Hill, Doonside and Blacktown (including suburbs to the east such as Wetherill Park, Pemulwuy and Bossley Park) where support is 52%. The vast majority of the general public say this issue will not affect their vote for a political candidate. For those whose vote it will affect, most say they are more likely to vote for a candidate that supports the facility, than vote against them. Notably, those within 20km vicinity of the site are 16% more likely to vote for a political candidate who supports the facility than vote against them. Clearly the majority are in favour of Energy from Waste. The current Upper House Parliamentary Inquiry into the Waste Industry was initiated based upon political advantage and a deliberate obfuscation of the science. Theatrics aside, we think that the Inquiry has been very useful in shining a light into the dark corners of the Industry and presenting an opportunity to review and recommend adjusted policy settings. The Inquiry bears a heavy burden of responsibility to take advantage of a once in a generation review of these issues and we hope that we will not be disappointed.
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E-waste //
Taking down the barriers
By Jacqueline Ong WHILE it is undeniable that over the last five years since its commencement, the National TV and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) has made great leaps and bounds - for one, it has diverted between 45,000 tonnes and 55,000 tonnes of TVs and computers from landfill - there are barriers that continue to stand in the way of its progress. The scheme has undergone a few changes, from new co-regulatory arrangements coming on board as others left, to target changes in 2014 to solve some of the early teething problems, to implementation of the Australian Standard 5377. However, over the last two years, the scheme has not met its targets and as the federal Department of Environment embarks on its review of the Product Stewardship Act 2011, which established the NTCRS, key industry players have come forward with changes they’d like to see made to the scheme. Co-regulatory arrangements, the Australian and New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP) and MRI E-cycle Solutions have been vocal about the issues that need to be solved, with the latter developing a preliminary submission to the Department and the former launching a white paper at Parliament House in August.
How much e-waste is there? Both organisations share the opinion that there is a problem with the waste arising calculation, which is why the NTCRS has not been able to meet its targets in the last two years. “When the waste arising target is calculated, it’s based on 90% of TVs, 80% of computers, and 88% of 18
computer peripherals and printers that will become available for recycling. But the reality is they are not [available] and there is less becoming available compared to what is being imported because people are hoarding and there’s a re-sale factor. It’s more like 60%-70% of imports instead of 80%-90%,” MRI PSO CEO Rose Read explained. “The target that we’re going into in 2017-18 is 62% and this will move up to 80% by 2026-27 - that’s 80% of the waste arising so if you have 1000kg of TVs and computers, at the moment, they’re saying 900kg of that will become available for recycling and we have to collect 62% of that 900kg. But in fact, it’s not 900kg that’s available but more around the 800kg mark because 200kg is being resold or kept at home and isn’t available for recycling. We should be collecting 62% of 800kg, which is far more realistic than collecting 62% of 900kg.” ANZRP CEO Carmel Dollison agrees, saying reuse volumes need to be removed as there are products that are leased in Australia and returned to the leasing company to then get refurbished and resold into offshore markets - meaning they no longer exist in the Australian market and should not be part of the waste arising volume. “We need to look at the implication of that on the way the targets are calculated. The scheme operates on a scaling factor and the scaling factor is brought in to eliminate product that doesn’t replace another,” Dollison said, also nothing that this scaling factor should be around 0.7 range (or 70% of imports). “The IT industry maintains that it should actually be 0.6 and their calculations show that 40% of the
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products leave the Australian market. That’s a pretty dramatic reduction but it would mean sufficient waste for us to collect for the targets that we’re currently at. “Based on our modelling and research, the waste arising at the moment is equivalent to the target and we now have two years where the scheme has not met its targets. It can only get worse from here. That’s not what we want. It’s a great scheme and we need product stewardship if we’re going to support the state governments’ tools such as landfill levies and e-waste bans, which can’t come into play until there’s a viable, working means by which the product will be collected and responsibly recycled. If you just put a ban in, it’s just going to be dumped and it becomes a local government issue.” MRI believes there are two ways to deal with this - either include the volume exported for reuse in the waste arising calculation, which ANZRP has also called for, or allow product exported for reuse to be counted in an arrangement’s target. Dollison added that once the scaling factor is fixed, the attention needs to be turned to converted weights, which she says should be tested annually instead of “every couple of years” so realistic data is collected.
More not less Then, there’s the scheme’s product scope. Industry has been questioning why the scheme is only limited to TVs and computers when it only makes sense for other electronic goods to be included. After all, speak to any council and they will very likely tell you that their community does not make the distinction during a collection event,
bringing other e-waste along. And since these materials are already being brought in, they could eventually lead to free rider issues. Here, Dollison and Read have rather different ideas on what should and should not be included in the scheme. “There is a suite of products that should be included but these are the electronic products as opposed to the electrical products, which are your kettles, microwaves, toasters - those sorts of products don’t have to be in it. But components such as DVD players, CD players, stereo systems and audio stuff... those should be included,” Read said. While Read is confident that expanding the scope would be straightforward and will result in only a small increase in products, she acknowledged that doing so may take time, particularly as these materials could have different manufacturers to TVs and computers, for e.g. Netgear which does telecommunications equipment and aren’t picked up by the NTCRS at the moment. Thus, companies need to be given 12 months’ notice before their products are included in the scheme. But it will be worth it. “From a collection and recycling perspective, trying to distinguish if that computer board came from a product that’s not covered under the scheme can be quite tricky so expanding the scope would make some of those things a little bit easier and it would certainly be much easier for the consumer,” she said. Dollison would also like to see the product scope expanded but wants small household items such as toys, tools and household appliances to be included as well, not just electronic goods because
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// E-waste
A review is underway of the Product Stewardship Act, which established the NTCRS that has diverted upwards of 45,000 tonnes of TVs and computers from landfill to date. (Credit: ANZRP)
Australia needs the feedstock. “We are a very large country with a very small population, if we want to get investment in a viable recycling industry, we need to have enough feedstock and hopefully we would then
develop an end market in Australia. We would no longer be held ransom by say China who’s recently said they won’t be taking plastics anymore as we could have processing done here. These products can go to the same recycler, through the same process and their recovery can essentially be the same. It would allow all co-regulatory arrangements to possibly have a shared view of how we collect in order to opitmise collection and logistics so we get an efficient production network and recycling industry.” She also pointed to the established and successful European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive or WEEE, which has 10 product categories but is changing direction and moving to six. “They’re saying, would it make sense for these products to go together? Because they’ve realised that from a collection perspective, it’s inefficient to run. What we’re seeing in Australia is that if every different product group is getting voluntary accreditation,
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then it becomes very expensive for industry. It would be far more efficient, where it makes sense, to have product stewardship operate under a banner or to have fewer schemes. For e.g. batteries could very logistically fit under NTCRS and because it’s the same collection network. All you have to do is work out how you’re going to invoice. It’s also cheaper for manufacturers because they’re not supporting five different administrative groupings or organisations and they get the benefits of volume-based leverage so their logistics will be cheaper and they’ll get better recycling rates.”
Collaborating for access Turning to collaboration, Read says despite being competitors, the arrangements should collaborate, particularly in the outer and remote regions where competition doesn’t work, not if the scheme aims to provide access to hard-to-reach places. Read has suggested that in these areas, only one or two reliable service
providers are needed and that the arrangements that operate there should work together to share the high cost that comes with transporting materials, and she wants the government to revise access rules to enable this. “I’ve been thinking about how we could do this pragmatically and I think you would share the area equitably, based on your share of the market. Doing so means industry’s funds would be used more efficiently because you’ve now got four companies spending industry money to do four different shipments out of a region when you can probably ship it all out in one go given the volume, and spread that equitably between the arrangements,” she said. “For example, if you’ve got 60% of the market, you have to do 60% of the remote and outer regional areas and there would be an agreement around who would do which region to ensure its fair. There has to be some sort of agreement sharing but I don’t think you can leave this one to competitiveness, not in the iw remote and regional areas.”
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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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Regulation //
NSW needs fresh e-waste definition Credit: Judit Klien, Flickr CC
By Tony Khoury and Kim Glassborow CURRENTLY, there is no legislative definition of e-waste in NSW. In December 2016, in Glassborow’s Inside Waste Legal Eagle column, she raised the problems caused by a lack of a statutory definition of e-waste. Since the article was published, there has still been no progress on the regulation of this unique waste stream. Khoury has recently also spoken out, requesting that the NSW EPA provide a clear definition of e-waste as e-waste should be defined as a Special Waste within the NSW Waste Classification Guidelines. The continued uncertainty surrounding e-waste has a negative impact on the industry and has the potential to create environmental issues in the future as the volume of waste electronic products increases. So why are we still avoiding turning our minds to this issue?
What’s the problem? As explored in the Legal Eagle article published on December 14 (more on www.insidewaste.com.au), neither the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) (POEO Act) nor the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2014 (NSW) (Waste Regulation) refer to e-waste. Since these documents specify the obligations of waste facilities in the treatment of waste, it is surprising to note that e-waste is being effectively lumped in with household waste since there is no separate category for electronic waste under the statute or the regulations. This is problematic since e-waste has both hazardous and valuable components which are very different to other types of household waste. For example, some e-waste contains toxic chemicals such as arsenic, mercury and lead that can leach into waterways if not managed properly. 20
On the consequences of a lack of definition of e-waste, Glassborow questions how the NSW EPA can even begin to regulate the disposal, treatment and fate of e-waste if the NSW government and the regulator have not reached a consensus and explained to the industry what precisely constitutes e-waste. Following the ABC’s Four Corners’ “Trashed” investigation, it appears that the focus on what material is destined for landfill is sharper than ever. For businesses in the waste industry, the lack of a definition has already created issues in practice, with Glassborow highlighting that she’s had clients tell her that the NSW EPA has written them a letter stating that their development consent does not refer specifically to e-waste, and they have been stopped from receiving e-waste since this waste stream is not permitted under their consent. This is not consistent with the current Waste Classification Guidelines. The Guidelines fail to include any reference to e-waste as a separate waste stream.
The solution Khoury notes that the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA) believes a single, clear definition of e-waste would level the playing field and encourage more recycling of valuable elements of e-waste, and job creation. There is a big opportunity for businesses to separate recyclable parts such as copper and platinum, however, there is little incentive to do so. Drafting a single definition of e-waste is not inconceivable. The Victorian EPA (in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning) conducted a review and developed the Environment Protection (Scheduled Premises) Regulations 2017 (Scheduled Premises Regulations). This document defines “specified electronic waste” to be waste rechargeable
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G&B Lawyers partner Kim Glassborow.
WCRA executive director Tony Khoury.
The continued uncertainty surrounding e-waste has a negative impact on the industry and has the potential to create environmental issues in the future as the volume of waste electronic products increases. batteries, cathode ray tube monitors and televisions, flat panel monitors and televisions, information technology and telecommunications equipment, lighting and photovoltaic panels. Also in the new regulation is a requirement from June 25, 2017 for premises in Victoria with the capacity to reprocess more than 500 tonnes of specified e-waste per year to apply for an EPA works approval before they are built or modified and an EPA licence to operate. Khoury recently visited a Tox Free e-waste processing facility in Melbourne and found that the plant is an example of the new Victorian e-waste regulations providing business with certainty and confidence to invest in technologies and processes to ensure better e-waste recycling and recovery outcomes.
Stagnant regulator The lack of discussion regarding e-waste between decision makers negatively impacts the environment, the waste industry and also our knowledge of the volume and characteristics of this growing waste stream. The Waste Levy Guidelines (2015) state the different waste types and provide corresponding codes for the purposes of record keeping requirements under various clauses
of the Waste Regulation. The Waste Levy Guidelines (2015) allocate a code for e-waste, without providing a definition. This is a wasted opportunity for valuable data collection. Without a set definition, the numbers collected for e-waste do not mean anything. In October 2016, the NSW EPA announced upcoming reforms to the Waste Regulation including new minimum standards for managing construction and demolition waste. Further, in June 2017 the NSW EPA announced proposed minimum environmental standards in the scrap metal industry. Neither of these proposed reforms mention e-waste. It appears that the NSW EPA has failed to take action on a number of important reforms involving the waste sector and respond to the current challenges faced by the industry. Perhaps the increased scrutiny on the NSW EPA will prompt the regulator into long overdue action on defining e-waste and instigating a list of other proposed reforms.
Tony Khoury is the executive director of WCRA (contact: tony@wcra.com.au) and Kim Glassborow is a partner at G&B Lawyers (contact: kglassborow@gandblawyers.com.au) iw
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Recycling
China’s ‘National Sword’ strikes recycling blow? By Trish Hyde OVER the last six months, the Chinese government has incrementally applied its ‘National Sword’ policy with impacts already being experienced in global recovered material markets, including paper and plastic. However, more than export markets could be affected. For Australia, a reasonable proportion of the recovered paper and plastic (ABS estimated 40% and 50% respectively in 2011) is exported. China is our main export market for recovered materials with ABS stats showing 76% of paper and 88% of plastic exported goes directly or via Hong Kong to China. Australia is undergoing a renaissance of recycling as a backdrop to China’s policy, with consumer awareness and expectations on the rise (courtesy of Four Corners and War on Waste). Governments are also part of this drive to seek higher diversion rates. Admittedly, the recovery rate for paper is stronger than that of plastic, with the overwhelming majority of the latter going to landfill. Combining the potential loss of export markets, with increasing demand for recycling makes for interesting times ahead. Importantly, it will focus the conversation on creating sustainable end markets to pull recycling materials through.
position on improving the quality of imported recovered materials. From the initial announcements of the ‘National Sword’ policy in early 2017 it was easy to see the similarities as a drive for quality and against smuggling. By May, it was clear that the Chinese government was moving swift and sure, as exporters reported shipment delays and additional fees. In June, widespread rumours surfaced of its broader implications and on July 18, China filed with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) its intention to restrict the importation of certain recovered materials, including paper and plastics. This is to take place by the end of 2017. This raised the level of seriousness immediately.
China’s National Sword policy has been implemented subtly and incrementally, without a clear view of the desired end point. What is certain is that traders are concerned. If the chronicling of the policy’s implementation by US trade media is accurate, then the journey has been dynamic. In February, industry was ‘relatively calm and ready’, however by August, the policy impacts were being touted as ‘serious’, ‘devastating’ and ‘catastrophic’. Those familiar with the ‘Green Wall’ of 2013 are familiar with China’s
In order to truly innovate, there needs to be a conversation about the inherent conflicts built into our recycling system.
The motive Initially the motive was said to be the improvement in quality of imports. While this may have been the case at the time, responsibility for the policy has shifted from Chinese Customs to the newly-appointed Minister for Environment and the government’s filings to the WTO state the import’s polluting impacts on the Chinese environment and people as the main reasons. This policy shift is a game-changer. One of the most important cultural aspects I learned while studying in China is that
China’s National Sword policy has been implemented subtly and incrementally, without a clear view of the desired end point. What is certain is that traders are concerned. The new policy: disruption by stealth
Plasticity Sydney director, Trish Hyde.
the political system relies on making sure the majority’s needs are met. It used to be gauged by the price of pork, but now it is the ability to see the sky. At first glance, concerns about pollution could be addressed if industry raised quality standards. However, this ignores China’s own waste recovery needs. And with 1.4 billion people, there is much waste generated domestically without the need to import.
Flow-on effects If China’s actions come to fruition, there will be strong implications for global markets.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Recently I met with Steve Wong, president of the China Scrap Plastic Association and managing director of plastics recycling company Fukutomi. I found his ‘insider’ understanding invaluable, especially that he is forecasting (and planning for) significant changes. For the past few years he has been diversifying his company’s manufacturing operations to withstand this kind of market shift. The three main strategic options for Chinese recyclers are to: a) Focus on the domestic Chinese market. b) Operate in countries where lower quality is accepted. c) Operate in countries where the waste source is generated. For Australia, exporting of plastics will rely on the speed and viability of establishing new operations proposed for Vietnam and Malaysia. The alternative is a greater focus on valueadd processing on-shore or the creation of new sustainable end markets.
A grown-up conversation Over the past two years, I have become a firm believer that circular economies require shared responsibility, discussion and solutions across industry, community and government. However, in order to truly innovate, there needs to be a conversation about the inherent conflicts built into our recycling system.
If we acknowledge that consumers and governments desire more recycling through single source infrastructure and higher value end markets (domestic or export) favour clean high-quality streams, then we have the starting point for addressing issues. Industry must be willing to be part of the conversation or accept the consequences. Given low diversion rates and limited end markets for plastic recycling, the loss of valuable export territories puts even greater strain on meeting those community expectations. The China National Sword policy is likely to have an impact not just on our export markets, but also on the need to find alternative sustainable end markets for recovered materials. It is time for a grown-up conversation, and you are invited.
Trish Hyde is the director of Plasticity Sydney and former CEO of the Australian Packaging Covenant. Plasticity Sydney is a global forum and the only conference focused on plastics sustainability. It will be held on October 31 at Darling Harbour. Using a TED Talks style, the event provides a platform for businesses to share ideas and successes in their own circular economy initiatives. Visit www.plasticitysydney.com iw for more.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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AWRE // Many were impressed with the range of equipment on display at this year’s AWRE.
A celebration of ideas
By Jacqueline Ong
Dollars and sense
AND just like that, the 2017 Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo (AWRE) has come and gone. This year, AWRE returned to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre where attendees were not only greeted with outstanding displays of equipment, they were also able to, for the first time, attend the seminar sessions for free. You can only imagine the snaking queue outside the seminar room! Diversified Exhibitions put on a fantastic show this year and it wasn’t only Inside Waste that thought so. Speaking to many an attendee as we did the rounds, a number were impressed by the layout and range of equipment on the showground, and a fair few exhibitors also told us that they were having more (and quality) discussions this year. Inside Waste reported from the event, providing an overview of the new and exciting bits of kit we saw (more on www.insidewaste.com.au). But we were not just there for the equipment - as much as we love big trucks and toys - we were there to meet you and the conversations we had were interesting to say the least. The talk of the town was ABC’s Four Corners program - Trashed - (who’s surprised?) and while many were dismayed by the show’s portrayal of the sector, most took it in good stride, seeing the opportunities for education, collaboration and improvement, as well as believing the show and its impact on community would push governments to start dealing with issues stat.
If you’ve been following post-Trashed coverage and discussions online, you would know that there has been a lot of chatter from the industry about what can and should be done. The glaring issue is the inconsistency of levies across the country (and may we remind you in case you’ve forgotten, the lack of a levy in Queensland) and at AWRE, Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA) executive officer, Andrew Tytherleigh and Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA) executive director, Tony Khoury, provided their perspectives on their states’ levies as well as the challenges the industry is facing. In recent months, Victoria has come under the spotlight with a spate of fires in Coolaroo. Then, there’s the tyre stockpile in Stawell, a years-long problem which the EPA, in September, said it was cleaning up. Tytherleigh also pointed to changes in the waste streams, from increasingly complex electronic products that posed issues in disposal and deconstruction, to driving demand for organics, to packaging materials such as polystyrene and what to do with them. “The waste industry is trying to assist with issues around difficult to recycle or new waste streams and how to process these but there has to be money at the end of the day. There needs to be investment, government intervention, end markets for materials, planning, etc,” he said. There are however, a number of investment barriers, including low commodity prices, contamination,
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security of supply, lack of end markets, planning issues, capital and labour cost, and community resistance. Government needs to intervene, Tytherleigh said, and take a strategic view on the changes that need to be made as well as support industry in the planning and development process. A framework would also be useful in providing businesses with the certainty they need before investing. Turning his attention to the landfill levy, Tytherleigh said it is not doing what it’s intended to do and while acknowledging that Victoria has a few grants available to industry, including the Resource Recovery Infrastructure Fund, there is still the controversial issue of “hundreds of millions in collected levies” sitting in government coffers. “Industry wants a stable regulatory regime that promotes a level playing field and a government that uses the collected funds to promote research and development, and support industry initiatives,” he concluded. Over in NSW, where the landfill levy has led to a large injection of funds into the sector through the Waste Less Recycle More (WLRM) initiative, the state has other problems. NSW’s high levy has provided incentives for landfill avoidance, be it legal, illegal or marginal avoidance. The problem lies with the state’s regulations, which Khoury said has not evolved since the levy was first introduced in 2008, to ensure the proper collection of the waste levy. The levy was designed as an economic tool to make recycling more attractive and Khoury acknowledged
that yes, it has created a few positive outcomes such as WLRM. But he also pointed to parts of NSW that did not have a levy, such as Albury, which is in fact, home to the state’s third largest landfill. “The levy is also not designed to provide a full rebate to landfill for the mining of landfill materials that is then transported to another landfill in SE Queensland. It is not designed to allow landfill a full levy rebate by operating as de facto transfer stations. It is also not designed to allow waste transporters to collect the waste levy from waste generators and then send the waste for disposal in waste levy-free landfills such as those in Queensland,” Khoury added. Now, the government has attempted to rectify these issues, with the EPA introducing an online tracking system for transporters as well as the proximity principle but Khoury noted that not all transporters use the system and the proximity principle has failed miserably. “The proximity principle also only applies to road. By rail, activities started around December 2015 and substantial volumes of around 60,000 tonnes go by rail. The EPA has been in a bit of a battle with rail operators, saying to them that they need an EPA depot licence but having rail operators come back saying they don’t. They are in a standoff and industry is disappointed that the government has never enforced the rail depot licence,” Khoury said. “So, the conclusion is that there’s a problem with the NSW levy, which is not paid until waste is at the landfill.” Khoury put forward a number of
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// AWRE
suggestions that could help improve the system: • define recyclables and/or recoverable percentages and impose them at recycling facilities; • re-define the proximity principle remove this completely as the EPA said it would and work on a national proximity principle instead; • enforce the NSW POEO regulatory requirement for rail yards to obtain depot licences; and • change the regulation so that the levy is paid by transfer stations and recycling facilities.
Catching up with the NWRIC Inside Waste also sat down with Max Spedding, CEO of the newly formed National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) at the event to find out what the organisation has been doing since the program aired. Spedding, like many others, noted that some of the information reported was not entirely accurate but said there were positives. “It’s a great opportunity because all of a sudden, we have political and community focus on the waste industry and the show has captured people’s interest,” Spedding said, adding the NWRIC’s campaign at the moment is to dispel any misinformation. “We’ve published media releases, had discussions with the Queensland Premier and Minister’s office in NSW, as well as spoken to the EPA. But the biggest thing we’re doing at the moment is working with the Heads of EPA (HEPA) and from early discussions, they have shown an interest in finding
a permanent solution for the east coast states - SA, Queensland, Victoria, and NSW - when it comes to interstate transport of waste,” Spedding said. NWRIC believes there is a simple enough solution - making the levy liability portable. “It’s having legislation that puts the levy on the waste where it’s generated and having all the states agree that wherever it goes, the levy will be collected. For example, if it goes to Queensland, then Queensland will collect the levy,” Spedding said. “Doing so appears to be extremely difficult on the surface, but in reality, what is needed is an agreement between the states - not all of the states in Australia, just the ones that need to cooperate - and these states that are in agreement will then need to insert into landfill licences a requirement that they determine where the waste is from. If the waste is from leviable area, they collect the levy that’s due. If Queensland collects a levy that’s due from NSW, they can decide what to do with the levy - keep it or give it to NSW. “If the states agree to the concept, there will be some legislative changes required but we think these will be relatively minor and could all be put in place by July 1.” Pointing to another suggestion he’s heard, where the levy is applied against the waste generator at either the transfer station or material recovery facility, Spedding warned that while it would work, this approach could be administratively complicated. Now that the NWRIC has been in
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
All images courtesy of Diversified Communications.
Seminars were free to attend and they drew a crowd.
Experts on hand to give advice.
operation for about a year, Inside Waste also sought a progress report from Spedding, who said they’ve released a roadmap that covers a range of issues, from the circular economy to planning. “Our comments on the circular economy are to try to find realistic steps forwards and not to find a silver bullet but progressive stages of development,” Spedding said. “From there, we talk about safety, fairness of market, and then regulations. The issue is, are the regulations working in the way that we thought they would? At the moment, we’ve got levies that are totally working opposite to what was intended. So, we review levies in particular and how they should be applied and how the money should be used in detail in our document. “Last of all, we look to the future. NSW does not have a waste infrastructure plan. The EPA said it is working on a strategy or plan for infrastructure but there isn’t one. There’s one in Victoria, Adelaide has a draft but there are no
plans in NSW or Queensland - these are big cities without a plan. Without planning, we will not put infrastructure in place and without the infrastructure, we will not be able to develop a circular economy and overall, we will simply go from one crisis to another in preference to having a plan and actually achieving some really positive results. “Planning is a big issue that we want to promote going forward because it links back to the need to make positive steps on the circular economy. We don’t think that the industry overall is out there polluting. We think most facilities are generally best practice or moving towards best practice. The gap really is in creating markets for circular economy and putting planned infrastructure in place so we don’t end up with duplication but we end up with best practice.”
AWRE returns to Sydney next year and will be held at ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour on August 29-30.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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Packaging //
Kathmandu scaling the zero-waste mountain By Catarina Fraga Matos REDUCING waste, increasing reuse and achieving the overall principles of a circular economy is a shared responsibility between a range of stakeholders. At Inside Waste, our aim is to provide the full downstream waste and resource recovery picture but in this edition, we’d like you to turn your attention to a waste generator that deserves a pat on its back. Many of you will be familiar with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), a sustainable packaging initiative, which aims to change the culture of business to design more sustainable packaging, increase recycling rates and reduce packaging litter. Every year, APCO recognises its highest performing members, hosting an awards ceremony to honour members that demonstrate innovation, collaboration, and ongoing commitment to drive packaging sustainability and meet the goals of APCO. This year, Kathmandu emerged the big winner, nabbing the top gong - 2017 Member of the Year Award - as well as being one of two award recipients in the clothing, footwear and fashion category (along with Lululemon Athletica Australia). Kathmandu stood out because of a number of achievements: consolidating to one packaging supplier (Avery Dennison) allowing Kathmandu to focus on responsible, traceable, and sustainable packaging materials; upcycling more than 3.9 million post-consumer plastic bottles into its Repreve bags and clothing range; implementing soft plastics recycling in 10 stores; and establishing internal groups to drive awareness and
engagement on waste reduction. The latter two initiatives are contributing significantly to the company’s goal of zero waste to landfill by 2018. Kathmandu sustainability coordinator Oliver Milliner told Inside Waste the company is currently just under 73% of the way towards reaching its zerowaste goal, up from 68% last year. The challenge for Kathmandu is control, or the lack of it - a bigger issue in Australia than New Zealand where Milliner is based. “It’s a better picture in New Zealand. Our recycling rates for plastics are a lot higher [than Australia] - it’s about 89%. The reason is we have a lot more control in terms of how waste is managed at a store level. We contract waste services to most of our stores,” he said. In Australia however, most of Kathmandu’s waste is managed through a lease agreement or by the shopping centre, where Milliner says sustainable waste management is less of a priority. “We’re currently revising how we approach landlords and lease agreements around waste management to ensure that all waste is getting recycled across not just our stores, but other stores too,” Milliner said. “It comes down to control - if you don’t have control over your waste, then someone else is going to do it for you. It’s unlucky that most landlords don’t manage waste properly and it’s interesting because there’s a strong business case behind it as waste to landfill is more expensive. There’s a very desperate overdue conversation needed around retail waste.”
A zero-waste blueprint There is also another conversation that Kathmandu is eager to have with the industry and it centers on the Kathmandu is working with soft plastics recycler RED Group.
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company’s zero-waste strategy. A 2016 internal waste survey found that 99% of Kathmandu’s stores were recycling cardboard and paper, which made up 60% of waste, while only 59% of stores were recycling soft plastic (low-density polyethylene -LDPE) which made up 30% of store waste. “As clothing retailers, plastic poly bags are used everywhere, it’s a global issue. We got rid of takeaway plastic bags in 2012 because our customers Kathmandu sustainability coordinator Oliver Milliner were interested - that’s a very standing proud with Kathmandu’s two awards. customer facing program. But the poly bags are a very clandestine, including using 100% sustainable out of sight waste management stream cotton sourcing by 2020 and achieving that no-one knows about,” Milliner said. a 20% reduction of carbon emissions “So, for us our strategy has been by 2020. 100% focused on LDPE clear plastic The company has also recently added recycling and nothing else.” sourcing ocean plastic waste to its list The strategy also includes of priority materials for the future and implementing recycling bins for all has committed to an increased poststores, working with soft plastics consumer plastic bottle upcycling goal recycler RED Group, and continuing its of more than five million bottles for its educational and awareness platform Repreve range in 2018 - a tad ironic Waste Watchers. since it sells polyester material that “At the moment, there are not really sheds microfibres into the ocean. many other brands out there who have Milliner noted that the company uses decided to take on the strategy. Our a lot of polyester in its equipment, strategy can be blueprinted into other which doesn’t necessarily get put into companies because the retail sector all the washing machine. However, he has very similar waste profiles - if not acknowledged the position Kathmandu, absolutely 100% identical,” Milliner said. along with other clothing retailers is in when it comes to polyester. A journey of collaboration “In terms of design and performance, Reflecting on the company’s using polyester seems to be a really performance over the last year, Milliner progressive material. But I guess we’re pointed to a number of industry in a paradox where we’re having this partnerships which have helped drive debate around whether we want to its many achievements. One example keep using polyester,” he said. is The Higg Index, a self-assessment “We’re aware of the issue and that’s tool designed by the Sustainable why we’re members of the Outdoor Apparel Coalition in association with Industry Association Sustainability the Outdoor Industry Association. Working Group [who are investigating It enables brands to measure their microfibres and have a vision to create environmental and social impacts and products that do no harm]. identify areas for improvements. “Eventually what will happen is “The Higg Index indicated to us that there’ll be a formalised discussion chemicals management has the biggest through industry to say this is what environmental and social impact in our the issue is and this is how we manage supply chain,” Milliner said. it. But at the moment the clothing Consequently, Kathmandu signed companies are pointing the fingers up to become the first Australasian at the washing machine companies brand member of bluesign, a standard because the filters can’t filter out for environmental health and safety in [microfibers], and vice versa. textile manufacturing. “It’s not just one retailer’s issue. The future outlook of Kathmandu’s It’s not about passing on the blame sustainability strategy appears to or the accountability. It’s about continue to try to scale mountains. The everyone coming together and having iw company has a long list of other goals a conversation on it.” Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Policy
The power of
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THREE days after announcing the Waste of Origin pledge, 23 companies have answered the call, committing to the fight against irresponsible, dangerous, and environmentally damaging practices in the sector. The initiative, launched by the Waste Management Association of Australia, is urging the sector to commit to not transporting waste unnecessarily long distances, promoting the principles of the waste management hierarchy, and helping local communities manage their waste as close as practicable to its place of generation. Announcing the pledge, WMAA CEO Gayle Sloan said her members were “sick of their reputations being damaged by the actions of the sector’s lowest common denominator” and that industry was taking the lead on best practice. She also acknowledged that state governments are attempting to stop the issue of interstate transport of waste in 2016, 650,000 tonnes of waste was transported to Queensland from NSW or between the southern states - but were “simply taking too long.” SUEZ and Remondis were the first two companies to back the pledge, with SUEZ CEO Mark Venhoek telling Inside Waste the two wanted to set an example and take the lead in the hopes that other companies would follow suit. And they have.
Venhoek told Inside Waste he hopes the pledge will drive two outcomes. “First, it signals to industry and other actors that we want to do the right thing. There’s been quite a bit of negative publicity around the Four Corners program and the industry, as a consequence of what I would call the minority of less responsible operators, has been put in the wrong light. This is an absolutely fantastic chance for the industry to demonstrate that the majority of the sector wants to do the right thing and we are actually pushing as much as we can for the regulators to fix this problem,” Venhoek said. “Secondly, it is hoped that the pledge would strengthen the conviction of regulators to try to fix this problem ASAP. It is a bit strange that industry has to self-regulate and therefore do something that you’d normally expect the regulator to organise on our behalf. “We also call on state and federal governments to work with the industry and harmonise laws across Australia to remove the perverse incentives to transport waste interstate. The Waste of Origin Pledge is about encouraging waste disposal as close to its point of origin and putting waste to good use,” he added. The pledge is open to all industry participants and stakeholders and will stay in force till December 1, 2017. To sign the iw pledge, go to www.wmaa.asn.au
Here are the 23 companies that have pledged to support the responsible management of Australia’s waste. • SUEZ • Remondis Australia • Contained Waste Solutions • Bald Hill Quarry • C-Wise • 3R Consultants • East Waste • EDR • Matrix Materials • SCR Group • Rebus J Sustainability • City of Townsville
• The City of Newcastle • Southern Waste Solutions • MRI e-Cycle Solutions • Energy Developments & Resources • GRA Cosway • Recovery Centre – Glenorchy Tipshop • Arup • GB Associates Consulting & Training • Resource Recovery Australia • Bowman & Associates • King Bins Waste Management.
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Energy from waste // An architect’s perspective of what the TNG facility will look like. (Source: Dial A Dump Industries)
The state of energy from waste By Mike Ritchie WHEN developed alongside strong recycling and organics processing systems, energy from waste (EfW) will help lift domestic and commercial diversion rates from 60% to 80-90%. It is an important element in a waste management system. Whilst Australia continues to have projects that either fail or don’t perform as well as was initially hoped, we are seeing more projects that are succeeding. That’s a good thing for the industry, and will build confidence in EfW. A simple way to look at EfW is to consider it in three tiers: • Organics processing: this takes source separated organics and generates gas, mainly by anaerobic digestion, and an organic by-product. • Processed engineered fuel: producing a fuel (PEF) for export. • Domestic waste to energy facilities: converting waste into energy locally, typically through mass burn incineration (though gasification and pyrolysis have also been proposed). There has been progress on each front.
Organics processing There has been strong progress on anaerobic digestion plants for clean organics. These include: • Earthpower at Camellia in Sydney, operated as a joint venture between Cleanaway and Veolia. A 50,000 tonne per year facility. • Richgro at Jandakot in Perth, providing electricity and organics at an existing composting facility. A 55,000 tonne per year facility. • Yarra Valley Water at Wollert in Melbourne, located adjacent to a wastewater treatment plant. A 33,000 tonne per year facility. This is a space where we can expect considerable growth around Australia, just 26
as there has been in the UK and Europe. The Brockwaste facility at Shenton Park in Perth was in voluntary administration for some time, and has recently been purchased from the administrators by Shenton Energy. Hopefully this facility, intended to convert mixed MSW into energy through an anaerobic digestion process developed by AnaeCo, will complete commissioning and commence operations soon. After many years of promise, it appears that biochar is going to be developed on a commercial scale. The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) is developing a pyrolysis plant to convert 13,000 tonnes per year of waste timber into energy and biochar at its existing Hazelmere Resource Recovery Park in Perth. Again, this will be a strong confidence builder.
Processed engineered fuel There is a substantial market for PEF, including a proposal to convert part of the Mount Piper coal fired power station in NSW to run on PEF, and significant demand for PEF exports to replace coal in cement kilns. The production of PEF in Australia has been led by ResourceCo with a 2006 facility at Wingfield in Adelaide. That facility, now owned by SUEZResourceCo, converts about 300,000 tonnes per year of waste into 150,000200,000 tonnes of fuel for the local Adelaide-Brighton cement kiln. On the back of the Adelaide success, ResourceCo obtained a $5 million Waste Less, Recycle More grant, and a $30 million loan from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to establish a 150,000 tonne per year facility at Wetherill Park in Sydney, and a further facility in another state (to be announced). There are further proposals from Re.Group and Veolia to produce PEF at their existing Sydney facilities.
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Domestic waste to energy We are seeing the emergence of large-scale waste to energy plants in Australia. Current proposals that are moving through approvals include: • Dial-A-Dump Industries’ The Next Generation facility, proposed for Eastern Creek in Sydney. The application is for a facility processing more than one million tonnes per year of post-sorted C&I and C&D waste. • Phoenix Energy, proposed for Kwinana in Perth. This facility has contracts with a number of Perth Councils, and has been trying to reach financial close for over a year. The facility is proposed to receive 400,000 tonnes per year of MSW. • Consortium of Hitachi Zosen Inova, New Energy Corporation and Tribe Infrastructure group, proposing a facility for 300,000 tonnes per year of MSW at East Rockingham in Perth. The consortium was recently announced as the preferred tenderer for the EMRC EfW tender. There are two main technology providers for these waste to energy plants in Australia: Hitachi Zosen Inova and Martin Biopower. Both are mass burn incinerator providers. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has ended its 40-plus-year relationship with Martin GmbH for the provision of incineration technology, and so is no longer present in the Australian market. HZI is supporting the Dial-A-Dump and East Rockingham proposals. The Phoenix Energy proposal was supported by Mitsubishi. I think Australia will see a shift in the development of waste to energy, where future proposals will be led by HZI or Martin Biopower. They will partner with infrastructure funds for finance, engineering companies for construction, and waste companies for operation.
Mike Ritchie.
After many years of refining contract delivery models, and setting up the regulatory framework to ensure EfW doesn’t cannibalise recycling, it seems that there is enough momentum for something to happen. Where Australia is headed The clear trend going forward is more development of organics processing plants. Whether anaerobic digestion or biochar, this technology will continue to be developed across the country. I think we will also see substantial development of PEF, especially from C&I waste. It is relatively straightforward to export bales of waste from existing processing facilities, especially if that waste is currently baled. Finally, I think we will get very close to developing our first domestic waste to energy facility. After many years of refining contract delivery models, and setting up the regulatory framework to ensure EfW doesn’t cannibalise recycling, it seems that there is enough momentum for something to happen. It remains to be seen where the first plant will be.
Mike Ritchie is the director of MRA Consulting Group. Contact: iw mike@mraconsulting.com.au
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Energy from waste
Unpacking energy from waste By Mike Haywood AT the end of July, the Australian Industrial Ecology Network hosted a one-and-a-half-day event in Adelaide - Unpacking energy from waste - to identify the opportunities for EfW in the context of the South Australian environment; an environment where the state government clearly has a policy and an agenda that is focused on the circular economy. This was very much established by the opening presentation from Kevin McGuinness, chair of the board of Green Industries SA, representing Minister Ian Hunter at the event. While it was recognised during this session that EfW is technically viable, the main theme of the opening session was that there is support for the circular economy that is keeping the value of the materials in the economy for as long as possible rather than what could be described as the linear use of materials in an EfW project. I think it’s important at this point to differentiate from an EfW perspective, the difference between anaerobic digestion and thermal treatment technologies. Throughout the day, there was a significantly different attitude to anaerobic digester and thermal treatment technologies. In setting the stage for the rest of the day, it was pointed out that to be able to make informed decisions, you first need to understand the questions to be addressed and answered. So, the question is, what are we trying to achieve? Are we trying to resolve an energy problem or develop a waste management or diversion from landfill alternative? This will clearly determine the success or otherwise and the implementation and operation of the project.
The most significant stakeholder After the morning tea break, the local government sector articulated its approach to discussions about EfW from the perspective of a significant stakeholder, a stakeholder who may be asked to or be required to enter into longterm (for e.g. 20-year plus), contracts to supply waste. It was interesting to note that one of the speakers observed the following: in his mind, EfW is “scary, dangerous and expensive.” Two of those words - scary and dangerous - were a surprise to me. In what context is EfW scary and dangerous? While I don’t recollect the context as I was frantically scribbling down those three points, it appears to me that the words scary and dangerous referred to the length and life of the projects, the role the council’s CEO would be required to play in the establishment of those projects, and the commitment to long-term waste contracts.
Where does EFW fit into the circular economy? The SA EPA is developing a soon-to-be-released discussion paper outlining its policy for EfW projects, which will be an important piece of information for any proponent in the state so it was timely to hear the perspectives of CEO Tony Circelli and senior environment protection officer Brian White. It is important to recognise that the development of policy in this space would be developed within the confines of the state’s economic, circular economy, and beneficial reuse policies. Circelli recently returned from a trip across the EU, predominantly France and the UK, where he was able to see first-hand and understand mass burn technologies and how they fit into the economy and community.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Mike Haywood.
From the state government’s perspective, they would be very uneasy and would oppose any development of alternative waste treatment that may have the potential to “cannibalise” Australia’s recycling and beneficial reuse waste management system.
Unpacking the black boxes Having spent much of the day establishing an understanding of the political agenda and requirements of EfW in SA, the proponents of EfW technology were able to take to the stage to freely discuss the technology options and respond to the discussions of the day. Technology options discussed included incineration, gasification, pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion, and how they could coexist in a state that perceives thermal treatment as a little better than landfill but not as good as beneficial reuse and recycling.
My take home message On reflecting on the day’s activities, my take-home message is simple. We did unpack it and were able to start a conversation that I hope over the next year or three will allow us to develop an alternative to landfill option that can coexist with the existing strategies that have been developed over several years. The technology providers have some work to do; I think they need to hone their message. How do they overcome “dangerous, scary and expensive?” How do they convince the regulator that they can coexist and can do so in an environment where they will only ever treat the residuals from an ever-developing recovery and beneficial reuse focused community? The government and the regulator also have some work to do. We spent a day listening to an EfW discussion in the context of a circular economy discussion at a time when our largest plastic
recycler has just gone into receivership; at a time when China has announced a list of 24 waste streams they will reject, sorted or otherwise, in addition to the “National Sword” crackdown on smuggling that has already affected some recycling imports this year. In November this year, SA will host a forum on the circular economy but unless we can develop markets at home or abroad for these recovered commodities, we may have to rethink our strategy. Recent recycling fires suggest it’s not enough to recover, bale and export, and recent experience tells me that even if we produced a PEF for export, it must be processed to a specification that ensures it can be used directly in the process and does not require further treatment or shandy in to allow for its use. Across Australia there is, give or take, more than 20 million tonnes of waste that can be recovered in a circular economy approach and we need to develop better programs for recovery both at source and from sorting and separation technology. I estimate that 40% or more than eight million tonnes of that 20 million tonnes are organic, and the residuals are plastics, cardboard/paper and inert materials. If we are slowly being cut off from our traditional customers for those commodities; does that present an opportunity for circular economy proponents or the energy from waste sector? Maybe it’s both, we just have to work out how.
Mike Haywood is a principal consultant at Mike Haywood’s Sustainable Resource Solutions and chairman of Unpacking Energy from Waste, which was held on July 31 and August 1. Contact: mike@mikehaywood-srs.com.au iw
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Energy from waste //
Waste incineration: a part of the mix or part of the problem? By Lee Bell THERE is a lot of hype these days about the role of waste incineration in managing municipal and hazardous waste in Australia. Some incineration proponents claim ‘it’s time’ and that Australia is now ‘mature enough’ to accept waste incineration and cast off long-held fears about the impact of this technology group on the environment and human health. It is widely claimed that the ‘old’ incinerators were the problem, with high levels of dioxin emissions (a pollutant so toxic that it is measured in billionths of a gram) and that this issue is a thing of the past with ‘modern’ incinerators having solved the dioxin problem. Unfortunately, this is little more than hype from proponents who would like to see incineration become a part of the mix of waste management in Australia for the next 30 years. Historically, Australia has had little appetite for this technology however, there is now a rash of incineration proposals in most Australian states as the technology vendors in the saturated UK and US markets look for fresh opportunities abroad. Waste incineration has not so much modernised as rebranded with a variety of acronyms including waste to energy (WtE), energy from waste (EfW), gasification, pyrolysis and the list goes on. One point of distinction is that some non-incineration technologies such as anaerobic digestion (AD) is also classed as waste to energy technology and AD really should be an essential component of any Australian waste management system for organics. They do not generate dioxin or other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as waste incineration does. While waste incinerators in Europe have significantly reduced their measured stack emissions (more on this shortly) of dioxin and furans (polychlorinated dibenzo para dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans) since the 1990s, this has essentially been achieved at the expense of transferring those highly toxic pollutants to the solid waste stream
Figure 1: short-term sampling (six hours) of flue gas incinerator REC Harlingen (TEQ values lower-bound). Source: Arkenbout and Esbensen (2017)
leaving the incinerator - bottom ash and fly ash. The most toxic fraction of the solid waste from incineration is the fly ash due to its origin in the flue gas cleaning system as the repository of organic and metallic pollutants from the combustion chambers. For those touting waste incineration as a solution to landfill, this is something of an embarrassment given that the solid waste ash residues account for 25-30% by weight of the original waste burned in the incinerator. This means up to 60,000 tonnes of contaminated ash must be disposed of each year from a single 200,000TPA incinerator unit. The ash requires landfilling and, in the case of fly ash, deep void burial due to its high content of dioxin and other POPs. The phrase ‘measured stack emissions’ used earlier is carefully chosen as there is considerable evidence now available that the standard stack monitoring techniques used to measure dioxin and furan emissions may not be telling the whole story. The most commonly used measurement protocol (EN 1948) involves sampling from the stack of an incinerator using an impinger train inserted into the stack to gather gaseous emissions and then subsequent laboratory quantification.
Waste incineration has not so much modernised as rebranded with a variety of acronyms including waste to energy (WtE), energy from waste (EfW), gasification, pyrolysis and the list goes on. This grab sample technique analyses six hours of emissions to quantify dioxins. Unfortunately, this only includes emissions during optimal running conditions of the combustion chamber during stable overall operation. The reality is that over a single year, an incinerator will be subject to numerous start up and shutdown conditions, temperature fluctuations, power outages (hence filter stoppages) and stack bypass conditions releasing raw contaminated waste gas. The grab sample method does not detect these operating conditions which are known to be rich dioxin formation periods. The EU mandates three such six-hour grab samples in a 24-48 period, however in Australia, it is generally an annual event or even a sampling operation during commissioning and not thereafter. At best, it may occur twice a year for six hours each time. In sampling terms, this is about as far from representative sampling as you can get with the grab sample representing a mere 0.14% of
total annual operating time. The first scientists to reveal this under reporting of dioxin emissions due to grab sampling were De Fre and Wevers in 19981 who could not reconcile the dioxin concentrations in soil around a Belgian incinerator with its claimed emissions levels. They installed an AMESA semi-continuous dioxin sampler and found that the true dioxin emission levels were 30 to 50-fold the claimed emissions of 0.1ng PCDD/F I-TEQ Nm3 which is now an internationally recognised limit for dioxin emissions. As a result of their findings, many waste incinerators in Belgium were shut down. Jump forward 20 years to another paper2 from a scientist who has employed the AMESA system on a state-of-the-art incinerator in Harlingen, Netherlands where residents had complained of ‘black rain’ and soot deposits across the town. Yet again, that long-term AMESA sampling revealed significantly higher dioxin
1 De Fre, R., Wevers, M. 1998. Underestimation in dioxin emission inventories. Organohalogen Cpds. 36:17-20. 2Arkenbout, A., and Esbensen, k (2017) Sampling, monitoring and source tracking of dioxins in the environment of an incinerator in the Netherlands. EIGHTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON SAMPLING AND BLENDING / PERTH, WA, 9–11 MAY 2017.
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Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Energy from waste
Before Australian regulators and government agencies embrace ‘modern’ waste incinerators as a solution to landfill, a part of the energy mix, the waste management mix or because they claimed to have solved the dioxin problem, they first need to carefully reconsider the state of the science. emissions (between 30 and 300 times the licence limit) than were recorded by the grab sample method because it captured variations in the operating conditions. The AMESA monitoring was cross-referenced with bioassay monitoring of local chicken eggs (using the DR CALUX method to assess total dioxin like toxicity) and indicated that local eggs were contaminated with dioxin above the EU threshold. So, before Australian regulators and government agencies embrace ‘modern’ waste incinerators as a solution to landfill, a part of the energy mix, the waste management
Figure 2: long-term sampling (mean 672 hours) of flue gas incinerator REC Harlingen (TEQ values lower-bound). Source: Arkenbout and Esbensen (2017)
mix or because they claimed to have solved the dioxin problem, they first need to carefully reconsider the state of the science. The real solutions to Australia’s waste problems lie in supporting domestic recycling opportunities, maximising organic waste compositing and AD while reducing community
consumption footprints. San Francisco has achieved more than 75% landfill diversion without incineration and other cities are on track to do the same. Those are models we should look to. As the EU issues directives to member states to stop subsidising incinerators, to close excess capacity and direct waste investment to
sustainable techniques, Australia should be very wary that it does not become the dumping ground for obsolete European and US technology that will become the stranded assets of the future.
Lee Bell is a senior researcher at the National Toxics Network Australia. iw Contact: leebell@ipen.org
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Site visits //
Out and about with Inside Waste By Jacqueline Ong and Catarina Fraga Matos OVER the last two months, the Inside Waste team travelled across NSW and to the ACT, celebrating the launch of new facilities and watching monster equipment shred everything from large logs to tyres. And boy, was it fun.
Transforming Hume The first stop was Hume in Canberra, where we joined Canberrans on a chilly Saturday morning at Re.Group’s upgraded material recovery facility. $8 million and six months of work to transform the 14-year-old Hume MRF, which continued to operate and take in materials, culminated in a high-tech facility that is home to the Alchemy Sort System, a multi-sensory sorter that is able to recover numerous commodities in a single pass. The automated process sorts recyclables into six categories/grades, including aluminium, PET, HDPE and mixed plastics, identifying these materials with enhanced photo-optic imaging technologies. Image recognition technology is used in the system, capturing high resolution images as plastic
The Alchemy Sort System.
recyclables pass through. These are checked against a database to accurately identify the different types of plastic, which are then sorted and baled.
The MRF, which accepts 250 tonnes of recyclables a day, also features a Krystelline system that “implodes” glass bottles, breaking them down into sand.
Canberrans gathered on August 19 to check out the upgraded Hume MRF.
FOGO-getter About a week or so after returning to Sydney, we then made the trek to Badgerys Creek in Sydney’s west to join ANL in opening its new food organics garden organics (FOGO) processing facility. In the early days, some 45 years ago, ANL was focused on bark and saw dust, which were the waste of the era. It is still in the business of reusing and processing wood waste but the company has, over the years, turned its attention to green waste and biosolids. ANL manages about 500,000 tonnes of recycled organics annually and now, through a Waste Less Recycle More grant plus a $9.7 million investment by the company, ANL can target an additional 50,000 tonnes of FOGO at its site, which will be processed in the newly constructed building. The new FOGO facility operates with an enclosed receival, decontamination and transfer capacity utilising an Aerosorb aerated static floor air system and external biofilter.
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The investment is shared between ANL’s Badgerys Creek and Blayney operations, driving further compost market development and sales into broadacre agricultural throughout central western NSW. All up, the company, which says it’s an unabashed fan of windrow turners - it has 20 windrow turners at the Badgerys Creek site - has 15 operations across NSW, seven of which are composting facilities. The largest is its Badgerys Creek facility, which process 400,000 tonnes a year.
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ANL also took visitors on a tour of its Badgerys Creek site, which products organic composts exceeding 600,000m3 annually. ANL’s new FOGO building.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Site visits Walking amongst giants Heading northwards in September to Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre in Terrey Hills, Inside Waste joined CSS Equipment and its clients at a demo day that showcased some recycling giants. It was a warm and windy day - this journo brought home a few bits of shredded material in her hair, which made for quite a nice souvenir - and the crowd was pumped! Who wouldn’t be when six massive recycling machines were about to be put to the test? The four-hour event commenced with a show of power and might from the Hammel VB450DK, a baby giant shredder, which fed green waste to the TrommAll 5800TR to be screened. The Hammel VB950DK Red Giant shredder then took over, feeding green waste to the EcoStar Dynamic Screen, a fast screen.
Moving on to C&D and C&I waste and tyres, the Hammel VB950DK Red Giant powered up and began feeding the Ecostar Dynamic Screen. The Portafill 5000CT, a reclaimer screen, was also on display, feeding C&D waste to the Ecohog M4T Mobile Windshifter. The latter is a mobile air separator, which uses air to separate material by density. Wrapping up the day, the Hammel VB950DK Giant, which specialises in hard-to-process material, took to the stage once again, this time processing scrap bales and logs as well as aluminium extrusions. Representatives from Hammel Recyclingtechnik, Ecostar Dynamic Screens, and Ecohog Windshifters flew in from Germany, Italy and Ireland to join experts from TrommAll and Bost Group on the day.
The Hammel VB 950DK, like all Hammel shredders, is based on a two-shaft principle where material is pre-shredded to a homogenous end product and prepared for further use.
The CSS demo day was a great opportunity to hang out with the women in waste.
The TrommAll 5800TR screening green waste.
The Portafill 5000CT is small enough to fit inside a container but don’t be fooled by its size. It’s been designed to screen the toughest of materials.
How long till the next four Woodlawns? The official launch of Veolia’s Mechanical and Biological Treatment (MBT) facility at the Woodlawn eco-precinct in Tarago, NSW on September 8 marked the culmination of a $100 million project some 10 years in the making. Peering into the giant empty hole in the ground left by the former copper, lead and zinc open-cut mine, the first several layers of residual waste laid across the landfill floor were visible, with a network of pipes, wells, pumps and airlines in place to extract energy. The captured bio-gas will ultimately power 24 generators to produce enough green electricity to power more than 30,000 homes per year. Touring around the barren former mine site, it will be worth observing how the landscape evolves as the facility will use an expected 33,000 tonnes of waste processed into compost per year to rehabilitate the area over the next 10 years. After this period, the compost will have forestry and agricultural applications. In addition to hosting one of the world’s largest and
deepest purpose-built bioreactor landfills, the site is also home to a wind farm (operated by Infigen Energy), a barramundi fish farm (heated by the bioreactor’s heat energy) and a working farm with a carrying capacity of 24,000 sheep for fine wool production. The farm’s fish is usually sold to Canberra restaurants, but on the MBT’s open day they ended up closer to home on the lunch plates of launch invitees. Lunchtime also afforded us the opportunity to talk with local community members who credited Tarago local and Woodlawn facilities manager, Henry Gundry, for significantly improving the Visitors peering into the giant empty hole.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
community consultation process. Other locals questioned whether Tarago’s own waste could be sent to the facility. Indeed, demand for such facilities is set to increase with future growth projections according to Namoi Dougall, general manager of Southern Sydney Region of Councils (SSROC) - one of two Sydney council alliances whose general waste is now processed by Veolia’s MBT (the other is the Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils). “SSROC with an eye for the future has recently conducted research into the growth of our region, particularly
in light of some very major developments such as the Sydney to Bankstown corridor and the Banksia Arncliffe precinct,” Dougall said. “Our research showed that we need the equivalent of two more Woodlawns by 2036 alone. And if we add the future projections for Western Sydney and the Macarthur region, we will need four more Woodlawns. “With this kind of growth we need foresighted planning to ensure that waste management continues to be effective. One Woodlawn took more than 10 years, we need to plan now for the next four.”
Woodlawn is home to one of the world’s largest and deepest purpose-built bioreactor landfills.
iw OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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Waste Expo Australia Preview //
Be part of the evolution WASTE Expo Australia 2017 is right around the corner. Once again co-located with All-Energy Australia, Waste Expo Australia will be held on October 11 and 12 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Waste Expo Australia will feature the Waste Summit conference brought to you by Volvo Trucks, the largest free-toattend waste management conference in
Australia, along with Waste Evolution, brought to you by Inside Waste. Both features will inspire and educate. Waste Evolution is a unique platform and case-study led seminar series showcasing new technologies, products and processes set to change waste management and resource recovery in Australia. Free-to-attend, Waste Evolution
features hands-on demonstrations and a series of 10 case studies and seminar sessions. Learn from international experiences and Australian firsts, hear about new technologies being developed, and join discussions presenting recent business case studies, business models and methodologies. Topics covered include technologies for a better environment,
municipal solid waste processing, waste to energy solutions, solar generation systems on landfills, corporate social responsibility, reverse supply chains and achieving sustainability development goals through materials reuse. What will you learn and who will you meet? Here’s a preview of what’s iw to come.
ATTENDANCE TO WASTE EXPO AUSTRALIA IS FREE PLEASE REGISTER AT WWW.WASTEEXPOAUSTRALIA.COM.AU AND USE THE CODE ‘INSIDEWASTE’ WHEN REGISTERING.
WASTE EVOLUTION SCHEDULE | Wednesday | October 11 Time
Title
Description
Speaker
10:30am - 11:15am
An innovation in plastics recycling
Daily, if not weekly, we are bombarded with information about ‘the problem with plastics’!
Colin Barker & Peter Barker
The problems are both real and immediate for us all. But what if there was a homegrown Aussie technology that could economically: • Turn the plastic litter washed up on beaches into furniture components? • Turn domestic waste plastic packaging into building materials? • Blend in other problematic wastes, such as coffee pods and cigarette butts, to produce other useful products? And all in a single process that avoids the need to sort, wash, shred and dry the waste material! Too good to be true? Well, there is a homegrown Aussie technology that can do all this and more! Introducing the PolyWaste Technology! This paper will discuss the impressive capabilities of the PolyWaste Technology in processing a myriad of soft film and rigid plastic waste streams together with plans for its uptake in mainstream plastic product manufacture.
11:30am - 12:15pm
1:30pm - 2:15pm
A successful business model in reverse supply chains - the Egans Asset Management case study
In this session, Peter Mulherin from RMIT University will:
Innovative food waste management – don’t waste your waste’
Jason Hoen, Managing Director of Green Eco Technologies (GET), will provide an overview of what Green Eco Technologies is doing to address the growing global issue of food waste disposal.
• Discuss alternative product stewardship models and opportunities in the office furniture industry. • Present an innovative case study on Egans Asset management. • Show that there are opportunities for lifecycle extensions, material recovery, and waste reduction. • Explore mechanisms to feedback deep supply chain insights to product design and manufacturing companies. • Discuss the need for integrated service delivery for value creation in the circular economy. • Accelerate and develop sophisticated waste capabilities in Australia through smart SMEs.
Peter Mulherin, research associate – RMIT University.
Jason Hoen, director, GreenEco Technologies
Whilst recognising that the food waste problem needs to be addressed at source through awareness and training prior to becoming waste, GET has spent the last two years developing a solution for converting waste food remains that minimises the burden on both businesses and the Environment. Adopting the principles of the Circular Economy, GET uses innovative technology to convert and re-purpose food waste, extracting a material with the maximum calorific value for alternative beneficial use, without the use of additives, bacteria or water. The seminar will also cover a range of food waste developments currently being adopted in the UK and elsewhere for the processing of putrescible food waste and organic material.
2:30pm - 3:15pm
Materials Reuse - mapping marketplaces, contributing to the circular economy and achieving the SDGs
Session details to follow.
Andrew Petersen, chief executive officer, Sustainable Business Australia
3:30pm - 4:15pm
Plasma gasification: the next generation of waste to energy solutions for Australia
Through case studies, learn how Alter NRG Plasma Gasification enables conversion of multiple waste streams (for e.g. MSW, hazardous, industrial) into synthesis gas (syngas) that can be used in high-efficiency gas turbines, liquid fuels technologies, fuel cells and to create renewable hydrogen.
Richard Fish, president AlterNRG Corp
All information accurate at time of press. For more information, visit www.wasteexpoaustralia.com.au
Exhibitors Adithi Enterprises
B13
Australian Industrial Ecology
Airwell Group
A08
Network (AIEN) - Supporter
Allflow Systems
B17
Australian Organics Recycling
AMCS Wastedge
A10
Association (AORA) - Supporter
Astec Austraia
D18
Avian Granulator Group
H03
Axis Tyres
C19
Bioelektra Group
D20
EcoGeneration - Media
Bost Group
F08
EPA Victoria - Supporter
Australian and New Zealand Recycling Platform Limited (ANZRP) - Supporter Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) - Supporter 32
INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
Breathe Safe Intelligent Cabin Air Filtration B19 Caterpillar of Australia B01 & A01 City of Melbourne - Supporter Cleanaway C11 Cordell H16 Eco-Safe Technologies
A03
ESAM D08 Evershine Stainless Steel SDN BHD H01 Ezebale A15 FABCOM Organics Under Control A16 Flip Screen Australia D05 GCM Enviro A07 Geocycle C15 Global Resource Recovery F16
GreatGuard Safety
A17
Greenstar Equipment
H25
Greentech Industries
H05
Gulf Western Oil
C18
HRL Technology Inside Waste
H06 Media
JCB Construction Equipment Australia G15
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Waste Expo Preview
WASTE EVOLUTION SCHEDULE | Thursday | October 12 Time
Title
Description
Speaker
10:30am - 11:15am
Technologies for a better environment
“We take something the world doesn’t want and make it into something the world can use”.
Paul Prasad, managing director, Zenergy Australia
“Wastaway” has developed a breakthrough waste technology, to process municipal solid waste using a unique hydrothermal system. Their integrated waste management system works with recycling programs to process leftover waste. It can also process unsorted municipal waste right from the garbage trucks, as well as green waste and other non-hazardous waste streams. The WastAway processes the MSW for 20min and produces a stable, inert material which is called “fluff” that can be stored for years, is safe to handle, has virtually no pathogens or odour, and qualifies for GHG credits. After processing, it has been classed as NHSM by an independent accessor and therefore not classed as a waste product but biomass.
11:30am - 12:15pm
From plastic bag to corporate and community asset
How does an organisation combine fiscal responsibility with the growing need to be a good corporate citizen? What if there was a solution that could reduce facility maintenance costs and also help solve the growing problem of plastic in our environment? This presentation will challenge your thinking on recycling.
Kelvin Agg, territory manager - Victoria, Repeat Plastics Australia T/A Replas
As the use of plastic increases worldwide, we reveal a sustainable solution to one of the major problems faced by our planet. Learn how the ‘pull through effect’ can influence the viability of plastic waste recycling and the manufacture of environmentally sustainable products in Australia. Discover practical ways to make a difference within your organisation and find out how you can contribute to a better environment while also taking care of your company’s bottom line. 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Colourful past. Brighter future.
Paintback’s future is bright (and dare we say colourful). They have quickly moved from proof of concept to proof of performance with a strong business model, based on the hands-on support of the vast majority of the industry and a focused yet diverse marketing and communications strategy.
Karen Gomez, chief executive, PaintBack
Join Karen Gomez, Paintback’s chief executive, to learn how they have come so far in such a short timeframe. Paintback are on track to achieving the goal of diverting more than 45 million kilograms of unwanted paint and packaging from Australian landfills by 2021. Paintback’s priority now is to expand its collection footprint. In the medium term, they are confident their investment in research will open new industry opportunities that will move waste paint up the resource recovery hierarchy. 2:30pm - 3:15pm
Solar generation systems on landfills case study an Australian first
As landfills have very little utility once capped, due to issues of settlement and landfill gas, they are ideal locations for solar development. Solar generation systems on landfills can provide an economically viable reuse for sites that may have significant clean-up costs and little potential for commercial development. However, installing a solar system on a capped landfill presents a series of unique challenges. Unlike regular solar installations on virgin ground, landfills have explosive levels of gas, experience significant land settlement, have strict environmental regulations and in most cases, extensive landfill gas infrastructure.
Matthew Falzon, commercial development manager, Joule Energy and LMS Energy.
Recognising these challenges, Joule Energy Pty Ltd designed and implemented the first solar generation system of its kind on an Australian landfill. The project, situated in Wollert, Victoria, was built to demonstrate what engineering options are possible to deal with the distinct challenges that are unique to landfills. This activity received funding from ARENA as part of ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Programme. The session will provide an overview of the lessons learnt from delivering this Australian first project, with a focus on different approaches to ballasting and anchoring PV frames in a landfill environment. 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Advanced recycling technology ART
Bioelektra created a waste treatment technology that unveils resource potential in waste. It allows for Fred Itaoui, managing simple methods of waste collection and does not require complicated segregation-at-source. The technology director, Bioelektra respects local community by making waste odourless. It is also the most financially viable waste treatment Group Australia technology, as municipal solid waste is sterilised and turned into resources. It creates new opportunities for local economies by delivering streams of recycled resources to the market by achieving a diversion rate of over 96% from landfill and creating: 1. Biomass which can be used as a fuel for heat and power plant, clean energy production. 2. RDF which can be used in cement krill. 3. Metals which can be used for aluminium and steel production. 4. Glass which can be used for packaging and glass wool production. 5. Plastics which can be used for packaging, diesel oil production and composite production. 6. Paper which can be used directly in paper mills. Bioelektra Group has a flexible approach ranging from technology supply to direct investment. ›› Bioelektra delivers (sells) a complete custom-made facility according to local waste morphology. ›› Bioelektra Group can be a co-investor with: • A private, local operator. • A local government, also in the Public-Private-Partnership structure. • An experienced investor/ industry player from waste or energy sector.
Johnson Screens (a brand of Aqseptence Group) E15 JVA Engineering A04 Keith Walking Floor Australia A18 Kiel Industries A20 Liebherr-Australia F18 Lincom Group H11 Manitou Group D22 Manningham City Council F15
Method Recycling
B18
Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group - Supporter Mil-Tek Waste Solutoins
A06
Narrotex Australia
A11
National Waste Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) - Supporter National Weighing & Instruments B15
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Orion Integration OWS NV Pacific Materials Handling Plascare (Aust) Position Partners Quantum Recycling Solutions Resource Recovery Australia Run Energy SECO Truck
B14 H18 B08 D16 A13 H15 G11 A08 A02
Smart City Solutions E18 Solar Bins Australia F11 Source Separatoin Systems E20 Steinert H13 Step Global A12 Sustainability Matters Media Sustainability Victoria Media Tarpomatic Australia D15 Tele Radio Australia B16
Telford Smith Recycling Machinery B20 The Fifth Estate - Media Vacuum Truck Supplies D26 & D09 Volvo Trucks
F01
Vorstrom Vacuum Equipment
B05
WABCO Australia
A09
Waste + Water Management - Media Waste Management Review - Media
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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Fires //
Rising above the flames By Jan Arreza A spate of fires in Victoria this year has driven the state government to embark on an audit of recycling facilities. In Coolaroo, 19km north of the Melbourne CBD, SKM’s site went up in flames for the third time this year in July, with the most recent fire covering an area about the size of a football field, blanketing much of the city in ash, and taking 11 days for firefighters to bring under control. Experts have put the damage to the plant at about $32 million. In an attempt to manage these incidents, Victorian Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio launched the audit, designed to identify other facilities with dangerous stockpiles of paper and plastic. The government has also increased the power of the state’s EPA, giving the regulator additional interim powers to manage facilities, while a new licencing regime will be introduced to create an additional layer of obligation. The government has also vowed to
make sure these fires never happen again, and that the audit will stay in place for 12 months until a permanent solution is found. Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA) executive officer Andrew Tytherleigh told Inside Waste the government’s decision to audit facilities is a responsible and necessary one. “This is a first step in being able to provide comfort to communities, and to prove that facilities are being run well and managed appropriately,” Tytherleigh said. “The fires exposed the need for both the industry and governments to understand how these stockpiles work and that they are being appropriately managed. There’s really not much information out there for the public around the management of material that is obviously combustible. The community needs to be reassured of everything that is going on and I believe that is what the government is doing with this audit.”
200 TONS OF CONSTRUCTION
DEBRIS
While doing an audit is all well and good, the difficult is then trying to find a long-term solution moving forward. “There will be further discussions with government about the issue and we need to put in a long-lasting regime that both industry and the community will be comfortable with,” Tytherleigh said. “If there are any learnings from this process, one would be to understand how to implement and further develop risk assessment procedures that will benefit everybody in the sector.
A nation-wide problem But this is not just a Victorian issue as fires are severely detrimental to the industry. For one, it causes community to lose confidence in the sector. Additionally, operators face large economic losses due to property damage and facility downtime, employee safety, and environmental impact concerns. It also makes it even more difficult to get insurance for waste and recycling facilities.
In fact, these recent incidents have caused the insurance industry to actively move away from the sector, with more financiers and investors starting to look closer and asking more questions, leaving operators with gaps in cover or serious increases in the cost of risk transfer. The fire incidents in Victoria have prompted frank discussions amongst industry players across the country, all of whom are keen to get on top of the issue and in August, industry stakeholders met to discuss the direct and indirect consequences on the sector. WMAA CEO Gayle Sloan said it was a great turnout from a cross-section of people within the sector. “The industry recognises that there is a need for greater consistency, which will lead to a more open playing field, as well as a greater knowledge of the commercial issues that we all face,” Sloan said. “Common themes that kept coming up in the talks were the differences
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Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Fires
between the states and their behaviour and relations in this space, as well as their management of the issues.” WMAA has developed a report that summarises the discussions at the forum, which will be sent to the relevant government departments such as the various state EPAs. The report also canvassed and identified some key areas of action that the industry needed to focus on including: • industry viability and customers; • risk management; • codes of practice and standards; • harmonising regulations; • product stewardship; and • the community. “During the forum, we explored a lot of the underlying causes of why fires arose in the industry and also drilled down what we can do and how we can all improve the industry as a whole,” Sloan said. “Everywhere you go everyone talks about inconsistent regulations, and the lack of agreed standards and best practice. All the different jurisdictions
in Australia are actually leading to a lot of the confusion, which is potentially contributing - not always, but contributing to where we are at in terms of fires in the sector.” “I believe the way that it would work is for the government to start looking at setting up an advisory board with the relevant industry and cross-industry players across the country, which will have technical sub-groups with the right people working through all of those six key areas that we identified. According to Sloan, industry will be looking for government representation, regulators, manufacturers, insurers, fire brigades, and purchasers and procurers of goods. “Ideally, you’d have one, if not two, EPA representatives to try and get a hold of it, you’d want some senior leaders from our industry because they are the ones that are going to have the ability to impact change, and we are probably going to need some technical expertise in there too,” Sloan said. “I’d like to think that we would
Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA) CEO Gayle Sloan.
Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA) executive officer Andrew Tytherleigh.
end up with something like the WISH report and framework that they’ve got in the UK, but made for an Australian context.” The aim of WISH is to identify, devise and promote activities to improve industry health and safety
standards. WISH members include representatives from the industry, main trade associations, professional associations, trade unions, recycling organisations, and national and local government bodies involved in waste iw management and recycling.
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Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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Landfill // NAWMA has partnered with Joule Energy and LMS Energy to deliver the country’s first landfill gas-to-energy and solar facility. (Source: NAWMA)
What are landfills good for? By Catarina Fraga Matos IT’S been said that bees are responsible for a third of the food we eat and in recent years, the alarm has been sounding loud and clear - the bees of the world are being threatened, disappearing at a terrifying rate in large part due to habitat loss, pesticides, disease, and parasites. What do bees have to do with landfills? Well, over in Niagara Falls, Walker Environmental is finding new uses for an old landfill and amongst the
ideas put forward is the development of a pollinator habitat for pollinators such as honeybees. That got Inside Waste thinking... what are some of the newer uses of landfill sites? Here in Australia, at least two local government entities have put on their thinking caps to find modern uses and both have hit on the same idea - solar farms. In September, Newcastle City Council in NSW announced that a doubling of its electricity bill over the last two years had
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INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
SOLUTIONSS
Artist’s impression of the Summerhill solar farm (Source: The City of Newcastle)
driven Council to find savings and its Summerhill Waste Management Centre has come to the rescue. Council is building a 5MW solar farm at the site, which will increase its renewable energy generation capacity 10-fold and help it hit its 30% renewable energy target under its 2020 Carbon and Water Management Action Plan. “With energy costs soaring and the cost of solar photovoltaic technology falling, the business case is now clear for councils to increase renewable energy use and take control of their energy costs,” Newcastle City Council interim CEO Jeremy Bath said. The solar farm will be made up of some 16,000 photovoltaic solar arrays and a tender will be issued to eight shortlisted respondents for the design, construction and operation of the solar farm after a feasibility study and expression of interest process last year. Following the tender, the project will be reported to council for approval and funding. According to Council, the solar farm continues development of one of the most advanced renewable energy setups at a waste facility - with a 2.2MW landfill gas generator and a small wind turbine already located at Summerhill and paves the way for battery storage and electric garbage trucks. Electricity generated will flow into the nearby Ausgrid substation and help offset usage at other Council facilities, providing predictable electricity costs and millions of dollars in savings, even with construction and operating costs factored in. Newcastle City Council may have just embarked on this journey but over in South Australia, the Northern Adelaide Waste Management Authority (NAWMA) has launched an Australian-first solution that will better utilise its landfill while potentially getting an economic return. NAWMA - a local government regional subsidiary of the cities of Salisbury and Playford and the town of Gawler - began flaring methane gas at the site in 2011 with the intention
that this would be converted to power after adequate levels were achieved. Four years later, in 2015, NAWMA commenced discussions on other opportunities for the landfill before landing on the idea of a solar farm. It has partnered with Joule Energy and LMS Energy to deliver the country’s first landfill gas-to-energy and solar facility and as part of the agreement, LMS Energy and Joule Energy will invest and own the infrastructure as well as the plant’s electricity and renewable energy certificates, while NAWMA will earn royalties for each megawatt hour of electricity produced. The plant’s technology comprises a series of lateral pipes which dive underground into the in-situ waste to extract and transfer methane gas into a turbine interconnector. That same interconnector will also receive the thermal energy captured by the solar farm’s 11,000 solar PV panels. A generator will then convert these two energy sources into electricity to feed into the state’s grid. The solar farm and landfill-to-gas operations are expected to collectively generate more than 11,000MW hours per annum and they are currently in their final stages of installation and connectivity, with the expectation that electricity production will begin in September. NAWMA CEO Adam Faulkner said better utilisation of the landfill is one of the project’s biggest benefits. “We want to be part of a circular economy and look at ways that we can hopefully, in time, minimise our reliance on landfill but at the moment, landfill is an integral part of our responsible waste management system,” he said. “If we can get an environmental benefit by minimising gas emission and producing electricity, and then get a commercial benefit from the land that is protecting our site from the urban iw development, it’s a win-win.”
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Hazardous waste
Creating value from waste
An AMCS company
The Lokotrack LTS1000.
By Jan Arreza ASBESTOS removal and demolition company D&V Services in on a growth trajectory and to ensure it continues on that path, the firm has added a Metso LTS1000 mobile crusher to its fleet. D&V Services was established in 1994 by two childhood friends, Vlado Turic and Fernando D’Apollonio and has grown from a small asbestos removal company of 10 employees to one with offices located in South Australia and Queensland. The company now employs 100 staff and undertakes operations in rural, remote and metropolitan areas, managing the safe handling and removal of asbestos or asbestos-containing products from commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, public housing or any other type of asbestos-containing structure. The company has also expanded its service offering to include site/ environmental remediation, hazardous waste, PCB removal and disposal, waste disposal, duct cleaning, decontamination, and civil earthworks. Major asbestos removal and demolition projects are often complex, and D&V Services strives at all times to minimise disruption to the occupancy of any building involved in this work. There is also an increased level of risk to personnel engaged in these processes, as such, D&V Services manages a strict program of control, training and education. In recent times, D&V Services director Fernando D’Apollonio began looking for a suitable and reliable mobile screen, and after receiving good feedback on Metso’s Lokotrack LT1000 mobile jaw crushing plant series from industry contacts, D’Apollonio approached Metso’s national distributor, Tutt Bryant Equipment to enquire more about their range of equipment. After some discussions on the unit’s intended application, D’Apollonio
successfully negotiated a deal on the LTS1000 12x5 double deck mobile screen, which has been designed for high capacity and efficient screening at the lowest sustainable cost per tonne. “With this product D&V gets a long serviceable life and allows them to provide operational flexibility to process an extensive range of products,” Paul Doran, Tutt Bryant Equipment’s business development manager, said. “Despite how hard they work it’s very durable due to its robust design. The unit is also fitted to D&V’s capacity and processing requirements.” The high capacity, two-bearing, two-deck screen box is equipped with interchangeable screen meshes, which minimises customer stock holding costs and has, according to Metso, unmatched efficiency and capacity in its class. The Lokotrack LTS1000’s compact dimensions and track agility ensure excellent transportability - a consideration when you have operations interstate. D&V Services is currently utilising its LTS1000 to screen recycled construction and demolition waste to provide saleable products such as roadbase, aggregates, drainage materials, and 70mm minus fill materials. D&V Services site manager Zach Cozamanis, who oversees the screening operations, is pleased with the new equipment. “We have had no problems with the machine. It has performed very well and just handles whatever we throw at it,” Cozamanis said, adding that its performance has encouraged him to consider alternative processing options for products currently considered waste at the site. “We have found a seam of rock as part of our cell construction and we are now looking at running the excavated material through our screen and make a good product out of it rather than dumping it out of the way,” he said. iw
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
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A
Publication
Official Publication of the
ISSUE 66 | JUNE 2015
www.BEN-global.com/waste
INSIDE 22 Riding the investment wave 30 Is green manufacturing the future? 42 Battery regulation almost a certainty
Official Publication of the
Inside the first ERF auction
court that Glass Recovery Services’ beneficiation plant was a resource recovery plant, making it a waste facility. However, Glass Recovery Services was successful in arguing that its facility did not classify as a resource recovery facility but a manufacturing operation that remanufactured a resource. Justice Nicola Pain agreed, saying the material was remanufactured into new products, which made the facility a manufacturing operation. The crux of the case, Shapiro said, was what “waste” means under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. “Justice Pain applied a flexible approach to the meaning of waste in this context, taking into account factors such as initial processing at the MRF upstream and a demand for the used, refined glass as a resource for making new glass,” he explained.
“The Court of Criminal Appeal took a different view on the meaning of waste under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act, applying a strict definition and explicitly rejecting factors such as market demand. However, that was in the context of a specific definition under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act, which is not the case under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. However, this did not mean the meaning of “waste” had changed. “It is important to realise this case deals with the issue of planning approvals under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act – not environmental offences and licensing under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act. People should not take this to mean that the meaning of “waste” has changed for the purpose of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act,” Shapiro said.
INSIDE 19 Satisfying the recycling appetite 34 Fortune favours the brave 80 What’s on at AWRE
Federal election 2016: parties talk waste and recycling
Progress for WA energy from waste projects PHOENIX Energy has nominated local company BGC Contracting as the preferred engineering, procurement and construction contractor for its $400 million Kwinana energy from waste plant. In April, the company confirmed that construction firm Posco E&C had been issued a notice of termination and would no longer be part of the project. It appeared there were differences over the extent of Posco’s planned use of subcontractors. Phoenix Energy said detailed engineering design for the plant, which would have the capacity to produce 32MW of electricity a year and would receive and process up to 400,000 tonnes of residual waste per annum, is nearing completion, adding that the technology would be supplied by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
PP: 255003/07055
ISSN 1837-5618
A GLASS processing facility has won a landmark case in the NSW Land and Environment Court against the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure, after what Gavin Shapiro, senior associate at Henry Davis York Lawyers said was a “flexible approach” applied to the meaning of “waste”. Glass Recovery Services began operating a glass beneficiation facility in Penrith in 2012, which reprocessed used glass into cullet that was then sold to glass manufacturer O-I. According to the department, the facility was a state significant development and had operated unlawfully from 2012 to January last year as it had not received ministerial approval, which was required under the 2007 State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) on Infrastructure for waste management facilities. The department tried to prove in
Australia is said to be a leader among Antarctic nations in cleaning up historical waste in Antarctica. Its main focus is cleaning up former waste disposal sites near its Antarctic stations. More on page 40. (Adelie Penguins at Casey Station. Credit: Todor Iolovski/Australian Antarctic Division)
Environment and Chemical Co, and Martin GmbH. Phoenix Energy managing director Peter Dyson said BGC Contracting had been selected due to its expertise, strong track record in delivering projects, and local presence. The project has received development approval and all final environmental approvals required from the various WA government agencies to construct the plant. New Energy has also had a big win, scoring a 20-year waste contract with Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of WA to divert waste from landfill, recover energy, and return renewable energy to the town and industry. Mayor Kelly Howlett said the project would divert 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes of waste from landfill to the new facility.
As part of the contract, New Energy will manage the city’s residential and commercial waste streams and in an Australian first, renewable energy produced from the waste would be supplied back to the council via the Northwest interconnecting power grid. This is New Energy’s second long-term contract. In July 2015, the company was awarded a contract with the City of Karratha to manage its residential and commercial waste for 20 years. Construction of the plant will commence next year and is scheduled for completion in 2018. New Energy will use the Entech low temperature gasification technology developed in WA and already deployed across Europe and Asia.
At time of press, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had claimed victory in the closely contested federal elections, with the Coalition securing 76 seats and Labor, 69. The Greens has claimed a seat while four went to Independents. Ahead of the elections, some parties discussed Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector, with The Greens throwing its support behind the Waste Management Association of Australia’s (WMAA) industry position statement. It agreed that national leadership was required in a number of areas and said it had a plan to provide up to an additional $75 billion in infrastructure funding over the next 10 years to fund “productive investments”. The Greens also agreed that a comprehensive national data set was necessary, adding “a National Waste Policy would provide for the harmonisation of data collection and calculation methods for waste and recycling across the state.” However, the party disagreed that the solid waste industry should be excluded from any carbon pricing scheme. Meanwhile, the Australian Labor Party took a more limited stand on supporting improved interdepartmental links and better communication between industry and levels of government to support the industry’s role in transitioning to a low pollution economy.
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Official Publication of the
ISSUE 78 | JUNE/JULY 2017
www.insidewaste.com.au
INSIDE
In 2012, Dial A Dump Industries opened the Genesis Recycling Facility in Sydney’s western suburbs (pictured). Now, the company wants to build an EfW plant The Next Generation - and is urging the community, sector, and governments to judge the project on its merits. More on page 16. (Source: Dial A Dump Industries)
18 Exploring the Woodlawn MBT 22 Celebrating a decade in QLD 27 Recognising innovation and excellence
Local Law 20 anti-competitive
Vic budget: wasted opportunity? The Victorian government has released its 2017-18 budget, noting that the state’s economy is “one of the strongest in Australia” and had experienced a 3.3% growth in 2015-16, which is above the national average of 2.7% over the same period. $162.5 million will be invested to modernise the EPA and the budget includes a broad statement: “Greater investment will also be made in the waste and resource recovery sector, generating jobs in regional areas. Steps will also be taken to keep e-waste out of landfill and foster Victoria’s emerging waste to energy market.” CEO of the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR), Grant Musgrove, said some $20 million has been earmarked to be returned to industry, which is
disappointing considering the state’s budget surplus is being propped up by the landfill levy. ACOR’s Victorian Landfill Levy Report released in May noted that approximately 20% of the state’s surplus comes from the Sustainability Fund or monies collected from the landfill levy, which it said should be returned to industry to drive recycling initiatives. “It’s a national disgrace with only $20 million earmarked to be returned to industry and local government over the next four years, compared to hundreds of millions of dollars in other states.” Musgrove said, adding that ACOR estimates the Sustainability Fund will have approximately $500 million sitting idle by the end of this financial year.
“The waste and recycling sector is being taxed to prop up the state budget and not enough money is being invested in improving the waste and resource recovery industry in Victoria,” Musgrove said. “Victorians would be shocked at this budget trick. The community supports recycling, yet the government is taxing unavoidable residues from recycling.” Musgrove is urging the government to allocate the money sitting in the Fund to industry in order to drive development and implement resource recovery and recycling initiatives, pointing to the other states, namely NSW and SA, which have substantial funding by way of the latter’s Waste to Resources Fund and the former’s Waste Less Recycle More initiative.
THE City of Gold Coast’s proposed Local Law 20 (Waste Management) 2017 is anti-competitive and offers no public benefit, says the Waste, Recycling Industry Association of Queensland (WRIQ). WRIQ acknowledged that domestic waste management is one of local government’s roles and assured that industry is not trying to “usurp” Council’s role in providing these services. However, the association’s members were “gravely concerned” that Council is seeking to restrict competition in the commercial waste and recycling sector without proper consultation or genuine consideration of the impact of the proposed law. CEO Rick Ralph said the proposed law would result in higher prices for consumers without a commensurate increase in quality or innovation. “The proposed local law is anticompetitive in that it allows Council to create a monopoly over commercial waste collection services in designated areas, thereby creating a barrier to competition in that market,” Ralph said, adding that the proposed law may extend further to all forms of waste collection and disposal, creating uncertainty for business moving forward. He said the proposed law would not create public benefit but would create a long-term detriment to the Queensland public and market. More on page 22.
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What does “waste” mean?
ISSUE 73 | AUGUST 2016
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Cleanaway takes it sponsorship of the Parramatta Eels NRL Club to a new level with this co-branded truck hitting the streets in April. Parramatta Eels players: Tim Mannah (in vehicle), Chris Sandow (behind the cabin), and from left Manu Ma’u, Anthony Watmough and Ryan Morgan. (Photo courtesy of Cleanaway)
THE Clean Energy Regulator has released the results of the first Emissions Reduction Fund auction held on April 15 and 16, awarding 107 carbon abatement contracts committed to deliver 47.33 million tonnes of abatement. The total value of contracts awarded was $660.47 million, which is about 25% of the total $2.55 billion ERF budget. The average price per tonne of abatement was $13.95. 43 contractors covering 144 projects (36% of the 119 registered proponents) were successful at the auction and the majority applied under sequestration methods as well as landfill and alternative waste treatment methods. Successful contractors include LMS Energy, Veolia Environmental Services, Landfill Gas Industries, SITA-Resource Co Alternative Fuels Pty Ltd and the City of Armadale. Energy and emissions market analysts RepuTex considered the $14 “average price” disclosed by the Regulator to be a “moderate” price signal, with mixed implications for the market. “On the one hand, a $14 average price may allay the worst fears for carbon farmers – who have feared rock bottom prices – yet on the other hand, that price is unlikely to see high emitting companies rush to participate in the scheme,” RepuTex executive director Hugh Grossman said. Continued on page 16
Official Publication of the
ISSUE 78 | JUNE/JULY 2017
www.insidewaste.com.au
INSIDE
In 2012, Dial A Dump Industries opened the Genesis Recycling Facility in Sydney’s western suburbs (pictured). Now, the company wants to build an EfW plant The Next Generation - and is urging the community, sector, and governments to judge the project on its merits. More on page 16. (Source: Dial A Dump Industries)
18 Exploring the Woodlawn MBT 22 Celebrating a decade in QLD 27 Recognising innovation and excellence
Local Law 20 anti-competitive
ISSN 1837-5618
The Victorian government has released its 2017-18 budget, noting that the state’s economy is “one of the strongest in Australia” and had experienced a 3.3% growth in 2015-16, which is above the national average of 2.7% over the same period. $162.5 million will be invested to modernise the EPA and the budget includes a broad statement: “Greater investment will also be made in the waste and resource recovery sector, generating jobs in regional areas. Steps will also be taken to keep e-waste out of landfill and foster Victoria’s emerging waste to energy market.” CEO of the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR), Grant Musgrove, said some $20 million has been earmarked to be returned to industry, which is
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2009
Vic budget: wasted opportunity? disappointing considering the state’s budget surplus is being propped up by the landfill levy. ACOR’s Victorian Landfill Levy Report released in May noted that approximately 20% of the state’s surplus comes from the Sustainability Fund or monies collected from the landfill levy, which it said should be returned to industry to drive recycling initiatives. “It’s a national disgrace with only $20 million earmarked to be returned to industry and local government over the next four years, compared to hundreds of millions of dollars in other states.” Musgrove said, adding that ACOR estimates the Sustainability Fund will have approximately $500 million sitting idle by the end of this financial year.
“The waste and recycling sector is being taxed to prop up the state budget and not enough money is being invested in improving the waste and resource recovery industry in Victoria,” Musgrove said. “Victorians would be shocked at this budget trick. The community supports recycling, yet the government is taxing unavoidable residues from recycling.” Musgrove is urging the government to allocate the money sitting in the Fund to industry in order to drive development and implement resource recovery and recycling initiatives, pointing to the other states, namely NSW and SA, which have substantial funding by way of the latter’s Waste to Resources Fund and the former’s Waste Less Recycle More initiative.
THE City of Gold Coast’s proposed Local Law 20 (Waste Management) 2017 is anti-competitive and offers no public benefit, says the Waste, Recycling Industry Association of Queensland (WRIQ). WRIQ acknowledged that domestic waste management is one of local government’s roles and assured that industry is not trying to “usurp” Council’s role in providing these services. However, the association’s members were “gravely concerned” that Council is seeking to restrict competition in the commercial waste and recycling sector without proper consultation or genuine consideration of the impact of the proposed law. CEO Rick Ralph said the proposed law would result in higher prices for consumers without a commensurate increase in quality or innovation. “The proposed local law is anticompetitive in that it allows Council to create a monopoly over commercial waste collection services in designated areas, thereby creating a barrier to competition in that market,” Ralph said, adding that the proposed law may extend further to all forms of waste collection and disposal, creating uncertainty for business moving forward. He said the proposed law would not create public benefit but would create a long-term detriment to the Queensland public and market. More on page 22.
// Finance
CEFC, an EfW backer By Jan Arreza AS you flip the pages of the magazine, you’ll notice that in this issue, a fair bit of coverage has been given to the energy from waste space as the general sentiment is that Australia is close to developing its first domestic EfW facility. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) believes there will be significant growth in EfW and is investing in projects that demonstrate how Australia can take better advantage of renewable energy and emissions reduction opportunities. The CEFC released its Bioenergy and Energy from Waste report two years ago, which found that generating electricity and heat from waste resources can be cost competitive with other new-build energy generation in terms of capital expenditure, but the technologies are not yet widely deployed in Australia. It also identified up to $3.3 billion of potential investment in urban energy from waste to 2020. “We see potential to support project developers, waste companies and
councils looking for finance to accelerate their waste diversion and energy from waste plans,” CEFC waste sector lead, Henry Anning, told Inside Waste. “We also see potential for working with agribusinesses and manufacturers looking to harness the potential of their organic waste materials through bioenergy projects.” As part of The Sustainable Cities Investment Program, the CEFC aims to invest $1 billion over 10 years in clean energy and energy efficient technology solutions in cities and the built environment. Anning said EfW is an integral part of a suite of innovative technologies that will help Australian cities continue to develop as competitive, thriving hubs in a global economy. “These also include energy efficiency across the built environment, infrastructure projects that reduce carbon emissions and achieve industryleading levels of energy efficiency, and the increased uptake of energy efficient, electric and hybrid vehicles,” Anning said.
“In general, our pipeline of investments involves energy and waste fuels from urban waste projects, energy from food processing and animal waste, and energy for export from plantation forest residues,” he added. For commercial-in-confidence reasons, the CEFC doesn’t comment on specific pipeline projects until they have reached financial close. However, the CEFC has confirmed that they are looking to make further investments in the EfW and bioenergy sector to help accelerate its development in Australia. Previously announced CEFC investments in the sector include: • $30 million in finance to ResourceCo to build two new plants that will transform selected non-recyclable waste streams into solid fuel known as processed engineered fuel. • $10 million in finance to Landfill Gas Industries, which is expanding its EfW operations at a number of counciloperated landfill sites in Queensland. “Through our programs with major Australian banks, we have financed
Henry Anning, waste sector lead for the CEFC.
projects such as a dairy farm in Victoria that installed a biomass burning set, which reduced their reliance on LPG by burning waste biomass for heating purposes,” Anning said. “With rising gas prices, this project is demonstrative of a trend to investigate bioenergy and EfW as an alternative to gas for process heat. “Smaller bioenergy and EfW projects - up to $5 million - may also access our finance through programs we are delivering in conjunction with major banks including Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and National Australia Bank. Those seeking finance for larger EfW projects may use our website’s online form to make a general finance request. “We have also committed finance to the Australian Bioenergy Fund, managed by Foresight Group, which invests equity iw in bioenergy and EfW projects.”
A VITAL LINK IN MODERN
WASTE HANDLING Volvo has over 25 years experience in waste handling & offers a wide range of purpose-built machines; all designed to meet high industry demands for safety, dependability & cost efficiency. As focus continues to shift to intensive recycling, not just waste handling, Volvo is ready. proTEcTIoN of boTH mAN AND mAcHINE With a filter system in a class of its own, the air in a Volvo cab is always clean; dust & dirt won’t get into the operator’s lungs or the engine, transmission, axles, hydraulics and fuel tank.
LX1
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BIg ENOugh TO TRusT SmALL ENouGH To cArE www.cjd.com.au | 1300 139 804 | marketing@cjd.com.au Facebook.com/cjdequipment
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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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Waste transportation //
Sinking its teeth into green waste By Jacqueline Ong WHEN we think about innovation, the waste transportation sector sits comfortably in the “always innovating and improving” category. And Superior Pak has once again outdone itself, this time developing a patent pending green waste solution. Working closely with Veolia, Superior Pak has built a new Raptor side loader green waste body that comes equipped with a curved floor and swinging ‘Pendulum Packer’ blade with some very unique points of difference. The very first truck is now on the road in Sydney’s northern outskirts and Veolia truck driver and manager of the fleet, Michael Looke, says both he and his team are very happy with the new body. Looke told Inside Waste he has always been a fan of Superior Pak because the lifter’s repair and maintenance costs are lower than its competitors as there are few moving parts and says the new machine is a vast improvement from the old truck it was using. “The challenge with the contract that
We wanted a truck that could also be used on all waste streams - general waste, recyclables and green waste - so if there was a shortage in one area, we could use the truck there. And this new truck processes all waste streams with no compromise. - Wayne Quirk
I run in Sydney’s northern outskirts is that we pick up 350-litre bins whereas in most places, they are 240L bins. That means we’ve got quite a substantial volume of green waste that we need to fit into the hopper in one hit and this needs to be processed and pushed through, which had historically been difficult,” Looke explained. Looke said he spent a fair bit of time with Superior Pak’s engineers, taking them out on runs in the truck they were using as well as a competitor’s model, and following on-road tests and research, a new design was presented.
The Green Waste Pendulum Packer Essentially, the new side loader comes standard with a large 2m3 or 8.3x240L MGB hopper capacity for optimum loading volume. Its purpose-built pendulum blade is designed specifically for the efficient clearance of green waste in the hopper and compaction into the body. Superior Pak noted four major distinguishing features of the blade design: 1. It has a much larger swing radius than the standard refuse design, enabling an increased amount of waste to fall in front of the blade before being packed into the body, providing an efficient “bite” at the larger green waste medium. 2. The blade passes 150mm further into the body than a standard refuse design for efficient breakage of woody material and branches. 3. The blade is shaped to distribute green waste towards the sides of
Superior Pak worked closely with Veolia to build the Raptor side loader green waste body.
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INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
A happy truck driver with the new body.
These are new trucks so there are fewer breakdowns, which makes my day a lot easier. I can concentrate on moving forward and managing instead of picking up the pieces all day. - Michael Looke the body for maximum payload and hopper clearance. 4. Swinging “shark teeth” have been fitted to the top edge of the body opening to deter bounce back or return of more flexible green waste. The hopper is also 12.55% larger than the old truck and it is a speedy equipment, with a packer cycler time of 10 to 13 seconds. Looke said Veolia has purchased 22 trucks for this local government contract and he is already seeing an improvement in collections. “These are new trucks so there are fewer breakdowns, which makes my day a lot easier. I can concentrate on moving forward and managing instead of picking up the pieces all day. I can get my staffing levels right, I can iron out problems in the contract, I can liaise
with council as I do on a daily basis. I’ve got more free time to do what I should actually be doing in my job,” Looke said. “And fewer breakdowns means we’re getting more productivity. A good operator should be able to pull 150-odd bins off the street every hour and if a truck sits on the side of the road for an hour, that’s 150 bins that’s not being picked up.”
Not a one solution truck While Superior Pak and Veolia put their heads together to find a solution for Council’s green waste collection, the new truck can do more than pick up one waste stream, and this is what Veolia fleet and equipment manager, Wayne Quirk is most pleased with. “We wanted a truck that could also be used on all waste streams - general waste, recyclables and green waste - so if there was a shortage in one area, we could use the truck there. And this new truck processes all waste streams with no compromise,” Quirk said. “Everything is processed efficiently with good payloads - really good payloads, I’d say industry-leading payloads for its application. “It is also dimensionally compact making them manoeuvrable in cul-desacs, tight situations, and hilly terrain, which are what we’ve got at this location, and if it is close to becoming overweight, the lifter will be locked out. “Other things that stand out are the repair and maintenance costs, the grab arm design, the reverse detection system, and good lighting packages. It’s a fairly big ask - one truck for all iw waste streams!”
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Waste transportation
Keeping with the current By Jacqueline Ong CARMAKERS around the world are gearing up for an electric-powered future with many believing that electric vehicles (EVs) will become the norm, surpassing gas-powered cars, in the next 20 years. The EV’s market penetration may be a little bit behind - back in 2010, industry experts said some 10%-20% of the market would have turned electric by now but in reality, this is closer to 1% - but Manco Environmental is ready for the inevitable evolution, launching its 100% electric Tom Cat 8, EV10, 8m3 rear loading compactor. The first units were deployed in September and Manco sales manager Ryan Black told Inside Waste that while the evolution of electric trucks will take some time given the sheer mass that needs to be dealt with, battery and control technology have come a long way to the point where they are now sufficient to allow a reasonable daily
workload on one charge for waste trucks ranging in the five-tonne to 12-tonne medium gross vehicle mass (GVM) range. While there have been discussions around the use of larger electric trucks in the 20-tonne GVM range for side-load collection of residential MGB based on the constant stop/start being ideal scenario for electric regeneration, Black noted that the electricity being regenerated is only a fraction of what is required to accelerate the vehicle from standstill and therefore, a rapid degradation of battery energy will occur.
Is it worth the price? Black acknowledged that capital cost would be higher than a conventional cab and chassis but pointed to New Zealand waste processing and collection company, Green Gorilla, which operates a fleet of electric vehicles and has a number of electric trucks on order from Manco. Green Gorilla’s managing director
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Introducing the Manco Tom Cat 8 • 100% electric commercial vehicle • 120KW battery pack • Range of up to 100km • GVM 10,000kg • Tare weight of 6339kg • Payload of 3400kg
Manco’s full electric drive rear compactor, the Tom Cat 8.
Graeme Bowkett told Inside Waste his experience with the electric car fleet has proven that there are savings to be had. “At the present time, the capital cost of an electric cab and chassis is about double that of a conventional diesel cab and chassis or approximately 40% more for the entire vehicle and unit, so the additional capital cost in a fleet operation is considerable,” Bowkett said. “But our experience with our Green Gorilla electric car fleet is that there are considerable operational cost savings compared to conventional vehicles and this needs to be taken into account in the overall equation.” Other cost savings and benefits arise largely because of the quiet operation of electric vehicles, meaning they can service inner city office and apartment buildings in the dead of the night, reducing road congestion and increasing collection efficiencies. “For Green Gorilla, the sustainability,
environmental, and night operation capability combine to make the cautious use of electric rear loaders compelling, which will allow Green Gorilla to fully evaluate the overall cost of operation, ideal fleet size, and emission savings,” Bowkett said. “Our grid electric power at Green Gorilla is supplied from 100% renewable energy sources and the other advantage of electric vehicles is the ability to harvest energy via solar panels and store energy for charging purposes. “Electric trucks will not suit every operator at least until they come down in cost as they inevitably will,” Bowkett noted. “For Green Gorilla, we desire to be at the front of the learning curve and certainly there is much enthusiasm for these vehicles from our large institutional customers, building managers and our own staff.”
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Three’s (good) company By Jan Arreza SYDNEY-BASED manufacturer of waste trucks Garwood International has scored a hat trick, acquiring three new sweeper brands - Bochung, Bonne, and Schwarze - and managing director Daniel McHugh says he’s never been busier. Garwood is a household name in the waste trucks space and many would have seen or used its range of side and rear loaders, including the Dual Pact and Miner. McHugh told Inside Waste the acquisition of these new sweeper brands made sense because it now allows Garwood to offer a full package of equipment, from rear and side load trucks to sweepers. He added that Garwood has maintained a long and healthy history of collaboration with these brands over the years, pointing to its maintenance and servicing work undertaken for the Schwarze brands over the past two decades. As such, McHugh has always been confident that these companies could do business together. “When Schwarze made the decision to change their business model and put their products out through a dealer in the region I immediately put my hand up and said that we would like for Garwood to be considered for that role because I believe our companies simply fit together,” McHugh said. “We are selling a lot of our garbage trucks to many companies and councils that are purchasing street sweepers as well, so we plan to pitch the street sweepers alongside our garbage trucks as well. This gives us a whole package to take to our customers and the councils and will open a lot more doors for possible business. This acquisition has
allowed the companies to pick up each other’s customer bases, increasing the network, reach and service capability of all parties involved.” As part of these acquisitions, Garwood has now assumed the exclusive Schwarze and Bonne sweeper dealership which entails all sales, service, parts and assembly responsibilities of sweepers shipped to or sold in Australia and New Zealand. And the company has big plans, saying it will take Bochung, Bonne, and Schwarze to new heights. This is good news for operators as there is much to look forward to. For one, Garwood will be bringing to the market the Australian-first Schwarze GS6 Tempest 6m3 regenerative air sweeper; the three or 6m3 Schwarze A4 Storm regenerative air sweeper, which is ideal for both rural councils with small city town areas or inner city councils with narrow streets; the Bochung, S2 urban sweeper, which sets new standards in the 2.5m3 class; as well as the complete range of Bonne trailer and tractor brooms. Turning to Schwarze, McHugh noted that its street sweepers are equipped with the best public safety features to keep both the operator and the public safe and alert to the machines’ actions. Special value features such as hydraulic test ports and slide-out screens provide quick work of maintenance items so the sweeper runs more efficiently. “The feedback that we have always had about Schwarze is that the product is excellent and now that it is under our management we’ve been hearing from our customers that they have complete confidence in both the Schwarze product and in Garwood
The versatile Schwarze A4 Storm high dump sweeper, which is ideal for both rural and inner city councils with smaller working areas.
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Garwood marketing and customer service manager Krystle Sue-See and managing director Daniel McHugh on hand at AWRE to talk about their expanded range of products.
as we are both based locally for the Australian market,” he said. McHugh added that all customers should be excited knowing they will be getting proven Schwarze products downunder with the added backup of Garwood International’s management and servicing skills - all equipment purchased from Garwood is supported by the company’s comprehensive 24/7 aftermarket services for hydraulic breakdown issues provided Australia-wide via partners Hydraulink
and Pirtek. “Bringing all that experience together - it’s a better structure and a better business model for the Australian market,” McHugh said. To better capture opportunities and manage the rapid growth that has come out of these recent acquisitions, Garwood recently expanded its Australian operations, establishing a Melbourne office to offer Victorian customers improved customer service iw and access to staff.
The Schwarze GS6 Tempest, the biggest seller in the Schwarze range of sweepers.
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
YOU
SCANIA
SAVE ON FUEL AND MAINTENANCE.
Scania has been helping waste contractors make a clean sweep of European and Australian streets for decades. Our success hinges on reliability, durability, low operating costs and maximum uptime. Your truck spends more time working, and you spend less on fuel and maintenance. Contact Scania to find out how we can help you clean up your balance sheet as easily as you clean up the streets.
VICTORIA Scania Campbellfield Tel: (03) 9217 3300 Scania Dandenong Tel: (03) 9217 3600 Scania Laverton Tel: (03) 9369 8666
SOUTH AUSTRALIA Scania Wingfield Tel: (08) 8406 0200 NEW SOUTH WALES Scania Prestons Tel: (02) 9825 7900
Scania Newcastle Tel: (02) 9825 7940 K&J Trucks, Coffs Harbour Tel: (02) 6652 7218 NJ’s of Wagga Tel: (02) 6971 7214
QUEENSLAND Scania Richlands Tel: (07) 3712 8500 Scania Pinkenba Tel: (07) 3712 7900 Wideland, Toowoomba Tel: (07) 4633 1150
RSC Diesels, Cairns Tel: (07) 4054 5440 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Scania Kewdale Tel: (08) 9360 8500
Trucks //
• • •
Use existing smart devices or customised new equipment Secure group and 1-1 voice, location services and messaging Boost performance, and reduce total cost of ownership
(02) 8705 3778 impulsewireless.com.au
Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific
Two-way communications with virtually unlimited range: Coverage of mobile phone networks
Application: hard waste, domestic, commercial and recycle waste collection Capacity: 20m3 featured (6,8,11,14, 16 & 24m3 capacity also available) Payload: approximately 10,000kg (subject to body size and chassis) Length: subject to body size and chassis Construction: body 3.2mm3 Hardox 450 material Weight: subject to body size and chassis Lift cycletime: 7 seconds for full width lifter style Hopper Size: 2.2m3 (subject to body size)
Compaction pressure: approximately 480kg/m3 (subject to waste stream) More: www.buchermunicipal.com. au or 03 9271 6400 Base price: P.O.A
Mercedes-Benz Econic Model types: 2635 Configuration: 6x4 Engine: MB 7.7lt in line 6, 350hp/ 1400Nm Transmission: Allison MD3200SP Capacity: 26000kg Cabin: high and low available Steer: single, dual control available Payload: various Wheelbase: 4200/4500 or to suit Tare Weight: approx. 7940kg Base price: P.O.A More: www.mercedes-benz.com.au or 03 9566 9266
Garwood SIDELOADER
Garwood International
Much more than just a radio.
Bucher Municipal
UrBin Series II
Model types: LITTERPACT - GII & GIII Configuration: fitted to any 4x2 & 6x4 cab chassis Capacity: from 6 through to 29m3 Payload: from 2t through to 10t Length: 2400mm – 7400mm Construction material: high tensile steels Weight: 1800kg – 6200kg Max load on arms: 180kg Lift cycle time: variable approx. 6 sec Compaction system: paddle & push panel type Base price: P.O.A More: www.garwoodinternational.com.au or Daniel McHugh (02) 9756 3756/info@garwoodinternational.com.au
HYVA Pacific
HYVA Press Mobile Compactor
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INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
Model types: MC100 Configuration: bin lifter/top loader Capacity: 12 - 14 – 16 – 18 – 20m3 body volume Power: 5.5KW at 410V Compressing force: 340kN Compaction cycle time: 36 seconds Features: load sensing power pack /low noise 10 dB /water proof tail door/3” drain taps/improved compaction ratios Options: front wheels/E+ intelligence drive system/oil temperature and level monitoring device Base price: P.O.A. More: www.hyva.com or 1800 041733 or a.bremmer@hyva.com.au
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Collector Rear Loader
Model types: Mini RL Configuration: 4x2 Capacity: 6m³, 8m³ and 12m³ Payload: subject to body and cab chassis selection Construction material: Hardox 450, GR350 and Bisplate 80 Compaction system: Rear Sweep and Pack Base price: P.O.A. More: www.superiorpak.com.au or 1800 013 232
Model types: STD Duty, HD and HD Hardwaste (Cleanskin Body) Configuration: 6x4 and 8x4 Capacity: 14m³, 17m³, 20m³ and 24m³ Payload: subject to body and cab chassis selection Construction material: Hardox 450, GR350 and Bisplate 80 Compaction system: Rear Sweep and Pack Base price: P.O.A. More: www.superiorpak.com.au or 1800 013 232
Superior Pak
Collector Rear Loader
HYVA Lift ACS Tarpaulin System
FORCE Series II Front Loader
Model types: electric/hydraulic Configuration: 12V & 24V Capacity: covering bins up to 7800 mm Length: 300 mm Weight: 300kg Features: radio remote controls /electric wind & unwind/working lights/standalone elctro-hydraulic power pack/2-stage tower Base price: P.O.A More: www.hyva.com or 1800 041733 or m.kivimets@hyva.com.au
Model Types: FORCE 285 & FORCE 335 Configuration: available on 6x4 or 8x4 chassis Capacity: 33.5m3 features (28.5m3 capacity also available) Payload: approximately 11,000kg (subject to body size and chassis) Length: subject to body size and chassis Construction: body 4mm Hardox 450, floor 5mm Hardox 450 Weight: subject to body size and chassis Max load on arms: 2500kg (3600kg option also available) Lift cycle time: 12 seconds total (up & down)
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Bucher Municipal
HYVA Pacific
Superior Pak
// Strap
Compaction System: dual 4-stage telescopic pack cylinders, half pack - full eject Base price: P.O.A. More: www.buchermunicipal.com.au or 03 9271 6400
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
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P-series
Configuration: available on 4x2, 6x2 or 6x4 chassis Capacity: 20m Xtreme featured (14,18,22,25,29, and 35m3 also available) Payload: Approximately 10,000kg (subject to body size and chassis) Length: subject to body size and chassis Construction: body 3.2mm Hardox 450 material, hopper bowl 8mm Creusabro 8000 material Weight: subject to body size and chassis Height fully raised: subject to body size and chassis
Configuration: 6x4 and 8x4 hook lift, 8x4 front lift Engine: Scania DC13 In-line 6-cylinder, Euro 5 SCR Displacement: 12.7 Litres Maximum output: 360hp/265kw @ 1900rpm, 440hp/324kw@1900rpm Maximum torque: P360 - 1850Nm (1365lb/ft) @ 1000 – 1300rpm, P440 – 2300Nm (1696lb/ft) @ 1000 – 1300rpm Transmission: P-series 6x4/8x4 hook lift - Scania GRS905/GRS905R, 14 speed automatic. PTO with pump connection. P-series 8x4 front lift – Scania GA867R (Allison 4500PR) 6-speed automatic with retarder. GVM: P360 6x4 – 25,900kg, P360/440 8x4 – 32,800kg.
Lifter cycle time: 8-12 seconds full cycle Hopper volume: 1.5m3 (subject to body size) Hopper clearance: 2.8m3/min (subject to body size and paddle configuration) Base price: P.O.A. More: www.buchermunicipal.com.au or 03 9271 6400
Mercedes-Benz Econic Model types: 1830 Configuration: 4x2 Engine: MB 7.7lt in line 6, 300hp/1200Nm Transmission: Allison MD3000SP Capacity: 18000kg Cabin: high and low available Steer: single, dual control available Payload: various Wheelbase: 4200/4500 or to suit Tare Weight: approx. 6340kg Base price: P.O.A. More: www.mercedes-benz.com.au or 03 9566 9266
INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
Scania Australia
Gen V Series II
Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific
Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific
Bucher Municipal
Product profiles: trucks //
GCM: Scania P 360 up to 50,000kg, Scania P 440 up to 60,000kg, Scania with Allison Transmission up to 40,000kg Scania offers a wide range of engine and cab specifications with GCM up to 150000kg. Wheelbase: 4.57m – 5.77m Fuel System: 400L fuel tank, 75L urea tank More: www.scania.com.au or Ron Szulc - 03 9217 3360 / marketing@scania.com.au
Mercedes-Benz Econic Model types: 2635 Configuration: 6x4 Engine: MB 7.7lt in line 6, 350hp/1400Nm Transmission: Allison MD3200SP Capacity: 26000kg Cabin: high and low available Steer: single, dual control available Payload: various Wheelbase: 4200/4500 or to suit Tare Weight: approx. 7940kg Base price: P.O.A. More: www.mercedes-benz.com.au or 03 9566 9266
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Garwood REARLOADER
Model types: 50/50, 60/40 & 70/30 SPLITS Configuration: fitted to any 4x2, 6x4 & 8x4 cab chassis Capacity: 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 22, 24m3 Payload: from 2.5t through to 10t Length: 2800mm to 8200mm Construction material: high tensile steels Weight: 3000kg – 7800kg Max load on arms: 300kg single lift & 800kg WCL Lift cycle time: variable. Single lift 6-12sec, WCL 8-14sec
Model types: MINER – BANTAM – COMPACT- POWAPACT MAXIPACT Configuration: fitted to any 4x2, 6x4 & 8x4 cab chassis Capacity: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 22, 24, 28m3 Payload: from 2.5t through to 10t Length: 2600mm to 8200mm Construction material: high tensile steels Weight: 2200kg – 7800kg Max load on arms: WCL 800kg Lift cycle time: variable. Single lift 6-12sec, WCL 8-14sec
Compaction system: rear loading with individual hoppers sweep & pack action Base price: P.O.A. More: www.garwoodinternational. com.au or Daniel McHugh - 02 9756 3756 / info@garwoodinternational.com.au
Garwood International
Garwood DUALPACT
HYVA Lift Hookloader
HYVA Lift Skiploader
Model types: Slide & SlideKnuckle Configuration: DIN & Multirail Capacity: 3-26 tonne lifting capacity Length: to suit bin lengths 2800 – 7800 mm. Construction material: Weldox / Hardox Weight: 425-3250 kg Features: Combi-lock hydraulic bin locks/adjustable hook height 14501570 mm/container roller supports Options: 6-point weighing system/ HYVA ACS Hydraulic tarpaulin/ radio remote controls
Model types: NG2008 / NG2014 / NG2018 Configuration: telescopic arms XL/XXL Capacity: 8-18 tonne lifting capacity Length: bed length 3470-5170 mm. Weight: 2300-3600kg Features: pneumatic tip hooks/ fast offload/independent stabiliser legs/cab guard/bin stops Options: HYVA ACS Hydraulic tarpaulin / Radio remote controls / Hydraulic bin locking Base price: P.O.A
Base price: P.O.A More: www.hyva.com, 1800 041733 or m.kivimets@hyva.com.au
HYVA Pacific
HYVA Pacific
Garwood International
// Product profiles: trucks
Configuration: 6x4 Model types: single control and factory fitted dual control Engine: Cummins ISL Euro 5 Selective Catalytic Reduction Total displacement: 8.9 litres Maximum output: 280hp / 209Kw@2100rpm (optional rating: 320hp/239Kw@2100rpm) Maximum torque: 778lbft/1055Nm@1300rpm (optional rating: 996lb ft/1350Nm@1300rpm) Exhaust: vertical exhaust on RHS with perforated heat shield. Engine exhaust brake Transmission: 280hp - Allison 3500 Auto, 6-speed transmission; 320hp - Allison 3200 Auto, 6-speed
transmission; Powauto PA38 PTO fitted with pump mounting bracket (optional transmission retarder with 280hp) GVM: 24.5 tonnes GCM: 30 tonnes Wheelbase: 4.2m - 5.84m (options available) Fuel system: 1 x 285 L square alloy fuel tank & Fuel Pro fuel filter with 27 L Adblue tank Base price: single control (6x4) $237,430 incl. G.S.T, dual control (6x4) - $253,430 including G.S.T More: www.iveco.com.au or Scott Slater, national fleet manager 03 9238 2454
Model types: STD Clearskin, Paper Clearskin Configuration: 4x2, 4x2 electric, 6x4 & 8x4 Capacity: 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13.5, 16.5, 19 & 22m3 Payload: subject to body and cab chassis Length: as above Construction material: Hardox 450 & Bisplate Compaction system: rear sweep and pack via pendulum linkage Base price: P.O.A More: www.mancoeng.com.au or Ryan Black - 0401 748 873 / 02 9756 6592
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Configuration: 6X4 Capacity: 7000 litres Payload: 7200kg Construction material: 304 Grade Stainless Steel Weight: 15,000kg Base price: P.O.A. More: www.spoutvac.com.au or Rodney Purtill 0447 711 646
“Z” Series Front Loader Manco Engineering Australia
Alley Cat, Tom Cat & G Pack Manco Engineering Australia
More: www.hyva.com, 1800 041733 or m.kivimets@hyva.com.au
SV3700 Vacuum Hydro Excavation unit
Spoutvac Industries
Iveco Trucks Australia
Acco
Compaction system: rear loading with sweep & pack action Base price: P.O.A. More: www.garwoodinternational. com.au or Daniel McHugh - 02 9756 3756 / info@garwoodinternational.com.au
Configuration: 6x4 and 8x4 Capacity: 28m3, 30m3 and 35m3 Payload: subject to body and cab chassis configuration Construction material: Hardox and Bisplate Max load on arms: 2500 kg Lift cycle time: 20sec Compaction system: half/full pack eject blade Base price: P.O.A More: www.mancoeng.com.au or Ryan Black - 0401 748 873 / 02 9756 6592
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Volvo FE
Configuration: 6x4 or 8x4 Engine: Volvo D11 or D13 Euro 5 with outputs ranging from 330 up to 500hp Transmission: 12-speed fully automated Volvo I-Shift with optional extra crawler gears Brakes: disk brakes with EBS (Electronic Braking System) and optional ESP (Electronic Stability Program) Suspension: leaf or air rear suspensions available Fuel system: aluminum fuel tanks with capacity ranging from 195 to 690 litres
Model types: single or dual control Configuration: 4x2, 6x2 or 6x4 Engine: Volvo D7 Euro 5 or D8 Euro 6 with outputs ranging from 250 to 350hp Transmission: 12-speed fully automated Volvo I-Shift, 9-speed synchronised manual or 6-speed automatic Brakes: disk brakes with EBS (Electronic Braking System) and optional ESP (Electronic Stability Program) in some models Suspension: leaf or air rear suspensions available Fuel system: aluminum fuel tanks with capacity ranging from 220 to 415 litres
Wheelbases: wide range of wheel bases from 3200mm to 5600mm in some configurations CGW: up to 100 tonnes Base price: P.O.A. More: www.volvotrucks.com.au
Volvo Trucks Australia
Volvo FM
Wheelbases: wide range of wheel bases as short as 3500mm and up to 6800mm in some configurations CGW: up to 44 tonnes Base price: P.O.A. More: www.volvotrucks.com.au
Raptor Side Loader
Pegasus Front Loader
Model types: Refuse, Recycles and Green Waste Configuration: 4x2 and 6x4 Capacity: 12m³, 15m³, 18m³, 24m³, 27m³, 29m³, 33m³ and 35m³ Payload: subject to body and cab chassis selection Construction material: Hardox 450, Optim 600 and Bisplate 80 Max load on arms: 100 kg lift (factory set limit) Lift cycle time: 5.6-6 seconds Compaction system: Pendulum Packer Base price: P.O.A. More: www.superiorpak.com.au or free call 1800 013 232
Model types: Industrial and Recycles Configuration: 6x4, 8x4 and 10x4 Capacity: 25m³, 31m³, 33m³ and 35m³ Payload: subject to body and cab chassis selection Construction material: Hardox 450 and Bisplate 80 Max load on arms: 2000kg lift (factory set limit) Lift cycle time: 20 seconds Compaction system: twin ‘scissor action’ multi-stage half pack/full eject Base price: P.O.A. More: www.superiorpak.com.au or free call 1800 013 232
Superior Pak
Superior Pak
Volvo Trucks Australia
Product profiles: trucks //
MANCO ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO HAVE A CLOSER LOOK? aulic Control Proportional Hydr stem CANbus Control Sy
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Pendulum Pack Sy
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Pendulum Pack Sy
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THERE CAN BE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR QUALITY
Body Sizes
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MELBOURNE | BRISBANE | SYDNEY Phone: 1800 626261 | www.mancoeng.com.au Email: info@mancoeng.com.au
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INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
Get a cleaner view with our wider windshield and additional side mirrors for perfect visibility. Custom-designed and built in consultation with our Australian waste customers, the new Volvo FE Dual Control delivers world-class safety features, with local street smarts. It also delivers rear air suspension in 6x4 axle configuration, plus improved driver ergonomics. And with fuel-saving technology and low Euro 6 emissions, it’s a cleaner ride too. It’s everything you need to get the job done.
Call 1300 MY VOLVO or visit volvotrucks.com.au for more information.
SV3750 Combination Truck Boom
Model types: vacuum recovery unit, optional pressure discharge, Class 3-9 Dangerous Goods, high productivity vacuum system 95% vacuum (29 inHg) Configuration: 4x2, 6x4, 8x4, 10x4, semi-trailer Capacity: 3000-25,000 litres Payload: 3000kg – 20,000kg Construction material: Corten Corrosion Resistant Steel, Stainless Steel Base price: P.O.A. More: www.korquip.com.au or Tim McGregor - 03 8540 5000 / sales@korquip.com.au
Configuration: 8X4 Capacity: 8000 litres Payload: 7100kg Construction material: 304 grade stainless steel Weight: 19,000kg Base price: P.O.A. More: www.spoutvac.com.au or Rodney Purtill - 0447 711 646
Spoutvac Industries
Cappellotto CAP VAC liquid tanker
Vacuum Tankers/Liquid Waste Trucks
Triaxle Liquid Waste Tankers
Model types: truck and trailer mounted Capacity: 200L-24,000L Payload: 200kg-24t Length: varied Construction material: steel, stainless steel and aluminium Build time: 8 -16 weeks although some usually in stock Base price: P.O.A. More: www.vacuumtrucks.com.au or Rod Glue - 03 5775 7300 / info@vacuumtrucks.com.au
Construction: steel/aluminium and stainless steel Buld time: usually in stock Base price: P.O.A. More: www.vacuumtrucks. com.au or Rod Glue - 03 5775 7300 / info@vacuumtrucks.com.au
T
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Vacuum Truck Supplies
Vacuum Truck Supplies
KOR Equipment Solutions
Product profiles: trucks //
I
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S
A
U
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GET
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L
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NOW BUILT IN
AUSTRALIA
MORE PAY IN EVERY
PAYLOAD WITH TITAN
THINWALL
®
TRAILERS
Titan’s patented THINWALL aluminium body construction pay you back every day with: • Lower Fuel Cost • More Payload • Less Downtime • Longer Life
Trust TITAN Strength For Australia’s Toughest Loads • Household Waste • Scrap Metals • Aggregates • Agricultural Goods • Wood Chips • Demolition Featuring KEITH® WALKING FLOOR®,V9 and V18 V FLOOR™ unloader systems. KEITH® is a registered worldwide trademark of KEITH Mfg. Co.
TITAN TRAILERS HEAD OFFICE
1129 Hwy #3, R.R. #3 Delhi, ON, Canada N4B 2W6 Tel: 519-688-4826 • info@titantrailers.com
www.titantrailers.com
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INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
THINWALL TRAILERS AUSTRALIA
357 Commercial St. W., Mount Gambier SA 5290 Australia Tel: +0428.854.308 • info@thinwalltrailers.com.au
www.thinwalltrailers.com.au
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
THE KEY TO QUALITY When it comes to scheduled services such as street sweeping and waste collection, the quality of the equipment you choose is of paramount importance. Equipment performance and reliability is critical when it comes to staying on schedule and on budget. Garwood International’s extensive range of waste management collection vehicles, coupled with its comprehensive selection of high performance sweepers from internationally respected manufacturers Schwarze, Bonne and Boschung, deliver the performance, reliability and quality you need. • Schwarze GS6 TempestTM and A4 StormTM regenerative air sweepers • Boschung Urban-Sweeper S2 compact sweepers • Bonne Tractor and Trailer brooms • Single and split-body collection vehicles from 4m3 to 28m3 • Specialist compaction equipment
HEAD OFFICE (NZ Enquiries) +61 2 9756 3756
NSW, ACT & WA Tony Miller 0429 444 451
VIC, TAS & SA Ian Pinney 0409 905 451
QLD & NT Ken Russ 0407 789 370
tony@garwoodinternational.com.au
ian@garwoodinternational.com.au
ken@garwoodinternational.com.au
WEB: www.garwoodinternational.com.au
High Volume Side Tipper (HVST)
Ejection/floor system: walking floor Time taken to eject load: 10 minutes approx. Common volume: up to 134m3 Construction material: aluminium Base price: P.O.A. More: www.lustyems.com.au/dealers
Ejection/floor system: double capacity side tipper Time taken to eject load: 40 seconds Common volume: up to 85m3 on a single trailer or 120 m3 on a B-Double Construction material: 450 grade steel Weight: 12.5 tonne approx. Base price: P.O.A. More: www.azmeb.com.au/dealers
Azmeb
Stag Walking Floor
Titan Thinwall Walking Floor - Heavy & Light Duty
Titan Thinwall Platform Tipper
Configuration: 45’ & 48’ Ejection/floor system: heavy duty Keith 9 slat, light duty Keith 25 slat walking floor Time taken to eject load: 5 min Common volume: 95-102m3 Tare weight: 8300-11,000kg depending on length and tarp system Pay loads: 25-28 tonnes Construction: all aluminium Optional: roll over tarp/flip roof, electronic scales, rear coupling set up
Configuration: 45’ or 48’ – wedged or possum belly Ejection/floor system: mobile tipping platform Time taken to eject load: 4 min Common volume: 92-112m3 Tare weight: 8400kg approx. Pay loads: 28 tonnes approx. Construction: all aluminium Optional: roll over tarp/flip roof, electronic scales, rear coupling set up Base price: P.O.A. Build time: 10 weeks, subject to orders More: www.thinwalltrailers.com.au or Barry - 0417 811 069 or Doug - 0428 854 308
Base price: P.O.A. Build time: 2-10 weeks depending on stock More: www.thinwalltrailers.com.au or Barry - 0417 811 069 or Doug - 0428 854 308
Thinwall Trailers Australia
Thinwall Trailers Australia
Lusty EMS
Product profiles: trailers //
The KEITH® WALKING FLOOR® System unloads, what you need, where you need. It’s safe, efficient and fast.
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INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
GREEN WASTE COLLECTION... QUALITY & CONFIDENCE to get the job done!
NO WORRIES!! Australia’s leading manufacturer of waste compaction bodies
TM
Introduces the latest ‘Green Waste’ Side Loader • MORE BIN LIFTS PER MINUTE •
MORE GREEN WASTE IN THE HOPPER
•
MORE GREEN WASTE PACKED INTO THE BODY
•
MORE PAYLOAD NO WORRIES
New larger 2m3 hopper capacity | New Pack Blade design | 4m3 per minute pack capacity | Stainless Steel roof standard or full stainless steel body optional 335 Fison Av. East, Eagle Farm, Brisbane, QLD 4009 P +61 (0) 7 3638 2200 F +61 (0) 7 3268 7655
29–31 Toohey Road, Wetherill Park, Sydney, NSW 2164 P +61 (0) 2 8774 0000 F +61 (0) 2 9773 6914
31 Jesica Road, Campbellfield, Melbourne, VIC 3061 P +61 (0) 3 8359 6200 F +61 (0) 3 9357 8280
8 Taminga Street, Regency Park, Adelaide, South Australia 5010 P +61 (0) 8 8168 4000 F +61 (0) 8 8168 4001
237 Bank Street, Welshpool, Perth, Western Australia 6106 P +61 (0) 8 6104 7300 F +61 (0) 8 9258 6487
FREE CALL 1800 013 232 www.superiorpak.com.au
HAULMAAX
Configuration: rigid body or semi trailer (various configurations) Weight: approx 8t base weight for single B trailer Pay Loads: approx. 90-130m3 for single B trailer Construction: BHP steel chassis with extruded Australian alloy walls Optional: custom built Base price: P.O.A. Build time: approx. 8-10 weeks More: www.barkertrailers.com.au or Ned Jeffery, national sales and marketing manager - ned@barkertrailers.com.au / 0437 328 218
Truck suspension Design: heavy-duty rubber Model types: HMX400 & HMX460 Configuration: tandem rear drive suspension Capacity/Rating: 18,000kg & 21,000kg Application: vocational (waste) Diagonal articulation: up to 17 inches Weight: 370kg (subject to OEM specification) Base price: P.O.A. More: www.hendrickson.com.au or Brad Sleath - 0439 667 338 / bsleath@hendrickson.com.au
Hendrickson Asia Pacific
Refuse, Recyclables and Chip Bin Trailers
Truck TailGUARD
OnLane
Rear Blind spot detection system with active braking. Why is TailGUARD Different? The combination of five features makes TailGUARD a unique solution: • the connection of TailGUARD and braking technology provides unique functions: automatic stopping forced slow down and distance programmability; • comes with a cabin-mounted device for the driver indicating the distance; • system can be tailored to meet the needs of a wide variety of environments; • complies with best-in-class automotive standard ISO 12155 for reversing systems for commercial road vehicles; and • ultrasonic sensor technology allows for object detection in conditions with poor visibility. Can be fitted to all heavy commercial Trucks, Buses & Trailers using a pneumatic brake system. Base price: P.O.A. More: www.wabco-auto.com or Blair Rundle - 1300 4 92226 / wabcoaus@ wabco-auto.com
WABCO’s OnLane Lane Departure Warning uses a camera to detect road markings and the vehicle’s position, and alerts the driver when leaving the lane unintentionally. The system then initiates an acoustic warning signal to ensure the driver can take the appropriate action to prevent lane drift. A system you can count on to keep you on track: • camera-based system to help commercial vehicles stay on track; • works at speeds above 60km/h; • detects road markings and vehicle position; and • Driver Drowsiness Alert function recognises erratic driver behaviour and alerts the driver with a distinct warning tone. Is available to be retro-fitted to most heavy commercial vehicles. Base price: P.O.A. More: www.wabco-auto.com or Blair Rundle - 1300 4 92226 / wabcoaus@ wabco-auto.com
WABCO Australia
WABCO Australia
Barker Trailers
Product profiles: trailers and systems //
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CM
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INSIDEWASTE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
// Wasted Space
Being TV ready - tips and tricks THE dust has settled, the motherhood statements have been made, and taxpayers’ money is being spent to investigate issues that have only come to light thanks to ABC’s Four Corners program - Trashed - aired in August. Four Corners has since gone on to uncover other dirty truths but who knows when they’ll be back to do another shocking exposé on the waste and resource recovery sector? So, Wasted Space is here to help, offering a bit of media training to prepare you in the event that another media outlet knocks on your door requesting an interview.
1. Spout big numbers It doesn’t matter what the question is. If the host ends the sentence with an inflection, it’s probably a question and that’s your cue to shout out 87%, 768,500 tonnes, $395 million! The TV people are after a soundbite to insert at the most controversial of times so make yourself useful, make it worth their while, give the viewers what they want and offer all the big numbers. The producers will know exactly what to do with them and how to make sure viewers are correctly misinterpreting them.
2. Remember, the government knows nothing Have you ever felt like the government, despite countless forums, roundtables, letters, submissions etc, isn’t listening to a word you’ve said? This is your opportunity to get your point across. Look right into the camera and with all the sincerity you can muster, address the government and tell them what the issues are. Chances are, they will be caught completely unaware and will suddenly feel the urge to do something about it. Just a heads up, they’ll spend money on finding out what the problems are (because these issues are new and have never been discussed... plus your messages were unclear - it’s you, not them) and try to figure out the root causes (because again, these are all unknowns), before workshopping on possible solutions. But hey, at least they’re sort of listening, right?
mighty pleased with yourself might irritate these TV people and they may then try to find that deep dark secret (that even you didn’t know existed) just to screw with you a little.
4. Get your pitchfork ready If all else fails, then it’s time to be a troll. Figure out who the weakest link was on the show, hide behind your computer, and join the other trolls by posting nasty
comments about said person on social media. Call for their head! The more people calling for their sack the better because you’ll likely get it and when this person is being thrown under the bus, everyone else will forget about everything else, you included. We hope this helps you the next time there’s a camera in your face. Remember, it’s all about shock value so be media ready, people!
3. Don’t look so happy Of course, it’s an honour to be interviewed by mainstream media but try not to smile so brightly or look so damn pleased that your company is going to get some air time. You may think it’s your chance to talk about how great your organisation is doing but smiling brightly and looking
DIARY October 11-12 Waste Expo Australia Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Waste Expo Australia will be co-located with All-Energy Australia, Reed Exhibitions’ market-leading clean energy exhibition and conference. Waste Expo Australia will bring together Australian and international solution providers in the waste management, recycling, resource recovery and sustainability sectors, showcasing the latest technology, products, services and turnkey solutions. There will also be a free-to-attend conference program, designed to educate and provide exhibitors and industry professionals with the opportunity to share knowledge on a range of topics, focusing on new industry developments and the latest trends and innovations. www.wasteexpoaustralia.com.au
October 11-13 WasteQ Mackay Entertainment Centre, QLD The Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA) 2017 WasteQ Conference - Reshaping Regional Resilience - will focus on circular economy, shifting our way of thinking towards practices that are “restorative” and support materials and components being reused or recycled many times over. It will be supplemented by themes including: the data revolution; heavy vehicle reform; best practices; innovation and contracts/tendering. www.wasteq.com.au October 24 Women of Waste - Leadership Breakfast Kirribilli Club, NSW This event is designed to recognise women who are driving change in industry, and in doing so, are breaking down barriers and are creating new career prospects for the next generation. We sometimes overlook the tiny unexpected turning points that can progress our career, our leadership capabilities and those defining moments! It will feature three very inspirational women who will each share their own fascinating journeys. www.wmaa.asn.au
Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au
November 12-14 8th World Congress and Expo on Recycling Berlin, Germany With this year’s theme - Recycle today for a better tomorrow - Recycling Expo 2018 comprises keynote and speakers sessions on latest cutting edge research designed to offer comprehensive global discussions that address current issues. www.recycling.conferenceseries.com November 14-17 Electronics & Cars Recycling World Recycling Forum Macau, China This conference is an international gathering of its kind in the fields of electronics and cars manufacturing, distribution, collection, reuse and remanufacturing, e-scrap processors, and recycling of metals and ELVs. www.icm.ch/wrf-2017
May 8-10 Waste 2018 Coffs Harbour, NSW First established back in 1996, the Coffs Harbour Waste Management Conference is now well regarded as the industry’s leading waste management conference. It provides a quality program focused on the latest developments in the industry, high profile presenters that are leaders in their field, and an exhibition by leading edge companies and professionals from across Australia and overseas. www.coffswasteconference.com.au May 14-18 IFAT Munich, Germany More than 3000 exhibitors attend the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies to showcase their pioneering technologies, innovations, and strategies and solutions tailored to meet the requirements of the market in question. www.ifat.de
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 INSIDEWASTE
55
ISUZU READY-TO-WORK RANGE.
THE ONLY WAY YOUR AVERAGE UTE STACKS UP AGAINST AN ISUZU. Depending on the model you choose, Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range lets
Other touches include a telematics and sat-nav †-ready Digital Audio Visual
you carry around a tonne-and-a half (50% extra compared to your average ute).
Equipment (DAVE) unit, and a reversing cameraº. And to keep you safe, there are
And you get the flexibility of a much larger tray for handling awkward loads.
side intrusion bars, driver and passenger airbags and Isuzu Electronic Stability
Gaining all that space doesn’t mean you’ll have to give up any creature comforts, though. With direct injection turbo diesel engines and the option of a 6-speed
Control (IESC), plus four-wheel disc brakes on selected models. Best of all, you won’t have to hang around for months to get behind the wheel,
Automated Manual Transmission (AMT ), the Ready-to-Work range is sharp off the
because the Ready-to-Work range is already fitted with a body and is ready and
mark with a surprisingly car-like ride. Also, you only need a passenger car licence
waiting to drive away.
#
to drive one*. And they have a better turning circle than a lot of utes, so you won’t sacrifice manoeuvrability, either. Tipper
So if it’s time to get serious, head to isuzu.com.au or visit your nearest Isuzu Truck Dealer now.
Tradepack
Servicepack
Available most models. *Models up to 4,500kgs GVM. New bullbar shown. †Satellite Navigation standard on Tradepack. ºReversing Camera standard on Traypack, Tradepack and Servicepack. FSA/ISZ11368
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