SEPTEMBER 2020
Post-consumer loop Source Separation Systems’ Peter Cruwys on boosting Australian manufacturing with recycled content
FEATURES Recycling modernisation Australia’s WtE market Real-time analytics Levy transparency
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COVER STORY
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THE POSTCONSUMER LOOP
A recent investment from Source Separation Systems is set to boost onshore manufacturing and recycled content end-markets. Founding Director Peter Cruwys explains.
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TRANSFORMING ANALYTICS Mandalay Technologies’ Facility Analytics product is facilitating powerful analytics user experiences, enabling waste managers to navigate between KPI’s, metrics and underlying detail.
“THIS MULTISORT PROGRAM FURTHER PROVES THE VALIDITY OF AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WITH POST-CONSUMER RECYCLING AND IS A STEP TOWARDS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY NEEDED TO BOOST AUSTRALIAN SUSTAINABILITY.” - Peter Cruwys, Source Separation Systems Founding Director
In this issue
Features
20
NO TIME TO WASTE Is the Federal Government’s $190M Recycling Modernisation Fund the answer to transforming Australia’s waste and recycling capacity?
TE AND THE FIGHT 30 WAGAINST LANDFILL
HZI’s Marina Mills outlines how WtE technology is helping shape Moscow’s waste management evolution.
HE PRIVATE 24 REGULATORY DRIVERS 34 TSECTOR’S HIP To progress Australia’s WtE capabilities, government needs to drive the agenda and develop collaborative partnerships with industry. Veolia explains.
REEN ENERGY 28 GTRANSITION IN
KWINANA
Australia’s first large scale WtE facility is taking shape, marking a significant step forward for technology-driven waste processing and green energy generation in Australia.
WRIQ is taking a deep dive into government expenditure and is calling for better equity in the distribution of money across the private waste sector.
38
SOUTH WEST SOIL REGENERATION
After making a conscious decision to standardise its equipment portfolio, Camperdown Compost looked to Komptech and CEA.
SYMPHONY OF 40 AALL SORTS
By utilising advanced automated sorting on the ground floor, society can keep precious resources in circulation.
56 SHARK ATTACK
With the problem of bulky waste processing on council agendas across the country, Wastech Engineering outlines a 50-tonne packing force solution.
58 A CIRCULAR EVENT
At this year’s AWRE, delegates will explore a range of unique approaches to resource recovery.
Regulars
43 P RODUCT SHOWCASE 61 LAST WORD
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 3
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PUBLISHER
Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au
MANAGING EDITOR
Melanie Stark melanie.stark@primecreative.com.au
EDITOR
From the Editor
Obtaining social licence Waste and resource recovery facilities represent some of the most contentious land uses operating in Australia. For waste and resource recovery planning, communities must therefore be involved in determining waste and resource recovery priorities and have opportunities to participate in decision-making and long-term planning. At different stages, involvement may take the form of sharing information, consulting, entering into dialogue or providing opportunities for stakeholders to deliberate on decisions. This is particularly pertinent when it comes to waste-to-energy (WtE). While employed successfully around the world for decades, the technology is often misunderstood – conjuring up images of burning plastic and air pollution. That said, with news of green gas and a number of high-profile WtE projects underway, perceptions appear to be shifting. Western Australia is set to have two large scale facilities in operation in coming years. The first, Kwinana, is expected to process 400,000 tonnes of MSW and C&I waste each year – exporting 38 megawatts of electricity to the grid. The second, East Rockingham, is projected to process 300,000 tonnes of nonrecyclable waste and 30,000 tonnes of biosolids annually. New research from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia suggests the “looming waste crisis” is a once in a generation opportunity to embrace energy recovery as an effective way to manage waste and provide baseload power. The report states that decades of inconsistent and fragmented waste policy have held back investment in the sector, and extended reliance on landfill instead of more sustainable practices. As highlighted by Veolia’s Mark Taylor on page 24, progressing WtE adoption in Australia requires long-term partnerships between industry and governments, as well as regulatory drivers that position WtE as an alternative to landfill. Also critical is ongoing community engagement and transparency that reflects and aligns with WtE’s role in the waste hierarchy. This will work to improve trust in the sector, and in turn, accelerate social licence.
6 / WMR / September 2020
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News
Fed Govt releases Product Stewardship Act Review The Federal Government’s longawaited Product Stewardship Act 2011 review recommends expanding the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) to include all electrical and electronic products with a plug or battery. The review, which was first announced in 2017 and closed consultation in June 2018, makes 26 recommendations to improve product stewardship outcomes, all of which are supported by the Federal Government. In addition to expanding the NTCRS, the review recommends calling out manufacturers and importers that are “letting consumers and their industry down,” by not participating in a product stewardship scheme. Free-riding is a key challenge for many product stewardship approaches, the review states, and should be addressed through appropriate measures to enable better outcomes. “Companies face being named and shamed, and consumers could enjoy more options for recycling electronic goods under proposed changes to product stewardship legislation,” Environment Minister Sussan Ley said. Additional recommendations include establishing a new Centre of Excellence to mentor and drive best practice product stewardship schemes, and shifting the emphasis from stand-alone products to entire material streams. The review also suggests strengthening the Minister’s priority products list to encourage brands to work together towards an industry-led
10 / WMR / September 2020
The Fed Govt has also launched the first round of grants under the $20 million Product Stewardship Investment Fund.
scheme by adding clear timeframes. The Federal Government has also launched the first round of grants under the $20 million Product Stewardship Investment Fund, which seeks to ensure manufacturers, retailers and industry groups take greater responsibility for the entire lifecycle of the products they produce and sell. Grants of up to $1 million will be available for individual applicants to expand existing schemes or develop new ones. According to Ley, the fund is a critical part of the Federal Government’s billion-dollar recycling strategy. “We are building more capacity in our recycling sector and we need industry and brands to take greater responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts,” she said. The fund will have an initial e-waste focus, Ley added, to ensure that anything with a plug or a battery is subject to an industry scheme.
“Solar panels, batteries and even non-electronic items like child car seats all have recyclable components which shouldn’t be wasted in landfill,” she said. “As part of this game-changing investment, we will recognise those industries that get on board and call out those that don’t participate.” Assistant Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Minister Trevor Evans said product stewardship schemes would reduce the impact of products on the environment and create new job opportunities for Australians. “This funding will shift the dial in Australia as we change our mindsets to thinking about waste as a resource,” he said. “Whether it’s an old computer, half a tin of paint or an old mobile phone, we want to provide the incentives for manufacturers and organisations to turbo-charge product stewardship schemes operating across Australia.”
POST-CONSUMER
RECYCLED
CONTENT*
News
Construction set to begin on $45M Albury recycling plant Cleanaway’s Vik Bansal, Pact Group’s Sanjay Dayal and Asahi’s Robert Lervasi formally entered a joint venture agreement in August.
A new recycling plant in AlburyWodonga will increase the amount of recycled PET plastic produced in Australia each year from local waste. The decision to build the facility was confirmed 3 August after Pact Group Holdings, Cleanaway Waste Management and Asahi Beverages formally entered a joint venture to deliver the project. According to a joint statement, the project is expected to create over 300 direct and indirect jobs when construction begins. Construction will start towards the end of the year, pending approval from Albury Council, with the facility expected to be fully operational by December 2021. It is anticipated the facility will recycle the equivalent of one billion 600 millilitre PET plastic bottles each year. “The bottles will be used as a raw material to produce new bottles, plus food and beverage packaging
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in Australia to help close the loop on recycling,” the statement reads. “This will see the amount of locally sourced and recycled PET produced in Australia increase by two thirds – from around 30,000 tonnes currently to over 50,000 tonnes per annum.” Cleanaway CEO and Managing Director Vik Bansal said the partnership would create valuable raw materials from the recyclables Cleanaway collects and sorts. “Being the joint operator with TOMRA of the NSW Container Deposit Scheme has provided Cleanaway with confidence in the market to invest in this facility,” he said. “This partnership has been made possible by the NSW Government and I’d like to thank Minister Kean for his continual support. This is a natural extension of our value chain and expands our footprint of prized assets.” The $45 million facility will be located
at the Nexus Precinct, 10 kilometres north of Albury-Wodonga’s CBD in NSW. The plant will draw on the expertise of each member of the joint venture, which will trade as Circular Plastics Australia (PET). Cleanaway will provide the plastic to be recycled through its collection and sorting network, Pact will provide technical and packaging expertise, while Asahi Beverages and Pact will buy the recycled plastic from the facility to use in their packaging. According to Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation CEO Brooke Donnelly, the partnership is a testament to the “powerful impact of collaboration.” “By bringing together key roles within the plastic packaging supply chain, the partnership will ensure more PET plastic is collected, recycled and used again in future packaging – all the while reducing the strain on virgin materials and boosting a local economy with more jobs and greater opportunities,” Donnelly said. “This industry-led, decisive leadership is fundamental to ensuring the successful delivery of Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets.” The project was supported with nearly $5 million from the Environmental Trust as part of the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, funded from the waste levy. Pact Group Managing Director and CEO Sanjay Dayal thanked the NSW Government for their support, and for enabling the acceleration of investment in local processing capacity.
We live in a changing world. Low carbon footprint requirements, an increasingly complex energy system and fast technological developments characterise the reality that the energy sector is facing today and tomorrow. We work in partnership with our clients - defining your challenge and its complexity to find the best solution, together. In Kwinana south of Perth, Ramboll is as the Owner’s Engineer assisting Avertas Energy in implementing Australia’s first large-scale energy from waste facility. Once operational, the facility will recover resources and energy from municipal and commercial waste. It will significantly reduce the amount of waste taken to local landfills, hence reducing the emission of landfill gases.
IT WILL BE A FIRST IN AUSTRALIA (AND A BENCHMARK FOR SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT) See Australia’s first large-scale energy-from-waste facility come to life at www.ramboll.com/Kwinana
News
Rose Read wins WII Award Rose Read, National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) CEO, has won this year’s Woman in Industry Awards Industry Advocacy prize, for her decades-long work in the waste management and resource recovery sector. As NWRIC CEO, Read plays a pivotal role in representing the largest waste and recycling companies operating nationwide, with a turnover of more than $6 billion per year and employing over 15,000 people. This year’s judging panel, which included six long-standing women in industry advocates, noted that Read’s depth of policy knowledge and operational experience has delivered measurable benefit and noteworthy outcomes over many years. “To be nominated for this award is an honour in itself. And to win such an award highlights the importance of industry advocacy and my contribution to much needed waste management and resource recovery outcomes for Australia,” Read said. “I never underestimate the generosity of my peers and the other industry stakeholders in being recognised for such an award.” Now in its seventh year, the Women in Industry Awards recognise and reward the achievements of women working within the waste management, engineering, manufacturing, process control and commercial road transport industries. The awards aim to raise the profile of women within industry, and this year
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As NWRIC CEO, Rose Read plays a pivotal role in representing the largest waste and recycling companies operating nationwide.
saw a record number of nominations. “We saw nominations from some of Australia’s largest businesses, through to smaller companies that expressed the same large size of pride on the work their female staff contributed,” judge Kelly Godeau, AMGC Director, Corporate Affaires said. “The level of commitment these nominees dedicated to their roles exceeded what would be deemed necessary.” Similarly, judge Kylie Fahey of Quarrying Australia, said there was a real breath of experience in all categories. Reflecting on the award, Read said she thrives on the opportunity to work closely with committed waste management and recycling companies that seek to make a difference and
deliver an essential service to the public and businesses nationwide. “Being able to operationalise the National Waste Policy Action Plan into real-world resource recovery benefits and best practice waste management is a major highlight about working in the industry,” she said. When asked what advice she would offer to someone starting out in the sector, Read highlighted the importance of understanding your subject matter, building consensus and operating with integrity and ethics. “Constantly learn through formal and informal education, and always respect and consider alternative views as you move through your career,” she added. Looking forward, Read said it’s critical to continue furthering NWRIC’s objectives. “There is still a lot more to do and the industry has so much to offer in terms of policy reform and implementation,” she said. “I’d also like to activate the widespread uptake of product stewardship across industries, products and materials.” Judging panel: Angela Gaylard, Tradeswomen Australia, Christine Gibbs-Stewart, Austmine, Hayley Rohrlach, AECOM, Melissa Donald, NAWO, Kylie Fahey, Institute of Quarrying Australia, Kelly Godeau, AMGC director. To see a full list of 2020’s Women in Industry award winners head to: https:// womeninindustry.com.au/.
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COVER STORY
The post-consumer loop A RECENT INVESTMENT FROM SOURCE SEPARATION SYSTEMS IS SET TO BOOST ONSHORE MANUFACTURING AND RECYCLED CONTENT ENDMARKETS. FOUNDING DIRECTOR PETER CRUWYS EXPLAINS.
I
n the wake of COVID-19, associated supply chain disruptions and economic downturn, a renewed focus on the importance of onshore manufacturing has emerged. For companies dependent on products coming in from overseas, the halt of imports and exports sent a domino of delays through various industries, further highlighting the benefits of onshore solutions. This comes amidst the backdrop of a rapidly changing waste sector, with the first round of export bans set to come into effect 1 January 2021. While the bans are largely a reaction to China’s National Sword policy, they
too foreground the need to invest in domestic manufacturing and recycled content end-markets. Sitting at the intersection of these two key national issues is waste management solutions provider Source Separation Systems, which in late June, announced a move to Australian based manufacturing. With an investment of over $250,000 in industrial design and manufacturing capability, Source Separation Systems has equipped a Melbourne manufacturing plant with the capability to manufacture the company’s MultiSort Office Bin Bases and organic Kitchen Caddies.
The Department of Defence recently committed to a rollout of Source Separation Systems’ MultiSort bins across all its sites and facilities.
16 / WMR / September 2020
Repurposing manufacturing equipment previously used in the Australian car industry, the initiative is also supporting up to 30 Australian jobs in both Newcastle and Melbourne, which is expected to increase as production continues to ramp up, and new products are integrated. “We all know how much of an impact the cessation of car manufacturing had on the Australian economy and job market,” Peter Cruwys, Source Separation Systems Founding Director, says. “It’s a privilege for us to be able to play our part and ensure that these skills are maintained and manufacturing continues to grow in Australia.” In addition to onshoring it’s manufacturing process, Source Separation Systems has committed to using 100 per cent post-consumer recycled content to produce its MultiSort bases. According to Cruwys, one of the most critical challenges for Australia’s recycling industry is ensuring people are confident that the waste they carefully separate will be recycled. “It’s a really powerful message to be able to tell users that their MultiSort bases are made from some of the recycling items collected,” he says. “It is such a powerful motivator to recycle. In the future, we hope to be able to localise programs, so that
Source Separation Systems is using 100 per cent postconsumer recycled content to produce its MultiSort bases.
the bins are made of recycled content collected as part of each specific business program.”
CENTRALISED SEPERATION Source Separation Systems, an Australian family owned business, was founded by Cruwys over a decade ago. After university, Cruwys spent several years working overseas as a national sales manager for Europe’s largest coffee and vending machine manufacture. He explains that on his return, he felt a renewed appreciation for “our beautiful country.” Shaped by this experience, Cruwys became passionate about ensuring Australians have access to the same world class products he had experienced overseas. Products which make it easier for everyone to live more sustainably, he says. Source Separation Systems has grown significantly ever since, as an increasing number of Australian communities and businesses look to a more sustainable approach to waste diversion in their industries. The company began with food waste bins and Australian Certified Compost-A-Pak bags, and now offers a wide range of products for councils,
hospitals, schools and domestic dwellings. They also operate community asset auditing, FOGO rollout and distribution programs and retrofit recycling solutions. While Source Separation Systems’ food waste bins and compostable bags are still a central tenant of its operations, the company is perhaps now best known for the aforementioned MultiSort Recycling system. The system is designed for offices to optimise recycling by providing centralised site-specific recycling streams which, with the right processing facilities, can be used to eliminate waste to landfill. As a first of its kind in the Australian market, Cruwys recognised that while most offices at the time were using desk side bins, the key to effective resource recovery lies in separation at the point of generation. As such, each stream is coloured in Australian standard colours and features differentiated apertures around which educational text and graphic symbols are printed. This information is printed directly onto the lid for durability. These features ensure people instantly recognise each stream without training, and also allows the lids to be wiped
clean or disinfected without the risk of the dreaded sticker edges peeling. “When we started 13 years ago everything was imported. We developed partnerships with the largest manufactures of this style of equipment in the UK and North America, and from there began building our own product offering,” Cruwys says. “We recognised that with the MultiSort bins, while we had the base units available to us internationally, no one had the right coloured lids. We then began moulding and manufacturing our own lids to suite the UK manufacture’s bases.” From there, the process evolved, with the MultiSort bases now manufactured in Melbourne. The bases are manufactured from either polypropylene or low-density polypropylene, Cruwys explains, which is collected as common recycling items such as milk containers, food packaging and plastic bags, often in the very bins being manufactured. The material is primarily sourced from Melbourne’s post-consumer plastic waste, which comes through yellow kerbside bins. “We supply products to help people source separate their waste, so it’s
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 17
COVER STORY
important that we can take some of that waste and return it back into the product,” Cruwys says. “It’s a great feeling to be able to sit with Australia’s largest commercial office owners and say these bins are being made from the materials disposed of in them. “Most large corporations have significant sustainability strategies these days, and this is a small part that we can play in those strategies.” The bins have also been re-modelled based on customer feedback, Cruwys says. He explains that Source Separation Systems have removed the external handles and built them internally into the bin. “It’s a sleeker solution and more artistic design than the traditional MultiSort,” he says.
POST-CONSUMER DEFENCE Cruwys explains that Source Separation Systems’ investment in onshore manufacturing was a conscious decision based on the team’s belief in the importance of reutilising postconsumer waste. “If we were thinking purely in economic terms, we would never have done it. We’ve spent a quarter of a million dollars on fulfilment, infrastructure and set-up to make it work in Australia,” he says. “We could have continued importing the bins, however, we’ve been preaching about the importance of recycled content end-markets for 13 years, so it was something that needed to happen.” It would seem that the investment was a sound one, with the Department of Defence (DOD) recently committing to a rollout of MultiSort bins across all its sites and facilities. “The DOD were looking at an optimisation project with its commercial contractor Veolia and trialled a number of solutions,” Cruwys says. “One of those solutions was our
18 / WMR / September 2020
sixty-litre MultiSort bins, which they trialled at a number of bases last year. Ultimately this proved to be the most successful option.” One of the key drivers for the DOD was Source Separation Systems’ commitment to making the product out of Australian recycled content. “It was a great confidence boost for us in terms of knowing that we were making the right decision to invest money in this project,” Cruwys says. “For a large government organisation like the DOD to utilised 100 per cent post-consumer recycled content, it goes a long way towards helping them achieve their waste reduction and sustainability goals” According to Paul Anderson from the DOD, Veolia has been providing waste and recycling solutions to the department for over six years. “These waste and recycling solutions are delivered through a shared commitment to improve waste disposal options, product stewardship, build partnerships that are innovative, and enhance sustainability outcomes,” he says. “The DOD, through their partnership with Veolia, is committed to exploring opportunities to minimise waste and incorporate recycled content into their supply chains.” With a shared commitment to maximising resource recovery, Veolia and the DOD commenced the introduction of an enhanced recycling program in 2018 that uses waste collection containers manufactured by Source Separation Systems. “The recycling program not only enhances Defence’s landfill diversion performance, this investment in local manufacturing has supported Source Separation Systems to develop a product line that contains 100 per cent post-consumer recycled content,” Anderson says. “This outcome increases the uptake
of recycled material across supply chains and embodies our joint commitment to promoting a circular economy in the waste and recycling industry” The DOD’s MultiSort commitment falls in line with recent industry calls for wider government procurement of recycled content products. When the Federal Government announced its $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund in July, for example, Australian Council of Recycling CEO Pete Shmigel said the investment would help accelerate domestic recycling industry sustainability. He added, however, that the next step for governments, corporations and the community was to ‘buy recycled.’ “Lighthouse projects using recycled content materials are needed so that the community can see the positive results of their on-going participation,” Shmigel said. Cruwys expresses similar sentiments, highlighting that while government interventions such as the Recycling Modernisation Fund and National Packaging Targets aim to increase recycled content product usage, the challenge of ensuring the infrastructure and appetite is available in Australia remains. Australia’s long-term sustainability success therefore lies in industry innovation, backed-up by willing and resource recovery minded businesses and government agencies. “This MultiSort program further proves the validity of Australian manufacturing with post-consumer recycling and is a step towards the circular economy needed to boost Australian sustainability,” Cruwys says. “With today’s consumers more environmentally conscious, Source Separation Systems hopes to see fellow Australian businesses and consumers embracing their Australian 100 per cent recycled product.”
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UP FRONT
No time to waste IS THE FED GOVT’S $190M RECYCLING MODERNISATION FUND THE ANSWER TO TRANSFORMING WASTE AND RECYCLING CAPACITY? BRITTANY COLES SPEAKS WITH JOSH WILSON ABOUT THE REFORM NEEDED TO DEAL WITH AUSTRALIA’S WASTE CRISIS.
“L
et’s be clear, recycling and reprocessing infrastructure is only one part of the major reform needed to deal with Australia’s waste crisis,” Shadow Assistant Environment Minister Josh Wilson says. Waste Management Review sat down with Wilson shortly after the Federal Government announced its $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) in early July. According to the Federal Government, the RMF will generate $600 million in recycling investment and drive a billion-dollar transformation of Australia’s waste and recycling capacity. Sussan Ley, Federal Environment Minister, said the investment is part of a national strategy to change the way Australia looks at waste, while growing the economy, protecting the environment and reaching a national resource recovery target of 80 per cent by 2030. “As we cease shipping our waste overseas, the waste and recycling transformation will reshape our domestic waste industry, driving job creation and putting valuable materials back into the economy,” she said. Wilson says Australia needs national leadership through effective policy and matching resources. “You can’t say those things have been delivered in full yet and the waste crisis is well and truly with us,” he says. So far, the Federal Government has commissioned an independent
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analysis that shows Australia may require a 400 per cent increase in recycling infrastructure capacity to cope with additional waste following the export ban. Wilson says Australia has less capacity for plastic reprocessing today than it did in 2005. He adds that there has been an absence of investment at the national level for some time. “The RMF is certainly welcome, but time will tell. The Commonwealth has committed to one third of the funding, so it will require participation from the states and industry,” Wilson notes. The RMF will support innovative
investment in new infrastructure to sort, process and remanufacture materials such as mixed plastic, paper, tyres and glass. “We now have to see the actual proposals of infrastructure projects developed and come forward from this stage,” Wilson says. “The question now is how will that occur from a timing point of view and how quickly will that infrastructure come on stream.” Just over a week after the RMF announcement, Ley announced a partnership between the Australian and ACT Governments to provide
Environment Minister Sussan Ley says the RMF will reshape Australia’s domestic waste industry.
Josh Wilson, Shadow Assistant Environment Minister, says Australia needs to approach the waste crisis from every direction.
$21 million to the ACT’s MRF under the fund. She said the upgrade would facilitate better separation and processing of paper, glass and plastic, and in turn, create higher quality recycled products. Wilson says as a nation, Australia knows it needs new infrastructure. “But we’re a big country. It has to be at the right scale to work,” he says. National coordination will be essential, Wilson says. He adds that the challenge lies in infrastructure location and how different states and territories have access to the infrastructure they need. “This is why we need national leadership, rather than leaving it to the states and territories.” TURBOCHARGED CAPACITY “Resilience, self-sufficiency, and sustainability should be objectives in all areas of Australian life, especially for waste and resource recovery,” Wilson says. “You essentially have to approach the waste crisis from every direction.” The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of
Australia (WMRR) welcomed the new fund but noted that to “turbo charge” Australia’s recycling capacity, several other elements have to be driven now, and driven at full throttle. Gayle Sloan, WMRR CEO, says key to the success of the RMF will be states matching with new funds as well, not rebadging existing monies. Wilson says Sloan is right in advocating for all elements to be driven at full throttle. “Infrastructure is one side, but we also need action on procurement because that demand side of this picture needs more work,” he says. Wilson draws on Australia’s scale when saying resource recovery requirements will be different across regions. “The states have been quite good in recognising their own needs and now it’s up to national leadership to turbocharge a circular economy and build towards the infrastructure and demands that are required in a strategic way” he says. The nature of Australia’s waste crisis is not new, Wilson says the nation has been aware of challenges in the sector
for a long time. “Australia has always risen to the challenge both at a community and industry level when it comes to progressive change and innovation,” he says. Wilson is proud of the nation’s appetite for less waste. He says community and local governments are crying out for the opportunity to reduce waste and the final piece of the puzzle is federal policy. DOMESTIC MARKETS “Industry knows we need action across the full waste-to-resource-tomanufacturing cycle,” Wilson says. He believes that requires innovation to design-out waste and design-in re-use and recycling, as well as further product stewardship reform. “It requires further improvements to collection and sorting, and infrastructure for recycling and reprocessing infrastructure; and it requires procurement to support demand at a necessary scale to kick-off what should be a job-creating surge in Australian manufacturing.” Wilson highlights positive steps
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 21
UP FRONT
Australia may require a 400 per cent increase in recycling infrastructure capacity to cope with the additional waste from the export ban.
forward, especially the Federal Government’s long-awaited Product Stewardship Act 2011 review, which was released 9 July this year, just three days after the RMF announcement. “The devil is in the detail though; we are still in a waste crisis. At the moment, whilst these export bans come into effect and we draw closer to the National Waste Policy targets, we can’t be complacent,” he says. Ley agrees that the government needs to strongly pursue National Waste Policy Action Plan targets in order to remodel waste management, which is why the Commonwealth has invested $35 million to implement its commitments under the Plan. “We need manufacturers and industry to take a genuine stewardship role that helps create a sustainable circular economy,” she says. Trevor Evans, Assistant Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Minister, says that the unparalleled expansion of Australia’s recycling capacity followed close
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consultation with industry. “Companies are already moving, with The Pact Group announcing a $500 million investment in facilities, research and technology, Coca-Cola Amatil committing to new recycling targets, and Pact, Cleanaway and Asahi Beverages establishing a $30 million recycling facility in Albury.” National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) CEO Rose Read says the RMF will rapidly scale up Australia’s paper, plastic, glass and tyre recycling capacity. Read says that Australia must have strong local demand for recycled materials to maximise the potential return on investment of recycling infrastructure. “Whether making packaging, products, roads or buildings, each project engineer, each product manager and each designer should be encouraged, supported and equipped by these organisations to ask how can I replace virgin material with recycled material?” Read says.
She adds that the industry is looking forward to working with the Federal Government and its state counterparts to build more productive and resilient resource recovery infrastructure. The Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) has also welcomed the planned investment in resource recovery infrastructure – labelling the RMF a “massive milestone for recycling.” According to ACOR, the RMF marks the joint participation of the Commonwealth, states and territories and industry on a mutual investment basis, with an emphasis on ‘pulling’ new products, rather than ‘pushing’ through material collection. Pete Shmigel, ACOR CEO, says the next key step for the transformation of Australian recycling industry and to meet Australians’ expectation that their efforts stack up is ‘buying recycled’ by governments, corporations and the community. “More recycling factories only make sense when there is demand for their recycled content products, such [as] roads and packaging,” he says. Shmigel says with ambitious National Waste Policy targets only 4 years away, it’s time governments put money, such as the $1.5 billion collected from the community in landfill levies, “where their mouths are.” Wilson is on the same page and says talk is cheap. He adds that we need more substance to transform Australian recycling and help make it domestically sustainable. “Identifying programs to drive a billion-dollar transformation of Australia’s waste and recycling capacity is important,” Wilson says. “But it’s time to get the skates on and get funding to action really quickly considering 2025 is only 4 and a half years away.”
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FEATURED TOPIC – WASTE-TO-ENERGY
Regulatory drivers
Construction on Western Australia’s Kwinana WtE facility is expected to be complete by late 2021, with Veolia to operate and maintain the facility under a 25-year contract.
TO PROGRESS AUSTRALIA’S WASTE-TO-ENERGY CAPABILITIES, GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO HELP DRIVE THE AGENDA. VEOLIA AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND’S MARK TAYLOR EXPLAINS.
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recent report from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia suggests a lack of scale, social licence and impetus for change has led to waste-toenergy (WtE) and other forms of advanced waste processing being underutilised in Australia. “Decades of inconsistent and fragmented waste policy have held back investment in the sector and extended reliance on landfill instead of more sustainable practices,” the report reads. Furthermore, the report highlights WtE not as a form of waste disposal, but rather an opportunity to extract value from waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill. Western Australia’s Kwinana WtE facility – the first large-scale thermal combustion facility in Australia – is
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cited as a positive example of progress. The $698 million project, which was co-developed by Macquarie Capital and Phoenix Energy, will convert 400,000 tonnes of post-recycling household and C&I waste into baseload energy to the grid – with a total output capacity of 36 megawatts, enough electricity to power around 50,000 households. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2021, with Veolia Australia and New Zealand to operate and maintain the facility under a 25year contract. “Most of the regulation in Australia is looking at European best practice in terms of legislation and technology solutions,” Mark Taylor, Head of Solid Waste Treatment for Veolia Australia and New Zealand says. “Veolia is relatively technology
agnostic in terms of specific solutions, but what is very clear from our portfolio and experience is an understanding of what works best in different circumstances.” Sustainability Victoria’s 2019 Resource Recovery Technology Guide, for instance, shows that combustion processes have been widely deployed for processing waste materials across the globe and have the strongest technical and commercial track record of all residual waste treatment technologies. The guide cites European examples where energy recovery facilities (ERF) are coupled with recycling schemes to achieve resource recovery and landfill diversions rates of about 75 per cent. In the UK for example, recycling and ERF form part of an integrated focus on building a circular economy.
Veolia owns and operates 11 of the some 47 ERFs within the UK and since 2011, as WtE rates have increased, so has recycling – up from 5 per cent in 2001 to 43 per cent in 2019. In 2019 alone, landfill dropped to just 11 per cent of all waste management strategies within the UK. To progress Australia’s capabilities in this space, however, Taylor stresses the need for the government to drive the agenda, in partnership with private enterprise and local communities. According to the Infrastructure Partnerships Australia report, there is a lack of clarity and consistency around government attitudes towards WtE technologies. “The lack of a nationally coordinated approach means that, even if investors and operators can proceed with a WtE facility in one jurisdiction, developing similar projects in other jurisdictions will require a whole new approach, bringing additional cost and complexity to project development,” the report reads. “Many of these projects are complex to build and operate, with major risks across feedstock demand, energy supply, and other factors.” Taylor expresses similar sentiments, noting that the primary driver for the development of WtE facilities in Europe has been regulatory. “There are very different practical drivers between Europe and Australia. This includes regulatory frameworks promoting the circular economy, source separation, and recovery of organics and recyclables prior to landfilling or WtE.” In contrast, Taylor suggests that Australian governments have been tentative in relation to waste and environmental legislation, although that is starting to change. He adds that while landfill will inevitably always have a place in the waste management ecosystem, when employed correctly,
Mark Taylor says Veolia would like to see stronger federal action around product stewardship schemes.
WtE technology can produce better environmental outcomes. “When landfill is managed properly in respect to environmental controls and efficient gas capture it can be a sustainable and cost effective solution. Essentially, Veolia sees that any technology and/or solution which returns the value of waste and reduces its environmental impact will help Australia to develop it’s circular economy capability,” Taylor says. “As such, WtE is a viable option that should be explored. “Ultimately, it’s a question of public and political acceptance of WtE as an alternative. “Taking the time to educate and bring the community along as part of that process will be crucial to WtE’s success.” Taylor explains that for success in the WtE sphere, comprehensive strategies around higher order uses need to be established first. “You have to maximise regulatory and practical methods to remove as much waste through higher order solutions as you possibly can,” he says. According to Taylor, this is critical for two key reasons. First, WtE should function only as an alternative to
landfill and not stand in the way of resource recovery. “Second, if there are not wider waste strategies in place, you may be building capacity for a problem that won’t be there in the future as regulatory interventions are introduced,” he says. Taylor adds that in the UK, WtE facilities were built before there was food organics collection infrastructure in place. “When you extract the organics out of the waste stream, it changes the feedstock and therefore how the plant behaves,” Taylor says. “This creates a number of technological challenges, thereby highlighting the importance of getting regulation around higher order uses right.” To achieve wider waste management surety, and moreover creation of a truly circular economy, Veolia also sees that a strong focus on product stewardship is critical “To deliver tangible recycling outcomes, extender producer liability or product stewardship schemes either need to be mandatory, or have the Federal Government step in when they fail to operate as they should,” he says. BEST PRACTICE COLLABORATION Whether in Australia, the UK or Europe, Taylor explains that the majority of Veolia’s solutions have been delivered in partnership with local governments as an infrastructure solution for the community. “Government and industry partners go on the journey together in terms of community engagement and political support,” he says. “We’d like to see more local and state government direction in terms of the strategy around waste management infrastructure, not just for the next five years, but for well into our future.” When Veolia embarked on the development of the Woodlawn
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FEATURED TOPIC – WASTE-TO-ENERGY
Eco-Precinct over 20 years ago, for example, it was a complete step-change for government in their approach to waste and resource management. Furthermore, the facility earmarked a disused zinc and copper mine located in the rural community of Tarago, meaning consultation, transparency and partnerships were needed to build trust that the facility would be a valuable addition to the region. The success of Woodlawn and its continued evolution as a model for the circular economy can be attributed to best-practice collaboration with the government and local community from inception, through to implementation and its continued evolution. Since commencement of operations in 2005, 8.3 million tonnes of waste has been processed at the Woodlawn Eco-Precinct and organic materials are now being recovered for mine site rehabilitation through Mechanical Biological Treatment. Over 360,000 megawatt hours of energy has been generated on site through the Bioenergy Power Station and Solar Farm, which is enough
“Veolia is relatively technology agnostic in terms of specific solutions, but what is very clear from our portfolio is an understanding of what works best in different circumstances.” Mark Taylor Head of Solid Waste Treatment Veolia Australia and New Zealand
electricity to power a town the size of Goulburn. Within that time, $11.5 million in local grants have also been delivered through the Veolia Mulwaree Trust. “Australia once again finds itself at a precipice for the next phase in our approach to recovering the value of waste as part of our transition towards a circular economy,” Taylor says. There must be a focus on the entire waste life-cycle and government must take the lead.” This mirrors, as Taylor explains, the UK experience, where most successful examples of WtE delivery
Over 360,000 megawatt hours of energy has been generated at Veolia’s Woodlawn site through the Bioenergy Power Station and Solar Farm.
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have been achieved in partnership with government. “Only very recently has there been merchant facilities developed in the UK, and that’s a result of the demise of landfill space. All of the first plants were developed on the back of longterm partnership agreements with local governments and a transparent focus on working with local communities and neighbours,” Taylor says. Industry and government partnerships will also go a long way towards gaining social licence, Taylor says. He adds that obtaining social licence to operate is often a deciding factor of whether a WtE project successfully gets off the ground. This makes it critical that WtE proponents select the right strategic partners to gain approvals, develop and then operate and maintain a facility. “It’s about listening to and being transparent with the community, so every stakeholder can make an informed view, based on better understanding of the solutions,” Taylor says. “Veolia sees that providing local communities with the correct and factual information, keeping the doors to our facilities open, and designing solutions in partnership with the community go a long way to build confidence and trust that this technology is safe and sustainable.”
FEATURED TOPIC – WASTE-TO-ENERGY
Green energy transition in Kwinana AUSTRALIA’S FIRST LARGE SCALE WASTE-TO-ENERGY FACILITY IS TAKING SHAPE SOUTH OF PERTH, MARKING A STEP FORWARD FOR TECHNOLOGYDRIVEN GREEN ENERGY GENERATION IN AUSTRALIA.
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vertas Energy’s facility is under construction in the Kwinana Industrial Area, 40 kilometres south of Perth’s central business district. When it opens in late 2021, the facility is expected to process 400,000 tonnes of municipal solid, commercial and industrial waste – residual waste not suited for recovery or recycling – under agreements with local governments and other providers in the city’s greater metropolitan area. It has been a long road for Waste-toEnergy (WtE) to reach Australia and Avertas Energy has been a trailblazer in securing appropriate government approvals and building awareness, educating and informing the community about this technology. Avertas Energy will use Keppel Seghers moving grate technology which underpins modern WtE facilities that have been operating in Europe, the US and Japan for decades. It is recognised as a proven and robust method, with moving tiles that push refuse through the boiler in an automated and controlled manner. The facility features dual grate/boiler trains that convert energy from the waste into a high pressure steam that is sent to a steam turbine/generator system to produce electricity. The facility will export 38 megawatts of electricity – enough to power circa 52,000 households – to the local grid. It includes a highly advanced flue
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Avertas Energy will use Keppel Seghers moving grate technology which underpins modern WtE facilities that have been operating in Europe, the US and Japan for decades.
gas cleaning system to reduce and remove pollutants going into the atmosphere. Additionally, the emissions will be subject to a continuous emissions monitoring system that reports emissions online. This stringent monitoring ensures emissions and local air quality remains within limits set by the Western Australian Government, which are aligned with the European Union Industrial Emissions Directive, which is considered the most stringent globally. WtE is considered to be a vital part
of the circular economy as it recovers much of the embodied energy within residual waste that is not suited for recovery or recycling. The process diverts waste from landfill and enables recovery of valuable metals. The final output of the WtE process is fly ash and bottom ash, both of which are collected within the facility. Bottom ash is a useful construction material as it offers perfect structural properties. It has been used for road construction purposes in some countries in Europe for decades. Both ash types are useful
materials for construction aggregates and Avertas Energy is in discussions with potential partners that will ensure complete diversion from landfill of all by-products of the WtE process. WtE plays a central role in the waste hierarchy and – in conjunction with avoidance and reduction, re-use and recycling – supports government targets to divert waste from landfill and work towards carbon neutrality. “Efficient WtE plants belong to the recovery category as they turn nonreusable and non-recyclable waste into energy, thereby reducing the need for landfilling and reducing environmental impacts,” Niels Jakobsen, Ramboll Senior Project Manager and Market Director WtE Australia says. “That’s why WtE technology has been an integrated part of waste management systems in many European countries for decades.” SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY During the construction and then operational phase, Avertas Energy is supporting the local economy, providing hundreds of construction
jobs and ongoing roles. “Construction of our facility has created about 800 full-time equivalent jobs during the three-year construction period,” Frank Smith, Avertas Energy CEO says. “Once operational, we expect it will provide about 60 people with FTE opportunities in science, technology, engineering, corporate and operational roles.” Avertas Energy is a co-development between Macquarie Capital and the Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF). The project reached financial close in October 2018 and is expected to be operational by the end of 2021. Acciona is the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contractor of the facility and Operations and Maintenance services will be provided by Veolia under a 25year agreement. Internationally recognised WtE consultant Ramboll was engaged during the development phase and now, as the Owner’s Engineer, is tasked with delivering design review, site inspections and commissioning supervision throughout the project.
“We appreciate we’re doing something that has not been done here before, bringing a new technology and new way of responding to the challenges of waste management to Australia carries with it a high level of responsibility,” Smith says. “Our project is backed by international expertise to design, build and construct, and Ramboll has been central in providing robust and sound advice to the project. We’re looking forward to making an important contribution to waste management solutions in Western Australia.” Avertas Energy will set the bar for WtE facilities nationally, playing a dual role of introducing a new technology for the first time to Australia and supporting all levels of government to achieve both landfill diversion and carbon emission reduction targets. With a community increasingly interested and aware of how waste is generated and treated, Avertas Energy is in an ideal position to educate and inform the public on the waste hierarchy, and the role energy recovery plays in it.
Internationally recognised WtE consultant Ramboll was engaged during the development phase and now, as the Owner’s Engineer, is tasked with delivering design review, site inspections and commissioning supervision throughout the project.
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FEATURED TOPIC – WASTE-TO-ENERGY
Each Moscow plant will feature three lines of HZI grates, as well as the company’s patented flue gas treatment system.
WtE and the fight against landfill HITACHI ZOSEN INOVA’S MARINA MILLS OUTLINES HOW WASTE-TO-ENERGY TECHNOLOGY IS HELPING SHAPE MOSCOW’S WASTE MANAGEMENT EVOLUTION.
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oscow, a city of 12.5 million people, produces the largest amount of municipal solid waste in Russia. Historically, most of that waste has ended up in large landfills inherited from the Soviet Union, which are often located in highly populated areas. Based on published statistics, there are circa 400 kilograms of municipal solid waste attributable per person per annum in Russia, or a total of 60 million tonnes each year. That number is forecast to grow to 500 kilograms per person by 2025. “95 per cent of the waste is not treated but landfilled in Russia,” Hitachi Zosen Inova’s (HZI) Marina Mills says. “Landfills take up one million hectares of land around Moscow and circa four million hectares across Russia. Most – estimated at 80 per cent – are full and are closing or will be closing soon.” Environmental awareness has been
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steadily growing in Russia over the last decade. In 2017, the country faced large protests organised in 30 regions against illegal waste dumping. In the summer of 2017, for example, Kuchino landfill, one of the largest serving the Moscow region, was closed due to overcapacity and pollution concerns. In 2018, the Russian Government approved a national project for ecology. The project sets a target that 60 per cent of all solid waste will be processed by 2024, with 36 per cent recovered, reused or recycled. In alignment with the new project for ecology, four waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities are set to be constructed across the Moscow region in coming years, with Russia’s Green Tariff program making these projects more attractive for investors. The four WtE facilities will be constructed by HZI, in collaboration with consortium partner ZiO-Podolsk.
Through the consortium, HZI acts as combustion and flue gas treatment technology suppliers, while ZiOPodolsk will deliver manufacturing services for power island equipment. “With more than 600 WtE references worldwide, HZI is one of the world’s leading designers, suppliers and manufacturer of WtE technology,” Mills says. “We are proud of being able to collaboratively work with our consortium partner, notwithstanding some territorial, cultural and language differences.” Mills explains that ZiO-Podolsk brings local experience, expertise and the ability to manufacture high quality equipment locally. “We look forward to growing and strengthening this partnership in the future,” she says. Each facility will process 700,000 metric tonnes of waste and generate 70 megawatts of electricity for the grid. Mills explains that this will supply
circa 400,000 residents in the Moscow region. Construction of the first facility is well underway, she adds, and is progressing reasonably considering the challenges presented by COVID-19. The second facility also received its Notice to Proceed in June 2020. Thermal waste treatment will be used to recover energy and material from non-recyclable waste, Mills says. She adds that the process will convert waste into energy and reduce material volumes by 80 per cent. “Thanks to continuous optimisation, today’s grate combustion is the most advanced technology for the treatment of non-recyclable waste with regard to environmental friendliness, operating reliability, flexibility and cost effectiveness,” Mills says. More specifically, each Moscow plant will have three lines with HZI designed reciprocating grates, as well as the company’s patented flue gas treatment system: DyNOR-SNCR for NOx reduction. “The state-of-the-art grate combustion and dry flue gas technologies developed in-house by HZI are specially designed for the thermal treatment of municipal solid waste,” Mills says. “It allows HZI plants to process large variations and quantities of waste in compliance with the strictest environmental regulations, such as the European Union’s 2018 Emission Directive, reliably.”
“This is the same standard against which HZI is currently building the East Rockingham WtE project in Perth, Western Australia,” she says. “Additionally – we have kept in mind the potential for standardisation of multiple WtE plants built in Russia to address waste management issues effectively and efficiently in future, as well as our ability to reliably maintain technology should it be required.” LESSONS FOR EAST ROCKINGHAM WTE FACILITY Mills, who lead commercial contracts negotiations on behalf of HZI for the East Rockingham WtE facility, says as Australia’s WtE market expands, the country should look towards international experience and best practise. “In Russia, for example, the introduction of the Green Tariff applicable to electricity produced by WtE plants has focused the development of the Moscow projects,” she says. “Governmental support, landfill taxes and WtE grants provide a level of certainty to us, as technology providers, that the market understands modern WtE technology and the need for it. “However, continuous raising awareness of it in general public and involving local communities cannot be underestimated.” The Australian market has particular challenges, Mills says, such as individual state regulations and variance in council waste volume sizes, as well as the
The four Moscow WtE facilities will be constructed by HZI, in collaboration with consortium partner ZiO-Podolsk.
location of Australia. “As a consequence, each project needs local knowledge, stakeholder information and a good understanding of the local waste composition to allow for WtE projects and affordable gatefees,” she says. Mills adds that HZI’s international experience presents opportunities to evaluate the differences and similarities in standards applicable to construction of WtE facility globally. Furthermore, she says to grow WtE in Australia, further source separation of organics, recyclables and residual waste is key. Mills explains that in collaboration with composting facilities, HZI’s Kompogas dry anaerobic digestion systems can produce renewable energy in the form of biogas, which can then be used for natural gas grid injection. “We aim for as much waste as possible to be recycled, but there will always be a non-recyclable fraction of waste,” Mills says. “WtE is a clean and safe solution for municipal solid waste that cannot be further recycled. “In addition, it allows recycling of aggregates and metals which would normally be lost in landfills.” HZI is also preparing for the renewable future with its power-to-gas solution EtoGas, which transforms surplus electricity from intermittent sources such as wind and solar to hydrogen. “Together with carbon dioxide, we can synthesize renewable methane. Considering the large Australian footprint available for wind and solar, we can see a future where Australia becomes fully sustainable and a net exporter of renewable energy,” Mills says. “This aligns with HZI’s vision of the world moving away from landfills, that account for 8 per cent of the total greenhouse emissions, to a circular economy.”
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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – SOFTWARE
Data as intelligence MANDALAY TECHNOLOGIES’ FACILITY ANALYTICS PRODUCT IS ALLOWING USERS TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN KPI’S, METRICS AND UNDERLYING DETAIL.
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he need to develop more extensive and accurate waste data has been highlighted in both the NSW 20-Year Waste Strategy Issues Paper and Victorian Government’s new Circular Economy policy. Specifically, Victoria’s policy notes that a shift to a circular economy relies on high-quality and transparent data, which at present, is lacking. Add to this the fact that the Federal Government’s 2016 State of the Environment Report – the most recently undertaken – draws on data from 2013, and one notes a widespread issue. While these instances address data from a waste policy and regulatory perspective, Simon Kalinowski, Mandalay Technologies CEO, says comprehensive and accurate data is critical at every level. “Quality data is the bedrock for good decision making. Operating
without it can leave organisations vulnerable to making poor and expensive decisions or lose their competitive edge,” he explains. “Unfortunately, the waste industry in Australia is severely underutilising data, partly due to lack of quality data, failure in compliance processes, a lack of proper implementation of reporting and analytics strategies, or a combination of these.” To boost facility manager’s ability to access and leverage data, Mandalay has developed a new Facility Analytics & Reporting product. Utilising Mandalay’s existing naus Intelligence platform and Microsoft Power BI, the product facilitates a big picture view of facility operations– right down to the minute detail of individual transactions. With real data, analysis and insights, Kalinowski says local government authorities and waste managers can better plan
Operational reporting provides users with an intuitive interface to generate and export tabular style reports based on transactional data.
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and track their strategies for waste diversion, landfill reduction and support planning for new facilities. “Traditionally, waste facility operators have one transacting system, which multiple stakeholders will then use to extract data from. From there, numerous excel spreadsheets are created for different reporting purposes,” Kalinowski says. This creates a myriad of issues, namely, that as with any degree of manual reporting, the data’s integrity and history is lost. “What you’re reporting on changes and evolves. When it’s open to manual adjustment and effort, you inevitability lose some of the integrity of that information, which creates conflicts in reporting,” he says. “We’ve seen a need from our customers to give them a single point of data truth, which in turn boosts efficiency from a regulatory, financial and mass flow reporting perspective.” By providing a single point of truth, users can drill in from a high-level report through to the specific data that makes it up – all within two or three clicks. This in turn provides a high level of confidence and trust in the data. Using a combination of dashboards and detailed reporting capabilities, the Facility Analytics & Reporting product enables flexible access to data across facilities, while maintaining security, such as user permissions, data backup and recovery. “The product was born over the past 12 months, as we really started to drive our data and analytic
The software also allows users to view information using a mix of the latest visualisation components and navigation controls.
capabilities,” Hendrik Venter, Mandalay’s Data Manager, says. He explains that the product was developed by researching Mandalay’s first-generation web-based reporting tool. Venter adds that a key element of that was looking at reporting commonalities and outliers. “The product has only been available for three months and has already been taken up by 20 per cent of our client base, which highlights the value of that research and development,” he says. By utilising Power BI, Mandalay was able to develop more interactivity and navigation options. “Facility operators and managers are now able to look at what’s happening right now, but also go back and look at what was happening in the past,” Venter says. “This allows them to draw from trends and variances, thereby giving the user a functionality and feature set that can assess whether the facility’s efficiency is on track.” Central to the new system, Venter says, is the presentation of data in a single secure form. “Operational reporting provides the user with an easy to use interface
to generate and export tabular style reports based on the transactional data generated at the facility,” he explains. Also available is Mass Management Reporting, which Venter says captures overloaded vehicle details and presents it in a detailed report, thereby enabling facility managers or owners to more effectively manage compliance breaches. Venter explains that with large fines for breaches via the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, the ability to effectively manage overloaded vehicles is critical. “The module enables our clients to set vehicle mass configurations, so when a truck comes through the weighbridge, our system can record and present that information.” The new system also allows users to configure security groups and permissions on a granular level, Venter says. He adds that this gives administrators the power to define which of their users is allowed to see different elements of data reports. Furthermore, the Facility Insights tool offers facility managers a powerful analytics user experience, enabling the user to navigate seamlessly between KPI’s, metrics and
the underlying detail. “It provides on-tap access to years of historical data, which provides a deeper understanding of facility performance across a variety of metrics, empowering owners and managers to better manage operations from a client, carrier, product and financial perspective,” Venter explains. The software also allows users to view information using a mix of the latest visualisation components and navigation controls. According to Mandalay COO Rex Heathwood, this versatility is a core component of the Facility Analytics & Reporting software. “The data will say different things to different people. Site operators, for instance, can use it to note transactions at odd hours, whereas a council waste manager might use it to extract diversion rates,” he says. “Given the product presents data visually, anomalies are more likely to stand out. Finding those anomalies is really triggered by visual tools.” Additionally, Heathwood notes that many of Mandalay’s clients operate multiple facilities, be it transfer stations, landfills and recycling centres, all in one community. Using the Facility Analytics & Reporting tool, data from each site can be merged together, allowing operators to examine all movements within their waste ecosystem. “Data, in many ways, is alive. One of the challenges when clients export it to excel is that it immediately becomes static, but the source of the data is still changing,” Heathwood says. “When you take data away from the live system it dies – it doesn’t react, and it doesn’t respond. By using a real-time fully integrated system, operators can trust that they are always reporting on the most accurate and timely data.”
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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – RULES AND REGULATION
The private sector’s hip pocket WRIQ, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE AND NATIONAL AFFILIATES, IS TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO LEVY COLLECTION & EXPENDITURE AND IS CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND BETTER EQUITY IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF LEVIES.
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ark Smith, CEO of Waste Recycling Industry Association Queensland (WRIQ) says a series of compounding factors has Australia on the cusp of greatness. He is optimistic about the industry’s ability to create collective opportunities that support Australia’s sovereign capabilities and local job growth. “To tap into an economic
opportunity worth billions to state and national economies, we need to seize the opportunity ahead of us and this includes recasting our traditional market intervention strategies.” There has been a lot of change in community expectations, international trade and regulation for the sector in recent years. Governments on all levels have now carved out a role in waste and
WRIQ is undertaking a research project, with the support of its affiliates, to investigate government expenditure through sector grants.
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resource recovery, but it is usually always the private sector that are running services, owning and managing assets. Smith says the private sector is by far the largest investor, employer, owner and operator of the waste, resource recovery and circular economy network. “The businesses my affiliate partners and I represent are the businesses across Australia that contribute billions of dollars annually to the economy, employing tens and thousands of Australians,” he says. The sector manages fleets of vehicles, thousands of pieces of machinery and equipment and invests in infrastructure and other assets. “Our function is to service Australian households and businesses managing the environmental impacts of our economy and upskill, train and employ Australians in the process,” Smith says. “We do a lot more than just sort recycling at material recovery facilities.” He highlights that Australia’s waste and resource recovery network comprises millions of bins across homes, construction sites, workplaces, hospitals, schools and public spaces. “By investing in and supporting our waste and recycling system, we are indirectly investing in every aspect
WRIQ CEO Mark Smith says the project’s intent is to streamline funding distribution across the sector to promote harmonisation.
of the broader economy. But what should investment and support look like?” Smith says. The government intervenes in the market at various points in the supply chain in order to ensure safety, environmental protection and market fairness through regulation. “Government seeks to drive change through policies, regulation and levies. This is a good thing as it helps creates the certainty business require to invest the billions of dollars Australia needs to establish a more efficient and effective waste and resource recovery network,” Smith notes. “The waste and resource recovery sector is complex and dynamic, and is vital to Australia’s long term success. We, like the rest of the country, are also in a state of transition as we see an increased focus by the states and the commonwealth to build Australia’s sovereign capabilities on a number of fronts including managing our own wastes better.” Smith is keen to create more transparency around government intervention to better inform future
spending such as recovery or support packages that may be announced in coming months as Australia prepares for the COVID-19 rebuild. “What we’ve seen over the last few years is a range of market interventions by governments which has included the allocation of hundreds of millions of dollars to offset market failures, build infrastructure and bailout failed business models,” he says. This has raised questions with Smith and his affiliate partners to understand where grant investments are being distributed. “No one wants there to be reduced funding to the sector or for grants to stop. But no one currently is collecting information about what is being funded, where it is being funded and if the process to access that funding is fit for purpose and what business needs,” Smith says. “Industry should also highlight inequities with regard to market intervention and put forward ideas on how things can be done better where those ideas exist.” WRIQ has committed to undertake a research project, with the support of its affiliates, to investigate government expenditure through sector grants. In August, the Association began the process of reviewing landfill levies from the 2017-18 financial year to the end of the 19-20 financial year. Smith importantly notes that the purpose of the research project is to not criticise government funding or intervention in any way, but to enhance private and public collaboration that will enable further industry growth and be essential in the post-COVID-19 rebuild. The iniative follows the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council’s (NWRIC) 2019 policy roadmap, which aimed to harmonise
levies across Australia and make levy liability portable across state borders. “We want to use the findings to put forward ideas and solutions around creating better equity in the distribution of money that the sector is primarily collecting on government’s behalf,” Smith says. “We want to unpack how much levy has been collected across the country and how much of that levy has then gone back into the sector through the distribution of grants and other programs.” WRIQ will also investigate how much grant funding has gone into waste education, and on the opposite end, how much has been diverted away from the sector into other environmental programs. “It’s important to know who the beneficiaries of these grants are in the waste and recovery sector. Is it small to medium businesses? Maybe it’s large operators or perhaps local councils,” Smith says. WRIQ is eager to understand which regions are receiving the most and least grant funding. “Our team is interested in finding out what regions are actually seeing the funds being distributed back to them as we know community benefit is a major driver to build support for waste and recycling services and contributes to the sector’s social licence.” Smith highlights that the project’s intent is to streamline funding distribution across the sector to promote harmonisation. WRIQ, with support of state affiliates, will be carrying out a grant user experience survey in September. “I encourage anyone that has an opinion on this issue, whether it be small or big to get involved,” Smith says. “Please reach out as we’d love to hear about your experiences.”
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 35
WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TYRE RECYCLING
Road pavement applications including asphalt account for 25 per cent of the Australian recycled rubber market.
Recycling Precinct delivering for the road network SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S NEW $5 MILLION ASPHALT MANUFACTURING PLANT WILL SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE RECYCLED MATERIALS IN LOCAL ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
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he development of a new Asphalt Plant in Adelaide’s southern suburbs at Lonsdale, is a collaboration between leading companies Topcoat Asphalt, ResourceCo, Tyrecycle and McMahon Services. ResourceCo and Tyrecycle Chief Executive Officer Jim Fairweather says it’s a significant and exciting initiative to progress the use of high recycled content mixes including recycled asphalt and crumb rubber for road surfacing in South Australia. Topcoat has secured a long-term lease with ResourceCo on the 12,000
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square metre site, establishing its asphalt operations on land adjacent to Tyrecycle’s processing plant and ResourceCo’s purpose-built resource recovery facility, to create an innovative Recycling Precinct. “It’s a commitment, whereby working together in such close proximity, we can create better efficiencies in recycling technology and sustainable solutions – in this case for Adelaide’s southern suburbs,” Fairweather says. “The Topcoat Plant will lead to a major improvement to the recycling rate of used tyres on our roads
which is vital in creating a longlasting, environmentally sustainable and better road network for all drivers and vehicles. “At Tyrecycle, we collect approximately 4200 tonnes of truck tyres in South Australia annually, but only six per cent of the rubber crumb material we process is reused in the state, with the resource instead being supplied at other major destinations Australia-wide. “It’s about repurposing more waste tyres by increasing the local usage of crumb rubber asphalt specifically for the surfacing of local roads.”
As a leading Australian tyre recycler, Tyrecycle is at the forefront of helping the road construction and maintenance sector build better roads and significantly reduce their environmental footprint. The company shreds end-of-life tyres in Australia, turning them into granules and powders to manufacture crumb rubber for road surfacing. Tyrecycle is part of the highly regarded integrated resource recovery group, ResourceCo, which collects and processes construction and demolition waste materials in all states of Australia, consisting of asphalt, concrete, bricks and rubble. “ResourceCo’s recycled asphalt waste will play an important role in Topcoat’s Manufacturing Plant and aligns with our objectives for the Recycling Precinct to divert waste from landfill, extract its maximum vale and ensure that it’s never wasted,” Fairweather says. Topcoat has partnered with Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA), who has funded the nation’s largest crumb rubber asphalt trial to resurface roads across six Adelaide council areas using recycled tyres. 20,000 kilograms of crumb rubber was used to resurface local roads– the equivalent of 3400 passenger vehicles. Topcoat General Manager Kelly Manning says the trial is an important link to the operation of the Recycling Precinct and supporting a circular economy, major investment and local jobs. “The use of crumb rubber asphalt for road surfacing will not only result in significant environmental benefits, but also has the potential in the long-term to reduce costs for ratepayers,” Manning says. Road pavement applications including asphalt account for 25 per cent of the Australian recycled rubber market. Recycled rubber for use in road surfaces such as crumb rubber asphalt enhances performance, significantly reduces road noise and dramatically extends their life by making the surface more durable. It is also more resistant to structural damage such as fatigue cracking and offers improved waterproofing qualities. “In the face of COVID-19, never has there been a more important time for Australian manufacturers to seize on homegrown solutions to boost the local economy,” Fairweather says. “The Recycling Precinct provides a great example of a joint effort for a long-term sustainable solution to have an improved road network and better quality surfacing for all vehicles while driving local investment and jobs.” Tyrecycle continues to work with government and industry to increase awareness of the importance of tyre recycling and why it should be mandatory for Australian recovered tyres to be used in the construction of roads.
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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ORGANICS
Soil regeneration in the South West AFTER MAKING A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO STANDARDISE ITS EQUIPMENT PORTFOLIO, CAMPERDOWN COMPOST LOOKED TO KOMPTECH AND CEA.
With two slow-running drums, Nick Routson of Camperdown Compost says the Komptech Crambo effectively works through contamination.
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arwon South West – an economic rural region of Victoria that stretches from the tip of Queenscliff heads to the South Australian border – is home to a range of agricultural and forestry industries that generate significant volumes of organic material. As such, the Barwon South West Resource Recovery Implementation Plan highlights increasing organics recovery as a critical opportunity for the region. According to the plan, engaging with industry and cross regional collaboration to aggregate volumes of organics will open up significant economic and environmental possibilities. The plan’s assertions should come as no surprise to Camperdown
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Compost, which has been a leading supplier of composting solutions to farms in the region for over 21 years. Operating a composting facility five kilometres out of Camperdown, the company primarily services waste material from the dairy processing industry. To support the industry in which it operates, Camperdown works with farmers to develop biologically sustainable farming methods – whereby farms improve their waste management standards, recycle waste and create compost for soil regeneration. To grow its operations and continue restoring nutrients to the region’s soils, Camperdown has lodged a planning application with the EPA to increase its composting capacity from
23,000 to 50,000 tonnes a year. While the application is still under assessment, it’s one in a long line of efficiency moves for the company. After dealing with regular machinery breakdowns, Nick Routson, Camperdown Compost Director, says Camperdown made a conscious decision to standardise its equipment portfolio five years ago. “We were operating a variety of machines from different brands and they were constantly breaking down, which put strain on operator time, as well as the economic viability of process,” he says. The problem often came down to design flaws, Routson explains, with the Camperdown team regularly having to restructure machinery to make it stronger. After hiring a
Komptech Nemus Mobile Drum Screen from equipment distributor CEA and running it alongside an existing screen, Routson says he noticed a stark difference. “The Nemus was no trouble. Komptech machines come out of the factory good enough to use, and we’ve been reallocating our budget to standardise our machines towards Komptech ever since,” he says. Nemus Mobile Drum Screens integrate large steep-walled hoppers with improved material feed screen drums and high-performance discharge systems. Within the drum itself, improved material flow gives up to 10 per cent more throughput, while greater clearance between drum and sidewalls allows trouble-free screening at larger hole sizes. Since Camperdown’s initial engagement with CEA, the company has purchased four separate pieces of Komptech equipment including a Crambo Shredder, X55 Compost turner, Nemus Mobile Drum Screen and Hurrifex Separator. The Komptech Hurrifex is unique, Routson says, and incorporates a stone separator and wind sifter into a
single machine. This makes it possible to clean compost and biomass fractions of stones and light materials in one pass. Prior to purchasing the Hurrifex, Routson says Camperdown would run contaminated oversize material back through their existing screen. He adds, however, that this reduced efficiency, inspiring Camperdown to begin exploring other options. “We went to a landfill and were negotiating a pathway to take the contaminated material offsite, but that option was very expensive,” Routson says. “We then looked to the Hurrifex and have found it to be a fantastic piece of equipment for that final clean-up.” Easily adjustable separation parameters give the Hurrifex a wide range of applications, with a separation efficiency rate of more than 90 per cent. All components are electrically powered from grid power or with an on-board diesel generator. The Crambo is similarly robust in the way it works through contamination, Routson says, with two slow-running drums with shredding tools minimising fine
particle and dust emissions. As a company located two and a half hours out of Melbourne, Routson says it’s critical for Camperdown to a have strong and communicative relationship with its equipment supplier. “We don’t want to have CEA running out here every few weeks if we have a problem, and they are great at answering any questions over the phone – whether that’s about how we run the machines or just general advice,” he says. “CEA is also great with parts. We can get everything we need out of either Melbourne or Sydney within 24-48 hours and its usually 24.” Routson adds that when Camperdown purchased its Crambo Shredder, the CEA team came to the site for four days. “That was fantastic. They took the time to go through how the machine works and also how all of our machines integrate together. They also helped us write up our maintenance sheets and ran the team through trials with the Crambo,” he says. “They’ve done a great job at making sure we know how all our Komptech machines work. CEA is great on that support side.”
WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – SORTING AND SEPARATING
A symphony of all sorts BY UTILISING ADVANCED AUTOMATED SORTING ON THE GROUND FLOOR, SOCIETY CAN KEEP PRECIOUS RESOURCES IN CIRCULATION. CEMAC TECHNOLOGIES’ ERIC PAULSEN EXPLAINS.
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alk of harmonisation is widespread throughout the waste and resource recovery industry. While often applied to discussions of policy and the need for consistent regulatory frameworks, TOMRA Sorting Recycling and CEMAC Technologies are taking the idea to the facility floor. At Symphony of all Sorts, a digital launch event for TOMRA’s latest iteration of automated sorting technology, Volker Rehrmann, Head of TOMRA’s Recycling/Mining and Circular Economy divisions, highlighted the power of circular composition. “The bright future we see ahead of us requires the cooperation and smooth interaction of industry and all stakeholders along the value chain,” he said. “A good example of perfect interaction of all elements is nature. One reaches into the other, nothing is lost. It’s like an endless symphony, where various instruments work together to align and form a beautiful whole.” One of nature’s best instruments is resources, Rehrmann continued. “We know resource are finite. We are currently over exploiting mother nature’s resources and we can’t continue like this,” he said. “Once the resources are gone, they are gone forever. We don’t have a second planet we can rely on – that’s
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The AUTOSORT range is designed to meet societal demand for faster, more efficient and smarter recyclable material sorting.
why we need to keep resources in circulation like a musical loop. “There is simply no alternative – the shift to a circular economy is paramount.” It’s this line of thinking that inspired TOMRA’s new AUTOSORT range, which works to create a harmonised symphony through the accurate sorting of waste materials. The idea being that through advanced sorting at the ground level, society can reuse resources currently in circulation, thereby ensuring sustainability for future generations. The line features three new equipment innovations, a next generation AUTOSORT, AUTOSORT SPEEDAIR and AUTOSORT CYBOT, which incorporates robotic recycling technology. According to Eric Paulsen, Managing Director of TOMRA’s Australian
partner CEMAC Technologies, all three products are designed to meet societal demand for faster, more efficient and smarter recyclable material sorting. He explains that the next generation AUTOSORT line brings together the latest in technological innovation to deliver advanced accuracy for complex sorting tasks, thereby facilitating higher throughput rates. “Compact and flexible in construction, AUTOSORT allows for an uncomplicated integration into existing and new facilities,” Paulsen says. “Utilising TOMRA’s FLYING BEAM technology, homogenous light distribution for better detection and monitoring across the entire belt width is guaranteed, resulting in heightened performance and operational efficiency.” Additionally, the AUTOSORT’s monitoring system generates more
Polystar unwraps HIS YAWEI LASER ISthe value in film ESIGNED TO CUT recycling. BOVE THE REST. Now that’s OW THAT’S APPLIED Applied Thinking.
information from the sorting process than previous models, which can be used to support process and maintenance planning. New sorting software also enables faster processing, Paulsen says, with improved functionalities such as the use of neuronal deep learning networks. “Deep leaning enables sorting processes that cannot be mastered with conventional technology, which extends application possibilities,” he says. PLE TO USE UCES WAST ED SIM “The system also allows for extended detection through DEEP LAISER, meaning the AUTOSORT can detect unknown objects in the material stream through intelligent object recognition.” The second component of TOMRA’s new line, the AUTOSORT SPEEDAIR, is designed to stabilise light materials such as plastic films or paper on a high-speed conveyor. This, Paulsen says, allows operators to generate higher throughputs while enhancing sorting quality. The AUTOSORT SPEEDAIR incorporates speedcontrolled, fan-driven air inlets that generate a constant air stream over the conveyor belt to prevent material from moving. “By doubling the speed of the conveyor belts up to six metres per second, customers benefit from a higher return on investment, as well as lower installation and running costs,” Paulsen says. “As the first system on the market with no belt cover, access to the unit for maintenance is enhanced, while material blockage potential is lower when compared to conventional high-speed systems.” extreme accuracy, speed and consistency of cut, combined with very low operating Rounding out laser the new is the future e new Yawei HLF fiber isrange the perfect waythinking to take your business to the next level. AUTOSORT CYBOT, which according to Paulsen, is the Designed for reprocessing of polyethylene & r dollar, the new HLF is inrobot a league its own, opening for companies first waste sorting on the of market to combine four up possibilities polypropylene flexible packaging material s the laseressential cuttingtechnologies sector; from start-ups through to full production, 3-shift at once. Pelletising system with integrated cutter eliminates ments. “The addition of a robot arm to the AUTOSORT need for pre-cutting system opens up a wealth of new opportunities for highly uality German built Precitec auto-focus cutting head, IPG laser source, Siemens automated applications within the sorting process,” he says. 100% of pellets reusable straight back into your controller and a fabricated, stress-relieved fully annealed frame it really is a cut above With the announcement of the Federal Government’s production line new $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund in early Minimal material degradation without affecting July, Australia’s resource recovery industry is set for a material properties period of unparalleled growth. As such, Paulsen stresses the need to capture the opportunities afforded by automation. Fully compatible with FIMIC melt filters information: “Only through the variation of suitable automated sensor 706 8066 technologies can true process capacity go beyond manual es@appliedmachinery.com.au w.appliedmachinery.com.au sorting limitations,” he says. “By achieving improved purity levels through Connect with us socially automation, we can deal with today’s challenges, while also appliedmachinery.com.au ensuring an economically and environmentally sustainable future.” 1 22/12/16 9:27 am E
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AORA COLUMN
Weathering the storm WHILE IT’S A TRYING TIME FOR MANY, AORA MEMBERS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE ORGANICS INDUSTRY IS STANDING STRONG, WRITES NATIONAL EXECUTIVE PETER OLAH.
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t has been a challenging few months for each of us personally and often professionally. Feedback from many of our AORA Members has indicated that, while there have been some struggles, our industry seems to be weathering the COVID-19 crisis better than many others. Despite this, I know that some of our members have needed to utilise the available government assistance to “tide them over” and keep their people employed. Others who have not yet used the government assistance may need to do so in the near future. That’s why I’d like to give this quick update on the future of these programs. Recently, the Federal Government confirmed the extension of the JobKeeper payment by six months to March 2021, providing businesses with some certainty during this challenging time. From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021, full time employees will receive $1200 per fortnight, while part-time and casual employees working less than 20 hours per week will receive $750 per fortnight. From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021, full time employees will receive $1000 per fortnight, while part-time and casual employees working less than 20 hours per week will receive $650 per
42 / WMR / September 2020
fortnight. Businesses will still need to show a reduced turnover of 30 per cent (or 50 per cent if the businesses turnover is more than $1 billion), but reporting requirements have changed. Businesses will now need to show that they have met the relevant decline in turnover test in both the June and September 2020 quarters to be eligible for the JobKeeper subsidy in the December quarter. Businesses will then need to demonstrate that they have met the decline in turnover test again in the December 2020 quarter to be eligible to receive the payment in 2021. The Taxation Commissioner will have discretion to set out alternative tests that would establish eligibility in specific circumstances, where it is not appropriate to compare actual turnover in a quarter in 2020 with actual turnover in a quarter in 2019. We are thinking of all of our members in Victoria and hope that your staff and their families are all safe and well. I would also like to note that following the recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in Victoria and NSW, the AORA Board and Conference Committee have made the decision to move the rescheduled November Conference to 15-17 June 2021. The health and safety of our members
Peter Olah says AORA is thinking of its Victorian members and hopes their staff and families are safe and well.
and attendees is our top priority, and after speaking to many of our partners, exhibitors, speakers and attendees, the overwhelming consensus is that postponing the event is the preferred outcome. The Adelaide Conference that was scheduled to be held in June 2021 will now take place in 2022. If you have booked a ticket to the November Conference this will be rolled over to the 2021 conference. If you are unable to attend, please let us know by August 31 and we can arrange a refund. We will be contacting speakers and exhibitors in the coming weeks to confirm availability, opportunities and attendance for 2021. Thank you for your understanding. We can’t wait to see you in 2022.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SHREDDERS
APPLIED MACHINERY’S GENOX TWIN SHAFT HEAVY DUTY INDUSTRIAL SHREDDERS Applied Machinery offers a diverse range of Genox shredders to process an array of waste streams down to specific sizes. The company’s Genox X/M/W Twin Shaft series are designed for challenging materials such as tyres, car shells, barrels, cables, electronics and disc drives. The M Series, a low speed, high-torque shredder, minimises noise and power consumption while achieving high throughput rates. These machines are particularly suited to size reduction of bulky and voluminous materials, which could include contamination such as metals or stones. The shredder features a circular rotary screen to effectively control the output product size. Segmented blade design also greatly reduces blade changing time and cost. The blade comprises of a blade holder and two types of blade segments, with or without hooks. Both the M and X Series shredders are available with a hydraulic crammer to actively press the input material down into the cutting zone between the two shearing shafts. The W Series twin shaft shredder is widely used in medium/low speed, high torque crushing applications.
These Genox high performance shredders are available in Australia exclusively through Applied Machinery.
With the uniquely designed rotors and cutting chamber, the rotor knives and counter knives cut materials evenly, while also reducing the dust of raw materials. These heavy duty, high performance shredders are available in Australia exclusively from Applied Machinery. Contact – Applied Machinery P 03 9706 8066 E sales@appliedmachinery.com.au W www.appliedmachinery.com.au or www.genoxmachinery.com.au
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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SHREDDERS
Bark King’s New Mid-Speed Shredder BARK KING’S ASHLEY JOHNSTON DETAILS THE BENEFITS OF MID-SPEED SHREDDING AND PROACTIVE AFTERSALES SUPPORT, AS ORGANICS PROCESSORS ACROSS VICTORIA GET READY FOR SECTOR EXPANSION.
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ith the Victorian Government’s Recycling Victoria strategy set to reshape the organics sector, operators across the state are poised for a period of growth. The strategy seeks to cut the volume of organic material sent to landfill by 50 per cent between 2020 and 2030, with an interim target of 20 per cent reduction by 2025. Additionally, the strategy’s Infrastructure Fund seeks to encourage investment in organic waste sorting and processing infrastructure, while the Recycling Markets Acceleration package aims to build strong markets for products made from recovered organic waste such as compost. This is welcome news to family
The TDSV20 is able to produce a controlled product size in one pass.
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owned garden supply distributor Bark King, which has been working to close the state’s organics loop since 1975. According to Business Development Manager Ashley Johnston, Bark King sources by-products from the Victorian, South Australian and NSW forestry industry, processing around 75,000 tonnes per year. As a supplier for government departments, landscape firms and educational institutions, sustainability has formed part of the company’s ethos since its beginnings. As such, Bark King applies strict guidelines on what it receives, processes and sells. To maintain those standards, Bark King operates a range of high-quality equipment, including a Terex Ecotec TDSV20 mid speed shredder – acquired through specialist equipment provider Finlay Waste and Recycling. The Terex TDSV20 features a double shaft shredder chamber, which was developed by Vecoplan specifically for mobile use. The mid-speed shredder also benefits from an independent hydrostatic drive and product sizing screen. This screen system, which is available in different sizes, comes complete with an intelligent protection system, allowing a desired particle size to be produced, while also being able to cope with foreign objects. “We were looking into different methods to improve our processes, predominantly around increasing safety and efficiency,” Johnston says.
“We find that with high-speed shredders, a lot of the product has to be reprocessed. But with the TDSV20 mid-speed shredder, we’re getting more finished product straight away – it’s a one-step shredding process.” Johnston adds that the TDSV20’s ability to produce a controlled product size in one pass is of huge benefit, saving Bark King both time and fuel. “The mid-speed shredder is also a lot quieter and safer for our team to operate,” he says. The TDSV20 is supported by Terex Ecotec’s TEEvolution program, which incorporates high performance products with reduced noise emissions and lower engine operating speeds. The TDSV20 features a user-friendly colour display that provides operators with analytical diagnostics to facilitate ongoing efficiency improvements. Customisable shredding programs are also available, allowing operators to tailor the machine for specific applications. Furthermore, Finlay’s support program is backed up by highly qualified service personnel to ensure customers are supported throughout the lifecycle of their machines. While the TDSV20 purchase is Bark King’s latest dealing with Finlay, Johnston says the two companies began working together 12 months ago when Bark King acquired a TDS820 slow-speed shredder. “Finlay was great, they took us to
their yard first in Somerton, and then additionally to their headquarters in Queensland and toured us around. That was the starting point of the relationship and we’ve not had any problems since” Johnston says. The TDS820 is purpose-built to process all types of material, whether it is domestic, industrial or bulky solid waste. The industrial shredder features customisable shredding programs that give operators the opportunity to configure the machine to their specific requirements, reducing material wrapping and maximising production. Johnston highlights Finlay’s service team as integral to the ongoing relationship. “Nothing is too hard, they have an answer to every question,” he says. Johnston adds that Finlay’s service team have been particularly
helpful in relation to the TDS820, which Bark King purchased from Finlay second hand. Finlay supply a large range of used equipment, ranging from ex Terex Ecotec / Terex Finlay hire fleet machines to customer trade-in’s and customer used equipment that is currently for sale. Johnston explains that while quality equipment is crucial, Finlay’s proactive approach to aftersales and servicing support is “more important than the machines themselves.” “They’re precious pieces of equipment and downtime can be very detrimental for a company like ours,” Johnston says. “Finlay is always on the other end of the phone and that’s what’s important. “We need to have confidence on that break down and servicing side, and Finlay understands that.”
Bark King’s Stuart Johnston pictured with Finlay salesrep Liam Maguire in front of the newly purchased TDSV20.
Contact - Finlay
P 1800 777 300 E info@finlay.com.au W www.finlay.com.au/
PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SHREDDERS
Shredding for soils WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW SPEAKS WITH PHOENIX POWER RECYCLERS’ CHRIS ALEXANDER ABOUT IN-VESSEL COMPOSTING MATERIAL COMPOSITION AND THE ROLE OF EFFICIENT SHREDDING.
The Pronar Shredder’s steel working parts are made of wear-resistant materials, which ensure long and trouble-free operation of the machine.
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aving operated successfully for many years in the supply of garden soil and compost, Phoenix Power Recyclers is in the process of commissioning a state-ofthe-art in-vessel composting facility with a capacity to process up to 50,000 tonnes per annum. The facility receives and processes waste in a negative pressure environment, meaning deliveries, loading and unloading of the tunnels is all completed in a controlled environment. The tunnels act to optimise the pasteurisation phase of composting through a fully automated control and feedback system. According to Chris Alexander, Phoenix Power Recyclers General Manager, the company is committed to staying at the forefront of industry and
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resource recovery technology. As such, Phoenix relies on high quality processing equipment to maintain consistent input and output material streams. “With in-vessel composting, the structure of the input material is critical, as success relies on the ability to sparge air through the floor of the tunnel. If air cannot flow through the product, there’s really no point,” Alexander says. To achieve required airflow and material composition, Phoenix invested in a Pronar slow-speed shredder earlier this year – acquired through waste and recycling equipment specialists Lincom Group. Pronar slow-speed shredders are designed for pre-processing of all kinds of materials, be it municipal waste, construction and demolition waste, or in
the case of Phoenix, organics. An important advantage of the machine is its mobility, Alexander says, or the ability to quickly transport the shredder across Phoenix’s site. The machine is equipped with a Caterpillar diesel engine with a capacity of 298 kilowatts. Alexander says this creates a high-level of processing efficiency, adding that Caterpillar engines can always be relied on to provide durable service. Grinding is achieved via two synchronously running shafts grinding in the pressure chamber, while shredding is done by two 1700-millimetre shredding shafts. The unit is available with a choice of shaft configuration as well as various Breaker Bar types to allow for flexibility depending on the material
being processed, as well as the end product size required. Operators have the choice of various pre-set or custom operation programs. The working parts are made of quality wear-resistant materials, ensuring long and trouble-free machine operation. Key benefits of the shredder, Alexander says, are the aforementioned engine quality, less moving parts and overall machine functionality. He adds that the shredder’s ability to protect itself via a durable fencing arrangement is impressive. In addition to the quality of the shredder, Alexander highlights Lincom’s ability to provide high-level technical support. “Lincom operate and present very professionally. The way they operate their business offers a level of security, and the aftersales support is consistent – their sales and technical support team are very knowledgeable and communicative,” he says. Lincom has been distributing Pronar shredders since 2017, and with over 25 years’ experience as a leading provider of material processing equipment, takes pride in building strong relationships with its valued customers. “Lincom Group takes the time to understand the scope of our customer’s
operation and the task at hand,” a Lincom spokesperson says. “Our sales staff receive continual product support training from the OEM factories on a regular basis to ensure they understand the products and the application to answer any questions, ensuring customers get the most efficient equipment for the right application.” Lincom’s head office is based in Southern Queensland, with a fully equipped manufacturing facility for custom fit outs, safety guards, machine rebuilds and repairs. The National Spare Parts distribution centre and the operational field service fleet for after-sales support are also based on the same site. Additionally, Lincom maintain an online parts inventory database for all its locations and can access real-time information and locate parts in every branch in the country. “Our commitment and long-time association with transport and logistics companies give us flexibility and the ability to deliver parts to you on time,” the spokesperson says. Contact - Lincom Group P 1800 182 888 E sales@lincom.com.au W www.lincom.com.au
Chris Alexander says key benefits of the Pronar Shredder include engine quality, less moving parts and overall machine functionality.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SHREDDERS
Pulverising C&D WASTEDRIVE’S BLAIR VINCENT OUTLINES HOW ROBUST AND DURABLE EQUIPMENT CAN HELP C&D PROCESSORS MEET THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC OBLIGATIONS.
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he Australian construction industry has grown significantly in recent decades, with population growth driving an influx of new infrastructure projects, both domestic and civic. As a result, the level of waste produced by construction and demolition (C&D) has grown alongside it. According to the 2018 National Waste Report, C&D waste accounts for almost 40 per cent of total waste produced in Australia by weight. Between 2016-17, more than 6.7 million tonnes of C&D waste was sent to landfill. While rising landfill disposal costs provide an incentive to recycle, the material makeup of C&D presents a
myriad of processing challenges. Blair Vincent, Director of Australian and New Zealand based equipment distributor Wastedrive, says that to address those challenges, processors need access to robust and durable equipment. Throughput is key, he adds, highlighting that while a commitment to driving greater C&D recovery is the backbone of the industry, it cannot be achieved without healthy economic viability. Vincent notes a partnership with US based equipment manufacturer American Pulverizer as a key component of Wastedrive’s commitment to helping its clients deliver on their
Wastedrive’s heavy-duty scrap shredder features self-supporting grates, with oversized feed roll shafts enclosed in cast steel pillow blocks to facilitate abrasion resistance.
48 / WMR / September 2020
environmental and financial obligations. Since 1908, the American Pulverizer Company of St. Louis, Missouri has been making size-reduction equipment for a range of industrial markets. With origins in coal pulverising, the company has since widened its focus to address other markets, including the crushing and screening of scrap metal and C&D. Given American Pulverizer has been operating for over 100 years, Vincent says the company’s shredders are equip with top-level design and manufacturing. Plus, being American made, there is a high degree of quality assurance, he adds. “Another benefit, particularly in our turbulent economic and political climate, is that it’s highly unlikely there will be trade disruptions with the US, unlike other parts of the world,” Vincent says. “This means we will consistently be able to supply our clients with high quality and efficient machinery.” Wastedrive has been operating in Australia and New Zealand for over 25 years. Vincent explains that Wastedrive’s primary focus is providing a turnkey solution to the recycling industry, primarily incorporating balers, Accent Wire Ties and conveyors. He adds, however, that interest in the company’s American Pulverizer shredder range is growing.
“One of our standout offerings is the heavy-duty scrap shredder, which features a high-top middle housing design that allows for less horsepower consumption and increased casting wear life,” Vincent says. The heavy-duty scrap shredder also features self-supporting grates, with oversized feed roll shafts enclosed in cast steel pillow blocks to facilitate abrasion resistance. American Pulverizer shredders utilise a custom-made gear box, which delivers one of the highest documented torque values in the industry. Wastedrive also offer an American Pulverizer Impactor SRI, which Vincent says suits similar applications to shredders, while employing a slightly different process. Infeed material enters the impactor through a feed chute and is engaged by rigid rotor hammers before being hurled
against impact arms. Material size reduction is caused by the impact against impact curtains and hammers, and by collision with new infeed material entering the crusher. As such, the machine principal promotes a uniform cubical product. “We provided a proposal to a customer for the Impactor recently, and when I told them the machine would give them the ability to process up to 150 tonnes of C&D an hour, they queried me,” Vincent says. “The throughput seemed too good to be true, but it’s not.” Wastedrive provides its clients with a fully integrated service, Vincent explains, from foundational drawings to make sure side loads are optimised, through to the logistics of getting equipment onsite. “We look after every aspect of the
installation and commissioning. We also have an American Pulverizer representative who comes down from the States to help with commissioning,” Vincent says. “On the aftersales front we provide parts for all of our customer and can ship those directly to them. We can also assist with servicing.” Vincent adds that Wastedrive’s relationship with its clients doesn’t stop once they’ve bought the product. “Wastedrive is committed to responding to clients quickly and providing cost effective, competitive pricing, turnkey logistics and schematics,” he says. “Ultimately, we’re here to assist.” Contact - Wastedrive
P 0414 071 331 E info@wastedrive.com W https://wastedrive.com.au/
PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SHREDDERS
Nextshred SHRED-TECH’S JUSTIN JOHNS EXPLAINS HOW THE COMPANY’S PLANTBASED SHREDDING SYSTEMS HIGHLIGHT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, QUALITY AND INNOVATION.
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hred-Tech began in the late 1970s producing stationary two-shaft shredders for a wide range of manufacturing plantbased applications. By the middle of the decade, Shred-Tech had developed one of the world’s first mobile shredding trucks, designed to shred confidential office paper and documents on-site. The company also offers a range of plant-based shredding and recycling systems, including two-shaft and fourshaft shredders, single-rotor screened shredders and granulators, as well as large primary shredders. According to Justin Johns, Sales Manager Shred-Tech Asia, ShredTech’s latest product innovation is the CR2A645 plant-based shredder. He explains that the CR2A645 is ideal for shearing engine blocks, cylinder heads and general mixed metal scrap. “The shredder features four Linde hydraulic motors powered by two 200-kilowatt power packs,” Johns says. “Hydraulics allow independent shaft speed and ration direction for
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Shred-Tech can configure systems for virtually any shredding application.
re-orienting materials in the chamber when shredding large or difficult items.” The CR2A645 has a maximum shaft speed of approximately eight rotations per minute. “Replaceable segmented tool teel cutters last 1500 to 2000+ hours depending on application, with metal throughput rates between 15 to 20 tonnes per hour,” John says. He adds that the company’s commitment to building best practise shredders requires a laser focus on continuous improvement, quality and innovation. Headquartered in Cambridge, Canada, Shred-Tech prides itself on a global commitment to engineering innovation and quality. The company also has offices in Thailand, the US, the UK, Japan and Australia. “More than 6000 shredding and recycling systems have been installed worldwide in locations as diverse as Fortune 500 manufacturers, hospitals, government and military facilities.” Johns explains that almost every order is customised to a certain extent – with two systems rarely identical. Shred-Tech’s custom process begins with gathering customer requirements, including the nature of the material, reduction size and required volumes
needed to shred. Johns says that the reason for the shredding can even influence the final equipment design. “With cutting chambers ranging in lengths from 85 to more than 3000 millimetres, and horsepower ranging from five to 1200, Shred-Tech can configure a system for virtually any shredding application,” he says. The company’s systems are configured with the correct knife design, chamber size, horsepower, feed and discharge rates to suit the application. “In many cases, customers approach Shred-Tech with a problem that many of their competitors haven’t been able to solve,” Johns says. “Since Shred-Tech has a broadly skilled in-house engineering team, they are able to work closely with the sales department and the customer to find a viable solution. “Coupled with a vigorous quality control process, in-house assembly and manufacturing, Shred-Tech builds and manufactures the world’s best shredding and recycling systems.” Contact - Shred-Tech P 1 800-730-684 E jjohns@shred-tech.com W https://shred-tech.com/
PRODUCT SHOWCASE – SHREDDERS Efficient Drying - Whatever the Material
TEREX ECOTEC TDS 825 SLOW SPEED SHREDDER
Customisable shredding programs allow operators to configure the machine to their specific requirements.
Terex Ecotec’s TDS 825 Slow Speed Shredder is suitable for all material types including household waste, bulky waste, commercial waste, green waste, waste wood, tree stumps and roots. The TDS 825, which is available in Australia through Finlay Waste and Recycling, is manoeuvred via a robust tracked undercarriage making it an ideal solution for difficult terrain. Customisable shredding programs allow operators to configure the machine to their specific requirements to maximise production. The hydrostatic drive offers protection against contamination and allows for bidirectional shredding, while independent gear boxes enable each shaft to run separately, helping reduce warpage and improve shredding. Should a blockage occur, the shafts can be controlled via the radio remote control, allowing material to be repositioned before attempting to shred again. The double shaft shredder has 2.5 long shafts made from solid steel, with a fully welded tooth configuration giving an extremely high production rate with excellent size reduction. Located in the centre of the chamber, directly below the shredding shafts is the replaceable breaker bar, which controls the end product size by retaining material in the chamber to aid reduction and protects the transfer belt from damage caused by large pieces of contaminants. The high volume, tipping hopper increases the feed area providing optimum material feed and can be activated using the control panel or via the remote control. Tipping cycle times can be configured to suit the application. Contact - Finlay
P 1800 777 300 E info@finlay.com.au W www.finlay.com.au/
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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – TRUCKS AND VEHICLES
Iconic hazardous waste removal ASBESTOS REMOVAL REQUIRES SOUND AND FLEXIBLE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BOTH EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE.
Despite clocking up 53,000 kilometres in a year and over 1000 kilometres per week, Curtis Lyons has had no issues or unnecessary downtime with his FRR Tipper.
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oof shingles, water supply lines, wall insulation, carpet underlay—these are just a handful of possible areas where asbestos might be found, especially if the building was constructed before 1990. A naturally occurring mineral, asbestos was once widely used in building construction due to its affordability, flexibility, strength and heat and electricity insulating properties. However, exposure to asbestos fibres carries health hazards, such as cancers like mesothelioma. As such, the use of asbestos has been banned in Australia since 2003.
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Due to its once-pervasive use in the construction industry, asbestos is still frequently encountered, especially when working on older buildings such as residential homes. Its removal is not lightly regarded, and is best handled by hazardous waste removal professionals such as Icon Asbestos Removal. ICON does everything from residential to commercial asbestos removal, which includes Class A asbestos removal. This includes a higher risk, such as in removing friable asbestos – which is in a powder form and therefore more likely to release fibres into the air – and removing asbestos in locations such as
government buildings, factories, schools and hospitals. For business owner, Curtis Lyons, the safety of his employees is paramount in this line of business. On any job, the ICON crew is suited up with respirators and other necessary personal protective equipment. Decontamination showers are also available for an extra layer of safety. But safety precautions in ICON’s operations doesn’t stop there. For Lyons, he understands that any professional waste removalist operation requires a sound and flexible transport solution that’s both efficient and reliable, which in turn enhances safety and productivity when removing and transporting hazardous waste. Supported by his FRR 107-210 Tipper from Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range, Lyons trusts that operations will run smoothly from start to end. Once the asbestos is carefully removed, it is loaded onto the back of the FRR 107-210 Tipper, which is double-lined with plastic to seal up the removed material. The waste is then transported to licensed dumps. With a GVM of 10,700 kg and GCM of 16,000 kg, the FRR 107-210 Tipper is well specified for this task. Equipped with Isuzu’s four-cylinder 4HK1 engine, the FRR Tipper’s power and torque sit at 154 kW at 2400 rpm and 726 Nm at 1600 rpm, respectively. “It probably shocks a few other people in traffic when they see the size of the truck and the heavy
The ride height of the FRR Tipper cabin means operators can see everything on the road ahead.
load, tackling inclines without a problem,” Lyons says. “The most impressive thing is that I’ve got a heavy load with over five tonnes in it and the truck is still driveable through congested Brisbane traffic.” The ride height of the FRR Tipper cabin means Lyons can see everything on the road ahead, and large passenger windows mean peripheral vision is uninhibited too.
“The vision is great because we can see what’s coming up ahead and stop earlier if we have to,” Lyons says. Besides power and payload capacity, the truck is a neat balance between being compact enough to access tight, hard-to-reach spaces and having enough load space for its unique application. “With residential work, we can easily get the FRR Tipper down a side access or through gated driveways. And with the truck bed size – you can get two
Once asbestos is carefully removed, ICON loads it onto the back of the Tipper, which is double-lined with plastic to seal up the removed material.
asbestos sheets laid flat next to each other, side by side. That’s a big win,” Lyons says. “This means we can keep the load weight down nice and low, and get two or three jobs in each truck load without having to do multiple trips to the tip.” For Lyons, driving the FRR Tipper five to six days a week has been a pleasure. More importantly, it is also reliable – a must-have in the hazardous waste business, where smooth and hassle-free transport is paramount. Despite clocking up 53,000 kilometres in a year and over 1000 kilometres per week, Lyons has had no issues or unnecessary downtime with his FRR Tipper. For Lyons, this and the accessibility of the many Isuzu Trucks authorised dealerships and service centres means he and his team can deliver this unique service to their customers quickly and efficiently. “If I had an Isuzu truck and another truck side by side to choose from, I’d go with the Isuzu every time,” Lyons says. Contact - Isuzu
P 1800 035 640 W www.isuzu.com.au
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PRODUCT SHOWCASE – COMPACTORS
Maximising landfill life JOHN GLOSSAT, NATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT TUTT BRYANT EQUIPMENT, EXPLAINS HOW ONE MACHINE HAS HELPED LANDFILL OPERATORS TRANSFORM THEIR COMPACTING ABILITIES.
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ccording to a recent industry segment survey, the major driving factor of the global waste compactor truck market is growing waste due to urbanisation and rising population. However, following COVID-19 lockdown restrictions this year, operators have seen growing waste due to a huge increase in volumes of household rubbish and dumping of waste triggered by a combination of more online shopping, home improvements and clearing out of unwanted possessions during stay at home orders. Compacting landfill waste has never been more highly sought after. Rising domestic waste that can’t be disposed of at recycling centres is a
concern to regional and metro areas across the nation. In fact, according to the Global Garbage Compactor Truck Market industry survey released this year, the need for landfill compactors will boom over the 20182025 forecast period. The Asia-Pacific region is also anticipated to exhibit a higher growth rate across the global market. John Glossat, National Business Development Manager at Tutt Bryant Equipment says versatile compactors are an essential tool for councils and contractors across Australia, especially during this current climate. He credits the latest BOMAG landfill compactor as a game-changer for Australian operators.
The BOGMAG BC473RS-3 is fitted with a 4 in1 multipurpose bucket locally manufactured through Kerfab in VIC. 54 / WMR / September 2020
According to John, BOMAG has been a market leader in compaction technology since 1957 and provides a range of quality machines and solutions to support the waste sector. He says a recent highlight has been the introduction of BOMAG BC473RS-3 to landfill sites that have transformed operations due to the multi-function applications. Last year Tutt Bryant was approached by a landfill operator in Tasmania. The operator wanted a streamlined machine that was also cost effective. “We were so excited to show them a multi-functional compactor with high lift applications that they’d never seen before,” Glossat says.
“The operator in Tasmania had a smaller landfill to compact and sort materials including loading applications and they were using various machines including excavators, loaders to compact, dig, load material and compact. “You could only imagine how thrilled they were to hear the news that we could provide them with one machine that can meet the needs of all their required tasks.” Since installation last year, Glossat has since visited the site in Tasmania and says the operator was proud to show the machine in action and demonstrate the ongoing efficiencies at the site since the Landfill Compactor arrived. Glossat talks with pride explaining the endless benefits of the BOGMAG BC473RS-3. “There are many various designs available however the unique set up here is a versatile Compactor like no other which can be used for many applications,” he explains. “ If you want to load, to compact, to grab, to dean or more - it can all be done with this one machine.” Tutt Bryant believes this revised concept sets new standards and the versatility has proven to be a hit with end-users especially smaller council owned landfills. Following the success in Tasmania, Tutt Bryant recently delivered another BOMAG BC473RS-3 into a facility in Western Queensland in July this year. “The operator in Queensland was considering the use of excavators, dozers and loaders for its operations just like we saw in Tassie, after seeing the multi-functional capabilities of one machine the choice of purchasing this landfill compactor was a no brainer,” he says. Glossat says the features of the machine stand out immediately fitted
Extending the life of landfills in Australia requires a multi-functional compactor.
with a 4in1 multi-purpose bucket locally manufactured through Kerfab in VIC. “Spreading, loading, sorting or compacting - the high versatility of this model produced a clear vote of acceptance and recommendation. It handles sensitively with a fast response time and the operator vision over the large hood is extremely clear not to mention also hydraulically operated,” he says. Glossat highlights that one of the most impressive features is its practical 4 X polygon wheel design with scraper bars fitted to the front and rear of each wheel including wire cutters to keep the tools extremely clean for maximum compaction efforts. “Fitted as standard is a reverse camera with optional reverse sensors available to meet operator’s most demanding safety requirements, an auto greasing system for constant maintenance of pins and bushes and the popular Telematics system to remotely manage your machine, check its position, engine hours, machine performance and more with a click of a mouse from nearly any device,” he says.
Other notable features include automatic reports which can be set as required that provide full transparency on fuel consumption, idle times, and the potential for fleet optimisation. “The underside is completely sealed and closed off to prevent debris entering the engine compartment. Clean, safe and no external loss of fluids. This will also contribute to minimising the risk of fires under the hood caused by waste entering nasty little openings,” Glossat says. Landfill operators from small councils to larger waste contractors have a duty during this time to provide essential waste management services to Australian communities. Tutt Bryant provides a range of Landfill Compactors from 24T to 58T with various models and configurations. “We are helping streamline waste management through highly versatile machines that are important tools used in maintaining an efficient operation and extending the life of landfills Australia wide,” Glossat says. Contact - Tutt Bryant Equipment P 1300 658 888 E John.Glossat@tuttbryant.com.au W tuttbryant.com.au
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 55
PRODUCT SHOWCASE – COMPACTORS
Shark attack WITH THE PROBLEM OF BULKY WASTE PROCESSING ON COUNCIL AGENDAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NEIL BONE OF WASTECH ENGINEERING OUTLINES A 50-TONNE PACKING FORCE SOLUTION.
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n May, the NSW EPA called on members of the public to report illegal dumping in their communities, after the authority recorded a 34 per cent increase in illegal dumping compared to April 2019. Illegally dumped waste costs millions of dollars in taxpayer clean up money each year – creating a significant and avoidable burden on council budgets. While the problem of illegal dumping is largely a behavioural one – with dumped waste largely comprised of bulky material that cannot be ‘easily’ disposed of – councils across Australia are developing innovative operational solutions. Residents of the City of Mount Gambier in South Australia now have access to a ‘call and collect’ bulky waste kerbside system, for example. And in the nation’s capital, a bulky waste collection service is slated to launch later this year. That said, even when residents do the right thing and book hard and bulky waste collections, councils and waste and resource recovery operators still face the challenge of how to process the problematic waste stream. According to Wastech Engineering Managing Director Neil Bone, providing
56 / WMR / September 2020
the Australian market with bulky waste processing solutions is the driver behind Wastech’s new partnership with Danish manufacture Shark Container AS. “We build standard and nonstandard waste compactors here, but bulky items have always been an issue,” Bone says. “When we saw Shark Container’s compactors over in Europe, we jumped on it straight away.” The patented Shark Compactor, with a 50-tonne packaging force, is designed for compacting and transporting large waste products that are too bulky to be handled by traditional compactors. Wastech purchased the machine in September 2019, as the company saw a need for it in the Australian market. “The Shark Compactor is as tough and sturdy as the name suggests,” Bone says. “Wood-framed furniture and hard plastics are no match for the compactor. Neither are softer, difficult to manipulate materials such as insulation bats and large pieces of cardboard.” For wood-framed furniture, the Shark
offers a payload of 6-7 tonnes, Bone says, while for hard plastic containers and large cardboard boxes, the payload ranges from 5-6 tonnes. He adds that for insulation bats, the payload rises to 7-9 tonnes. The Shark Compactor is ideal for use in pop-up transfer stations, with electric or diesel-powered options available. “No civil works or saw tooth loading docks are required, as users can hand load from ground level,” Bone explains. He adds that an interlocked safety cage, surrounding the compaction area, allows safe loading of bulky items. “It can be used to process washing machines and other large household items, plastic drums and various other difficult to handle materials,” Bone says.
The Shark Compactor is designed for compacting and transporting large waste products that are too bulky to be handled by traditional compactors.
Large bulky waste is loaded into a five cubic metre bucket that lowers down from the front of the unit. When full, the operator starts the compaction cycle which raises the hopper up vertically into the mouth of the Shark. A 180-degree rotational blade then compacts the waste out of the hopper and into the container. Once compacted, the hopper is lowered back down ready for the next load. “We’ve never seen anything like it around the world,” Bone says. “When we saw it, it was quite unique, and certainty filled a problem in Australia.” Bone explains that the machine is suited to a variety of businesses – from companies that have large volumes of bulky waste, to councils that run hard waste drop-off points. “We also see it helping in rural areas that could use it as a pop-up transfer station,” he says. “Traditionally, compactors in a
transfer station are bolted to the ground, whereas with the Shark, you just put it on the ground – you don’t even need concrete.” The front of the machine folds down so that the user can easily load all waste into the compactor. Bone explains that this makes it easy for the user to lift the bulky materials in the compactor in a safe and accessible manner. “Wastech’s consultants work closely with clients to ensure they are getting the best out of their Shark Compactor – taking into consideration site, space, and what waste types the machine will process,” he adds. Wastech offers the Shark Compactor as a fully maintained rental unit, with technicians available to conduct maintenance checks on the machines to ensure they are running to their full potential. Contact - Wastech Engineering P 1800 465 465 E info@wastech.com.au W www.wastech.com.au
Wastech’s consultants work closely with clients to ensure they are getting the best out of their Shark Compactor.
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 57
EVENTS
Circular presentations DELEGATES AT THIS YEAR’S AWRE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLORE A RANGE OF UNIQUE APPROACHES TO WASTE AND RESOURCE RECOVERY.
Hitachi Zosen Inova’s Marc Stammbach says AWRE seminars are an excellent opportunity to meet and address industry stakeholders.
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n 2018, the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP) announced plans to build the world’s first commercial e-waste plastic micro-factory after receiving a $250,000 grant from Sustainability Victoria. In partnership with UNSW SMaRT Centre and e-recycler TES, the microfactory will process up to 500,000 kilograms of waste plastic per year. This will be recovered from e-waste recycling and reformed into 3D printer filament for retail sale. Worldwide demand for plastic 3D printer filament is estimated to triple during the next three years, reaching
58 / WMR / September 2020
a value of more than USD$1,965.30 million by 2023. Warren Overton, CEO of ANZRP, says the e-waste plastic micro-factory is a truly circular economy approach that ensures materials are kept in productive use. “As the volume of e-waste continues to increase, technologically advanced approaches such as micro-factories will play a key role mitigating the impact of old televisions and computers,” he says. According to Overton, e-waste recycling logistics are significant in terms of cost, making the process often prohibitive for regional and
remote communities. “Rather than bringing the waste to Melbourne, we’re bring the factory to the waste,” he says. The micro-factory has the potential to scale and accommodate the 6000-tonne plastic feedstock that is currently produced each year from the e-waste recycled through the TechCollect program. “We have taken the first step with a scalable solution that has guaranteed feedstock, strong environmental benefits, as well as economic benefits through the creation of employment opportunities in regional and remote parts of Australia.”
Overton will discuss this and more at his upcoming Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo (AWRE) presentation in November. AWRE seeks to promote ideas and opportunities for Australia’s waste and recycling community. “We’ve had stands at the last two AWRE’s and I spoke at the event last year,” Overton says. “It’s always a good turnout, and importantly, it provides an opportunity to speak with the right people and develop collaborative partnerships.” Marc Stammbach of Hitachi Zosen Inova Australia will also be presenting at the event. When asked why he chose to get involved in the speaker program, Stammbach highlighted that waste management is moving from a linear economy to a circular one. “We talk a lot about circular concepts and small-scale initiatives. Ultimately, it will require solutions which will deliver at an industrial scale to have an impact,” he says. “My mission is to help stakeholders understand what is possible and proven. Hence, I see the AWRE seminars as an excellent opportunity to
meet and address the stakeholders of the industry.” Stammbach’s presentation will focus on why and how waste-toenergy (WtE) complements recycling and composting. “Together, these solutions maximise diversion of wastes from landfills. Several European countries have achieved 99.9 per cent landfill diversion,” he says. “The role of WtE is to complement material recycling by turning the non-recyclable and non-compostable streams into energy, clean flue gas, aggregate, metals and small nondegradable residue still going to landfill.” Furthermore, Stammbach will discuss the realistic potential of the circular economy against the background of today’s realities in Australia. “We shall finish with suggestions for the required regulatory framework and required actions to move forward into a sustainable resource recovery and waste management future.” AWRE 2020 will cover the entire waste stream, presenting the industry’s greatest product showcase of profitable
Visitors come to AWRE actively seeking solutions to reduce their waste disposal costs and improve efficiencies.
Warren Overton will discuss a unique micro-approach to e-waste processing.
and sustainable solutions to collect, process, recovery and recycle waste. In addition to the aforementioned e-waste and WtE focus, AWRE will explore vehicles, bins, food and organics, software technologies, machinery and equipment, food packaging and general waste management. “Visitors come to AWRE actively seeking solutions to reduce their waste disposal costs and improve efficiencies,” Melissa Clendinen, AWRE Product Manager, says. “As the industry’s main stage for new ideas and innovations, AWRE offers a targeted platform to launch or promote products and services to the people who matter.” According to Clendinen, AWRE’s continued aim is to provide a platform for the industry to grow, learn and conduct business safely. “We are working alongside our partners, exhibitors and visitors to shape AWRE 2020 based on the needs and wants of the community,” she says. Clendinen adds that AWRE are grateful to the waste and resource recovery community for their resilience and continued support during this unprecedented time. “We look forward to AWRE 2020 providing a forum from which the waste, recycling and resource recovery sector can re-establish ties with each other and continue to drive change,” she says.
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 59
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LAST WORD
Difficult compromises needed for a better future THE VWMA IS ASKING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND HOURS OF DOMESTIC COLLECTION DUE TO CHANGING WASTE VOLUMES DURING STAY AT HOME ORDERS ACROSS THE REGION, WRITES EXECUTIVE OFFICER ALEX SERPO.
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tumbling out of bed at 6am each morning, I ask myself, how did we end up here? Melbourne, one of the world’s most livable cities, is now locked down under an 8pm curfew. Personally, it feels like a prison sentence, but given that lives are at risk, I’m grateful to the public servants and health care workers who have worked tirelessly to bring this terrible virus under control. COVID-19 demonstrates there are difficult compromises to life, but by doing something difficult we can prevent dire outcomes. In the case of waste transportation, there are compromises that need to be made. One of these important compromises is putting safety ahead of noise. Currently local governments impose curfews on waste collection. That means domestic and commercial waste collection services can only occur within a permitted time frame, under local law. Typical curfews are 7am until 10pm. Unfortunately, these hours are also when school children, workers and pedestrians are also busiest, with the morning hours especially challenging.
Alex Serpo is the Executive Officer of the Victorian Waste Management Association.
As waste collection vehicles visit almost every household and business at least once per week, they face safety obstacles on every street. Waste companies have gone to extensive effort to make collection trucks safer, through driver training and onboard technology. However, the simple reality is that
more cars, bicycles and pedestrians on the road means a higher chance of accident. This has been amplified during COVID-19 when people are working from home – and their cars are occupying streets which would typically be less congested. Luckily, during the COVID period, most local government (but not all)
www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 61
LAST WORD
Alex Serpo says granting waste trucks earlier access has provided drivers and collection companies significant breathing space.
have offered waste trucks earlier access, extending access hours from 7am to 5am. This small relaxation has given drivers and collection companies a lot of breathing space. Did you notice the change in your street? If not, it shows the earlier access hours have not significantly affected community amenity. Indeed, street sweepers may have already been working your street well outside these hours. However, these access hours make a big difference to waste collection companies. Being able to put trucks on the road when there are no school children makes waste collection vastly safer. It also creates a more flexible working environment for drivers, as drivers that start earlier can finish earlier, allowing them to take care of parental or personal duties in
62 / WMR / September 2020
“COVID demonstrates there are difficult compromises to life, but by doing something difficult we can prevent dire outcomes. In the case of waste transportation, there are compromises that need to be made.” Alex Serpo Executive Officer, VWMA
the afternoon. Noise is still an important consideration for fleet managers, and noise from waste vehicles can be reduced over time with better systems. Separated glass collection will help - as the yellow bin will only contain paper, metals and plastics. Glass can be collected less frequently, because it is non-
putrescible. Electric waste collection vehicles can also reduce noise. For this reason, the VWMA is asking state and local government to extend access hours to 5am across all Victorian local government areas, during and past the COVID curfews. There are difficult compromises to life, but by doing something difficult can we prevent dire outcomes.
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1300 352 378 cea.net.au
Next level facility software Mandalay's Facility Product Suite - For Smarter Facilities Up-to-date software Mandalay offers a cloud-based software solution combined with the offline capabilities of deployed software. Data is secure and backed-up, software versions are deployed more often and with ease, and data is synchronised between remote facilities and central admin.
Regulatory compliance A system that complies with various EPA and regulatory requirements such as state-based regulatory reporting and HVNL. As requirements change, the system is updated to suit.
Accurate reporting Providing admin and management teams with near real-time data that can be used to manage your business. Let us help you with data setup to ensure you get the most from the system.
Integration with finance systems Integration with finance systems will assist with payment processing and account management. Data can be exported in a format specific to your requirements.
Local support team Mandalay’s local and dedicated support team is available for assistance and troubleshooting. With significant industry experience, the Mandalay Consulting Team can provide guidance through more complex issues.
Contact us to take your facility software to the next level.
+61 7 3010 7900 |
enquire@mandalaytech.com
www.mandalaytech.com.au/why-mandalay
