Waste Management Review November 2021 by Prime Creative Media

NOVEMBER 2021

Making headway Turmec CEO Geoff Bailey on the role infrastructure can play in a rapidly changing waste industry

FEATURES Flying the flag for Australian manufacturing Home-grown business on the international stage A new level of quality control Future-proofing the recycled tyre sector

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COVER STORY

TURMEC MAKES HEADWAY

Waste Management Review speaks with Turmec CEO Geoff Bailey on the role infrastructure can play in a rapidly changing waste industry.

AHEAD OF THE GAME The City of Darebin’s hockey field resurfacing project could set the benchmark for recycled material use.

“PLASTICS IS ONE AREA WHERE THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIA. THE ORGANICS SECTION – THE FOGO WASTE – IS GETTING QUITE A LOT OF ATTENTION NOW.” – Turmec CEO Geoff Bailey.

In this issue Features

26 FLYING THE FLAG

A family-owned business is playing its role to lift Australian manufacturing.

AT THE CUTTING EDGE

New South Wales manufacturer Edged Group shows its mettle.

30 AUSTRALIAN OWNED A look back at the origins and expansion of Garwood International.

UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITY

Future-proofing the tyre recycling sector as the export ban looms.

34 ESSENTIAL SERVICE

E & J Septics is moving Melbourne’s waste and supporting the tracing of COVID-19.

SUSTAINABLE SCRAP

Izuzu machinery supports local business to maintain recycling efforts.

RATHER 38 PROACTIVE, THAN REACTIVE

Cookers’ traceability takes the guesswork out of quality assurance and sustainability.

40 RISE OF THE PHOENIX

Blue Phoenix contributes to the emerging circular economy with a new incinerator bottom ash facility.

48 ONE-STOP SHOP

Komptech equipment continues to support industry.

ADAPTABLE AND 50 COST-EFFECTIVE

Regional Australian companies reap the rewards of affordable wastewater treatment solutions.

52 AHEAD OF THE PACK

VEGA Australia expands within Australia’s water industry.

FOR 44 WATERSHED ORGANICS RECYCLING

INDUSTRY 55 WASTE AWARDS IN 58 WOMEN INDUSTRY AWARDS 60 COUNCIL IN FOCUS

46 MACHINE INTELLIGENCE

Regulars

EXPANDING ENERGY FROM WASTE

An overview of Hitachi Zosen Inova’s newest contribution to the EfW market.

AORA shares the growth and strength within organics recycling, despite uncertain times.

Komatsu’s intelligent Machine Control system has undergone an update.

62 PRODUCT SHOWCASE 65 LAST WORD

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 3

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PUBLISHER

Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

MANAGING EDITOR

Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au

EDITOR

Lisa Korycki lisa.korycki@primecreative.com.au

From the Editor

Wheels in motion It’s often said the wheels of change turn slowly, but a move towards a greener Australia, with less waste, is gaining traction. The 2019 National Waste Action Plan set ambitious targets and actions to guide investment and national efforts to 2030 and beyond. As target deadlines close in, national and state governments are backing their words with action. There were major funding announcements in the 2021 Federal Budget and several state budgets to bring Australia closer to a circular economy. The Federal Government also announced $600 million as part of its Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) for investment in infrastructure to sort, process and remanufacture materials including tyres, mixed plastic and glass. Jim Fairweather, CEO of Tyrecycle, says the RMF will help the industry transition “from where we are today, to where we need to be in the future”. In this edition of Waste Management Review he talks about Tyrecycle’s plan to unlock new opportunities and future-proof the sector. Another $171 million of national funding has been promised to take 3.4 million tonnes of food and garden waste out of landfill, diverting it to farms to create healthier soils and a better environment. The funding has been labelled a game changer for the organics industry which has undergone huge growth recently. According to Rose Read, Chief Executive of National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC), food and organics are an important area of focus if there is a chance of reaching the 80 per cent resource recovery target by 2030. However, it’s not all smooth sailing. Rose and Peter Olah, National Executive Officer of the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) share their views on the challenges and risks of halving organic waste to landfill. With the best part of 20 years in the waste industry behind him, Geoff Bailey knows the challenges that lie ahead for Australia. The CEO of recycling solutions manufacturer Turmec, says there is work to do, but the nation is fast catching up. Helping maintain that momentum are the thousands of people continuing to transform the waste industry. The Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards are a chance to acknowledge and celebrate the work being done across all levels. Judging by the quality of finalists, there is much to celebrate.

Lisa Korycki

6 / WMR / November 2021

JOURNALIST

Tom O’Keane tom.okeane@primecreative.com.au

DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

ART DIRECTOR

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All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

Waste Management Review is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in Waste Management Review is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Waste Management Review are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

TOMORROW’S SOLUTIONS. TODAY

News

QRT expands in Brisbane Queensland Recycling Technologies (QRT) is set to transform the waste recycling and recovery sector within the state. QRT, a joint venture between Alceon QLD and Brisbane Recycling Consortium (BRC), has purchased the recycling arm of a private company based in Eagle Farm with a view to create a state-of-the-art processing plant on Brisbane CBD’s doorstep. The Eagle Farm business has been family-owned and run since 1996, primarily focusing on construction and demolition (C&D) waste, with operations across quarrying, earthmoving, civil works, plant and equipment hire and trading, logistics and mobile crushing throughout Queensland. The sale involves the recycling components of the business and three additional properties, including a 12-hectare commercial waste recycling transfer station at Pinkenba, in inner north Brisbane, and a river sand quarry of more than 25 hectares at Waterford in the outer south of Brisbane. The business has been rebranded to RINO and will be led by turnaround specialist Daniel Blaser as General Manager. Richard Jacobitz is Chief Financial Officer. “The introduction of the Queensland landfill levy, improved recycling processing technologies and a genuine need for sustainable options in this industry, has already increased competitiveness of recycling for waste disposal,” said BRC’s Ed Bull. “Queensland has very low recycling recovery rates compared to the

8 / WMR / November 2021

QRT directors Ed Bull and Todd Pepper onsite.

southern states which have had landfill levies in place for much longer and as a result have much more mature recycling industries. There is much room for improvement, development and smart management and investment. “With a 25-year and almost $65 billion pipeline of infrastructure development planned for Brisbane, including major works such as Queens Wharf, Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro, Brisbane Live and more, the demand for considered, cost effective C&D waste is only set to rise.” Alceon Qld’s Todd Pepper said a significant capital investment would turn the business into a market leader in the recovery of waste that would have otherwise ended up in landfill. “Our planned investment in people, plant, and technology will futureproof the business well into this century,” he said. “QRT intends to invest significant capital into increasing the recovery rate of the business, improving the quality

of recovered products for re-sale, and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. “The recycling and resource recovery industry is starting to be recognised as key ‘infrastructure’ and will be pivotal in growing the circular economy of the future.” Following the 2009 National Waste Policy agreement between all Australian environment ministers, state governments have been implementing various strategies to increase waste remediation and recycling. The Queensland waste levy, which applies to 38 of the state’s 77 local government areas, underpins the Queensland Waste Strategy, seeking to reduce waste disposed through landfill from 55 per cent to 10 per cent by 2050, with 75 per cent recycling rates across all waste types. The Queensland government has committed to re-investing more than 70 per cent of the levy in waste and recycling initiatives.

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News

More than 120 million straws off the shelves More than 120 million plastic straws have been taken off the shelves in the first six months of South Australia’s single-use plastic ban, as businesses are urged to prepare for the next round of items to be banned. On March 1, 2021 South Australia was the first state in Australia to ban plastic drinking straws, stirrers and cutlery from sale, supply or distribution. About 700,000 plastic straws were used in South Australia every day before the ban kicked in. David Speirs, Minister for Environment and Water, said March 1, 2021 will forever be a proud day for the state. “South Australia has always led the nation when it comes to environmental issues and the Marshall Liberal Government’s historic ban on singleuse plastics is no different,” Speirs said. “In the first six months of the ban it is estimated that more than 120 million

plastic straws have been removed from distribution. Amazingly, if you were to put these end-to-end, they would comfortably cover the distance from Adelaide to London. “I am proud to be part of a government which is protecting our environment for future generations, reducing litter, and promoting a shift away from a single-use, throwaway mindset. “Our legislation isn’t just stopping at straws; cutlery and stirrers with expanded polystyrene cups, bowls, plates and clam-shell containers, and oxo-degradable plastic products are to be banned come March 1, 2022. “We will continue to consider more products such as takeaway coffee cups and other takeaway food service items as market demand increases and other sustainable alternatives become available. Our plastic ban isn’t just good for the environment

– by being a first mover nationally we’ve already seen businesses who manufacture re-useable and compostable alternatives start to set up in South Australia, which means we will have significant economic benefits and create local jobs as well.” The state’s legislation was developed with the help of a Single-Use Plastics Taskforce with representation from 15 different organisations, including people living with a disability. The legislation does not prevent members of the community from bringing their own straws to cafes, and any business can choose to supply individual single-use plastic drinking straws on request, due to disability or medical needs. Prescribed businesses including pharmacies, local government offices, charities, and medical, dental and care facilities can sell and supply packs of straws for these purposes.

Cheers to national can clip plan Endeavour Group has rolled out a reuse and recycling program for beer can clips at select BWS and Dan Murphy stores. The program is a national first for an Australian retailer to develop a circular scheme for can clips. Customers can deposit used can clips into a collection unit at select BWS or Dan Murphy’s stores. Once the units are full, the clips will be collected by local independent breweries for reuse. When clips have reached the end of

10 / WMR / November 2021

their lifespan they will be sent to Visy Recycling and converted into HDPE resin, which will then be used by clip producer PakTech to create more clips for circulation. Diarmaid O’Mordha, Endeavour Group Quality & Sustainability Manager said can clips can be reused more than 50 times. “Can clips are a great option for a circular economy, but there have been no multi-state recycling options available to return the clips,” he said.

Kylie Lethbridge, IBA’s Chief Executive Officer said similar initiatives have proven to be effective overseas. “This new model reflects similar systems already in place in the US and Canada. “It presents a great opportunity to manage and mitigate our impact on the environment as these clips will no longer end up in landfill,” she said. Endeavour Group aims to continue to roll out the recycling scheme in more stores throughout the financial year.

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Woolworths powers ahead for greener future About 360,000 tonnes of waste has been diverted from landfill in the past year, as part of Woolworths Group’s drive to ‘grow greener’. The Australian retail giant diverted 80 per cent of its waste, equivalent to the waste generated by 320,000 households, according to its annual Sustainability Report. The Group recorded a drop in emissions and helped feed Australians in need, with the equivalent of 22 million meals of surplus edible food saved from landfill and donated to food relief partners. “The steps we take to become a more sustainable business today will create a better tomorrow for generations to come,” said Brad

Banducci, Woolworths Group Chief Executive. “We know there’s much more to do and we’re laying the groundwork for an era of accelerated sustainability to meet the pace of our customers and team’s expectations, and the climate clock. “It’s no longer enough to just reduce our impact on the planet. Instead, we’re turning to how we can use our scale for good and create positive change for our planet, and in turn, our communities.” The Group’s Sustainability Plan 2025, released last November, steps up the pace for the company’s sustainability action and sets a long-term commitment to take more carbon out of the atmosphere than the company produces by 2050.

In the past year, the Woolworths Group helped take the equivalent of more than 35,000 cars off the road, by cutting an additional 97,000 tonnes of CO2e, and expanded its solar network to 100,000 panels, creating the capacity to generate the amount of electricity needed to power more than 7,000 homes. The network is made up of almost 200 sites, including 132 Woolworths stores. The removal of plastic-stemmed cotton buds in favour of paper and sugarcane alternatives saved almost 500 million pieces of plastic yearly. This was on top of more than 2,500 tonnes of plastic removed from Woolworths’ own brand and fresh packaging – equivalent to the weight of four A380 aircraft.

Grant King new chair of Sydney Water Prominent Australian businessman Grant King AM is the new Chair of Sydney Water Corporation, replacing Bruce Morgan who stood down on 30 September. Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey said King brings broad knowledge and experience from the utilities industry – most recently as the long-serving Managing Director and Chief Executive of Origin Energy and as the former President of the Business Council of Australia.

12 / WMR / November 2021

“He is recognised for his thought leadership on global environmental challenges including climate change, circular economy and future energy markets, which are key to the creation of thriving, liveable cities,” she said. King said he was delighted to take on the new role at such a pivotal time for Greater Sydney and paid tribute to the leadership of his predecessor. “Sydney Water has a key role to play in the future development of Greater Sydney, particularly in terms of resilience and liveability,” he said.

King is also the Chairman of the Climate Change Authority, HSBC Bank of Australia, CWP Renewables, GreenCollar, Areventa and Melanoma Institute of Australia, a non-executive Director of the Origin Foundation, Great Barrier Foundation, O’Connell Street Associates and a member of the University of NSW Foundation. He holds a position as Professor of Energy Economics and is Chairman of the Energy Institute at the University of New South Wales.

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FEATURE NEWS

Summerhill Waste Management Facility.

View from the top SUMMERHILL WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY IN NEW SOUTH WALES IS KEY TO THE HUNTER REGION’S PLANS TO TACKLE WASTE.

$40 million Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Newcastle will offer a “regional solution” for waste management. To be built at the Summerhill Waste Management Facility, the MRF is tipped to play a key role in the region’s move toward a circular economy and its ability to address targets on waste diversion and recycling. The project, expected to be complete by November 2022, will create ongoing jobs and provide additional processing capacity of 56,175 tonnes per annum (tpa). It was funded by the Australian Government’s

Recycling Modernisation Fund and the New South Wales Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative. Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, said the Summerhill Waste Management Facility will be the second largest and “most regionally significant” waste management facility in NSW, with more than 100 years of landfill capacity. “Owned and operated by the City of Newcastle, the facility is strategically positioned to support the waste processing needs of the region’s growing population and set to capitalise on the renewed state and

federal focus on waste and recycling,” Nelmes said. “As there is no MRF currently operating in the Hunter region, the planned facility will be designed to cater to a regional solution.” Nelmes said an organics plant, also to be built at Summerhill, would mean all of Newcastle’s red, yellow and green-bin domestic waste would be processed in the one location. Core capacity of the planned MRF will be about 35,000 tpa with the ability to scale up to 100,000 tpa. “The future organics plant and MRF will help to boost existing recycling

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 15

FEATURE NEWS

“The MRF will ease pressure on the environment by recycling more material such as items in the yellow-lidded bin including plastics, glass, paper and cardboard, whilst creating jobs and economic investment in the Newcastle and Hunter region.” Nuatali Nelmes Newcastle Lord Mayor

capabilities, support innovative re-use of recycled materials and boost NSW’s recycling capacity,” Nelmes said. “The MRF will ease pressure on the environment by recycling more material such as items in the yellowlidded bin including plastics, glass, paper and cardboard, whilst creating jobs and economic investment in the Newcastle and Hunter region. “The Federal Government reports around 9.8 jobs are created for every 10,000 tonnes of material recycled in comparison to less than three for landfill.” Nelmes said the city consulted widely within the industry and neighbouring councils to identify a preferred location for an MRF. She said 98 per cent of respondents to a survey of residents supported a facility being developed at Summerhill. City of Newcastle has prepared concept designs, in conjunction with a site master plan, to ensure optimal location of the MRF alongside other waste diversion projects, such as the organics facility. A 5MW solar farm and +2MW Landfill Gas energy project currently operate on the site.

16 / WMR / November 2021

Nelmes said next steps include further engagement with the market and relevant development approvals. Earlier this year, Summerhill received approval to develop concept plans to use an unformed road reserve in the Lake Macquarie local government area as a second southern access road to the facility. Nelmes said the new access road will enable direct access to the site, Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen at Summerhill Waste Management Facility.

diverting thousands of vehicles per year from the existing route. She said heavy vehicles travelling from the west would likely save between 30 and 40 minutes per load, resulting in multi-million-dollar savings in transport costs over a 50year period, based on current traffic. Environment Minister Sussan Ley and Hollie Hughes, Liberal Senator for the Hunter Region, announced $5 million funding for the MRF in August. “This is about easing pressure on our environment by recycling more materials including plastics, tyres, glass, cardboard and even coffee cups, and importantly, it is about creating jobs and economic investment,” Ley said at the time. Other projects funded included five mobile facilities across Sydney to process almost 5000 tonnes of plastic each year, and state-of-theart infrastructure in Erskine Park to reprocess 3200 tonnes of used tyres for use in road construction and manufactured rubber-based products.

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FEATURE NEWS

Ahead of the game THE CITY OF DAREBIN’S TRANSFORMATION OF A VICTORIAN HOCKEY FIELD SHOWS WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED BY USING RECYCLED MATERIAL RATHER THAN CONVENTIONAL METHODS.

t the end of its useful life, the KP Hardiman Hockey Field in Kingsbury needed a total reconstruction. Oliver Nellessen, City of Darebin Senior Project Manager, says the council considered a range of options for the project, and while it was initially designed using virgin materials, it was seen as an ideal opportunity to try sustainable methods. “Council went a step further when they heard of grants being available for the use of recycled materials. We revisited and re-engineered the project following the tender conclusion and the awarding of the contract,” Oliver says. He says revisiting the project design set in motion what would

become a successful example of using recycled material as part of the field’s resurfacing and surrounding constructions. “We asked ourselves, what’s possible?” Oliver says. “We have an approved design, we have a tendered design, now let’s see how we could maximise the use of recycled materials and still achieve what we set out to achieve. Which was to create a brandnew hockey field that holds up to scrutiny, meets the applicable technical standards and Australian standards for projects, and is also certified by the hockey federation (FIH).” Traditionally, the council had relied on conventional products for projects, including virgin quarry materials. For the hockey field project, the council decided to test what

would be possible with a range of different components. Recycled bricks and concrete were used in a layer of the field, recycled glass was bedded in trenches, soft plastics were included as aggregate in pathways around the field, while bench seating was made from recycled hard plastics. Materials were sourced from local suppliers in the surrounding Melbourne suburbs. “Everything that we used on the field came from Victoria. For example, the recycled glass was a supplier in the north of Melbourne,” Oliver says. “We also had a contractor source and supply the crumbed recycled rubber from car tyres.” About 98 per cent of the material used to create the shock pad layer

The City of Darebin Council has been approached by other councils regarding the success of the project.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 19

FEATURE NEWS

The shock pad layer of the field contains 98 per cent reclaimed tyres.

under the field was sourced from recycled rubber. Oliver says the use of materials such as soft plastics was an important step for the council. “We went out of our comfort zone with the use of soft plastics that would otherwise usually go to landfill,” he says. “This is where we had an interest and where we worked closely with the contractor and its supplier. “Some supermarket chains collect most of their used plastic bags and other soft plastics. We of course needed huge quantities of soft plastics in the form of recycled pellets as part of this construction.” More than one million plastic bags were used in the construction; just one aspect of the project which, Oliver says, “pushed the envelope” on what could be done with recycled materials. The soft plastics were used as a concrete aggregate additive and incorporated into the concrete pour. “Key to success was also identifying a batch plant that could deliver this special concrete in commercially viable quantities reliably,” says Oliver. He says while presenting some challenges, the process ultimately delivered a desirable outcome. “Overall, the feedback from the concreters on site was that the workability of the material was

20 / WMR / November 2021

“Everything that we used on the field came from Victoria, for example the recycled glass was a supplier in the north of Melbourne. We also had a contractor source and supply the crumbed recycled rubber from car tyres.” Oliver Nellessen, City of Darebin Senior Project Manager

very good. It surprised them and us. So naturally this led to council questioning – if it worked in the hockey field application, why can’t we put these soft plastics into all footpaths overall? Why can’t we incorporate this into a park path? “The material was very similar in the aspects of performance and workability to concrete with only conventional type aggregate, therefore there is no reason to avoid using these materials again.” The materials were tested over a 56-day period. Results showed that the structure had the same level of strength as one produced with conventional concrete after 28 days and 56 days. The City of Darebin is considering the wider use of recycled materials.

“A successful project like the hockey field renewal creates more momentum for recycled product use, it gives it more credibility,” Oliver says. “The positive outcome will help a project which would similarly feature recycled materials gain approval.” The council has been approached by neighbouring councils asking about the experience with using the recycled materials, and if they would recommend their use as an option for future projects. “Of course, it is up to the individual councils to make the right selection on their own particular projects,” says Oliver. “But at Darebin we have determined that the risk is manageable when using these materials for certain types of concrete paving.”

The equivalent of more than one million plastic bags were used in the construction.

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COVER STORY

Turmec makes headway GEOFF BAILEY KNOWS ALL ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW IT CAN HELP THE AUSTRALIAN WASTE LANDSCAPE. WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW TALKS TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF TURMEC.

Turmec has a solid foothold in Australia.

22 / WMR / November 2021

urmec is a company that specialises in bespoke builds that allow its customers to recover material for waste. One of its key goals is to reduce waste going into landfills, according to Chief Executive Geoff Bailey. The Ireland-based Bailey was in Australia recently because the company is contracted to help build BINGO’s new Eastern Creek recycling centre. Turmec had already worked on BINGO’s Paton’s Lane RRC facility in Orchards Hill in 2019, which was a key component of Bailey’s firm getting a foot in the door with the latest build. Geoff was lucky enough to stay one step ahead of COVID-19 as it went around the country, but by the time Waste Management Review caught up with him, he was in lockdown in Melbourne. Geoff has been in the waste industry for the best part of 20 years and has seen many changes over that time. He sees a little bit of how things used to be in Europe, now happening in Australia. One of the main bugbears of the waste industry, and all three levels of government, are landfills. Australia is trying to navigate its way into a position where more waste is being repurposed and the number and size of landfills will be reduced. A subject that Bailey is more than familiar with.

Turmec doesn’t limit itself to one sector of the market.

“When I first started I was building landfills,” he says. “I worked with a company called Greenstar back in Ireland. The first asset we built was a landfill and it was the first privately owned landfill within the country. All the others had been public sector owned at that point.” The company had to respond to increased legislation that the Irish EPA brought in whereby all Irish landfills had to be lined, as well as have proper leachate and gas collection systems. Greenstar built four landfills before levies started to get to a point where landfills were becoming uneconomic.

“We are technology agnostic. We evaluate and look at all the technologies in the market, rather than trying to plug our own gear. We have good relationships with all the equipment providers in the market. Where we differentiate ourselves is in plant design.”

Greenstar then put in twin strategies in place – wind down the landfill business and start building infrastructure to deal with C&D and DMR (dry mixed recyclables) from domestic and commercial premises. Now, Geoff is seeing something familiar happen in Australia. “Policy makers and the Australian Government are no different. They are using financial levers such as landfill levies to encourage people to save money by diverting waste out of landfills,” he says. “That is what BINGO is focused on and what a lot of other people are focused on; putting infrastructure in place that will allow separation of mainstream waste as it comes in so they can either sell it as a product or send it off as recyclate for somebody else to recycle.” And while Geoff likes what he is seeing on the Australian waste landscape – and he says Australia is catching up fast – there is still work to do. As with a lot of things, it comes down to costs. “It’s economically driven,” he says. “For example, if you take the BINGO plant that we are doing at the moment. We are taking out aggregates in different sizes that get sent off to a

Geoff Bailey, CEO of Turmec www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 23

XXX COVER STORY

Turmec is a specialist in bespoke solutions.

wash plant. We are taking timber – both natural and engineered. We’re taking out ferrous and non-ferrous metals and fines. We take all the heavies out.” What is left over is the lights fraction – plastic, paper, cardboard and similar waste, which is being put into landfill. Geoff says that if Turmec was building a similar plant in Ireland or the UK with regards to the light fraction, it would be making SRF, which is a product that can go into a cement kiln or industrial boiler. Alternatively, it would send the light fraction for further separation. “We’d love to divide out the plastics and get the paper and cardboard separate from that,” says Geoff. “The plastics – particularly the heavier solid plastics, what we call 3D plastics – are all recyclable at this stage. Dirty paper and cardboard become harder. They are probably better being used as a fuel.”

24 / WMR / November 2021

C&D is a big part of Turmec’s business. Geoff notes that there is a higher content of timber waste in Australia, but other than that, the types of waste are the same. How does he see the future in the local landscape? “Australia does have to play catch-up. With the amount of financial assistance being put in by the government you are going to find that you will catch up pretty quickly,” he says. “Plastics is one area where there is going to be a lot of investment in Australia. The organics section – the FOGO waste – is getting quite a lot of attention now. The only treatment that’s happening within Australia at the moment is composting, which is pretty low-grade. While it may be diverting material from landfill, it’s still releasing a huge amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. You’re left with a material whereby people are

divided as to whether it can be used in agriculture or not, where it is used to enrich soils. Anaerobic digestion is a better environmental solution, but the economics need to be looked at on a case by case basis.” From a company point of view, Turmec doesn’t limit itself to one sector of the market. It operates across anything that is non-hazardous and dry. Being a specialist in bespoke solutions means it isn’t tied to one distributor or manufacturer of equipment. When it becomes involved in a project, Turmec is looking for the best solution, period. “We are technology agnostic,” says Geoff. “We evaluate and look at all the technologies in the market, rather than trying to plug our own gear. We have good relationships with all the equipment providers in the market. Where we differentiate ourselves is in

“The organics section – the FOGO waste – is getting quite a lot of attention now. The only treatment that’s happening within Australia at the moment is composting, which is pretty low-grade. While it may be diverting material from landfill, it’s still releasing a huge amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. You’re left with a material whereby people are divided as to whether it can be used in agriculture or not, where it is used to enrich soils.” Geoff Bailey, CEO of Turmec

plant design. We look at a project and go, ‘what are the waste streams that are coming into any particular MRF or transfer station, and what are the outputs the operator wants to get?’” Turmec looks at the volumes a client has and then configures a system that will economically optimise the return in terms of when the different streams are separated. It is interested in what the streams achieve for the client as a revenue source. It will bring the best technology in to achieve that outcome. Some companies have a preference for equipment from a named manufacturer, which is okay, too, says Geoff. The company also partners with other companies that complement its skill set. It has partnered with The Environmental Group, which is a broad-based company that assists with boiler support, air pollution control, water treatment and similar services.

“We are providing them a different arm in terms of solid waste treatment within the country,” says Geoff. “They have technicians in every state, and we will be working with them to provide cover for any of our plants so we can have people onsite. If we have service level agreements with our customers, it

Geoff Bailey, CEO of Turmec

will be their resource that we utilise.” Turmec has now got a solid foothold in Australia, and Geoff sees plenty of opportunities for the company in terms of expertise it can bring to the table. He has enjoyed his time on the ground and is looking forward to more business, and meeting more people, over the next few years. “It’s been really good being here to get around and meet a few of the key players in the industry,” he says. “Whilst we can have perfectly good online working meetings, when you are trying to build relationships with people, it is much better face to face.” For more information, visit: www.turmec.com

Turmec evaluates all technologies available on the market.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 25

SPECIAL REPORT - AUSTRALIAN MADE

Flying the flag A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS IN NSW IS PLAYING ITS PART TO LIFT AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING. WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW EXPLAINS.

A West-Trans Equipment fabrication factory.

ustralia has a global reputation of having hard workers who get on with the job. They’re built tough, to handle tough conditions. The same could be said of WestTrans Equipment, a manufacturer of skip loaders and hook lifts, built on a strong foundation of Aussie values and manufacturing. Australian manufacturing peaked in the 1960s, contributing about 25 per cent to the gross domestic product. By 2005-06 it dropped to 10.5 per cent, according to the 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics. Despite cheaper imports entering the market, West-Trans Equipment has stayed the path of Australian made. “Supporting the Australian economy is one of our biggest selling points,” says Nic Whittle, West-Trans Equipment technical sales representative. “Our customers do really appreciate it. “We would encourage other businesses to try and source local. That’s what is going to keep manufacturing alive in Australia.”

26 / WMR / November 2021

West-Trans Equipment remains the only manufacturer of hook lifts in the country. Parts are sourced locally, including custom-made hydraulic cylinders and laser-cut steel. Nic says keeping the manufacturing process “home-based” ensures the final product is tailor-made for the Australian market and there is no downtime waiting for parts to be shipped from overseas. “They need to be tougher,” he says. “With our climate, they need to be very durable – they’re out in the desert, on rough terrain.” He says West-Trans Equipment’s hook lifts, based on built-in durability and smart engineering, also are a more “robust” design than imported ones. While the company has received requests to test parts from overseas, Nic says they “weren’t happy with the quality”. “The biggest challenge with manufacturing in Australia is to keep up with imports; you have to find a way to cut back on costs without

taking shortcuts,” Nic says. “With our manufacturing, we have quality control throughout the entire process – fabrication, painting, installation. “All our parts are sourced locally in Australia. Hydraulic cylinders are custom made for us to suit our specific machines. “Steel is all sourced from local companies as laser cut plates or steel sections – cut to highly accurate tolerances. “We use jigs [frameworks], so all parts and machines are consistent.” Even painting is to exact standards – two coats of high-gloss finish to withstand the toughest conditions Australia can throw at them. “They [skip loaders] get beat up pretty bad,” Nic says. “Having a quality protective coating is going to be beneficial to customers.” Those customers include skip bin hire operators, civil and demolition companies and general waste operators. Many have a long history with WestTrans Equipment.

Nic says building those customer relationships, and staying local, has helped the company maintain a sense of family among employees as it continues to grow. Family-owned since 1994, WestTrans Equipment employs more than 70 people in five locations Australiawide, and through its service partners, provides technical and service support in every state and territory. It became the home of HMF vehicleloading cranes in Australia in 2009. The company has seen massive change within the industry in the past 27 years. “In the early days we rarely put bodies on new trucks, it was nearly always second-hand trucks,” Nic says. “Now it’s the opposite. “People are investing more in their equipment with features such as radio

remote controls, auto revs, and tarping systems. The emphasis on safety is bigger than it’s ever been, with things such as proximity sensors, underrun protection, and handbrake alarms becoming more and more popular.” Continuing to embrace change, West-Trans Equipment recently installed three 100kw solar systems at its three main factories in Mulgrave, NSW. The installation is a step towards a more sustainable manufacturing future. It will generate enough power to run the factories purely off solar straight away. Nic says the company will introduce robotic welding cells, expected to be operational early next year, to enhance West-Trans Equipment’s consistency and quality of welds and components. It will also result in faster production times.

West-Trans Equipment owner Jim Whittle.

“The future of manufacturing in Australia, in an industry like ours, will definitely move towards a more automated type of manufacturing,” Nic says. “I think it’s something we see as an essential part of moving forward and keeping up with the world changing around us.” For more information visit: west-trans.com.au

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Edged Group’s centra separators are built to handle a wide variety of waste material.

At the cutting edge FROM BINS IN A HOME GARAGE TO AN AUSTRALIAN-FIRST BUILD, NEW SOUTH WALES MANUFACTURER EDGED GROUP CONTINUES TO SHOW ITS METTLE.

ony Crozier started building steel bins in the garage of his home in 1971, he’s now the director of a manufacturing company providing innovative solutions for the waste management and recycling sector. Across 50 years in the industry, Tony has designed and manufactured garbage trucks – including Australia’s first side-loaded garbage truck – vacuum tanker trucks, hook trucks, bin lifters, balers and compactors. He launched Edged Group in 2017 with a focus on developing a depackaging unit to allow better recovery of recyclable produce and food waste for organics processing. Market demand has seen the equipment range expand to include

28 / WMR / November 2021

larger separator machines used in transfer stations and Materials Recovery Facilities processing kerbside general waste to maximise diversion from landfill. The family-owned business is proud of its history, and ability to design and manufacture its equipment out of a South Windsor base in New South Wales. Major components, parts and materials are also sourced locally. “We are the only Australian manufacturer of this type of separation technology,” Tony says. “Customers see this as a huge advantage over imported plant. Local design and manufacturing allow for a far higher degree of flexibility and collaboration

to provide our customers with bespoke solutions.” Edged Group’s product range has grown to include ancillary equipment such as conveyors, platforms, dust extraction and washing systems, enabling it to provide customers with a ‘turnkey’ facility that best fits their needs. Tony says the company works closely with customers and business partners to find the right solution. “They push us for greater commitments in designing and developing equipment solutions,” he says. “We aim to meet their operational requirements and create optimum solutions for resource recovery.”

He says the requirements for waste sorting, particularly of household waste, have grown significantly over the years. Edged Group’s centra separators allow the reuse of waste materials that would otherwise be sent to landfill. They can handle anything from food waste, plastic bottles, tetra pak, tin cans, cosmetics and bakery waste, making them ideal for smaller jobs such as batch de-packaging or product distribution. Various models of centra can process from two tonnes per hour up to 25 tonnes per hour. “They are designed to handle the processing and volume needs for a variety of clients,” Tony says. “Larger centra separator models are capable of sorting huge solid waste volumes found in Materials Recovery Facilities

– we have units processing nearly 200 tonnes per day.” Centra separators use a combination of centrifugal force and air turbulence to de-package food or liquid from containers, with the clean food waste falling through interchangeable screens into a container or holding tank, while packaging material is blown through the machine and out the end chute. When processing general waste, the heavier organics fractions are recovered for composting and lighterweight materials are discharged, significantly reducing the tonnes of waste sent to landfill. Tony says Edged Group clients have “enjoyed fast return” on their investment when installing centra separators by diverting significant volumes of waste from costly disposal to landfill.

“Our technical team works closely with customers to optimise the performance of the centra separators,” he says. “Paddle design, rotation speed, screen aperture and other features can be customised to maximise material recovery rates.” Efficient, reliable operation, and ease of maintenance are central to the design of Edged Group’s centra separators. The separators are easily accessible to make configuration changes when varying products are processed, or to service. Local manufacturing also ensures spare parts are readily available. Tony says “best-value, best-fit solutions for customers” are always at the forefront of the business. For more information visit: edged.com.au

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Proudly Australian owned WASTE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER GARWOOD INTERNATIONAL HAS EXPANDED AND ADAPTED TO THE INDUSTRY, SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO.

ince its beginnings four decades ago, Garwood International has undergone major changes to its product portfolio and business operations. As Managing Director Daniel McHugh recalls, the company’s Sydney foundations were built on supporting Australian markets. “It was my father who founded the company in 1977, 44 years ago,” Daniel says. “It was founded as McHugh Engineering, which was a general engineering business. Shortly after that, in 1982, my father got involved in the waste sector and set up Garwood International, the business that it is today.” Daniel started at the company when he was 15 years old, while still attending high school. His devotion to the company resulted in considerable progression for Garwood, which culminated in the opening of a branch in the United Kingdom about 20 years ago. “Our waste product portfolio grew when we established the branch in the United Kingdom, called Garwood Europe, and I went across there for three years and set the business up,” he says. “We saw a lot of growth due to our business being exposed to a larger market, but that branch is owned by us. We are a fully Australian-owned business, still to this day.”

30 / WMR / November 2021

Garwood International exports products to more than 20 countries worldwide.

Over the years, changes were also made to the company’s waste equipment range in Australia, with an emphasis on kerbside and municipal waste collection machinery. “We actually have the most extensive range of rear loaders in the industry, in Australia,” Daniel says. “Anything from four cubic metres right up to 28 cubic metre body sizes, n both split and single configurations.” Garwood International’s products allow operators to customise equipment, based on their particular requirements. Daniel says it is that flexibility, and innovation in products and services, which helped the company’s growth. “We don’t just say ‘here is the product, here is what you get’. We will tailor the bodies to suit the customer’s requirements for height, width or length.”

CHANGES TO INDUSTRY Garwood International has witnessed trends within the industry, particularly a movement towards sustainable options for waste reduction. “One of the major changes that we have seen in the industry is momentum towards recycling – it has come a long way,” Daniel says. “Recycling really has changed the way that collections are done. “Everybody is trying to divert waste away from landfill whenever possible, so we have had to adapt our units to cater for that. Kerbside segregation has become an important aspect to garbage collection, which is why we have developed our DualPact unit.” Garwood International’s DualPact rear-loader unit features two chambers, allowing for the simultaneous collection of two different waste streams. It’s another example of Garwood’s adaptable

equipment, with the unit available in 50/50, 60/40 or 70/30 capacity percentage splits. The unit provides operators with a range of benefits, including reduced operating costs and time required for a collection. This is done by offering a solution for waste, which would usually require the running of two separate trucks. Garwood International’s product range has been recognised for its excellence, nominated for the Premier’s New South Wales Export Awards six times. “Everyone likes to see an Australian success story, and a family business such as ours certainly is. We are up against multi-national companies as competition, so we have a lot of pride in our journey as a company,” Daniel says. “We do export our products as well. We have exported to over 20 countries across the globe, including

Garwood International’s DualPact unit.

to the established market in the United Kingdom.” Garwood International was named the LGP (local government procurement) Approved Contractor of the Year in 2020 – selected from 900 registered businesses for the award.

“Our business growth, sustainability, the products we offer and the service we offer, all contributed to us being presented with what is a very prestigious award,” Daniel says. Garwood was also presented with an innovation award from the AWRE, following the success of its miner rear loader unit. The unit was developed to enable operators to complete collections within tight spaces, in some cases with only a height clearance of 2.1 metres. Garwood International is eyeing further expansion interstate, hoping to cater to the industry demand along the west coast. “Plus, we are about to bring in a new front loader product line, so it is exciting times ahead for the business,” Daniel says. For more information, visit: www.garwoodinternational.com.au

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www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 31

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TYRE RECYCLING

Unlocking opportunity AS THE 1 DECEMBER DEADLINE FOR AUSTRALIA’S TYRE EXPORT BAN INCHES CLOSER, TYRECYCLE AND EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER ELDAN RECYCLING ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF FUTURE-PROOFING THE SECTOR.

Tyrecycle has secured RMF funding to expand its Erskine Park facility in New South Wales.

ach year, 56 million tyres are discarded in Australia; that in itself presents a large waste issue for the country. When you overlay that with the Council of Australian Government (COAG) ban on the export of waste tyres, specifically whole-baled tyres from 1 December 2021, the problem is exacerbated. Jim Fairweather, Tyrecycle Chief Executive, says the end game should be developing and delivering domestic processing capacity and domestic markets. “It’s one thing to process all the material here, and it has to be processed appropriately; [but] we have to find socially and environmentally sustainable outcomes for those products we make,” he says. Jim praises the government for its “appetite for change and appetite for

32 / WMR / November 2021

action” in relation to the bans. And he says it hasn’t been all talk. The Federal Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) will generate more than $600 million for investment in infrastructure to sort, process and remanufacture materials including tyres, mixed plastic, paper and glass. Recognised as a global leader in tyre recycling, Tyrecycle has secured RMF funds to expand its plant in Erskine Park, New South Wales. It is also bolstering operations in Victoria and Western Australia. Purpose-built plants will be built in Perth and Port Hedland within the next 18 months. Port Hedland will be geared towards processing of tyres used in mining, while the Perth plant will be the first crumb rubber factory to service the state’s “burgeoning demand” for road construction using

crumbed rubber. The Melbourne operation will be upgraded both in terms of its output for crumbed rubber to be consumed in Australia, and other value-added products to be sent offshore. Jim says there is enough domestic capacity in tyre recycling now to move the product from the baling sector but until there are domestic markets that can consume Australia’s tyre-derived products in full, export options must be available. “We need to use [RMF] funds to make more value-added products. This is not exporting waste; this is exporting products made for very discerning customer groups. It’s a product made from waste; but it’s not waste,” he says. “The RMF fund underpins that transitional piece from where we are today, to where we need to be in the future.” Tyrecycle is continuing a partnership with Eldan Recycling to unlock new opportunities in the sector. The company is about to begin a trial for a Tyre-Derived Fuel (TDF) user in Thailand, which, Jim says, is a more value-added product than they would have previously made. “It’s so important that we partner with people like Eldan, who would be regarded as the best OEM

[original equipment manufacturer] for tyre recycling in the world,” he says. “Their machines are made to an incredibly high, exacting standard. They are a fabulous partner to work with in terms of working through plant design. Because of their experience, they know what works and what doesn’t work for particular feedstock. “Because tyres are so hard wearing on equipment, this is one market where you cannot go and buy cheap equipment. If you do, you’re destined for failure. This is why we use Eldan.” Jim believes as Australia generates more infrastructure to process products to a higher value-added level, we will see more domestic consumption of those products. “This allows us to make more complex products, which attract a higher gate fee. In turn, as you increase the value of products you make, you should diminish the amount of burden you place on the waste collection part of the business. “It’s a really exciting time in the market and in tyres,” he says. “It’s a really exciting time to be part of it and hopefully leading it and leading it responsibly. “We take our role as a corporate and environmental citizen extremely seriously.” For more information visit: eldan-recycling.com

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TRANSPORT

Giving new meaning to an essential service E & J SEPTICS IN MELBOURNE IS TAKING ON THE STATE’S “DIRTY WORK” AND PLAYING A PART IN HELPING TRACE COVID-19, WITH HELP FROM UD TRUCKS.

Ryan Sockett and the team at E & J Septics.

astewater services have long been considered essential but never more so than during a global pandemic. While all waste streams have increased globally as COVID-19 forces countries into various forms of lockdown and restrictions, one is at the forefront of helping track the virus. Wastewater across Victoria continues to be tested at treatment plants and in the sewer network, helping to shape the government’s health advice and decisions. Fragments of COVID-19 can enter wastewater through toilet bowls, sinks and drains, giving authorities

34 / WMR / November 2021

information about geographical areas of populations where the virus might be. Ryan Sockett, General Manager of E & J Septics, and his team are playing their part in helping to piece together COVID’s spread. With more than 40 years’ experience in waste management services and a fleet of 15 trucks, E & J Septics has a wide network of domestic and industry customers across Victoria. The team has been asked by City West Water to provide wastewater samples as part of the statewide testing blitz. “It’s the nature of our work,” Ryan says.

“With everyone washing their hands more, things are filling up and people are needing more septic services. “We pump everything out and take the waste with us.” Ryan says the construction industry being deemed an essential service and able to continue operating, albeit at a reduced capacity, has also kept his team occupied. They continue to empty and service portable toilets and septic holding tanks at work sites, pump pits for stormwater or sewage, and excess ground water. Waste collected is transported to treatment plants across the state where it goes through flow meters and pH

“We do tick over kilometres pretty quick. And it’s not just highway driving, we do a lot of rugged terrain. Reliability is one of the big things for us.” Ryan Sockett, General Manager of E & J Septics

testing to ensure no contaminants are released into the sewer. It’s here COVID testing is also conducted. Ryan says personal safety has always been a priority so there’s been no marked difference in precautions while working during the pandemic. He’s run the business for the past eight years and knows it from the ground up, after learning the ropes from his dad. He’s also been there as the company has grown from one truck to a fleet of 15. “We secured a contract within the building industry and everything snowballed from there,” he says. Ryan says strong customer service and reliability are pillars of the company. Key to that is specialised service vehicles from UD Trucks. E & J Septics has a variety of tanker trucks and trailers to handle everything from difficult-to-access locations to extensive waste removal for domestic, commercial and event situations. Several recent additions to the fleet stand out among the rest. Ryan says the Quon and Croner models from UD Trucks have quickly become a favourite of the fleet’s drivers. “They love them,” he said. “They’re easy to use, up-to-date and well designed. “When the team does 10-12 hours a day, they need something comfortable and reliable that will get the job done.” It doesn’t hurt that both the Quon and Croner are described as the perfect “office” for drivers,

combining latest technology and comfort. Billed as the next generation of UD Trucks, the Quon is a heavy-duty truck with design enhancements in five major areas – drivability, fuel efficiency and environmental care, safety, productivity and smart uptime allowing for longer service intervals. The medium-duty Croner is available in two models. A choice of wheelbases offer up to 18 different basic configurations, PTO and jobspecific customisation. Both ranges are designed to minimise fuel consumption, which means increased productivity and lower costs. A big selling point for Ryan; when one Quon at E & J Septics can notch up between 1200-1500 kilometres a week. “We do tick over the ‘k’s’ pretty quick,” he says. “And it’s not just highway driving, we do a lot of rugged

terrain. Reliability is one of the big things for us.” It’s also one of the reasons Ryan turned to UD Trucks. He says he had “trouble with servicing” from a previous supplier, so was keen to look elsewhere. UD Trucks ticked all the boxes and is a part of the biggest service network in Australia and New Zealand. Every UD Truck has a tailored service schedule to reduce workshop visits, optimise service intervals for maximum uptime and reduce over-servicing. UD Trucks service agreements lock down costs now and into the future while UD Roadside Assistance reduces unexpected downtime. Ryan says one of the trucks is heading into the workshop, after more than 500,000 kilometres. “CMV Truck & Bus Dandenong; I’ve had good service from those guys and will keep going back,” he says. E & J Septics has three Quon and two Croner models. Ryan says that could soon expand. “I’m in the process of updating in the next couple of months,” he says. “Potentially the whole fleet would be moved across to UD Trucks once we get the opportunity.” For more information visit: udtrucks.com/australia

UD Trucks are the pride of the fleet at E & J Septics.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 35

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TRANSPORT

Sustainable scrap THEY’RE TOUGH, RUBBERY AND RESILIENT— AND THEY CARRY US SAFELY FROM HOME TO WORK, SCHOOL TO HOLIDAYS. BUT WHERE DO OUR TYRES GO WHEN THEY’VE WORN OUT? S&J AUSTRALIAN SCRAP TYRE DISPOSALS EXPLAIN.

“M

aking a tyre is like baking a cake – it’s a one-way process,” says Steve Hayes of S&J Australian Scrap Tyre Disposals. “The sulfur and carbon in rubber (like flour and sugar in a cake) are bonded together and inseparable, which has made tyre recycling very difficult to achieve in the past.” Highly durable and nonbiodegradable, tyres have consumed vast spaces in landfill around the world, becoming a challenging source of waste. The problem became so bad that Australia’s government stepped in with legislation such as Queensland’s 2011 Waste Reduction and Recycling Act, bringing about major reductions in

dumping and progress in tyre recycling. With more than 30 years’ experience transporting and recycling scrap tyres across Queensland and northern New South Wales, Steve has seen it all with his company S&J Australian Scrap Tyre Disposals. From beginning the business in 1991, a sizable portion of its work has come from cleaning up the stockpiles left by failed tyre collectors. Steve teamed up early on with leading tyre recycler, Chip Tyre, supplying tyres used for their recycled crumbed rubber production facility. Crumbed rubber has many varied uses today – from roads and matting to tile adhesives and blastresistant concrete.

Steve Hayes and son Josh are passionate about sustainable business.

36 / WMR / November 2021

“Since 1991, we’ve always tried to support next-best-use for the tyres,” Steve says. “Dumping of whole tyres is no longer acceptable and with the state of our landfill, just not a good idea. “I started out with one truck and my own tyre shredding facility, but we’ve grown a lot from there.” Sustainable business is something Steve is passionate about, and while he’s looking out for the environment, he’s also looking after his driving team. He can be spotted all the way across to Western Australia, bringing back cutting-edge equipment to reduce manual handling and driver fatigue. “I’ve just purchased two new Isuzu FXY 240-350 Auto 6x4s from Brisbane Isuzu, with walking floor bodies manufactured by Allroads Transport Engineers in WA,” Steve says. “They’re such a good upgrade for the workers. We’ll be looking at buying another two trucks with the same configuration before the year’s end.” The tough-as-nails FXY isn’t the only Isuzu truck suited to S&J’s interstate tyre disposal service. A fleet of 13, ranging from the brawny NPR 65-190 all the way through Isuzu’s workhorse F Series to the heavier duty FXY 240350, are loaded high to help small clients through to commercial giants to remove their rubber. It’s a six-day-a-week operation and each of S&J’s trucks can clock up to 800 kilometres a day, pushing 100,000 kilometres every year per truck. That’s a lot of time in the seat for a driver.

“Some of these trucks do a fair old distance, up to 12-hour shifts for the drivers to complete their round,” Steve says. “Our recent purchases have all been trucks with automatic transmissions to reduce driver fatigue and increase ease of operation. “The Allison auto in the FXY is bulletproof. The drivers fight over the trucks – they just love them.” Steve says with experienced drivers a hard-to-find breed in 2021, he’s keen to keep his current team onside. “It’s hard to find experienced truck drivers at the moment … I’ve talked to a lot of friends in the transport industry and it’s like the tap just turned off during the COVID-19 pandemic. “For a lot of us, things have been busier than ever. We are hiring if you know anyone suitable,” he adds with a chuckle. “The drivers work extremely hard, and you need to keep them happy.”

Reducing the manual handling aspect of tyre collection and disposal is one way to keep the team happy, with the bonus of increasing workplace safety. “We’re in a manual handling industry, no denying it … our new FXY trucks with walking floors have alleviated manual labour by almost 50 per cent. “Instead of taking an hour to unload a truck, we’re doing it in a very economical eight minutes now. “We have a forklift behind the truck, so there is zero manual lifting involved in our local heavy truck tyre operation … and the roll-over tarp is fully automatic; you just press a button and the tarp goes right over the load,” Steve says. “That’s where we want to be for all our drivers in the future – with none of them having to do any heavy lifting or manual handling.” Steve and son Josh – who is now taking on the reins as S&J’s Operations

Manager – rely on the Brisbane Isuzu dealership to provide silver service for the fleet, taking advantage of their night-time servicing options. “We get exceptional service from Brisbane Isuzu; they’ve helped us reduce downtime significantly… and that’s part of why I chose to go with Isuzu in the first place. “We take a truck in at 4pm and it will be back on the road again in the morning. “The service as far as value for money and maintenance is spot on. It suits me very well.” In answer to our obvious question (what’s the drive like in the new FXY?), Steve gives a laugh in reply. “How does it drive? Ask my wife. She drove it back from WA and absolutely loved it.” For more information, visit: www.astd.com.au or www.isuzu.com.au

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www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 37

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TRACEABILITY

Proactive, rather than reactive COOKERS’ MISSION OF PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY OPERATIONS IS BEING ASSISTED GREATLY THROUGH THE COMPANY’S TRACEABILITY COMPONENT.

elf-labelled as “Australia’s most sustainable oil”, bulk oil suppliers Cookers has set a high internal standard for minimising its environmental impact. Delivering products across all major cities, metro areas and select regional areas nationwide, Cookers has established a unique traceability system by which the company can watch what is coming and going out with each drop of oil. Hari Srinivas, Cookers National Quality and Safety Manager, says developing the company’s traceability capabilities has opened the door to a new level of quality assurance and control. “Traceability is very important, especially when you are in a business that works within the food industry,” Hari says. “Basically, every drop

that comes in, we can trace it back to the supplier.” Hari says traceability is an essential aspect of quality assurance. With batches of oil being sent nationwide, having a regulatory system greatly diminishes the chance of a re-call required for a particular product. “Without being able to trace a product back to the supplier, in the unlikely event of a product defect, I cannot know where the issue first arises or how similar issues can be prevented in the future,” he says. “For example, if 1000 deliveries of the same batch have been sent out and there is only one customer affected, then that issue is likely circumstantial. But if there are 100 reports of a bad batch then that is a serious issue which then needs to be resolved.”

Traceability also plays a large role in Cookers’ drive to be sustainable. The company can trace back oil products to see how an incident occurred. “If there is an environmental issue we can go back and trace the origins of the problem, such as what is going into the drain, to work out what happened on any particular site,” Hari says. This extends to Cookers’ own procedures during the refining and processing stages of used cooking oils from customer supply tanks. “Everything goes through thorough food safety quality checks before going as fresh oil,” Hari says. “When the used cooking oil comes back to us, we are able to trace the effectiveness of our own processes. This includes how much electricity we are using as well as natural gas to process that used cooking oil to refine the product into animal feed or biofuel. By tracing those aspects, we are calculating Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and it’s impact on the environment.” Randomised mock-recalls also ensure that quality is maintained

Cookers’ traceability capabilities ensure that product quality is maintained. 38 / WMR / November 2021

“Traceability is very important, especially when you are in a business that works within the food industry. Basically, every drop that comes in, we can trace it back to the supplier.” Hari Srinivas, Cookers National Quality and Safety Manager

Cookers’ blue-coloured trucks support the collection of used oil.

throughout the supply chain. Batch numbers are selected at random by Hari and the product assessed, based on a strict criterion. Robbie Coccaro, General Manager, says the company structure allows for instant feedback to ensure that the effects of a recall or product defect are not felt by suppliers and customers. “We have developed a centralised system which enables us to engage in a recall or tracing process much quicker than we could previously,” Robbie says. “For example, in the past it would have taken us one to two days to carry out such a process. We can now do that in under four minutes.” Robbie says product traceability has also been converted to increase traceability for Cookers staff.

“Our traceability mechanisms in place are used for various situations too. In the current world of COVID-19, we use the same method for tracing Cookers employee movements into customer venues that suddenly get listed as an exposure site,” he says. “Within three or four minutes we can know if a delivery driver has encountered a COVID-19 hotspot. In years gone past it would have been a scramble,” he says. “The ability to trace what we do is phenomenal, particularly from a product point of view.” PROVIDING END-OF-LIFE SOLUTIONS Cookers has developed its processes to minimise oil waste once the product has been used by the customer.

Hari says that providing an endof-life solution for used cooking oil prevents the product from going into drains or ending up in landfill. “When we deliver fresh oil, the customer will use that product for their cooking application as usual, but after that, the oil is usually finished with and sometimes even put in the sink,” he says. “We efficiently collect every drop of oil back into Cookers’ system. We have two types of trucks; our stainless-steel range, which is for our fresh products, and our blue-coloured trucks, which are used to collect used cooking oil from storage facilities. “Once collected, the oil is again refined and dewatered to reassure that it is safe for use in animal feed. It is also made suitable for bio-fuel manufacturing, effectively creating a circular process.” Each Cookers’ site satisfies strict criteria for national certifications, such as the National Standards for Recycling of Used Cooking Fat and Oils Intended for Animal Feeds and International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC). Robbie says that achieving both certifications is a reflection of Cookers’ dedication to sustainable and environmentally friendly operations. “If everything is running smoothly, we are reducing our impact on the environment at every level,” he says. “We are always trying to challenge our staff to use less paper, reduce touch points and achieve optimisation to reduce our fuel use, and reduce our emissions in our day-today operations. “As a result of this we satisfy some of the highest standards in Australia, and even perhaps the world, in terms of used oil collection and reuse.” For more information, visit: www.cookers.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ENERGY FROM WASTE

Rise of the Phoenix BLUE PHOENIX IS MAINTAINING ITS PROMISE TO DEVELOP NEW RE-USE MARKETS, OFF THE BACK OF AUSTRALIA’S FIRST DEDICATED INCINERATOR BOTTOM ASH TREATMENT FACILITY.

ncreasing municipal waste levels, combined with a growing population in Australia, have contributed to the continued innovation of waste treatment technologies. As conventional waste treatment methods are slowly being passed over for more sustainable processes, including Waste to Energy (WtE), companies such as Blue Phoenix Group are implementing proven European technology into the Australian market. Blue Phoenix does not see landfill as the one and only solution to residue ash. Rather, it focuses on ensuring that these commodities can be re-used instead of being sent to landfill. With its Incinerator Bottom Ash (IBA) facility in Kwinana, Western Australia, Blue Phoenix Group is aiming to contribute to landfill diversion and the prioritisation of sustainable recycling processes. Ian Lynass, Managing Director Australia, and Asia, says that embracing WtE and proven IBA treatment technology is a responsible and sustainable circular economic strategy that delivers valuable recycled products into a developed market. “We are working on many fronts across Australia and in Asia as we continue to work with customers and regulators to develop a sound knowledge base of responsible treatment and sustainable re-use of

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aggregates and metals.” IBA installations help to process the ash that is discharged from municipal waste incinerators. Following combustion, the remaining material can contain minerals and ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Minerals can be refined into an aggregate, which is appropriate for use in construction materials, such as road construction and concrete. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals can be refined for reuse in automobile manufacturing or electronic device creation. Ian says the refined material can contribute value to existing markets in Australia, as well as overseas, supporting a truly circular economic outcome for the community. “Diverting materials away from landfill is great, but we then also need to look at how we recover the materials and then repatriate them back into value adding commercial markets,” he says.

“The first element of this process is understanding the materials, so we can process both ferrous and nonferrous metals in different sizes and fractions and commodities. We then take that material and through our other locations across the globe we clean it, enrich it, upgrade it and sell it into refineries who require that material to include in products such as motor vehicles and electronic goods.” Ian says the domestic reuse and refining of such materials will be key to the future of WtE and IBA treatment in Australia over the medium term.

Blue Phoenix’s IBA processing facility will be operated as part of a 25-year agreement with Avertas Energy.

“We are looking to treat those materials here rather than overseas, but currently there is no processing capability to do this in Australia,” Ian says. “No longer is it suitable for the material to go to landfill when it can be recovered in a safe and economic manner.” Ian says that the emergence of such markets will also offer an alternative to the mining of virgin materials. “As we mature and improve our recycling, recovery, and reuse of materials through regulation that allows sustained reuse, we will create a demand for products such as metals and aggregates and energy, which will become the driver, rather than the diversion of waste from landfill,” he says. “Energy from waste is not the only solution for the waste supply chain, but it is an integral strategic technology that benefits the community by creating a circular economic outcome for what has traditionally created emissions, methane and other issues that create a land debt for future generations.” As multiple industries, trend toward the use of recycled materials for major projects, Ian believes it will only be a matter of time before the market matures organically. “The need for recycled material is becoming a heightened topic of requirement for all federal, state and local council governments,” Ian says. “Most tenders now require that a percentage of materials going into infrastructure or road projects should contain a recycled product. “It is that maturing of the supply chain which will create a sustainable long-term market. All material applied to a civil project is assessed before reuse and that is a large part of what Blue Phoenix does – ensuring that from a regulatory perspective the material is used in

The facility will start processing IBA from mid-2022.

“Diverting materials away from landfill is great, but we then also need to look at how we recover the materials and then repatriate them back into value-adding commercial markets.” Ian Lynass, Blue Phoenix Managing Director Australia and Asia

an appropriate manner that does not cause harm to the environment,” Ian says. Blue Phoenix is also introducing new technology to its IBA processing plant, which will be operated as part of a 25-year agreement with Avertas Energy. “We are the only company in the world that focuses exclusively on IBA and the circular economic benefits that go toward a more sustainable future,” Ian says. “The ballistic separation process and the patented technology that Blue Phoenix is bringing into Australia is the first of its kind to be introduced here. We created this technology with the Delph

University of Technology in the Netherlands.” Ian says Blue Phoenix will next year identify key personnel who will spend several months in Europe taking part in a specialised skills program to develop their understanding of the project, specifically new technology in the market. Civil and infrastructure works on the plant are set to be completed this year, with the mechanical assembly of major components to be completed in the first quarter of 2022. From June 2022, the plant will start accepting IBA and in full operation soon after. For more information, visit: www.bluephoenix-group.com www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 41

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ENERGY FROM WASTE

Expanding the energy from waste market HITACHI ZOSEN INOVA’S NEW DUBAI ENERGY FROM WASTE FACILITY PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD. AS WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW LEARNS, ESTABLISHING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH CONTRACTORS AND GOVERNMENT BODIES CAN SIGNIFICANTLY BOOST THE EFFICIENCY OF FACILITY DEVELOPMENT.

illed as the world’s largest Energy from Waste (EfW) facility, Hitachi Zosen Inova’s (HZI) Dubai Waste Management Centre will convert an estimated 1.85 million tonnes of municipal waste into sustainable energy annually. Roni Araiji, Managing Director of HZI’s subsidiary in Abu Dhabi and responsible for the Middle East market, says the centre was born from a need to contain landfilling throughout the region. Waste production throughout the Emirate of Dubai required innovation to contain waste levels.

“The Emirate of Dubai is producing around 9000 tonnes of municipal solid waste a day, or 3.3 million tonnes per year,” Roni says. “Currently, most of this waste would end up in landfill. With the realisation of the EfW plant, around 55 per cent of waste will be diverted from landfills leaving a resource recovery potential of 45 per cent and growing, as the waste arising is likely to grow with further affluence and more residents.” The Dubai Waste Management Company, consisting of HZI (a 100 per cent subsidiary of Hitachi Zosen

Corporation, Japan), Ecosix (part of the Belgium BEXIS Group), Dubai Holding and ITOCHU Corporation, will develop the EfW facility. Touted as a landmark project for Dubai, it will be located in the eastern end of the Warsan 2 region and will transform waste into electricity for the urban power grid. SUPPORTING THE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY In 2006, throughout the early development of the EfW project, HZI took a concerted effort to ensure

The Dubai facility will have the capability to process 3.3 million tonnes of waste per year.

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More than 135,000 homes will be powered by the Dubai facility when fully operational.

the facility would align with the sustainability vision of the Emirate of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). When fully operational, the EfW will be capable of providing power to 135,000 homes and divert materials away from landfill in the area. It’s not just the size of the plant that’s impressive: the net energy efficiency of more than 31 per cent also puts it at the very top of the international rankings. The realisation of this project is a key component of Dubai’s sustainability strategy. The facility’s residual ash production will also be a source of reusable metals and construction material. Roni says the facility will greatly contribute to Dubai’s vision of a cleaner and more efficient waste treatment solution. Its flue gas treatment has been designed to meet the locally applicable European Waste Incineration Directive. Hence, it will operate at the same strict limits as most plants in Europe, the United Kingdom, as well as Australia.

FUTURE OPERATION By utilising its international knowledge of EfW facilities, HZI will take the lead to operate and maintain the facility for the next 35 years. It will include five combustion lines with state-of-the-art moving grate and boiler system, which, Roni says, will enable an unprecedented waste treatment production level. With an annual treatment level of 1.85 million tonnes, the facility will be able to meet increasing waste production well into the future. “If we compare with Europe, these facilities normally have the capacity to treat average 300,000 tonnes of municipal waste annually,” Roni says. “The largest project in the United Kingdom can treat 700,000 tonnes per year. The largest project in Europe is in Istanbul, which has the capacity to treat one million tonnes annually.” HZI has developed a long-term strategy for the facility, which consists of a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer, so-called BOOT, contract. HZI and its partners will build and operate the facility for 35 years

as part of a concession plan with Dubai Municipality. HZI’s neutralised potential barriers, such as the impact of COVID-19 with its pro-active approach. “In the development phase, we had some difficulty due to the pandemic as we could not travel to certain regions or plan face-toface, but in the execution phase, we have been unaffected. In addition, the vast majority of the personnel on-site have been fully vaccinated as well,” Roni says. Major works on the facility are under way, including installing components such as the boilers. Roni expects the commercial operation date to be July 2024. Dr Marc Stammbach, the Managing Director of HZI Australia, added: “Dubai is not only an EfW technology marvel but also a showcase of how a concerted governmental approach can achieve a rapid and significant landfill diversion for a metropolitan area”. For more information, visit: www.hz-inova.com/projects/dubai-uae/

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ORGANICS

There’s been a strong political focus on organics in the past 18 months.

A watershed for organics recycling IT HAS BEEN A DIFFERENT 18 MONTHS THAN ANY OF US EXPECTED. FOR AUSTRALIAN ORGANICS RECYCLING IT HAS BEEN A PERIOD OF GROWTH AND STRENGTH IN THE MIDST OF A WIDER ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STRUGGLE, WRITES PETER OLAH, AORA NATIONAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER.

s everyday life has changed in many ways, Australians have developed a new-found appreciation for organics recycling. The result: record feedstock inputs, processing and product outputs (and sales) for many parts of the industry. Much of our industry’s latent production capacity has been taken up in that 18-month period. At the same time, we’ve moved from a state and national focus on recycling streams, which have been struggling and are now subject to export bans, to a policy and political focus on organics. The announcements have sounded right: shared targets for diversion from landfill and recycling of organics

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(generally 80 per cent by 2030), state and national bans on single-use plastics, new state recycling strategies with a strong focus on growing organics, and changes to regulatory rules to favour growth of organics recycling. We also saw major funding announcements in the 2021 Federal Budget, and also in several state budgets, most notably New South Wales. At the same time, the new National Soils Strategy was launched and funded, with several objectives significantly reliant on the products of organics recycling. So, all good then? Well, yes and no. In the midst of all this hopeful stuff, the usual problems persist. Many

AORA members are still bedevilled by ad-hoc decision-making and shortterm thinking from state government agencies and local councils. The strategic language and objectives are not always, and never consistently, reflected in the actions of governments. Nevertheless, we at AORA have been waiting and hoping for the announcement that would reflect the hard work behind the scenes: the ongoing efforts between AORA and the federal and state governments, and between the governments themselves. That announcement came on 28 September 2021: Ministers Sussan Ley MP and Trevor Evans MP released guidelines for the first national fund

“The private sector under the fund can generate 2700 jobs in the organic recycling industry and remove two million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.” Sussan Ley, Environment Minister

to recycle domestic and commercial organic waste: the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund. The $171 million fund aims to take 3.4 million tonnes of food and garden waste out of landfill each year and to increase Australia’s organic waste recycling rate to 80 per cent by 2030. In her announcement, Ley quoted the benefits demonstrated in AORA’s Industry Contribution study of 2020: “The private sector under the fund can generate 2700 jobs in the organic recycling industry and remove two million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.” Evans continues to “get” organics recycling: “A much stronger organics recycling industry will be one outcome, as will greater diversion from landfills,

less food waste, better soil quality, and improved soil carbon capture.” AORA believes the Healthy Soils Fund is a game changer for the industry. It signals that the Federal Government is genuine in setting a national agenda of change and growth for organics recycling. For the first time, we have collaboration across the different levels of government and industry towards agreed high level objectives, with a specific focus on growth. This is a watershed moment for organics recycling in Australia and I strongly urge those in the industry to apply for funding and use it to grow their businesses. By showing that we can achieve growth quickly, we will deliver

multiple returns on the investment in economic and environmental benefits. In turn, this will ensure that the collaboration between governments and industry continues and grows in years to come. There will be two rounds under the fund, with first round applications closing on 17 December 2021 and the second closing on 31 March 2022. By leveraging funding from state and territory governments and industry, the fund will deliver more than $171 million of investment. Proposals must build processing capacity or improve product quality in either a new or existing facility; show they will be economically viable; have the written support of the responsible state minister and; request Commonwealth funding for up to onethird of project cost. Applications must be made through participating state governments. They will be assessed by a national panel with relevant expertise and the Environment Minister will make the final decisions on funding. For more information visit: www.environment.gov.au/protection/ waste/food-waste/food-waste-forhealthy-soils-fund

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TECHNOLOGY

Machine intelligence KOMATSU HAS RELEASED A SIGNIFICANT UPDATE TO ITS INTELLIGENT MACHINE CONTROL (IMC) TECHNOLOGY, KNOWN AS IMC 2.0. IT DELIVERS MAJOR PRODUCTIVITY, EFFICIENCY AND COST SAVING ADVANTAGES TO LATEST MODEL “INTELLIGENT” DOZERS AND EXCAVATORS.

he new intelligent Machine Control (iMC) 2.0 technology is available on the just-released D71EXi/PXi-24 and D61EXi/ PXi-24 dozers and PC210LCi-11, PC290LCi-11 and PC360LCi-11 excavators, further advancing their automation capabilities. iMC 2.0 significantly enhances iMC dozer operations on slopes and features all-new “intelligent” high-resolution, touchscreen monitors, purpose designed for each machine type to provide accurate displays of operating conditions and the job site design. Operators can customise split-screen views to provide optimum views of what they want to focus on, while an easy-to-use, multi-touch navigation system provides real-time information on bulk earthmoving, grading, digging, and finishing. All these combine to ensure greater accuracy and increased response speeds, according to Aaron Marsh, Komatsu’s National Product and Solution Manager with its Smart Construction and Integrated Machine Control Division. “Our new iMC 2.0 products, services and digital solutions incorporate a host of advanced machine technologies – some exclusive to Komatsu – allowing users to integrate sophisticated productivity-enhancing automation

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Lift Layer Control and Tilt Steering Control are both exclusive features of Komatsu’s iMC 2.0 technology.

and cutting-edge job site design into their operations,” Aaron says. “By applying Komatsu dantotsu (unique and unrivalled) principles, this latest technology delivers distinct benefits with automated and semi-automated dozer and excavator operations.” FEATURES Available initially on Komatsu’s new D71EXi/PXi-24 and D61EXi/PXi-24 dozers, iMC 2.0 automatically controls the blade so that it closely follows the target surface, controlling cut depth while avoiding track shoe-slip. Exclusive features of iMC 2.0 on dozers include Lift Layer Control and Tilt Steering Control. With Lift Layer Control, the dozer automatically spreads fill material from existing areas of the work site with the

press of a button, then measures the terrain it’s tracking over – and uses that data to plan the next pass. “This feature allows the design surface to be created from as-built data, and can cover lift work,” Aaron says. “Compared with conventional dozing practices, production rates are doubled, plus – because it’s 100 per cent automatic while automatics are engaged – each layer is completely consistent and accurate.” The one-touch Tilt Steering Control feature frees the operator from having to steer the dozer to maintain a straight heading, by continuously and automatically tilting the blade as required to maintain straightline travel. “This results in greatly reduced operator fatigue and increased comfort.

Operator input is reduced by up to 80 per cent compared with a conventional dozer,” Aaron says. “And straight-line travel guarantees a cleaner cut, along with increased productivity.” Other features of iMC 2.0 on Komatsu’s latest dozers include quick surface creation, allowing the machine to begin spreading or stripping using automatic modes while awaiting finishgrade designs. Proactive dozing control, manual co-ordination control and faster blade response on grade breaks lets the operator temporarily increase blade reactivity in transitions between different grade angles, to avoid over or under digging, and maintain high levels of accuracy. “In addition to these new features, our iMC 2.0 dozers include two integrated GNSS antennas, which are able to receive location signals from GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDoun and QZSS satellites,” Aaron says. “These all combine to ensure higher positioning accuracy due to greatly increased satellite availability, and the ability to work continuously and accurately regardless of how remote the site is, or where there’s vegetation or in hilly or mountainous terrain. “This assists customers to achieve superior production rates and lower

construction costs compared with traditional aftermarket machine control systems,” he says. INCREASING CAPABILITIES Komatsu’s new PC210LCi-11, PC290LCi-11 and PC360LCi-11 now include iMC 2.0 to ensure even greater productivity gains for end-users. “The renowned accuracy and automatic grading capabilities of our existing iMC machines has been enhanced with new features that increase ease of operation and finish quality, while significantly reducing cycle times,” Aaron says. “New automatic features, such as Auto Grade Assist, and Auto Tilt Control let the operator relax and focus on productivity, without having to worry about over digging. These two new features keep the bucket edge precisely on-grade.” iMC 2.0’s Auto Tilt automatically tilts the bucket to design, then returns it to horizontal to unload, so that achieving final grade is significantly quicker and easier. “This greatly increases ease of operation on slope and ditch work, automatically limiting under-digging and increasing bucket fill – making delivering final grade quicker and easier,” Aaron says.

“It’s ideal to use with tilting buckets, particularly when working on slopes, ditches and complex designs.” The Auto Grade Assist function includes a bucket angle hold feature, which lets the operator select the desired bucket angle, then the system automatically holds this angle through the grading pass. “This makes final grading and trimming work much easier, while allowing the operator to manually intervene at any time just by operating the bucket lever function,” Aaron says. He says this feature is ideal for final grading, trimming multi-plane surfaces and detailed sealing applications. “When the bucket hits the target surface, the control function automatically limits and maintains grade with real-time bucket edge positioning, ensuring precise and accurate surfaces that exactly match the design, first time, every time. “This latest excavator dantotsu technology from Komatsu lets us deliver increased productivity, efficiency and finished quality across a wide range of earthmoving, construction and production applications.” For more information, visit: www.komatsu.com.au

Komatsu’s iMC 2.0 technology aims to increase the automation capacity of its excavator models. www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 47

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – EQUIPMENT

Processing under one roof SINCE COMMENCING THE DISTRIBUTION OF KOMPTECH EQUIPMENT LAST YEAR, KOMPTECH CEA HAS EVOLVED INTO A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE WASTE AND RESOURCE RECOVERY SECTOR. PRODUCT MANAGER CRAIG COSGROVE EXPLAINS.

n July last year, CEA commenced operations as the Australian and New Zealand distributor of Komptech waste recycling equipment. In a statement at the time, Chief Executive Hylton Taylor said that as a growing business, CEA is continually looking to better meet the needs of the market. “Adding strong, well-established brands to our portfolio strengthens our ability to support our existing customers and provides the opportunity to interact with a whole new client base,” Hylton says.

Craig Cosgrove, Komptech CEA Product Manager, feels similarly, highlighting that since joining CEA from ELB Equipment, his team has had greater access to resources – becoming a “one-stop shop” for customers. “When you buy a piece of Komptech equipment, you’ll generally need a wheel loader or excavator to feed the machine, and we now have that all under one roof,” he says. CEA, a part of the CFC Group of companies, is a privately owned business with nine branches, more than

90 dealer outlets and more than 280 employees Australia-wide. Craig says that CEA can offer its customers in-house financing under De Lage Landen, which tailors financing agreements to client needs. “From where we were with ELB to where we are now with CEA, we now have the opportunity to offer everything from the machine to the parts, service contacts and financing, all in-house,” he says. While the move to CEA has boosted resources and capabilities from a pre-

Komptech’s machinery solutions are also made to service the heavy material needs of the waste industry. 48 / WMR / November 2021

CEA has more than 90 dealer outlets across Australia.

and after-sales context, the quality of Komptech’s equipment offering has remained the same, Craig says. While Komptech makes constant improvements to its equipment, the company specialises in “bread and butter machines”. “Komptech offers high-performance, value-for-money equipment. The machines can be running for 10 years and still have resale value, which highlights the quality as well as payback for the owner,” Craig says. The Komptech product range includes more than 30 different types of machines that cover all key process steps in modern waste handling – shredding, screening, separating and biological treatment. “The focus is always on innovative technology and solutions that ensure maximum customer benefit,” Craig says. When it comes to screening and separating equipment, Komptech CEA can provide customers with both mobile and stationary solutions. “We can offer various equipment from drum screens, flower disks and star screens for the processing of

organic material in different-sized fractions,” Craig says. Komptech’s drum screens, such as the Nemus 2700, guarantee high throughput via feed screws welded on the inner side of the drum. Craig explains that the Nemus’ large steep-walled hopper, and screen drum with improved material feed and a high-performance discharge system, harmonise perfectly with the proven, robust diesel-hydraulic drive. The drum’s control with visualisation makes operation easier and the longer discharge conveyors, up to 3.5 metres, boost flexibility in use. Practical details such as the easycleaning, two-stage radiator induction screen, larger material intake support wheels and the good access to all maintenance points reflect Komptech’s close attention to customer feedback. According to Craig, Komptech drum screens effectively process high-bulk materials such as wood and biomass through a feed hopper tailored to the drum size. When it comes to processing excavated material such as sand, gravel and lightweight building rubble, Komptech has a solution for

all of these heavy materials. Solid contraries are kept back by a hinged hopper pre-screen and a hopper belt controller that prevents skewing on the belt. In processing shredded, household, residual waste and RDF, the Nemus creates ample space between screen drums and side walls for a smooth operation. For high-capacity operations, Craig highlights Komptech’s range of Multistar screens, which are some of the most productive screening machines available, especially in high moisture applications. The core of the star screens consists of one or more screen decks, depending on the model. The star shafts are electric drive with frequency converters that provide efficient and economical operation. “With its modular design, screen decks, feed metering container, wind sifter and stone/magnet separation, this machinery is tailored to the job at hand, generating up to four fractions in one operation,” Craig says. For more information, visit: www.komptechcea.com

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE - WASTEWATER

Adaptable technology, cost-effective solutions FLEXIBLE AND AFFORDABLE SEWAGE SOLUTIONS ENABLE THREE REGIONAL AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANT TREATMENT RESULTS.

ell-established across various industries for its innovative sewage treatment systems, Aerofloat’s Australian team is also known for its carefully considered solutions for regional towns and remote sites. Michael Anderson, General Manager of Engineering, says that Aerofloat’s unique design solutions reflect the company’s pride in promoting innovative thinking. “Regional and remote towns and sites need durable, readily transportable designs that ensure a low environmental and financial footprint,” Michael says.

“Remote monitoring is essential, as is ongoing online support from the engineers who build the system.” The University of Queensland (UQ) recently worked with Aerofloat to create a wastewater treatment system that was sensitive to the historical significance of its Gatton site. The US Army had constructed the wastewater treatment plant at the Gatton campus in the early 1940s, so the site had heritage listing. The plant predominantly managed sewage from the regional campus, but also from nearby research facilities and restaurants.

Aerofloat worked closely with the University of Queensland to install a wastewater treatment system.

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“Due to fluctuations in population relative to [university] semester dates, as well as variable high rainfall periods, subsequent changes to peak flows needed to be accommodated in the design,” Michael says. UQ, working with Fewster Brothers Contracting, drew on Aerofloat’s design experience to create a sewage treatment plant that would require minimal operator maintenance and ensure compliant effluent. “Aerofloat’s experience in sewage treatment plant design and construction, in particular their expertise in SBRs (sequencing batch reactors), ensured they were the preferred company to work with,” Matt Smith, of FB Contracting says. “Their innovative process design met UQ’s specifications at a competitive price.” Aerofloat’s design included a fine screen to remove larger particles up front, followed by an anoxic flow balancing tank used for the denitrification process and to manage peak flows. The air lock syphon decanter in Aerofloat’s two Sequence Batch Reactors (AeroSBRs) provided UQ with a cost-effective alternative to other technologies on the market. Michael says the completed works will ensure environmental compliance for UQ and allow for a higher treatment load capacity.

Aerofloat’s solutions are purposebuilt for Australian applications.

“Aerofloat is due to complete the installation and commissioning of the site in 2022 once COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. We will have remote monitoring capabilities on the system to facilitate access to our engineers here in Sydney following commissioning,” he adds. Significant variations in peak flows for a western New South Wales gold mining site also demanded a robust and flexible sewage treatment plant. The settlement required a system that could adapt to daily fluctuations in flow rates. Nearly half of the minimum 180 occupants were using the site for showers during peak periods, with that number expected to grow significantly in time. Aerofloat installed an adaptable biological SBR system designed to treat a future daily flow of 15.6m3/day and ensure effective treatment of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and ammonia levels in the wastewater. “Our AeroSBR technology enabled suspended growth biological treatment process whereby the microorganisms in the wastewater

were aerated, settled and the treated, clear effluent decanted in the same reactor, overcoming the need for a separate clarifier,” Michael says. “The system integrated with the existing irrigation system, allowing irrigation to the surrounding bushland, further reducing the capital costs for the mining company. “Aerofloat’s Air-Locked Syphon decanters were incorporated into the design, just as we’ve done for the Gatton site. The patented aeration lances can be easily removed for cleaning even while the system is in use.” Aerofloat’s engineers have a knack for working within the existing infrastructure of a site to ensure minimal environmental footprint. In another project, by upgrading the existing sewage treatment system of a popular holiday park in northern New South Wales, Aerofloat minimised capital expenditure, alleviating the need for an entirely new system. The original sewage treatment plant at the Ballina Beach Village Holiday

Park was built in 2006 and had an estimated peak capacity of up to 200 holidaymakers. Significant tourism growth during the peak holiday periods of Christmas, New Year and Easter meant Ballina Beach Village needed to service up to 500 guests. The strain on the existing plant prompted the tourist park owners to upgrade the sewage treatment plant. The project included a new 46,000L aerobic/anoxic balance tank, modifications to the existing facilities and a new electrical control system with remote monitoring capabilities to assist operators if required. The plant upgrades also included enhanced automation of the process and pH correction and disinfection. “The fast-tracked project ensured that the Ballina Beach Village sewage treatment plant was operating smoothly before the next peak holiday period,” Michael says. Rob Woods, Ballina Beach Village owner is impressed by the turnaround time. “Aerofloat’s unique sewage treatment plant design and after sales service allowed us to meet our growing capacity needs and ensured a low-maintenance, long-term solution,” he says. Aerofloat’s innovative design meant considerably less capital expenditure and disruption to operations for the holiday park. The upgraded plant has produced improved effluent than the original system, while ensuring a sustainable solution for many years to come. “It’s important for regional and remote towns and sites to have a robust, durable wastewater and sewage treatment solution that they can rely on,” Michael says. For more information, visit: www.aerofloat.com.au

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE - WASTEWATER

Ahead of the pack VEGA AUSTRALIA TELLS WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW ABOUT ITS PLANS TO EXPAND ITS WATER OPERATION PORTFOLIO, WITH A FOCUS ON WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

VEGA Australia headquarters, in Caringbah, New South Wales.

ith the growth in population and associated infrastructure, water is becoming an increasingly precious commodity. The water industry seeks the best equipment to meet its capture, storage, and distribution requirements. VEGA Australia has, over the past 30 years, worked hand in hand with the Australian water industry to not only understand, but develop and manufacture, level and pressure instruments. For the water industry, quality, suitability, reliability, and performance cannot be compromised. VEGA Australia works with industry players to ensure these criteria are upheld while helping solve challenges the industry faces – whether that be as simple as a level switch or a

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complex control loop. There is no onestop solution. That is why when it comes to applications, VEGA Australia offers several choices in each category that are defined suitable for use by the conditions of the applications. Long-term experience in the industry has given VEGA Australia first-hand knowledge as to what technology can be used to achieve a particular desired outcome. SOLUTIONS FOR DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS The Australian water industry makeup varies across the states, requiring VEGA Australia to service at a local level and at other times based on a state level. For example, within New South Wales regional councils are responsible

for the water and wastewater infrastructure, but when it comes to Western Australia, the large majority of water responsibility is handled by the state’s Water Corporation. Another unique aspect of Western Australia is the vast area that needs to be covered, requiring travel to distant regions to ensure customers receive the same diligent service as those in metropolitan areas. VEGA Australia has for many years committed to covering the regions and has employed technical staff to sell and support equipment. As a standard, support forms a major part of the relationship that has been built up and respected between VEGA Australia and the customer base. With advancements in technology comes a requirement for instruments to work from battery or solar power,

VEGA Australia services the water industry at both the local and state level.

while also providing a digital form of output communications. VEGA Australia instruments are at the forefront of this advancement. The company has, for some time now, developed and supplied instruments that can operate off low voltage supplies. These products consist of industryaccepted outputs such as 4-20mA HART, Modbus and SDI 12. Another development has been the introduction of Bluetooth communication. VEGA Australia received feedback from a number of industries that felt there was a need for a simpler way of programming and communicating with fieldmounted instruments. VEGA Australia took on the challenge and developed instruments that are Bluetooth enabled, while also recognising that there existed a large installed base of instruments already supplied and working in the field. For this, VEGA Australia ensured that Bluetooth was compatible with instruments that were manufactured as far back as 2002. These days most people have access to smart phones

and tablets, a factor taken into account during the development of the Bluetooth app VEGA Tools. The free downloadable app allows access to all VEGA Australia instruments that have Bluetooth functionality. For VEGA Australia transmitters this is now almost 100 per cent. From the app, customers not only have the ability to set up the instrument, but also the diagnostics to identify any anomalies. It also allows for field technicians to access products in a safe location away from any unsafe working areas. In the past two years the world has changed dramatically and site access for visitors and service technicians has been heavily restricted. VEGA Australia has acknowledged this and for a number of years has offered all customers support, either with onsite practical training or remote technical support via a variety of communication protocols. At VEGA Australia it is vital to offer after sales support. The company mandates that sales and support personnel are given in-depth

practical training on the workings and functionality of all technology and instruments it sells. Recent challenges of international freight delays have been mostly overcome by VEGA Australia by increasing off-the-shelf stock within the Sydney warehouse. Not one to rest on its laurels, VEGA Australia’s research and development team is constantly working on developments and improvements for the future. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has set new standards. The ability for instruments to provide accurate up-to-date information on a constant basis is now seen as a necessity rather than a novelty. These developments are partly driven by the industry as needs and requirements change and improve. VEGA Australia take all feedback onboard and, if feasible, sets to work to offer a solution. Focusing on the development and manufacturing of level and pressure instrumentation has allowed VEGA Australia to concentrate its resources into the two forms of measurement technologies. Its recent release of water industrybased instruments has shown that the products have met the needs and requirements of the industry. As with many technological developments, the units have become more compact, but have increased their ability to offer reliable, accurate and fit-for-purpose application solutions. Whether customers are looking to monitor a dam level or deep-water bores, upgrade the open channel flow into a treatment plant, or the pressure of liquids within pipes and pumps, or even monitor levels in added chemical tanks, VEGA Australia offers a solution that is readily available, and industry supported. For more information, visit: www.vega.com

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get the edge

Australian designed & manufactured equipment that separates Edged Group from the rest.

admin@edged.com.au edged.com.au 0403973696

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Innovative depackaging & separation equipment for all waste management and recycling needs.

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Process up to 25 tonne per hour with ‘fit for purpose’ centra separators.

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Material recovery solutions to maximise diversion of waste from landfill.

Recognising excellence THE WASTE INNOVATION AND RECYCLING AWARDS ARE A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE THE WORK BEING DONE ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF THE WASTE AND RESOURCE RECOVERY SECTOR.

aste Management Review looks at the finalists and their achievements ahead of the awards on 31 March, 2022. OUTSTANDING WARR PROJECT: METRO Procure recycled: Paving the way – Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) The largest council-led procurement of its kind in NSW, Paving the Way created a closed-loop market for domestic glass collections through a large-scale procurement of asphalt with recycled crushed glass (RCG). Creating change with containers in WA – REMONDIS Australia REMONDIS Australia operates the collection and processing of nonglass products for Western Australia’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) for the Perth, Peel and Wheatbelt regions. More than 28 million containers per month are collected and processed. Recycled organics and medical equipment trial – Epworth HealthCare Centre In the past year, almost 30-tonnes of food waste, medical PVC and employee uniforms has been recycled and turned

Creating change with containers in WA – REMONDIS Australia.

into electricity, garden hose and stuffing for exercise equipment. Minta roadway resurfacing – Stockland A road in suburban Melbourne is being built with Downer’s recycled asphalt, Reconophalt. The twokilometre roadway will divert about 1,356,000 plastic bags, 39,610 printer cartridges and 724 tonnes of recycled asphalt from landfill. OUTSTANDING WARR PROJECT: REGIONAL Waste enforcement training – Keep Australia Beautiful The Litter Enforcement Officer Network, run by Keep Victoria Beautiful, designed and delivered the only training for authorised officers on the new Environment Protection Act. The course has been endorsed by EPA. McMullin Building demolition – Drumderg Services A benchmark project for the University of Newcastle, Drumderg and TSA Management in establishing complementary protocols for planning, achieving and exceeding best practice across all phases of the demolition project. In total, the project diverted 99.83 per cent of

Minta roadway resurfacing – Stockland.

materials from landfill, achieved a 97 per cent “World Leading” Safety score, retained 35 significant trees and crushed and processed 15,000+ tons of concrete on site. FOGO deep dive education project – Forbes Shire Council A three-month education and awareness campaign focused on diversion of FOGO materials from redlid garbage bin to green-lid FOGO bin. Kleinton waste management facility – Toowoomba Regional Council In late 2015, Toowoomba Regional Council opened the Greater Toowoomba Waste Management Facility to provide improved diversion options including a purpose-built Tip Shop. Waste diversion has since increased from about 30 per cent to 70 per cent. In December 2020, the similiarly designed Kleinton Waste Management Facility opened. OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD Operational excellence in ACT – REMONDIS Australia REMONDIS Australia has operated Mugga Lane Landfill, Mugga Lane Transfer Station, Mitchell Transfer Station and ACT’s Recycling Drop Off

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Centres since 2011 and the Mugga 2 Quarry site since 2019. Over time the facilities have transitioned from disposal to resource recovery. Waste enforcement training – Keep Victoria Beautiful The Litter Enforcement Officer Network, run by Keep Victoria Beautiful, designed and delivered training for authorised officers on the new Environment Protection Act. It is being rolled out around the state. ReProcess Tas – Spectran Group ReProcess Tas, a 12-acre state-of-theart construction and demolition waste reprocessing facility is the first of its kind in Tasmania. At full operation it allows up to a 95 per cent reduction in construction waste entering landfill. Optimising waste collection initiative – Brimbank City Council The introduction of digital mapping for waste collection has resulted in significant savings, improved efficiency and reduced wastestream contamination. INNOVATION AWARD TOMORROW’S SOLUTIONS. TODAY

Handybin multi-stream recycling services – Handybin Waste Services Handybin Waste Services has successfully introduced glass, polystyrene and textiles recycling, resulting in substantial environmental and social benefits. Reground coffee recycling service – Reground The Reground Coffee Recycling Service: A Model for Circular Practices was established in 2016 as Australia’s first coffee collection system, and has since diverted more than 700,000 kilograms of ground coffee from landfill.

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processing up to 10 tonnes every eight hours.

Central Waste Facility – Bega Valley Shire Council.

Recycled plastics RMP noisewalls – Pact Group In a world-first innovation, Pact has transformed about 600 tonnes of hardto-recycle plastic waste into noisewall panels spanning 32,000 square metres. Each panel comprises 75 per cent recycled materials and at the end of their 40-year design life, each panel will be 100 per cent recyclable. Polyrok – Replas Polyrok concrete is a sustainable recycled plastic aggregate alternative for pathways, kerbs and channels using soft plastics recovered from the REDcycle program in Coles and Woolworths stores. OUTSTANDING FACILITY AWARD ReProcess Tas – Spectran Group ReProcess Tas, a 12-acre construction and demolition waste reprocessing facility is the first of its kind in Tasmania. At full operation it allows up to a 95 per cent reduction in construction waste entering landfill. Bardee Commercial Pilot Facility – Bardee Bardee transforms food waste into protein and fertiliser with insects. Every tonne of protein offsets 50 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In 2021, Bardee commissioned Australia’s largest food waste-to-insect protein facility,

Central Waste Facility – Bega Valley Shire Council Bega Valley Shire Council constructed an emergency landfill cell and resource recovery area in direct response to the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires. Perth Material Recovery Facility – Cleanaway In May 2021, Cleanaway reopened the Perth Material Recovery Facility located in South Guildford. The $26 million facility can process more than half of comingled recycling from residents and customers across Western Australia, delivering up to 90 per cent recovery of reusable products.

Perth Material Recovery Facility – Cleanaway.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Stacey Ward – City of Port Phillip An integral member of the Waste Futures team at the City of Port Phillip, Stacey started out as a Project Officer and led several projects critical to the success of the ‘Don’t Waste It!’ Waste Management Strategy. Stacey was recently appointed to the role of Senior Strategy Officer – Waste Futures. Samuel Lawson – Keep Victoria Beautiful Samuel is a research and project coordinator at Keep Victoria Beautiful. Working with community, authorised

officers and landowners, Samuel leads research to reduce illegal dumping. Matthew Day – REMONDIS Australia Matthew joined REMONDIS as part of REMONDIS’ 2019 Graduate Program and was later offered the role of Technical Engineer. His responsibilities include assisting business development, providing technical advice and support, and project management. Tara Osborne – BINGO Industries Tara has been at BINGO for more than four years and has seen the company through its IPO and several large acquisitions. An important part of BINGO’s recent success, she’s a general manager at the age of 28.

COVID-19 pandemic, curating online internship projects and weekly mentor sessions. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUCCESS OF THE YEAR WasteSorted: talking my language – City of Wanneroo Developing multilingual resources to create stronger interconnected communities through the everyday experience of sorting household waste. TerraCycle school recycling program – TerraCycle

WOMAN OF WASTE TerraCycle school recycling program – TerraCycle.

Sabina Wills – Keep Victoria Beautiful With more than 30 years in the waste and resource recovery industry, Sabina has driven change and innovation, from developing cleaner production solutions in the winery industry, to the first Buy Recycled Conference and statistical analysis of landfill audits.

Empowering teachers and parents to raise the next generation with sustainable practices and values by incorporating hands-on learning about recycling in the classroom.

Susie McBurney – REMONDIS Australia Susie has more than 20 years’ experience in senior management at REMONDIS and Cleanaway. Her exposure to the industry began in a waste and recycling business started and managed by her family.

“Our Future Waste” community engagement – Sunshine Coast Council Designed to provide the community with information about waste services and future strategies, objectives, and targets and allow community feedback on existing waste services.

Ninna Larsen – Reground Ninna Larsen started Reground as a way to put coffee grounds to good use. The initiative was an enormous success, growing from six to 60 cafés in a year.

Waste Wednesdays – Forbes Shire Council A waste education and awareness campaign to spread awareness about the ongoing resource recovery facilities available.

Larissa Rose – GG Enviro Larissa Rose has forged stronger relationships and opportunities for females in the industry through her commitment to support university placement during the

WARR WORKPLACE OF THE YEAR Handybin Waste Services Since 2012 Handybin has successfully introduced glass,

polystyrene and textiles recycling with environmental and social benefits. REMONDIS Australia REMONDIS Australia has operated Mugga Lane Landfill, Mugga Lane Transfer Station, Mitchell Transfer Station and ACT’s Recycling Drop Off Centres since 2011 and the Mugga 2 Quarry site since 2019. Over time, the facilities have transitioned from disposal to resource recovery operations. Bega Valley Shire Council The council built an emergency landfill cell and resource recovery area in response to the 2019-20 bushfires. GG Enviro Larissa Rose has forged opportunities for females in the industry through her commitment to support interns during the COVID-19 pandemic. LEADER OF THE YEAR Harry Wilson – Handybin Waste Services Harry is an industry icon, with a career spanning 50 years in both small private companies, large Australian blue-chip corporates and developing his own business. Harry has lead innovation, conducted research and shared results leading to best practice. Julian Grasso – Reclaim Waste Co-founder and owner of both 30XY Group and Reclaim Waste. Julian sits on a number of committees within the waste industry and has a passion to do better for the industry. Larissa Rose – GG Enviro Larissa has forged opportunities for females in the industry through her commitment to support interns during the COVID-19 pandemic, curating online internship projects.

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WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS 2021

Challenge accepted IT WAS A COMPETITIVE NATURE THAT LED NOELLE PARLIER TO STUDY ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AT UNIVERSITY. NOW SHE HEADS UP A TEAM OF MORE THAN 120 ENGINEERS FOR ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST RECOGNISED TRUCK MANUFACTURERS. THE 2021 WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS FINALIST SHARES HER JOURNEY.

ever one to shy away from a challenge, the chief engineer of PACCAR Australia, Noelle Parlier, says the “taboo of engineering being a male-dominated field” first drew her interest. That, and wanting to do one better than her older sister. With a passion for maths and science, and based on her college test results, studying engineering “seemed like a good choice”. But it wasn’t until her university placement interview at Seattle University, USA, she decided on a double major in electrical engineering and physics. “My sister was studying mechanical engineering. When I was interviewed by the university for my placement, they asked me what I was interested in, and I asked them: ‘What is more challenging than mechanical engineering?’,” Noelle says. “They said electrical engineering and so that’s what I chose. I was very lucky in that I absolutely loved the subject. It was at a time when computer engineering was just starting to become a discipline. “I feel like the taboo of engineering being a male-dominated field drew my interest. I wanted to prove that I could be successful in the field, regardless of my gender. “In reality, I have benefited from the diversity of thought and experiences I have had growing up and studying in a

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Noelle Parlier is a finalist in the Women In Industry, excellence in manufacturing award.

male-dominated field and now a maledominated industry.” Originally from Kirkland, Washington, home of the Kenworth Trucks Company in the USA, it seems a natural transition from study to sign on with PACCAR, among the largest manufacturers of medium- and heavy-

duty trucks in the world. Noelle’s been there as the industry has undergone huge technological growth. “When I started, the common phrase was the truck industry is about 10-15 years behind the automobile industry,” she says. “The expectations were that new technology had to be proven and

“I feel like the taboo of engineering being a male-dominated field drew my interest. I wanted to prove that I could be successful in the field, regardless of my gender. In reality, I have benefited from the diversity of thought and experiences I have had growing up and studying in a male-dominated field and now a male-dominated industry.” Noelle Parlier, 2021 Women In Industry Awards finalist

reliable before it went on a truck. Now the expectation seems to have shifted to: ‘I can have it on my car, why isn’t it available on my truck?’ “The amount of electronics and software that are on our trucks has increased significantly. Five years ago, we would have had 80 per cent mechanical engineers and 20 per cent electrical engineers. Now we are pushing towards one third mechanical, one third electrical, and one third embedded or software engineers. With alternative powertrains, advanced safety systems, driverless vehicles, the opportunities and challenges are endless. It’s a very exciting and challenging time to be in engineering.” Noelle has been with PACCAR for 16 years, the past three in Australia as chief engineer, responsible for leading the team of engineers designing Kenworth and DAF trucks. At PACCAR Australia, she has been pivotal in the development, design, manufacture, and launch of several new products. She says after travelling the world with PACCAR, the opportunity to take

on the chief engineer role, and the lure of Australia’s great outdoors, were too great to pass up. Noelle, husband Chris and sons Oakley and Finnley have “fully assimilated to the Aussie lifestyle”. While COVID-19 lockdowns have put a hold on the family ticking off its Aussie bucket list, Chris has coached his son’s under-11 AFL team this year, and Noelle won the Auskick mum’s longest kick competition for Chirnside Park. “It’s my latest claim to fame,” she says. “My son was so proud of me.” Motherhood, Noelle says, and its complexities are one of the biggest career challenges she’s faced. “I didn’t realise how torn I would feel working with a young child. Mother guilt is a real and powerful thing,” she says. “For the first year or so – I felt like I wasn’t being successful with the balance – devoting enough time and energy to either piece of myself. “I had to mentally compartmentalise, for my sanity as much as anything – I

needed to be the best employee when I’m on the clock for the business, and when I’m home – I need to be the best wife and mother that I can be.” However, she doesn’t hesitate when asked if she would encourage other women to consider a career in engineering. “I would say go for it – 100 per cent. I have had the best experience in this field and in this industry,” she says. “We need diversity of thought and experience. Engineering is about solving problems creatively, and that’s what I enjoy about my job the most – the creative aspect.” Noelle’s passion for her work is palpable but it goes beyond the manufacturing floor. She has a truck licence and has gone on many overnight drives, both in the US and in Australia. She has a respect for drivers and their passion for PACCAR’s product. “Our customers use our products to feed their families and to build their legacies – to be a small part of that is so rewarding and fulfilling,” she says. “My goal is to do whatever I can to make their life and job a little easier, a lot safer, more enjoyable. I think the biggest challenge I have seen in the industry in the past few years is the lack of acknowledgement, thanks, and respect that truck drivers receive on a day-to-day basis. They are highly skilled professionals, operating complex equipment and it is very true – without truck drivers – Australia would be in a world of hurt. “Anything I can do to make a driver’s life easier; I’m going to do it. That is the end goal. I want drivers to want to be in the products I design – or else I’m losing. I hate to lose.” The Women in Industry Awards will be announced on 7 April, 2022. For more information visit: www.womeninindustry.com.au

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COUNCIL IN FOCUS

Council calls out rubbish behaviour HUME CITY COUNCIL IN VICTORIA IS FED UP WITH ILLEGALLY DUMPED RUBBISH TURNING ITS STREETS AND VACANT LAND INTO A TIP.

arlier this year, the council removed 40 cubic metres of dumped waste from just one street and issued fines to 17 people believed to have contributed to the mess. Despite installing surveillance cameras at dumping hotspots and encouraging residents to call out bad behaviour, illegally dumped rubbish continues to pile up. Hume City Mayor, Councillor Joseph Haweil shares how the council is trying to take back its streets.

HOW LONG HAS ILLEGAL DUMPING BEEN A PROBLEM IN HUME CITY? Illegally dumped rubbish has been a major challenge for Hume City for many years, and unfortunately, several councils in Victoria are also facing the same challenge.

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HAS IT WORSENED RECENTLY? Council has seen a steep increase in illegal dumping over the past four years, particularly in the dumping of unwanted household items. There has been a noticeable increase since COVID-19 lockdown restrictions started last year.

WHAT TYPE OF RUBBISH IS BEING DUMPED AND WHERE IS IT BEING DUMPED? The most common types of dumped rubbish that we find in Hume City are household items that don’t fit in a household bin, and construction and demolition materials.

Hume City Mayor Joseph Haweil at one of the dumping hotspots.

Hume City has spent an average of $3.1 million each year cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish.

IS THERE ONE AREA THAT STANDS OUT AS BEING MORE PRONE TO ILLEGAL DUMPING? New areas under development are subject to large amounts of illegal dumping, along with back roads and industrial areas. WHAT ARE THE COSTS TO COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE ILLEGAL DUMPING CLEANED UP? In the past 12 months, cleaning up illegal dumping has cost Hume City’s ratepayers an average of $3.1 million each year. WHAT HAS COUNCIL DONE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF ILLEGAL DUMPING? A common response from residents who have been caught illegally dumping is that they don’t know what services are available to them. To make long-term change and ensure residents are aware of their entitlements, council has developed and launched a pilot waste education campaign for the Craigieburn area which is a known hotspot for illegally dumped rubbish. The campaign aims to inform residents about their service entitlements, encourage a proactive and planned approach for residents to

manage their waste, educate residents on the impact of illegal dumping and the potential consequences if caught. The campaign launched in July and has involved: • Developing informative animations to help educate our community. • Sharing educational messages about our services and how people can dispose of waste easily for free across digital and social media, printed publications and signage in shopping centres. • Partnering with property developer, Stockland, to display signage deterring dumping in Craigieburn. • Sending a reminder of waste service entitlements to Craigieburn residents with their most recent rates notice. In terms of enforcement, we have also installed surveillance cameras and signage in hotspot areas around the municipality to catch offenders. The campaign has passed the halfway mark and council is looking forward to seeing the results. WHAT WASTE SERVICES DO RESIDENTS OF HUME CITY HAVE ACCESS TO? Hume City Council offers a variety of free and accessible services to all residents including household waste, recycling and optional organic

collection service, at-home hard waste collection service, tip vouchers and mulching days. IT MUST BE FRUSTRATING FOR THIS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. Hume City Council continues to offer a wide range of free and subsidised services to assist with waste management so there is simply no need to dump rubbish in Hume. Illegal dumping damages the environment, it’s an unpleasant sight in our suburbs and frustrates our residents. It also costs our ratepayers millions of dollars which could be better spent supporting our community in other ways.

Household items and construction and demolition materials are often dumped.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

TUTT BRYANT’S M&J PRESHRED 1000 MOBILE The Metso PreShred 1000 mobile is a compact, mobile waste shredder designed for use at sites where limited quantities of waste need to be processed with considerable efficiency. The 159kW diesel-hydraulic power unit makes the Metso1000 mobile independent of any power supply. Because you can move it easily from one place to another, it makes an exceptionally versatile waste shredder solution that is ideal for a wide variety of needs. HYDROSTATIC DRIVE The M&J Eta PreShred 1000S has three different power pack options – 2 x 55kW, 2 x 75kW and 2 x 90kW – depending on the required capacity and type of material to be shredded. KNIVES & SHAFTS The M&J Eta PreShred 1000 is available with 4-8 rotating knives per shaft, depending on the required output size. The counter knives are

The M&J PreShred 1000 mobile is easily moved.

replaceable, and the shaft positions can be adjusted horizontally. The rotating knives are 60mm thick and made of Hardox steel. Contact – Tutt Bryant P 02 9780 7277 W www.tuttbryant.com.au

TUTT BRYANT’S M&J PRESHRED 4000 MOBILE M&J PreShred 4000M mobile pre-shredder is an easily transportable waste shredding machine used in waste recycling and waste processing applications. It can handle many types of waste from municipal solid waste, industrial and commercial waste to bulky waste. M&J PreShred 4000M is the smaller model in Metso’s mobile preshredders family. It is available as a track-mounted (on crawlers) or a wheel-mounted (on trailer) version. Suitable for versatile applications in transfer stations, landfill sites, composting and recycling plants, M&J PreShred 4000M is compliant to emission standards in both Europe and USA. It performs well in extremely tough conditions and processes waste that contains unknown materials. M&J PreShred 4000M is designed for easy maintenance and seamless uninterrupted operations. Loading and discharge height parameters can be varied to allow optimum performance even in challenging environments.

The M&J PreShred 4000M can handle a variety of waste types. Contact – Tutt Bryant P 02 9780 7277 W www.tuttbryant.com.au

WEST-TRANS EQUIPMENT’S HL 20/20A HOOK LIFT Fabricated bin rests, billet steel bin locks and an Australian design make West-Trans Equipment hook lifts the toughest on the market. The HL20 and HL20a hook lift is a new low-bed pedestal height model, allowing for lower clearance height and greater stability. Keeping the lifting hook close to the rear drive when lifting improves the performance and truck stability. The HL20 and HL20a are designed around the major truck manufacturer’s standard bogey drive, twin steer chassis LWB range and fit most without needing modification. Both fixed and articulated models are available. Recommended for 8x4 axle configuration trucks. The HL20 handles a minimum bin length of 4500mm up to 6700mm. The HL20a ranges from 3500mm minimum to 6700mm. All West-Trans skip loaders are craftsmen-built in the company’s Mulgrave, New South Wales’ factory which means they can accommodate customer requests for a range of additions and modifications. Options can include adjustable hook, inner bin locks, additional tiedown points, amber flashing beacons, tool boxes, work lights, broom 62 / WMR / November 2021

West-Trans Equipment is craftsmen-built.

and shovel brackets, tarping tower and undercover system. All WestTrans hook lifts are protected with an anti-corrosion primer base coat and two coats of high gloss colour. All relevant Australia Design Rules are met or exceeded. Contact – West-Trans Equipment P 1300 877 411 E sales.nsw@west-trans.com.au W west-trans.com.au

CARLSON’S LANDFILLGRADE MACHINE GUIDANCE FOR COMPACTORS Poor compaction exposes a landfill site to numerous risks, including inefficient airspace use, greater settlement, and shortened cell life, all leading to lost time and money. Relying solely on an operator’s experience, no matter how skilled they are, is simply not accurate enough to ensure these risks are adequately managed. Introducing GPS-based machine guidance is a simple and effective way to empower operators with the information they need to work accurately to the landfill design. Solutions such as the LandfillGrade system from Carlson, can be installed on any age, make or model of machine. The kit includes a GPS antenna mounted to the roof, along with sensors fitted to the body, and an in-cab display that give the operator a clear, visual representation of their position and distance to grade. Benefits to introducing Calrson LandfillGrade include: • Airspace optimisation and longer cell life: Utilise available space as effectively as possible. • Increased safety and reduced environmental impact: Fewer air pockets and better stormwater management due to optimised design.

GPS-based machinery can empower landfill operators.

In-cab display guides operators to reduce fatigue, avoid hazardous areas including gas wells and reduce fuel consumption. • Consistently hit targets and track results: Eliminate rework and fulfil legislative requirements with accurate, digital reporting. Carlson distributor Position Partners provides comprehensive support, training and consultation Australia-wide.

Contact – Position Partners P 1300 867 266 W www.positionpartners.com.au

ELDAN RECYCLING’S FINE GRANULATOR FG1504 Eldan Recycling is one of few companies supplying equipment to the recycling industry that still primarily make its machinery in-house. More than 1100 complete systems and 8000 individual machines have been installed worldwide, including standard and customised recycling solutions. The research and development department works closely with customers to adapt, develop, and design solutions for their problems. Eldan Fine Granulators are high speed, single shaft granulators for the final step in the recycling process of steel-free materials. The Fine Granulator FG1504 is specifically designed for materials such as tyres, cables, aluminium scrap (all types), textile, plastics, and preparing them for sorting. It is ready for connection of pneumatic material transport to ensure a dust free environment and area around the granulator. The rotor is also designed for optimum air flow to keep the material cool during processing. Adjustable static knives on both sides of the rotor enable a double cut of the material for optimum size reduction. The machine features easy access for changing knives and screens. Knives can be changed in less than one hour, screens in less than 10

The Fine Granulator FG1504 is a high-speed, single shaft granulator for the final step in the recycling process.

minutes. Screens with different hole sizes are also available to ensure a flexible production. A hydraulically operated inlet hopper provides easy access to the cutting chamber for maintenance. Exchangeable wear parts ensure a tough machine. Contact – Eldan Recycling - Carsten Nielsen P +45 2149 1967 M cn@eldan-recycling.com W eldan-recycling.com

LINCOM GROUP’S ACTION TAPER-SLOT SCREEN The innovative Action TAPER-SLOT Screen is designed to excel in challenging applications that conventional screens can’t handle. Unlike standard finger screens, the TAPER-SLOT has patented lateral wedge members which prevent material from shifting laterally and catching under or wrapping around finger tips. Wedge deflectors prevent longer, often over-sized materials from free-falling into the screened fraction, instead, they contact the formed ‘tail’ portion of the screen and are conveyed downstream for discharge with the oversize. A combination of long stroke vibratory action and screen design provides smooth, continuous material flow and efficient separations. A material cascade at the mid-point of the TAPER-SLOT helps turn over material and increase downstream screening efficiency. Multiple sizes can be screened per unit and modular screen sections are easily changeable. The TAPER-SLOT has a proven track record of reliability and performance in screening a variety of applications including

The TAPER-SLOT screen has a proven track record of reliability.

construction and demolition, scrap tyres, wood waste, compost, aggregate and dirt, commercial waste, glass, plastics and metal and Refuse Derived Fuel. Each TAPER-SLOT screen is customised to meet specific application requirements. Contact – Lincom Group P 07 3293 0888 W www.lincom.com.au

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 63

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LAST WORD

Road to recovery ROSE READ, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NWRIC AND PETER OLAH, NATIONAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF AORA, EXPLORE THE CHALLENGES AND RISKS OF HALVING ORGANIC WASTE TO LANDFILL BY 2030.

OGO might be a hot button topic now with enormous potential for organics to step up and help meet the National Waste Policy Action Plan target of 80 per cent resource recovery by 2030, but there are plenty of challenges and risks to manage as we head down this pathway. Food and organics is one of the largest waste streams and an important area of focus if there is a chance of reaching 80 per cent resource recovery by 2030, says Rose Read, Chief Executive of National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC). “The National Waste Report 2020 showed 14.2Mt of organic waste was generated in 2018-19 with an estimated 6.85 Mt deposited in landfill,” she says. “Halving this volume to landfill by 3.42Mt per annum will be a significant contribution to the estimated 12Mt to 15Mt of waste we need to divert from

Organics is trending in the right direction in the push to reduce waste going to landfill.

landfill annually to achieve 80 per cent resource recovery by 2030. “Fortunately, organics are already trending in the right direction, with organic waste to landfill dropping by 4 per cent from 7.12Mt in 2016-17 to 6.85Mt in 2018-19.” The current national organics recycling rate is about 52 per cent, however rates vary significantly from 19 per cent to 78.9 per cent across states and territories, along with

PROPOSED POLICY MEASURES OF THE CONDITIONS OF FUNDING UNDER FOOD WASTE FOR HEALTHY SOILS FUND 1. Harmonise kerbside Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) inputs including the development of nationally consistent inclusion and exclusions lists. 2. Deliver consistent education initiatives to prevent contamination in kerbside FOGO bins. 3. Work with the Australian Government and industry to update Australian Standard 4454: composts, soil conditioners and mulches. 4. Work with the Australian Government and industry to implement an industry-led certification scheme for recycled organics products fit for specific end-market uses. 5. Work with local government associations to ensure organics waste processing contracts. 6. Incentivise the delivery of low contamination feedstocks to organic waste processors, and prioritise the development of high-quality recycled organics products.

their commitments to increasing organics recovery. The Federal Government also has organics in its sights, with the announcement of a $67 million Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund in the 2021-22 budget, to be matched 1:1:1 by state and territory governments and industry participants to build new and/or upgrade existing organic waste processing infrastructure and capacity. Peter Olah, National Executive Officer, Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) welcomed the announcement of the fund and said that while the aim is to increase the food and organic waste recycling rate, there are several challenges associated with the organics recycling sector. “Government modelling indicates that through this fund, up to 3.4 million tonnes will be diverted from landfill. However, funding is also contingent on several policy measures being considered. “Around 30 per cent of Australians have access to a full Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) service, and while trials are taking place across metropolitan and regional councils with

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 65

LAST WORD State / Territory

Organics recycling rate

Organics to landfill (kt)

NSW

57.1 %

1713

Policies and priorities

NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 • Halve the volume organics to landfill by 2030 • Mandating source separation of food and garden organics from all NSW households by 2030 • Net zero emissions from organics in landfill by 2030

VIC

49.6%

1839

Recycling Victoria 10-year policy and action plan • Halve the volume of organic material going to landfill between 2020 and 2030, 20 per cent reduction by 2025 • Every Victorian household has access to food and garden organic waste recycling services or local composting by 2030

QLD

38.3%

1745

Waste Management Resource Recovery Strategy • 25 per cent reduction in household waste by 2050 • 90 per cent of waste is recovered and does not go to landfill by 2050 • 75 per cent recycling rates across all waste types by 2050 Draft Queensland Organics Strategy 2022-2032 (Public consultation until 1 November)

78.9%

289

South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2020-2025 • Increase kerbside organics (food and garden) diversion to 75 per cent • Zero avoidable waste to landfill by 2030

33.7%

877

Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 • 20 per cent reduction in waste generation per capita by 2030 • Increase material recovery to 75 per cent by 2030

Tas

37.8%

173

Draft Waste Action Plan • 25 per cent reduction in volume of organics waste sent to landfill by 2025 and 50 per cent reduction by 2030

ACT

68.2%

103

ACT Waste Management Strategy • Increase recovery rates to over 90 per cent by 2025

19%

106

No specific targets

States and territory recycling and landfill levels; priorities for food and organic waste recycling varying degrees of success, there are still several challenges in implementing FOGO, and it will not be a silver bullet. “Not only has householder participation been an issue, contamination at the source is also a big concern. There is real need for the harmonisation of what can go in the green bin plus an extensive nationally consistent education campaign so that households know exactly what to put where. “Access to local waste infrastructure, ideally within 90 minutes of the collection point, is also imperative, as the costs involved in processing FOGO are a big consideration in the success of council managed programs. This is in part why we have seen greater success of FOGO in regional areas.

66 / WMR / November 2021

“Increasing FOGO recycling within local councils is also not going to be singularly responsible for getting organics recovery to 80 per cent by 2030. Areas like commercial organic waste will also need to be included,” says Peter. Rose adds that alignment of state and territory regulations on facilities processing food and organic wastes with what is accepted in green bins will also be important to help reach the proposed resource recovery targets. “To get to 80 per cent resource recovery, we need to recover a further 3.4 Mt of organic material. “The National Waste and Recycling Industry Council is, with the assistance of MRA Consulting and funding from the Department

of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, currently mapping and assessing the impacts of recovered material specifications for sorting, primary and secondary processors including food and organics. The project will importantly identify minimum specifications and recommend actions on interventions throughout the resource recovery value chain from collection through to end use to enable greater resource recovery and reuse. “Ultimately, creating more certainty for end users on the quality and supply of recovered materials gives industry more confidence to invest and build capacity in organics resource recovery necessary to halve organic waste to landfill by 2030,” Rose says.

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NSW, ACT & WA Tony Miller 0429 444 451 tony@garwoodinternational.com.au

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Waste Management Review November 2021

Articles inside

COUNCIL IN FOCUS

AHEAD OF THE PACK

WASTE INDUSTRY AWARDS

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS

ADAPTABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE

MACHINE INTELLIGENCE

ONE-STOP SHOP

WATERSHED FOR ORGANICS RECYCLING

AT THE CUTTING EDGE

UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITY

PROACTIVE, RATHER THAN REACTIVE

RISE OF THE PHOENIX

SUSTAINABLE SCRAP

AUSTRALIAN OWNED

ESSENTIAL SERVICE

EXPANDING ENERGY FROM WASTE