Waste Management Review November 2022 by Prime Creative Media

Concrete plans ResourceCo is leveraging its experience in construction and demolition recycling to play a key role in Australia’s resource recovery future.

FEATURES C&D recycling carries the load CLAWing back landfill When size does matter Keeping it local with DAF trucks

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COVER STORY

TIPPING THE BALANCE OF POWER The Maryvale Mill Energy-fromWaste project will set a benchmark for landfill diversion in Victoria.

CONCRETE PLANS ResourceCo is leveraging its experience in construction and demolition recycling to play a key role in Victoria’s resource recovery future.

“WHILE IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE RECYCLED MATERIAL FULLY REPLACES VIRGIN MATERIAL, CONCERNS ABOUT NATURAL RESOURCES ARE LEADING TO GOOD OUTCOMES WHERE RECYCLED MATERIALS ARE FILLING THE VOID.” - Brad Lemmon, Chief Executive Officer, Recycling and Waste

In this issue 45 BALANCE OF POWER Features

FUTURE PIPELINES Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia minimises the impact of plastic pollution.

LAWING BACK C LANDFILL

A Perth-based business has spent the past 20 years creating a circular economy for plastic waste.

WHEN SIZE MATTERS

ZERMA and Telford Smith celebrate a 20-year partnership in Australia’s recycling sector.

36 EXPANSION PLANS

CEMAC technologies helps add to a Melbourne company’s plastic recycling capacity.

CIRCULAR PLASTICS

CARRYING THE LOAD

$9 million on offer in the new Circular Plastics Program.

CDE explains why recycling C&D waste will be vital for Australia to reach its national waste targets.

42 FUTURE SET

Rowcon Recycling takes concrete steps to ensure more resources are recovered from C&D waste.

The Maryvale Mill Energy-fromWaste project will set a benchmark for landfill diversion in Victoria.

48 A GLASS ACT

State Asphalts NSW has upgraded its South Nowra asphalt plant to help give waste glass a second life.

PRODUCTION 62 HIGH C&D SHREDDING

The M&J PreShred 4000M Mobile Shredder combines durability, portability, and power.

64 LOCAL MOTIVES

WM Waste Management Services is keeping it local with four new DAF trucks from PACCAR Australia.

50 A GROWING CONCERN 66 GENOX GOES UNDERWATER AORA says the industry’s contribution to Australia’s economy continues to grow.

52 THE FINER THINGS

Eriez Australia on how the reliable recovery of ferrous fines can help scrap metal recyclers.

AFETY IS NO 54 SACCIDENT

Ecocycle is standing up for safety, introducing global best-practice across the group.

56 GLOBAL INNOVATION Material Recovery Solutions provides solutions for local recycling businesses.

58 ENERGY EFFICIENT

LGI’s latest biogas to renewable power project is the first of its kind.

WASTE 60 WTHEHYWASTE?

The SPS Series is a three-in-one system that can process an extensive range of plastics.

68 BOOM TIME

Isuzu trucks are a driving force behind expansion plans for AAA Skip Bins.

COUNCIL IN FOCUS

BREAKING BARRIERS

Southern Waste Solutions takes a lead role in creating waste management for the futures. WMR celebrates the winners of the 2022 Women in Industry Awards.

Regulars

75 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 77 LAST WORD

H2 4U says gasification is the missing piece of the waste circular economy. www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 3

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GROUP MANAGING EDITOR

From the Editor

Reducing our footprint

Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au

MANAGING EDITOR

Mike Wheeler mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au

EDITOR

Lisa Korycki lisa.korycki@primecreative.com.au

JOURNALIST

The damage plastic pollution is causing to our environment has been a concern for the scientific and environmental communities for decades. Numerous studies and reports over the years mapped the toll taken on marine and animal life as plastics emerged as a global pollution problem. Headlines of 40 kilograms of plastic found in a whale that starved to death, that plastics in the oceans will outweigh fish by 2050 or that 99 per cent of seabirds worldwide will have ingested plastic, make for unpleasant reading. Just as concerning, that despite the environmental impacts, the use of plastics is increasing and is tipped to double by 2040 across the world. With a decomposition rate of hundreds of years, plastic pollution will continue to be a problem for generations to come. In March 2020, government, industry and the community aligned for Australia’s first ever National Plastics Summit. The resultant National Plastics Plan 2021 is a five-pronged approach to tackling the plastic challenge. Since the plan’s release there has been a distinct policy shift by governments and manufacturers towards recycle and reduce. Mixed plastics were part of Australia’s waste export ban in July 2021 and unprocessed single resin/polymer plastics were added to the list in July 2022. Part of the plan is investment to turbo-charge Australia’s plastic recycling capacity and research to make the nation a global leader in plastic recycling and processing. While there is a long way to go, much has been achieved, as outlined in this edition of Waste Management Review. Businesses have adapted to fill the export void, machine manufacturers are designing turnkey processing plants to add to the nation’s plastic recycling capacity and there is a focus on developing domestic end markets. But it’s important to recognise that not all plastics are the same. Part of the process toward addressing our plastics problem is also educating the community about the differences between plastics and making informed choices. A glance around the home gives plenty of evidence of society’s reliance on plastic. Pens, a phone case, the base of a television stand and product bottles to name a few. While I sometimes wonder what we did before plastics, I’m excited to see what comes next.

Lisa Korycki

8 / WMR / November 2022

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ARTICLES

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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.

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News

2022 Premier’s Sustainability Awards winners announced An organic waste-based packaging start-up and a regional volunteer group won top honours at the 2022 Premier’s Sustainability Awards. Lily D’Ambrosio, Victorian Minister for the Environment and Climate Action, announced the winners at the awards, now in their 20th year. “The Premier’s Sustainability Awards recognise Victoria’s leaders in our transition towards net zero emissions, reducing waste and building climateresilient communities across Victoria,” she said. Two overall winners received Premier’s Recognition awards, while a Community Champion, and an Industry

Leader award was announced for each of six categories: circular economy innovation, future energy, health and fair society, sustainable places and destinations, thriving environment, and waste and litter reduction. Fungi Solutions won the Premier’s Recognition Award for its innovative process for transforming organic waste into sustainable, compostable packaging. The Thornbury start-up also took out the Community Champion award in the circular economy innovation category. Euroa Arboretum received the Premier’s Regional Recognition Award for its long-term efforts to

restore native grasslands, educate the community about sustainability and the value of the native environment. The team also won the Community Champion award in the thriving environment category. Other recognised projects included a community resale shed working to create a circular economy in a beachside holiday spot, and a community group that converted an abandoned quarry into an amphitheatre for community events. The awards were delivered by Sustainability Victoria, in collaboration with the Banksia Foundation and Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria.

Fungi Solutions won the Premier’s Recognition Award for its sustainable, compostable packaging.

10 / WMR / November 2022

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News

Scientists in search of better waste-munching flies James Cook University scientists are researching how to breed better waste munching flies so that the larvae will be used as a sustainable protein source for pets and agricultural and aquaculture animals. JCU’s Professor Kyall Zenger is the leader of a project in collaboration with Flyfarm Queensland to solve the challenges facing the industrial scale-up of Australian Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming. He said as the human population grows to an estimated 9.7 billion by 2050, so do concerns regarding the sustainability of animal food production and waste management. “Conventional protein feed ingredients for animal feeds will become increasingly unsustainable

as traditional ingredients such as soybean meal and fishmeal are further constrained. Some studies predict these resources peaking within five years,” Zenger said. To meet growing demand, the mass-rearing of insects for animal feed has gained worldwide attention due to their high-nutritional value and rapid biomass generation. “Substituting soybean and fishmeal protein components in animal feed with insect biomass, in this case BSF larvae, produced from efficient bioconversion of organic waste, including the eating of animal waste, is a promising solution to the problem,” said Zenger. Professor Zenger said BSF larvae are voracious feeders on organic

The Black Soldier Fly is efficient at recycling nutrient-poor matter.

matter of both plant and animal origin and their efficiency at recycling nutrient-poor matter into high-yield protein and fat has attracted much commercial interest. The Federal Government’s Australian Research Council has awarded the project a Linkage Grant of more than $600,000.

Rewards for using recycled C&D waste Local governments in Western Australia will receive a financial incentive to use recycled C&D waste in civil projects, as part of a new $350,000 scheme. The Roads to Reuse: Local Government Incentives Program, provides a payment of $5 per tonne of product used by local governments and sourced from accredited suppliers. Payments are capped at $35,000 per local government, equating to 7000 tonnes of product,

12 / WMR / November 2022

and issued on a ‘first come first served’ basis. State Environment Minister, Reece Whitby, said recycling construction and demolition waste was a priority for the Government and played an important role in achieving the state’s material recovery targets and a more circular economy. “The use of recycled products can be very cost effective, while delivering time, labour and water savings during construction on top of significant environmental benefits.”

The incentive scheme is a State Government initiative developed by the Waste Authority and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, in partnership with Main Roads WA, the Department of Health and the Waste and Recycling Industry WA. Main Roads has used more than 100,000 tonnes of ‘Roads to Reuse’ recycled products in the Kwinana Freeway widening project, as well as the Leach Highway and Tonkin Gap projects.

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FEATURE NEWS

Procurement policies can help drive use of recycled content at scale.

Purchasing power GOVERNMENTS ARE IN A STRATEGIC POSITION TO JUMPSTART AUSTRALIA’S RECYCLING AND MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY BY SIGNALLING BASELINE DEMAND FOR PRODUCTS WITH RECYCLED CONTENT. A SESSION AT THIS YEAR’S AUSTRALASIAN WASTE AND RECYCLING EXPO EXPLORED SOME LEADING PROCUREMENT MODELS.

“P

rocurements are traditionally cost driven and death by documentation,” says Justin Bonsey, Strategic Lead of Resource Recovery at the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils, and Director of the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia. “But in the past five to 10 years the cactus is flowering and bearing policy fruit at all branches of government who are using it as a strategic tool for crafty outcomes, driving innovation and incentivising productive new technologies to close the loop on materials value chains,” he says. Facilitating a session at this year’s AWRE, Justin aimed to inspire the audience to “champion big vision ideas”. He says a government policy shift is creating a core market for Australian recycled content and materials that would otherwise be wasted. “It’s something you can walk on, drive on, hold in your hand, sit on or

14 / WMR / November 2022

grow vegies with,” he says. “In some cases recycled content can be a one for one replacement for virgin materials such as glass as a substitute for sand in roads. “In some cases, recycled content actually makes the original content perform even better, as in the case of crumb rubber in asphalt where we can achieve 50 per cent longer road life. Think about the embedded carbon, materials efficiency and creating an end of life market for recycled tyres – all of these things have huge advantages.” Justin says while recycling is a last resort in the waste hierarchy it does have an advantage in that it feeds downstream processes and when remanufactured plays a critical role in closing the materials loop. But if Australia is to successfully transition to a circular economy, the waste hierarchy begins with product and building design standards including materials value chains, processing maintenance and how well

the product or building works for its users. Davina Rooney, Chief Executive Officer Green Building Council of Australia, told the audience that Australia is at the start of its circular economy journey. One of the council’s roles is to stimulate change across the built environment. The council rewards people for using better products, looking at waste streams and creating better designs. And while the country has done well to get a small sliver of products that are intensely sustainable out of a very large amount of product manufacturers ranges, Davina says it’s time to reset. “We need to reset and say we want better products across the whole spectrum and reward manufacturers for better pathways to circularity, whole of group to net zero, as well as specific product lines,” she says. “Procurement is how we drive this at scale. We can’t get the transformation

Justin Bonsey facilitated a session on procurement at this year’s Australasian Waste Expo.

we need unless we get it at a big enough scale.” Transport New South Wales has released The sustainable procurement in infrastructure initiative to focus on increasing the use of recycled, waste and low carbon materials on transport projects. Mark Smith, Director Advanced Technical Services, says Transport NSW’s current standards allow for a generous amount of recycled content such as glass, rubber and substitute materials. The organisation wants to systemise the positive outcomes it’s had in some major projects so they can be replicated and scaled up or down according to the size and scope of future projects. He says industry feedback showed strong support for setting a minimum sustainability standard around climate resilience, energy and carbon, biodiversity, pollution control, waste and recycle management, circular economy, community benefits, sustainability leadership and liveable places for all projects undertaken. “We also need to move toward performance-based standards,” Mark says. “Our standards and history and legacy is around performance and durability, now we want to understand the trade-off between

durability and performance and sustainable outcomes and we want to incentivise and track our carbon footprint. “We’re looking to integrate sustainability and sustainability parameters into the way we work and the way we buy and operate our infrastructure.” Justin agreed that having a wellstructured approach can lead to better outcomes, but it can also lead to more expense. “Everyone wants 100 per cent recycled content, but sometimes governments do just take the lowest cost approach. How do we get around this and how do we build a solid business case for recycled content?” According to Suzanne Toumbourou, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Council of Recycling, there needs to be a whole of life approach as a market indicator. Up-front costs can be very different to operational costs. She says if you look at the cost of using recycled content, initially it can look like things are costing more. But the same argument was made about including energy efficiency elements within the building industry. “Over the life cycle of a building it does not cost more,” Suzanne says. “If you draw out the parameters of cost to take into account whole of life considerations it’s a whole different spreadsheet you’re looking at.” However, she says there also needs to be an appetite for change within procurement. She says while the argument is made that things cost more, often it comes from a place of resistance. “We see almost universal commitment by governments to procure in a more sustainable and circular way, and that is identified at policy level. But when it comes to implementation we see resistance because change equals risk, and maybe extra time.

“There are lots of excuses as to why you don’t do things differently and often that is cost but underlying that is a whole lot of behavioural elements to be addressed.” She says in the context of cost, there is more to be done to scale up resource recovery and recycling industries. “At the moment we are on a journey to scale this up. Some sectors are doing this really well, in other areas they are still navigating a very uneven and misaligned regulatory environment. “Navigating regulatory landscape and better aligning that with circularity will help remove barriers to the sector.” While other states are looking for ways to help local government procure more products with recycled content Sustainability Victoria has launched Recycled First, which provides tools and resources to build capability within councils to ensure recycled products are considered at each stage of the procurement cycle. Dian Lipiarski, Team Lead Recycled First, says local government has significant buying power and plays a role in building up the market for recycled content. Recycle First has taken learnings from the Victorian Government’s Big Build project, which uses recycled products in major construction projects throughout the state, as a foundation for a local government audience. She says one of the key barriers for councils using recycled content was low confidence in the products. Recycled First has a directory of more than 100 suppliers of 350 recycled products including specifications, case studies, and product usage. She says a decentralised procurement model at many councils, with a lot of people making product selection choices, was also a barrier. Sustainability Victoria spent time connecting with council departments to ensure the right people were driving change.

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 15

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FEATURE NEWS

A scientific report states that plastic nurdles are causing as much damage in oceans as oil spills.

Setting the standard BETTER STANDARDS FOR PLASTIC COULD HELP SLASH WASTE. QAMAR SCHUYLER, RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT CSIRO, EXPLAINS.

amar Schuyler, CSIRO Research Scientist says Australian and international standards for managing plastic can help reduce waste at all stages of a product’s life cycle from design and manufacturing to recycling and reuse. Australia has a set of standards which set quality benchmarks for many products. They act as guidelines for design and manufacture of plastic items, shaping the specific polymers used, the ability to use recycled content, and compostability, among others. Qamar, in a collaboration with Standards Australia has mapped what standards exist worldwide, and where there are gaps, revealing opportunities for new standards that can reduce plastic waste. “Part of the problem of plastic waste is the difficulty in reusing many types of plastics as the feedstock for

new products,” Qamar says. “We also need stronger incentives to reduce plastic in manufacturing and design. “That’s where standards come in. We can harness standards to reduce plastic waste by requiring companies to minimise plastic packaging and setting guidelines for products to be made of specific polymers while avoiding others.” Qamar says the European Union has used standards and legislation to nudge the plastics industry towards a true circular economy. This means minimising the use of plastic where possible, while ensuring old plastics can be turned into new products rather than turning into waste which could end up in seas. She says it’s an example Australia can follow. “Globally, standards affect an estimated 80 per cent of the world trade. They have real impact. If a product cannot meet the

Qamar Schuyler, CSIRO Research Scientist.

applicable standard in the country or jurisdiction it is intended for, it won’t be accepted,” she says. “Plastic recyclers can use standards to ensure their products meet specific requirements, and so provide quality assurance for manufacturers who

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 17

FEATURE NEWS

Setting standards could provide stronger incentives to reduce plastic in manufacturing and design.

buy the recycled plastics to make other products. “Standards for plastic reuse can ensure certain products can be used over and over. Labelling standards can also help consumers know which items we can and can’t recycle.” Qamar says standards can also increase consumer confidence, promote social acceptance of recycled products and maintain or increase the value of recycled plastics – key elements of a circular economy. She says the majority of the 95 existing plastic standards, nine of which are Australian, are focused on recycling and recovery or waste disposal parts of plastic’s life cycle. To create a true circular economy for plastics, existing standards need to be updated and more developed to focus on the early stages of plastic production, such as design or creation of the basic building blocks of plastics. She used nurdles, the pea-sized plastic beads produced as a key first step to making many plastics, as an example. When nurdles spill

18 / WMR / November 2022

“Standards for plastic reuse can ensure certain products can be used over and over. Labelling standards can also help consumers know which items we can and can’t recycle” Qamar Schuyler, CSIRO Research Scientist

into the sea, they’re bad news for wildlife. One report suggests they are causing as much damage in oceans as oil spills, but they are not classified as hazardous. “If we create standards focused on these early steps, we can help reduce their impact,” Qamar says. Standards can also be used to help assess biodegradable products to ensure they don’t make existing waste or recycling streams harder to process and help reduce how much packaging is needed for products. She says standardising the labelling of products to include the amount of

recycled plastics, as well as a rating of how recyclable or compostable the product is, could give manufacturers incentives to make simpler products better able to be recycled. It would also avoid specific problems such as multi-layer plastics which are not cost effective to recycle. “Plastic standards are an overlooked way for us to improve how we use and reuse these extraordinarily versatile modern materials,” Qamar says. “Plastics don’t have to become environmentally destructive waste.”

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FEATURE NEWS

Circular beginnings THE RMIT ACTIVATOR PROGRAM IS HELPING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS, SUCH AS SKRUNCH-IT’S PIETER LAMB, TO DEVELOP NEW BUSINESSES AROUND A MODEL OF POSITIVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

RMIT Activator equips start-ups with the skills and facilities to grow their businesses.

deas are not hard to come by. Good ideas – slightly more elusive, but there’s still a fair chance you’ve had a few of your own in the shower just this week. Bringing a good idea into reality is where things get tricky. Pushing through all the what-ifs, the imposter syndrome, and the volume of work and commitment necessary to turn a good idea into a sustainable business is a path reserved for those with a particular kind of drive. Even then, the most savvy and dedicated in the start-up sphere face countless hoops to jump through, mountains of paperwork to scale, and saturated markets to navigate. In an age when the tools to realise any creative whim are available at a click, it takes something special to stand out. It’s at this daunting axis of obstacles where RMIT Activator and its LaunchHUB program is designed to step in.

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NURTURING IMPACT Since 2017, RMIT Activator has been building a network of students, startup founders, and expert industry connections to help facilitate a smoother transition to viability for those with the passion necessary to bring their ideas to life. Juan Polanco, Product Designer and Facilitator at RMIT Activator, says the circular economy space has been a key area of focus for the program in recent years. “We want to support start-up founders that are making an impact, especially in areas where it can be hard to get funding, like social and environmental enterprises,” Juan says. “For the environmental side, we’ve also been working in a strong partnership with Circular Economy Victoria.” Juan says this focus has recently empowered RMIT Activator to support

a handful of circularity-focused startups, including peer-to-peer rental platform Hyyro, and industrial-scale milk packaging disruptors Mindful Milk. Another recent LaunchHUB graduate is Evitat – an online platform designed to help home renovators make efficient and sustainable material and product choices. Upon completing the program, Evitat was a recipient of additional funding through the Activator Capital Fund. “At the end-of-program showcase, founders are invited to pitch to the Activator Capital Fund Board,” Juan says. “Through the fund, we can provide nonequity funding to support those with the most promise – usually about $20,000 per start-up. Then, if the business is successful, they’ll pay that money back into the program to support the next group of founders.” This is one way RMIT Activator is set up to provide a sort of ongoing loop

The Skrunch-It enables more soft plastics to be collected in each bag.

The Skrunch-It team: Pieter Lamb and Dravid Koura.

of support. LaunchHUB alumni can make use of the facilities for up to two years after the program, and in turn provide guidance to new start-ups and credit-based internship opportunities for RMIT students. MUTUAL MOTIVATION Pieter Lamb is one of the most recent start-up founders to work through the 12-week Launch Hub program, along with his business partner Dravid Koura. Pieter is the inventor of the SkrunchIt, a simple device designed to help increase the effectiveness of soft plastics recovery in the home. The Skrunch-It – itself made from 100 per cent recycled PLA (polylactic acid) plastics – attaches to a drawstring plastic bag to help keep collected soft plastics from bursting out. This enables a much higher volume of plastic to be collected in each bag. “I’ve always had an interest in reducing waste,” Pieter says. “I have a long list of product ideas to help deal with the many frustrating wastage problems out there. The Skrunch-It was a good place to start, because it provided a solution that

wasn’t too expensive to make and could have a high impact.” Pieter’s family got him started recycling soft plastics through RedCycle, and he quickly started brainstorming ways to reduce friction in the process for the everyday recycler. The product was initially brought to life as part of the capstone course for Pieter and Dravid’s Entrepreneurship course at RMIT University. They are now growing the Skrunch-It business with the support of RMIT Activator and its LaunchHUB program. Pieter says the LaunchHUB experience has been an invaluable source of information and inspiration. “It’s nice being surrounded by other start-ups and entrepreneurs,” Pieter says. “There are all these people doing things, making things, and helping each other out. It’s a really motivating environment – it’s like everyone’s on this journey together.” TACKLING THE SOFT STUFF Since officially starting the Skrunch-It business earlier this year, Pieter has been expanding his vision for what he and his business partner Dravid could

offer the resource recovery sector on a larger scale. “We’re making a difference in home recycling, but one of our goals is to help develop better solutions for collection and sorting as well,” Pieter says. “I’ve spoken with a lot of councils and material recovery facilities to gauge their feelings on recycling soft plastics through council bins. A few have done trials, and it seems they have always resulted in higher rates of contamination, and material getting stuck in machines. “We’re exploring strategies for using custom designed bags that could be easily identified with computer vision to assist sorting. Then, if one of our bags arrived at a recycling facility, a camera could detect it from any angle and instantly identify it as soft plastics.” Pieter says it’s a concept that could also be expanded to any specific problem waste stream, allowing a much broader range of materials to be recycled from home. For now, though, Pieter and Dravid are focusing on refining the SkrunchIt design. They are working on an updated version for use with any kind of container bag, eliminating the need for drawstrings. But with the support of RMIT Activator behind them and the necessary technology at their fingertips, the startup is well positioned to keep iterating and innovating rapidly. “I’m so privileged to have grown up in a world with the internet and YouTube,” Pieter says. “In the past, anything I’ve needed to learn, I could find a video tutorial on how to do it. And now, if I come up with an idea, I can design it on the computer and print it out the same day. “I’m also grateful that there are these support systems like universities and government agencies that are willing to support start-ups, nurture them, and give them the opportunity to make a real difference.”

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COVER STORY

The ResourceCo team: Ryan Howson, Brendan Pickering, Max Fairweather, Daniel Lupoi, Martin Baldry, Rachel Barlow, Brad Lemmon, Tim Wadlow, Jamie Sayers-Hutchinson, Steve Tanner, Mewah Van My Nguyen, Grant French, Ashley Ireland.

Concrete plans RESOURCECO IS LEVERAGING ITS EXPERIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION RECYCLING TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN AUSTRALIA’S RESOURCE RECOVERY FUTURE.

onstruction and demolition waste are the bricks and mortar of ResourceCo. A recognised pioneer in resource recovery, the company is built on the belief that what others see as the end of the journey for materials, is just the beginning of quality recycled products, further progressing Australia’s circular economy. As ResourceCo has diversified it has never lost sight of the primary objective – to divert waste from landfill and extract its maximum value. “We have always recycled waste with a focus on just doing that and getting it right,” says Brad Lemmon, Chief Executive Officer, Recycling and Waste. “It’s embedded in our business ethos and that is why we are doing so many great things with so much growth ahead of us.”

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Brad says the company has been at the forefront of established and emerging markets for recovered materials both domestically and globally since the early 1990s. Now, as the appetite for recycled construction and demolition products grows, ResourceCo is positioned to play a leading role in the expansion of the sector, with added capabilities to serve the growing demands for quality recycled C&D products. REINFORCING THE FUTURE ResourceCo is looking to expand its operations beyond South Australia. Brad says growth of the Recycling and Waste business will strengthen the company’s existing capabilities across the states, particularly in Victoria.

Brad Lemmon, Chief Executive Officer Recycling and Waste.

“We are well established in our tyre recycling and material solutions business in Victoria. Expanding our construction and demolition waste recycling capability makes us well placed to be a partner of choice to support the growing infrastructure industry,” he says. “Construction and demolition waste is the cornerstone of ResourceCo. We’ve been doing it for 30 years and established a solid presence in South Australia. “We want to amplify that and bring the breadth, depth and capability of ResourceCo to expand it into a much broader business with sustainable circular outcomes.” Over the years, ResourceCo has challenged conventional waste practices and looked for new technologies to recycle waste. Brad says the expanded operations will have a positive impact on mixed waste and commercial and industrial (C&I) recycling. He says that impact, coupled with the already established network of ResourceCo’s businesses, will enable the company to play a significant role in recycling and resource recovery across its national footprint. VICTORIA ON THE MOVE There is a growing push across Australia to use recycled materials, driven by the National Waste Policy target of an 80 per cent average recovery rate from all waste streams by 2030. Brad says Victoria is leading the charge in construction and demolition materials, in part due to the State Government’s Recycled First Policy. Since 2020, all tenderers on Victorian major transport projects have been required to demonstrate how they could optimise the use of recycled and reused materials. ResourceCo’s Material Solutions has been involved in several key state rail and road projects including level

Tim Wadlow catches up with the ResourceCo team at the Wingfield site.

crossing removals and the Monash Freeway upgrade. Brad says growing community expectation that businesses are operating sustainably, and concern about the availability and cost of quarried materials, is a powerful motivator for the uptake of recycled content. That is more relevant in Victoria as it continues to experience high infrastructure and construction activity. “Community desire and pressure to increase sustainability outcomes is a very strong and growing driver,” Brad says. “But a lot of construction activity is also putting a high demand on traditional construction materials such

as sand, aggregate and rock that have typically been used in construction. They’re being exhausted, and the availability of those materials is starting to deplete. “While it will be a long time before recycled material fully replaces virgin material, concerns about natural resources are leading to a great outcome where recycled materials are filling the void.” One of ResourceCo’s key strengths is the ability to manage a range of waste streams via its integrated processing facilities. AGGREGATE GAINS C&D waste usually refers to the heavier materials such as concrete, bricks

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COVER STORY

One of ResourceCo’s competitive advantages is the depth and experience of its team, including Brendan Pickering, Max Fairweather, Daniel Lupoi and Ryan Howson.

and masonry, while C&I is more the lighter side including timbers, plastics, doors and shelving. Often there is cross contamination between the two, however not many sites are capable of sorting and processing both. “We can take C&D waste to the crushing plant and C&I to the sorting plant,” Brad says. “We’ve managed to increase the amount of material we can efficiently bring in and process.” He says adding organic recycling into the mix for soil management will broaden the company’s capability to offer a circular solution for projects. He cites a building demolition project as an example – demolition waste is transported to ResourceCo, the company helps manage old soil and find the right disposal or recycling options and can supply a range of recycled materials required for the new build. “The circularity of the project, integrating all ResourceCo’s capabilities, is incredibly powerful,” Brad says. “Our aim is to get as much waste material

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out of the construction sector and stop that going to landfill, to turn it into usable products. It’s the DNA of the business.” He says while ResourceCo is not the first, or only, resource recovery business, its demonstrated capability to produce and provide a secure supply from its South Australian operations puts it in a good position. Brad Lemmon and Jamie SayersHutchinson at the Wingfield site.

“We’re right at the epicentre where there’s a lot of construction activity,” he says. While the company aims to grow its capability, Brad says it’s also vital it maintains a clear focus on its traditional business and customer base. EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE A lesson learned through decades of

Rachel Barlow, Tim Wadlow and Sanj de Silva regularly visit ResourceCo sites.

“Our aim is to get as much waste material out of the construction sector and stop that going to landfill, to turn it into usable products. It’s the DNA of the business.” Brad Lemon, ResourceCo Chief Executive Officer, Recycling and Waste

experience is the importance of the health and wellbeing of employees and stakeholders. At ResourceCo, a focus on strong culture and visible safety leadership starts at the top and emanates through the business. Brad says one of the company’s competitive advantages is the depth of experience and passion of its employees. “Our people embrace innovations and the entrepreneurial spirit to continue to add value to waste. It is an amazing industry for the younger generation,” he says.

“We value our employees and their capabilities. We have operational people who have been here for years. It’s one of the things that makes ResourceCo unique. “There will be massive job opportunities in this sector that allow them to make real change. In Australia alone it is an exciting time for the circular economy and sustainable business practices.” Brad says while all employees are encouraged to be proactive and take an active role in managing their own safety and wellbeing, that

focus spills over to the company’s environmental credentials. To that end, there’s a focus on clean operations, good housekeeping, stockpile management and containment of dust and other emissions. The company is also proactive in greening its sites and recently planted 2500 trees at its Lonsdale operations in Adelaide as part of an ongoing plan across all of the company sites. Brad says aesthetic benefits are obvious, but greening the sites has other benefits such as dust management and reducing the impacts of climate change. “It’s all well and good for us to be strong in terms of sustainability and the circular economy, but it doesn’t mean anything if we’re not operating our sites in an environmentally responsible manner.” For more information, visit: www.resourceco.com.au

www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 25

Realise your landfill’s potential for carbon abatement and renewable energy Did you know that your landfill can actually help reduce local greenhouse gas emissions? If not captured, biogas from landfills can account for 60-80% of a local council’s carbon footprint. Even small (open or closed) landfills can produce enough gas to support financially viable biogas extraction. Some sites will produce enough gas to create dispatchable, renewable energy for decades. LGI’s biogas extraction systems capture and combust the methane-rich biogas converting it into less harmful carbon dioxide. Every tonne of CO2 equivalent that an LGI system prevents your landfill from emitting, could earn Australian Carbon Credit Units. Don’t underestimate the value of your landfill. Biogas extraction from landfill is proven technology and is available now to drastically reduce your carbon emissions.

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FEATURED TOPIC – PLASTICS RECYCLING

Pipeline to the future Non pressure PVC pipes.

NOT ALL PLASTICS ARE THE SAME SO THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY PIPE ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA AND ITS MEMBERS ARE TAKING PRACTICAL STEPS TO MINIMISE THE IMPACT OF PLASTIC POLLUTION.

lastic pipes and fittings have transformed the way Australians live, delivering essential services and utilities to homes and communities. Across a range of industries, from civil and domestic infrastructure to agriculture, mining and gas, plastic pipes and fittings play a critical role. They’re effective, efficient, and safe. The Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA) was founded in 1999 and is the peak industry body representing manufacturers and suppliers of

plastics pipe and fittings, plastic resin suppliers, fabricators, pipeline installations and rubber seal ring manufacturers, along with training and certification bodies. As a non-profit association, PIPA works to promote the appropriate and contemporary use of plastic pipes and fittings throughout Australia through four key pillars – advocate, educate, technical and sustainability. One of the key focus areas for PIPA is to educate about the differences between plastic pipes and fittings to other plastics, such as single-use.

Recycled polyethylene (PE) to be used in the production of non-pressure PE pipe.

Cindy Bray, PIPA Executive General Manager, says not all plastics are the same and too often plastics pipe systems are mistakenly put in the same category as single-use plastics. “Pipes are long-life products, not single use, made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable and recyclable with a service life in excess of 100 years,” Cindy says. Most plastic pipes in use are still in their first life cycle. Cindy says this makes comparisons between annual plastics consumption and the total annual plastics recovery misleading for plastic pipes and fittings. PIPA and its members are acutely aware of the problem society faces with plastic pollution and for more than two decades the industry has aimed to recycle the maximum amount of usable plastic pipe and other suitable materials into new plastic pipes. “We are committed to maximising the use of post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled content in products while ensuring that

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FEATURED TOPIC – PLASTICS RECYCLING

Meaghan Scanlon MP, Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs (third from right) at the official launch of the Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme in Queensland. Stakeholders include Master Plumbers Association of Queensland, PIPA, Vinidex, Iplex, Tradelink and Reece.

products remain fit for purpose,” Cindy says. PIPA recently published the discussion paper, Use of Recycled Materials in Plastic Pipes, and industry technical guidelines POP208 Specification and Testing Guidelines, for recycled materials suitable for nonpressure plastic pipe applications. Cindy says these documents provide further education on plastic pipes material characteristics and performance criteria when using recycled materials. IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY Although there is low volume to recover due to the long life and integrity of plastic pipes systems, PIPA and its members are taking practical steps to minimise the impact of plastic pollution. They are working with broader industry to divert suitable plastic material from landfill into long-life, recycled pipe products that meet the relevant Australian and International Standards. Cindy says there is capacity to increase the use of recycled material across a range of non-pressure products when suitable waste stream volumes become available. She says the plastic pipe industry is proud

of its environmental sustainability initiatives from best-practice material sourcing, manufacturing (with processes designed to reuse any scrap materials to make other pipes), end-of-life product stewardship and other programs. PIPA’S PLASTIC PROGRAMS Due to the low volume of plastic pipes in the waste streams, the plastic industry is always looking at ways to work collaboratively with waste management companies, major distributors of products and specific suppliers or clients to collect volumes of plastic pipes viable for designated recycling. PIPA has established a Plastic Pipes Recycling Program and is working with a variety of partners across Australia to provide information and locations for end users to deliver their no longer needed pipes and fittings. PIPA members also form direct agreements with major plastic pipe users for the recovery of off-cuts and product at the end of its in-use phase. With other industry stakeholders within the plumbing sector, PIPA has established education and pilot programs to increase awareness about the sustainability of plastic pipes and

develop behaviours of appropriate disposal of offcuts. “Programs such as the Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme in Queensland and the Plumbing Industry Plastic Recycling Scheme in Western Australia not only educate, but also provide the industry with valuable insights into behaviours and greater understanding of the volume of available plastic pipe offcuts and fittings from building, construction sites and education training facilities,” Cindy says. “This data will enable us to paint a true picture of material available, enable us to expand these types of programs more broadly and support better consumer investment and policy decisions.” She says that success of these programs can only be achieved through collaboration of all stakeholders from associations, manufacturers and merchants through to end users. “Everyone has a responsibility and a role to play in diverting plastic pipes and fittings from landfill to contribute to a responsible and sustainable future,” Cindy says. “Through the whole life cycle – manufacturing, use and disposal – the plastic pipe industry has and will retain its long-standing commitment to improving sustainable practices and outcomes, in a way that benefits all Australians. “Australia’s vast landscapes require large-scale, special-purpose systems to move water, wastewater, gas and to protect underground networks of power and communication cables. Plastic pipeline systems are robust and long-lasting, providing reliability now and into the future.” For more information, visit: www.pipa.com.au or www.pipa.com.au/recycling/

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WORKING TOGETHER WITH COUNCILS TO SUPPORT A SEAMLESS TRANSITION TO GLASS-OUT Regardless of what stage your municipality is at in the roll-out of the purple-lidded glass recycling bin, APR Kerbside has proven solutions and alternative options that can assist Councils whilst they prepare to make the switch. For Municipal Councils that have partnered with APR Kerbside in the Glass-out program, their recyclables are now being received with less than 1% glass. These remarkable results have directly contributed to reducing contamination levels and further diverting waste from landfill. Improving the separation of household recyclables and having no glass in the kerbside commingled stream has led to a significant improvement in the quality of all recyclables. Key learnings gained throughout the program well positions APR Kerbside to best support the needs of Municipal Councils who are preparing to implement glass out' of the commingled stream, transition smoothly and re-educate residents.

Such benefits include: Eliminate the issue of glass shards that get into all the other recyclables and resources such as paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminium Significantly recover more recyclable materials Reduce contamination levels and further divert waste from landfill Address and combat the limitations presented to approachable end market outlets for recyclable products due to glass shards Increase the value of recyclables and quality of end product

The value-added sorting facility site has the capability to process: Recyclables from Metropolitan Melbourne and Regional councils that have removed glass out of their yellow-lidded recycling bins Paper and Cardboard Plastics such as HDPE, PET, PP and Soft Plastics The APR team are strongly focused on circularity and working in collaboration with industry partners to explore and seize opportunities that will maximise resource recovery and further divert waste from landfill. After glass, soft plastics was identified as the biggest contaminant of kerbside, yellow-lidded bins in Victoria. As an innovative company, the APR Group continuously looks for different ways to achieve and support zero waste strategy goals and give the end user a quality material with minimal contaminants. APR Plastics has brought to market, an advanced recycling solution for the soft plastics stream with the Soft Plastics to Oil initiative. Robotics will also be utilised to pick off Tetra Pak cartons from the Kerbside MRF line for use in saveBOARD.

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FEATURED TOPIC – PLASTICS RECYCLING

One of the first exhibitions where Zerma displayed its range of granulators and shredders.

our sales and engineered solutions,” he says. “We aren’t just a sales organisation to them.” Zerma’s compact machinery revolves around three key pieces – granulators, shredders and pulverisers. David says Zerma granulators, such as the GLS Series, are commonly used in injection moulding, blow moulding and extrusion applications. The larger GSH heavy duty granulators are also used in high throughput operations and demanding post-consumer recycling. Heavy duty single shaft shredders cover a wide range of applications from general through to high throughputs. David says the development of the ZRS Pipe Shredder Series was an important milestone because it enabled the processing of pipes up to 1200-millimetres in diameter and sixmeters in length, without the need for pre-cutting. “There is no comparable product available on the market today,” he says. The most recent addition is the ZTTS Tyre Shredding System, designed to process used car and truck tyres. The complete ZERMA

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system can produce separated crumb or powder. Chip Tyre in New Chum, Queensland, has installed multiple Zerma GSH-700/1000 heavy-duty granulators and Zerma ZTTS-2000 hybrid tyre shredders at its plant. David Mohr, Chip Tyre Founder, is churning through more than 2000 tonnes of heavy vehicle used tyres every month. He says that because the company has a varied market for its end-product, from 100 millimetres down to rubber crumb as fine as 0.71 millimetres, the machinery needs to be accurate and tough. He says tyres can be “brutal” on steel, but the granulators have now been running up to 16 hours a day, four days a week for the past 15-16 years. David Picone says one of the standouts of the partnership with Zerma has been a willingness to tailor solutions for customers. Max says that comes down to a focus on core products and not diverting into other markets. He describes the Australian market as mixed, with demand for “a little bit of everything”.

While 20 years ago there were a lot of larger-scale recycling projects, that has since slowed and there is more demand for medium-sized machines for the packaging industry. Max believes Australia’s recycling sector is on par with European countries in regards to high safety standards and energy-saving. “We have a team of engineers who work closely with agencies to watch market demand and how we can make our product better,” he says. “We work closely with Telford Smith to ensure our machines fit in with changing regulations for safety systems.” For the future, he sees Zerma and Telford Smith growing together. “In Australia, I can see a lot of focus on recycling and green solutions,” Max says. “The country is developing its recycling sector in a much better way and trying to avoid waste. “We look forward to developing the market more with Telford Smith.” For more information, visit: www.telfordsmith.com.au

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FEATURED TOPIC – PLASTICS RECYCLING

Expansion plans POLYMER PROCESSORS IN MELBOURNE HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMMISSIONED STAGE ONE OF A PLANT UPGRADE – ADDING THOUSANDS OF TONNES OF PLASTICS RECYCLING CAPACITY TO AUSTRALIA.

upported by the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund and the Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund, Polymer Processors is adding significant plastics reprocessing capacity to Australian manufacturing. Polymer Processors is one of the largest plastic recycling facilities within Australia. Australianowned and operated, since 1987 the company has installed new equipment to keep up with client demand and to divert plastic waste from landfill. State-of-theart machinery is used to shred, wash, extrude and pelletise various types of post-consumer and postindustrial waste. Materials processed vary in size, shape, volume and plastic compound

and include Polypropylene (PP), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene and High Impact Polystyrene. The two-stage expansion of the Melbourne facility will include the installation of WEIMA shredding machinery, SOREMA plastics washing plant, two EREMA’s INTAREMA TVEplus repelletising extruders and WESTERIA material handling. The expansion is being supported by CEMAC technologies, the Australian distributor for WEIMA, SOREMA, EREMA and WESTERIA technologies. Stage one, which includes film and big bag shredding, material handling Stage one of the plant upgrade has been successful.

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and repelletising, was successfully commissioned in September. Stage two, scheduled to begin in early 2023, will include a SOREMA plastics washing line from Italy, additional shredding and extrusion capacities and a new purpose-built factory. Jonathan Tan, CEMAC technologies Sales Manager, says the WEIMA Powerline shredder, which features the powerful Hagglunds Bosch Rexroth hydraulic drive train with 200 kW power, large 800mm rotor and 80 x 80mm teeth, “chews through bales of film and bulker bags without any problems”. The material is fed via a WESTERIA heavy duty chain belt conveyor CHAINCON, dropping directly into the shredder. The shredder is equipped with various features, such as an antivibration frame with adjustable levelling feet and 40mm thick side panels, automatic radar level sensor for automatic feeding, free flying Wing Ram, large 800mm diameter rotor with 80 x 80mm knifes, a heavy duty Vautid coated rotor surface, rotor sealing with additional wear discs made of Creusabro 4800 wear resistant material and reinforced and supported counter knives that are four times usable. After shredding, the material is fed to an automated and level controlled WESTERIA Multifeeder bunker, which in turn directly feeds the new EREMA INTAREMA TVEplus re-pelletising line.

A WEIMA shredding machinery is included in stage one of the upgrade.

Jonathan says EREMA is a world leader in developing and manufacturing plastics recycling machines and system components. Founded in 1983 as a pioneer in the industry, more than 7000 systems are now in operation around the globe. “The machines are respected for their level of innovation, durability and operational reliability,” he says. “In total, EREMA machines produce more than 18.5 million tonnes of recycled plastics pellets every year.” Polymer Processors has relied on EREMA technology from its early days and has been part of the plastics recycling industry as it has evolved in Australia and worldwide. Jonathan says that for its latest upgrade, Polymer Processors chose the newest INTAREMA TVEplus machine. This features counter current technology in the preconditioning unit, triple de-gassing, double laser filtration with enhanced

melt filter performance, 3D dynamic mixing for greater homogenization efficiency and various other features enabling the processing into high quality pellets. “The principle of TVEplus technology is based on the fact that the filtration, and hence the highest melt pressure, takes place upstream of extruder degassing,” Jonathan says. “As a result, end products can be produced with the best quality and the highest possible recycled content.” Jonathan said the project presented several challenges including fitting new machines into an existing building with a low roof line in stages and into existing infrastructure. Further, parts of the line needed to be designed for stage one while allowing for a seamless integration of the SOREMA wash plant in 2023. CEMAC technologies designed the overall layout of the plant and worked through the design and engineering challenges. “Starting with a full 3D scan of the existing facility, the project team worked with the various stakeholders to allow the plant to fit into the existing envelope and to bring it to the subsequent successful installation and commissioning,” Jonathan says. “In stage two, the SOREMA wash line will be installed in parallel to the existing and operating infrastructure. The complete line will enable Polymer Processors to increase plant capacity while processing a range of difficult materials with the highest level of automation. They’ll be producing quality recycled materials at a competitive level.” For more information, contact: info@cemactech.com

FEATURED TOPIC – PLASTICS RECYCLING

Turbocharging plastic recycling THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT IS OFFERING A NEW ROUND OF FUNDING TO BUILD THE STATE’S CIRCULAR ECONOMY.

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The Circular Materials Fund is aimed at supporting plastic manufacturers to create end markets for recycled materials.

he New South Wales Government is hoping a new $9 million Circular Plastics Program will be a game changer for reducing virgin and hard to recycle plastic while improving recycling practices. At the moment, NSW produces about 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year, and only 10 per cent is recycled. Grants from $100,000 up to $750,000 are available under the Circular

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Materials Fund (CMF) to help businesses at the ‘make’ phase of the product lifecycle to transition to better plastic products. NSW Environment Protection Authority Chief Executive Officer, Tony Chappel said the new program is aimed at supporting plastic manufacturers create end markets for recycled materials. “The program will help the NSW Government reach its target of tripling the plastics recycling rate

within the state by 2030,” Tony says. “With more research and development into recycling technologies, more businesses are wanting to see how they can improve their operations and use materials from the recycled plastics market. “This program will provide direct support to industry to transition through funding for new equipment, processes, and business models. We are encouraging manufacturers to look at how they’re producing their

products and identify sustainable their whole production line, it might alternatives that reduce the use of just be some new technology that can virgin and hard to recycle plastics.” transform operations. The program targets small-to “This program will help to enable medium-sized businesses – with less a more circular economy in NSW, than 200 employees. Market research reducing the amount of plastic going has shown these businesses want to landfill and instead turning it into to make the change but have been a valuable resource.” resistant due to cost. One small-to medium business Grants are available for businesses making the most of recycled plastic already using recycled content but is Plastic Forests. Plastic Forests want to upscale, those starting on operates a large regional facility in their recycled content journey, or Albury which reprocess plastics and those who want to change their turns it into new products. product design. It was awarded $499,982 through Tony says a lot of small-to the EPA’s Product Improvement medium-sized businesses don’t have Program to install equipment to the initial capital to change their increase its capacity to reprocess plastic moulds or equipment. stockpiled plastic films into resin. “This program provides the kickThe installation of the new start they need,” he says. equipment will mean an additional “Often, they don’t need to1change 3000 ERIEZ_ ECS_Ad_WMR11_22.qxp_Layout 10/11/22 8:47 PM tonnes Page 1of plastic film is diverted

from landfill. Plastic Forests uses the resin to manufacture its own range of valueadded sheet products, including new fencing posts and garden beds. The Circular Plastics Program will offer $9 million funding in total across two streams. Individual organisations can apply for grants from $100,000 up to $500,000. Partnerships can apply for grants of $250,000 up to $750,000. The funding will be offered in two rounds – $5 million in round one and $4 million in round two. Expressions of interest for round one close on 17 November 2022. For more information, visit: www.epa.nsw.gov.au/workingtogether/grants/infrastructure-fund/ circular-plastics-program

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FEATURED TOPIC – C&D RECYCLING

Rowcon Recycling has established Rowcon Waste Management and commissioned a new plant to recover materials from mixed C&D waste.

Future set ROWCON RECYCLING IS TAKING CONCRETE STEPS TO ENSURE MORE RESOURCES ARE RECOVERED FROM CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE.

ith growing pressure to create sustainable industries and reach a national target of 80 per cent resource recovery, recycling construction materials is gaining importance. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a charity organisation that works to accelerate the global transition to a circular economy, using recycled instead of virgin materials reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 40 to 70 per cent. Yet only 20 to 30 per cent of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is currently reused or recycled. It’s a statistic Rowcon Recycling is determined to improve. The Sunshine Coast-based business has 25 years’ experience in waste management, specifically concrete recycling operations. Over the years, company directors have been responsible for the construction and development of some of Queensland’s largest recycling facilities. In September, the company added to its own capability statement, with the establishment of Rowcon Waste Management and the commissioning of a new plant to recover a

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variety of materials from mixed C&D waste. Since 1975, Waste Initiatives has been called on by clients to design and supply tailored waste management and recycling systems. Jason Sargeant, Waste Initiatives Equipment Projects specialist, says the Rowcon plant is a significant milestone in C&D recycling in Queensland. With innovative design incorporating the latest in equipment and technologies, the facility is now one of the largest and most advanced C&D sorting facilities in the state. “The plant itself has a large footprint of just over 53 metres by 26 metres,” Jason says. “It will have a processing capacity of 50 tonnes per hour of mixed C&D, which equates to about 120,000 tonnes per annum, within standard operating hours.” He says one of the standout features of the plant is a heavy duty feed hopper and conveyor with impact-resistant belt. This gives Rowcon a loading area that can take the impact of a full loader bucket of material. A long piece separator was recommended during the design phase and incorporated into the final design.

This means there is no need for manual sorting of longer pieces of timbers, metals, and hard plastics. “It’s of unique benefit for Rowcon’s plant,” Jason says. The plant consists of an incline conveyor with overbelt magnet to separate oversize ferrous metals. A twodeck vibratory screen using FlipFlow technology separates 10mm-minus, 1050mm and 50mm-plus fractions. “When material lands on the screen it cascades to two screens. Anything 10mm plus comes off the top while anything below 10mm falls through to a fines bunker underneath. Midsize material is carried onto another conveyor,” Jason says. The material is conveyed into an enclosed and air-conditioned five bay sorting cabin with two pick lines – midsize (10-50mm) and oversize (50mm) plus. This allows manual recovery of various C&D products including timber, PVC, plastics and cardboard. After the picking station there are secondary, adjustable height magnets for further ferrous metal recovery from each fraction size. Then the light material such as cardboard, paper and light

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plastics are removed off the hardcore product coming through, via air vacuum separators and a second lights removal with air density separators. Both are contained within an enclosed lights cage. “It becomes a very clean product that can then be further processed into a variety of recycled concrete products to be used for various applications,” Jason says. “Rowcon was already crushing and screening concrete and asphalt materials, producing road base and aggregate products. This advanced recycling plant now allows them to expand their waste material handling options to recover more materials from C&D.” Jason says more businesses are looking at resource recovery as the building industry shifts toward increased use of recycled products for projects and diversion from landfill.

An enclosed and air-conditioned five bay sorting cabin has two pick lines.

He says Rowcon had a key objective in mind as to what materials it wanted to recover. Waste Initiatives worked with the team from consultation through to installation to pinpoint any constraints or challenges to achieving those objectives. Waste Initiatives was on hand during the plant’s commissioning and will continue to offer support and back-up,

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either on site or via remote monitoring. “Being able to troubleshoot and do that remotely is very important,” Jason says. “We’ll continue to work with Rowcon to ensure they have optimum performance.” For more information, visit: www.wasteinitiatives.com.au

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Waste Management Review - November 2022.indd 1

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ENERGY FROM WASTE

Tipping the balance of power THE MARYVALE ENERGY-FROM-WASTE PROJECT WILL SET A BENCHMARK FOR LANDFILL DIVERSION AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN VICTORIA.

The Maryvale Mill Energy-from-Waste project will bring environmental and economic benefits to the region.

he Latrobe Valley is widely recognised as Victoria’s powerhouse, its history anchored to the energy sector following construction of the first power station in Yallourn in the early 1920s. Today, about 85 per cent of the state’s electricity and 97 per cent of its natural gas are produced in the region. Now a global leader in integrated waste management is helping lead the way for alternative energy generation in the region. Veolia has partnered with Opal and Masdar Tribe Australia to construct an Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facility at

Opal Australian Paper’s Maryvale Mill. In September, the project also received approval for an $8 million bottom ash recycling facility – the first of its kind in Victoria. If approved the EfW project will have a construction period of up to three and a half years with an operational contract for 25 years. Construction will create up to 500 indirect jobs, predominantly for the local workforce, which has been hit hard by the closure of power stations over recent years. Jonathan Mayberry, Veolia General Manager – Business Development, says

the project will bring environmental and economic benefits. “The concept is to take nonrecyclable residual waste, diverting it away from landfill and instead using it to produce steam and electricity for the paper mill,” Jonathan says. “It’s about reusing our waste resources and respecting the waste hierarchy. “First and foremost, we want to reduce the amount of waste that we produce, but the residual waste stream is probably the most difficult of all to find a good solution. We’ve got a reliable, proven solution

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – ENERGY-FROM-WASTE

here for treating the waste and generating energy. “Our facility will not have the same power output as a large coalfired power station, but it can transform the image of the Latrobe Valley as the regional comes into a new era of innovation in the power generation sector.” The EfW facility would reduce the paper mill’s reliance on gas and electricity and assist in securing its energy requirements into the future. It would have the capacity to process 325,000 tonnes of residual waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill and reduce net greenhouse gas emissions in Victoria by about 270,000 tonnes annually – equivalent to taking 50,000 cars off the road every year. Veolia has committed 150,000 tonnes from its commercial and industrial waste business. Jonathan says gaining Environment Protection Authority approval to integrate a bottom ash recycling facility at the site strengthens the project’s environmental credentials. If approved, about 6000 tonnes of metals will be recovered and recycled from the bottom ash, building on the existing environmental benefits of the project. The remaining materials will be used in the manufacture of a new product, Maryvale Recycled Aggregate (MRA), which can be used in road construction. Combined, the EfW and bottom ash facilities aim to achieve a landfill diversion rate of 96 per cent. Jonathan says it’s an exciting prospect, and one that is strongly linked to Veolia’s drive for ecological transformation. “We have better alternatives to putting waste into landfill,” he says. “The recovery of energy, using that energy in the manufacturing sector, and using the ash residual in the construction sector demonstrates that we need to be collaborating with

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partners outside the waste industry to create a true circular economy.” In a testament to its environmental and economic credentials, the EfW project received a $48.2 million grant through the Australian Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) in April 2022. Both state and federal governments also previously committed $2.5 million each to the project during the feasibility stage. While both levels of government have been supportive of the project, Jonathan says community backing is just as important. He says the Maryvale Mill has been operating for more than 80 years. Its long history as a local manufacturer and provider of jobs is reflected in community support for the EfW project, with about 84 per cent of public submissions expressing support during the Environment Protection Authority Works Approval process. It’s also a reflection of the work that’s gone into community

If approved, the EfW and bottom ash facilities would achieve a combined landfill diversion rate of 96 per cent.

engagement on the project and sharing information with people to enable them to understand what energy-fromwaste is, what it means and to combat any myths surrounding it. “The fact that so many developed countries around the world embraced this technology years and years ago is a signal to us that we’re behind the curve,” Jonathan says. “This would be a highly engineered, technical facility. It’s an example of something great we can do to more responsibly manage our waste and create a sustainable future. “Australia is still a growth country, but given the proven environmental technologies available, there is no reason why we can’t adopt better practices. Veolia is a leader in developing solutions that enable more material reuse, recycling and resource recovery.” For more information, visit: www.veolia.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – GLASS RECYCLING

A glass act STATE ASPHALTS NSW HAS UPGRADED ITS SOUTH NOWRA ASPHALT PLANT TO HELP GIVE WASTE GLASS A SECOND LIFE.

sphalt production is not a silver bullet for Australia’s waste problems, says James Ng. But the Project Manager for State Asphalts NSW says that doesn’t mean it can’t be a part of the solution. He says a new line installed at the company’s South Nowra asphalt manufacturing plant will enable the ongoing use of recycled crushed glass as a partial replacement of aggregates and sand in asphalt mixes. “Asphalt is a large market,” James says. “Because it takes a mixture of liquids and solids we can use a lot of different materials, but we shouldn’t be competing with the highest end use for recovered materials. “If you’ve got an amazing piece of clear glass, put it back into making a clear glass bottle. If you’ve got a quality piece of plastic pipe, make it back into a pipe. “Asphalt production should be part of the solution to divert waste from landfill or as a secondary use.” The State Asphalts NSW South Nowra project received more than $244,000 from the NSW Environment Protection Authority Civil Construction Market Program, which provides grants to organisations to divert construction and demolition waste from landfill, and post-consumer recyclate such as glass, paper and plastic through reuse, recycling, and industrial ecology projects in the New South Wales civil construction sector. State Asphalts NSW has used recycled products including recycled

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State Asphalts NSW has added a new line to its manufacturing plant to enable ongoing use of recycled crushed glass.

asphalt pavement (RAP), rubber and plastics in its product designs for some time, and while James says RAP is now considered standard, many asphalt manufacturing plants are not designed to have multiple recycling lines. He says State Asphalts NSW recognised a need to invest in plant equipment that would allow it to diversify the range of recycled products it could use in asphalt

production. The company identified glass as one waste stream that didn’t have a good end market. At the time, Shoalhaven City Council was commissioning its crushed glass recycling plant, established to deal with a mountain of stockpiled glass waste. James says there was a synergy with what Shoalhaven and State Asphalts NSW were trying to achieve.

State Asphalts NSW aims to bring all of its asphalt products produced at South Nowra up to the regulatory maximum for recycled glass content.

“Shoalhaven was the first in the recycled market to actually ask, what do you need?” he says. “They went through several stages to get the size, cleanliness and wash lines right at their glass recycling plant to ensure a product that almost mirrored virgin excavated material. “They’ve got the glass fines to a point that we’re confident it’s not going to negatively impact the asphalt.” The amount of glass in asphalt mixes can be up to 2.5 per cent in wearing course mixes, and 10 per cent in lower course mixes. There are State and Federal trials with much higher glass percentages. James says State Asphalts NSW is aiming to bring all of its asphalt products produced at South Nowra up to the regulatory maximum for recycled glass content. He says that with the support of Shoalhaven, they have overcome two of the main obstacles to using recycled content – quality assurance and a regular supply. “We’re selling an engineering material, it needs quality assurance,”

he says. “It’s what the civil construction market demands. “Construction materials need to be strong enough to do their thing. You can’t compromise the quality just because there’s a large supply of recycled material. “Until now it’s been a critical point. If there are variances or changes in the raw material supply, we can’t continuously engineer our product around it.” James says the first production trial of asphalt at State Asphalts NSW’s new glass line in September went without a hitch. Buoyed by the success, the company, in partnership with Shoalhaven, aims to build on the variety of recycled materials it can use. It is also leading a Commonwealth CRC-P partnership to look at how packaging waste can be developed into infrastructure materials. James says the company is keen to continue its sustainability journey and engineer in-house facilities that minimise the environmental impact of its operations.

“Even if it’s a small part, it’s incredibly motivating for all our team to be part of a tangible recycling solution,” he says. For more information, visit: www.stateasphalts.com.au

A first production trial at the South Nowra plant in September was successful.

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – AORA

In 2021-22 the Australian Organic recycling industry recycled 7.7 million tonnes of organic material .

Organic growth and the bottom line AUSTRALIAN ORGANICS RECYCLING ASSOCIATION NATIONAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER JOHN MCKEW SAYS THE INDUSTRY’S CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW.

he economy and the environment are two persistent and reoccurring themes from the daily news cycle. The last federal election featured both these issues as key policy platforms for the major parties. Even the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently, the war in Ukraine, are often discussed in light of their impact on the economy and the environment. Nothing is mutually exclusive anymore. That is also true of Australia’s organics recycling industry. The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) recently released its second edition of the Economic contribution of the Australian Organics Recycling Industry, revealing the growing economic and environmental importance of our industry. The release of this important piece of analysis, conducted on behalf of AORA by Nick Behrens from the Australian Economic Advocacy Solutions, was supported by the delivery of state and

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national webinars, hosted by AORA, on the report’s findings. John McKew, AORA National Executive Officer, says the headline metric from the second edition of the analysis is that in 2021-22 the Australian Organic recycling industry (AORI) recycled 7.7 million tonnes of organic material – a 1.4 per cent increase on the previous financial year. Across the decade, AORI’s recycled tonnage has grown by 2.4 per cent each year and compares to Australia’s average population growth rate across the same time of 1.3 per cent. John says the noticeably higher amount of organic material recycled is attributed to a range of influences including population and economic growth; technological changes; access to recycling markets; local government collection changes; and Australian and State Government waste and carbon reduction policies.

Garden organics make up the largest portion of organic materials recycled nationally.

Kilotons of organic material recycled in Australia.

According to the analysis, in 2021-22 Australia is estimated to have produced 14.8 million tonnes of organic waste of which 5.4 million tonnes was sent to landfill, 7.7 million was recycled and 1.6 million tonnes recovered through energy. Australia’s overall organic material recycling rate was 52.3 per cent (51.5 per cent in 2018-19). South Australia currently has the highest organics material recycling rate at 79.4 per cent, followed by the ACT (68.9 per cent), NSW (57.9 per cent), Victoria (50.3 per cent), Queensland (39.2 per cent) Tasmania (38.8 per cent) and Western Australia (34.5 per cent). The Northern Territory had the lowest organics recycling rate at 19.7 per cent in 2021-22. Garden organics continues to make up the largest portion of organic materials recycled nationally comprising 41.6 per cent of materials followed by biosolids (18.8 per cent), timber (13.7 per cent) and food organics with 7.2 per cent. John says results of the latest macroeconomic analysis revealed that in 2021-22 the Industry provided 5032 jobs to Australian residents, paying over a $386 million in wages and

salaries and enabled a livelihood to each employee within the industry of $76,650. The Industry has a collective turnover of more than $2.1 billion; sourcing $1.9 billion across its supply chain, investing $156 million in land, buildings, plant and equipment and vehicles each year; and contributing $781 million in industry value add to the Australian economy. “These economic metrics have collectively and progressively grown since last measured in 2018-19 and over the past decade, growth has been in the order of 29.5 percent,” John says. “The considerable economic contributions of the Australian organics recycling industry are without question, important and note-worthy. However, the industry is also contributing significant benefits to the environment.” The total estimated greenhouse gas savings from organics recycling of materials received in Australia in 2021-22 is about 3.9 million tonnes of CO2-e – equivalent to about 5.8 million trees that would have to be planted to absorb the same amount of CO2 or the greenhouse gas emissions that 902,311 cars would produce in a year.

The second edition of the Economic contribution of the Australian Organics Recycling Industry also modelled what the economic and environmental contribution of the organics recycling industry would be if the current organics recycling rates were increased under four different scenarios – to at least 70 per cent, 80 per cent, 90 per cent and 95 per cent. Under the 95 per cent scenario, organics recycling businesses across Australia would generate an extra $1.7 billion in sales providing an additional $1.6 billion in supply chain opportunity with an extra $636 million in industry value add towards the Australian economy and provide 4101 extra jobs, paying $314 million in livelihood to everyday Australians. Furthermore, if all Australian states were able to achieve 95 per cent recycling rate for organic material the Australian environment would benefit from an extra 3,186,401 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions saved – equivalent to 4,764,649 trees planted and 736,441 cars off the road each year. “The economy and the environment impact all of us, every day,” John says. “What the second edition of AORA’s Economic contribution of the Australian Organics Recycling Industry shows us is that we all have the capability to contribute in a positive way to our economy and to our environment through organics recycling. “That can be as simple as making a concerted effort to put the right materials in your organics recycling bin and using Australian produced composts, soil conditioners and mulches on your garden. The Australian organics recycling industry, our economy and our environment will thank you.” For more information, visit: www.aora.org.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – SCRAP METAL

The finer things AS SCRAP METAL RECYCLING BUSINESSES WRESTLE WITH CHANGING WASTE STREAMS AND LANDFILL LEVIES, INNOVATION IS BECOMING KEY TO THEIR SURVIVAL. ERIEZ-AUSTRALIA’S JONATHAN SCHULBERG EXPLAINS HOW THE RELIABLE RECOVERY OF FERROUS FINES CAN HELP.

ustralia’s scrap metal industry may not grab many headlines in the resource recovery sphere, but it’s an industry that was leading the recycling charge before it was cool. In the United States, scrap metal recyclers and steel mills have been playing the circular economy game for decades – long before there was even a term for it. Eriez-Australia’s Jonathan Schulberg says it’s a side of the industry rarely mentioned in the same breath as other recycled material streams, and in Australia, one that he says is regularly forgotten where funding for resource recovery is concerned. “I think the scrap metal industry needs to be in that conversation,” Jonathan says. “It’s essentially the truest form of recycling. A range of different products come in, they’re separated out very specifically, and they have established captive markets for the material.” Jonathan heads Resource Recovery Business Development at the Australian Eriez facility, where the company’s global footprint yields insights into the material separation space and related markets across the world. This includes a newly opened sales and service centre in Perth, where Eriez-Australia has recently taken over its own Western Australian operations to help expedite

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turnaround times for service and repairs. “Eriez has coverage across every continent, and an extensive agency and distributor network as well. That helps bring in a lot of market intelligence to work with, and to help cultivate our equipment range to ensure it meets the current and future needs of the recycling industry,” Jonathan says. He says that compared to the United States, Australia has a limited local market due to the lack of foundries and steel mills to make use of scrap metal in the volumes that are being produced. This makes it a more volatile export-focused game – one highly sensitive to global economic fluctuations, along with the added expense of global freight. It’s also a material stream that is getting increasingly complex as technology evolves. Scrap metal businesses that deal with car wreckers and the construction and demolition industry continue to witness changes in those streams, and must find ways to keep up. “Take cars for example,” Jonathan says. “25-30 years ago, they were built from a lot more base materials – a lot of steel, some aluminium, cast irons and the like – and very little in the way of composites. “These days, with more technologically-advanced cars, the rate of composite materials is much higher. You’re also dealing with a lot

Jonathan Schulberg, Resource Recovery Business Development, Eriez-Australia

of lithium batteries, which are a big hindrance. With electric vehicles, it’s almost become more of an e-waste than a scrap metal issue.” SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF As landfill levies increase across the country, scrap metal yards have found ways to get more out of their material streams. “There has been a quantum shift in how these businesses are looking to extract that material,” Jonathan says. “Until recently, there was a focus on the larger stuff, which can be relatively easy to capture, and has long had a captive market available. But now there are captive markets for the smaller fraction sizes as well. “In the past, companies were willing to lose a percentage of their

is matched to the situation. This necessitates getting Eriez representatives onto these sites to analyse operations, run tests, and establish a base of knowledge and quantifiable data to inform a proper solution. “It’s completely different from just handing someone a brochure, telling them what a machine does and asking them to call you if they’re interested,” Jonathan says. “If you’re just sitting in an office ringing people, you’ll get next to no information. I need to be able to visit sites in person, see, touch, and speak to stake holders about their existing process and how we can work with them to meet their recovery goals. And then we can use that knowledge and data to break our solutions down for them in dollars and cents.”

Eriez provides tailored solutions for scrap metal and other recycling facilities.

micro-fine residual metals to landfill – in part because the technology wasn’t quite there to recover it yet, and the cost to do so was inexpensive. With the cost to dispose of automotive shredder residue (ASR) waste ever increasing, scrap metal processors are searching for ways to reach that Nth degree of recovery and maximise potential profits from their material streams.” Jonathan estimates that residual metal fragments in the sub-15millimetre range could make up anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent by weight of ASR waste going to landfill. Failing to recover those fragments means not only a loss of potential profit, but also higher disposal costs. “These companies are realising the value in what they have previously

thrown away,” Jonathan says. “Now, it’s more important than ever that companies are only throwing out the truest forms of waste – material that for all intents and purposes cannot be recovered or recycled. “The industry has been actively looking for solutions – and Eriez supplies a range of technology for this purpose. But what’s equally important is exactly where and how the equipment is positioned, the volume of material it’s processing, and the available space at these facilities.” Jonathan says as powerful as new separation technology is, facilities must be set up properly to make the most of it. Because of this, Eriez-Australia takes particular care to ensure the right equipment

INNOVATING FROM THE INSIDE Jonathan says the scrap metal industry has become extremely selfdriven in exploring ways to improve processes through solutions such as those provided by Eriez. “They’ve been very open to the idea of innovation and new technologies,” he says. “They don’t want to just sit on their hands and do things the way they’ve always been done. Because if you do that in scrap metal, the industry will leave you behind.” In a corner of the recycling industry where external funding support to improve processes may not be as forthcoming, Jonathan says improvements have had to come from within companies themselves. “They see an area in their process where they’re lacking, and they find a way to improve it,” he says. “They drive their own innovation.” For more information, visit www.eriez.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – E-WASTE

Safety is no accident EXPERIENCED E-WASTE RECYCLER ECOCYCLE IS STANDING UP FOR SAFETY, INTRODUCING GLOBAL BEST-PRACTICE ACROSS THE GROUP.

n the past two years there have been numerous reports of garbage trucks being forced to dump loads on suburban streets because of fires inside the trucks. In February 2021, Brisbane City Council said eight of its waste trucks had caught fire within nine months, prompting a safety plea from the then Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. While there are theories as to why batteries ignite – exposure to excess moisture, over-heating, damage or a short-circuit – the reality is it could be any one or a combination of reasons. “It’s one of the challenges with batteries,” says Doug Rowe, Director of specialist e-waste recycling company Ecocycle. “Nobody has been able to say; ‘that battery caught fire for this reason’. “There’s a gross underestimation of the dangers of batteries and how we should be transporting them.” Doug says recent fires in some Australian battery recycling operations have highlighted the importance of having adequate safety and protection systems in place. EcoBatt, a subsidiary of Ecocycle, specialises in the collection, processing, and recycling of all types of batteries from industrial to automotive and portable. It has a meticulous approach to safety, taking some key learnings from overseas facilities. Thermal cameras, sprinkler systems, sand boxes, thermal runaway containment boxes and aerosol suppression equipment have all been

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installed at EcoBatt’s facilities. Doug says that every possible safety precaution has been considered in the factory set-up, including an imported range of lithium fire extinguishers to enable staff to respond to any on-site, field or transportation issue. It’s an attention to detail that has been carried into the company’s battery collection cabinets and trucks. EcoBatt has more than 5000 unique smart sensor battery cabinets positioned throughout Australia and specialised galvanised bins have been imported for transporting batteries. The safety aspect on the road has taken on new impetus with EcoBatt part of the Battery Stewardship Scheme, an industry-led initiative to provide free battery recycling to consumers across Australia. “The collection roll-out has cost close to $7.5 million,” Doug says.

Specialised galvanised bins have been imported for transporting batteries.

“We’ve invested a lot of money into the system and automation because we’re serious about what we want to do, and it has to be done right. “Batteries are dangerous.” Every EcoBatt battery cabinet has a GPS system so the company knows if it has been moved. Another sensor monitors how quickly the cabinets are filling up and connects with scheduled pick-ups. A heat detector in the cabinet indicates if a battery is distressed. The trucks have an aerosol system that detects heat and then extinguishes any fire, allowing the driver to get out of harm’s way. “The sensors provide a massive advantage for drivers and collectors, which they really appreciate,” Doug says. “They know they have these safety features that will kick in and they don’t have to be involved in a

EcoBatt trucks have an aerosol system that detects heat and extinguishes any fires.

dangerous situation. “We didn’t have to include those safety measures but for us, it’s best practice.” Doug’s hoping a desire for best practice will extend to the community

as the stewardship scheme rolls out, making it easier for people to recycle batteries. Battery stewardship schemes in some countries have resulted in higher recycling rates. “At the moment we’re seeing

WE DRIVE THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.

about 100 tonne per month of batteries recycled. We’re hoping for about 200-300 tonne per month,” Doug says. “We’ve certainly got the ability to make it easy for everybody to recycle batteries. With proper promotion and people changing their habits, I think there’ll be a surge in recycling.” Eco E-Cycle, another subsidiary of Ecocycle, will also make recycling easier. The e-waste collection, sorting and processing business was included in the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme from 1 July 2022. Ecocycle will bring its national reach and decades of experience in e-waste recycling to the scheme. Doug says it’s a vote of confidence in Ecocycle’s abilities. For more information, visit: www.ecocycle.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – BALERS

Global innovation, local support A STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MATERIAL RECOVERY SOLUTIONS AND GODSWILL PAPER MACHINERY COMPANY IS PROVIDING ROBUST AND RELIABLE BALING SOLUTIONS FOR LOCAL RECYCLING BUSINESSES. MRS can incorporate Godswill balers into tailored turnkey solutions.

odswill Paper Machinery Company has been providing paper processing and recycling machinery to businesses across the world since 1987. It’s one of the world’s largest manufacturers of balers, of which more than 200 are currently operating across Australia and New Zealand – many in high-volume applications. Since 2019, south east Queenslandbased Material Recovery Solutions (MRS) has served as the exclusive agent for Godswill balers in Australia and New Zealand. This partnership has enabled MRS to provide local sales, service, and support for its customers, while ensuring that the specific needs of the local market are met. According to Marcus Corrigan, MRS Managing Director, as export bans

on multiple waste streams take effect in Australia, the uptick in domestic processing capacity – as well as an increased demand for quality baling machinery – is something his company is well placed to support. Marcus says the combination of Godswill’s quality baling products and MRS’ customer-centric attitude and after sales support has helped build a strong network of repeat customers – one he says accounts for about 90 per cent of MRS’ sales. “We deem Godswill to be the standard in Australia for medium-to-high throughput applications where reliability and longevity is paramount,” he says. “We’ve built a strong professional relationship with Godswill, and work closely with them to ensure all Godswill baler products are specifically tailored

to meet the needs of the Australian and New Zealand markets.” MRS also provides a suite of spare parts to support Godswill products, as well as a full-service machine shop to enable a range of complementary equipment to be manufactured in-house including feed conveyors, screeners, and separators, as well as bespoke custom items when required. This also allows MRS to offer Godswill products as part of tailored turnkey solutions for material recovery and other recycling facilities. Marcus says that over the past few years, MRS has prioritised investment in its manufacturing capacity to bring as much of that side of the business inhouse as possible. “With the correct machinery, developed workforce, and efficient design choices we are providing, MRS is committed to growing onshore manufacturing and local employment,” he says. With a team of experienced engineers, technicians and fabricators based at its Queensland headquarters – and contractors in most metropolitan areas nationally – MRS is equipped to support its customers with fast turnaround times, regular service and maintenance. “MRS is committed to maintaining close relationships with our customers from the point of install, throughout the operational life of the equipment,” Marcus says.

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Godswill balers can be easily adjusted for a range of material streams.

This commitment is backed by 24/7 phone support. Godswill’s flagship models include the GB-1111F series auto channel baler and GB-1175TR series twin ram balers.

The auto channel baler supports the processing of materials such as paper, cardboard, and other fibrous waste streams. The GB-1111F runs on a 135-kilowatt hydraulic system, and offers real world throughput when paired with a suitable feed conveyor. It is capable of baling cardboard at a rate of 18 tonnes per hour, and paper at 22 tonnes per hour. The twin ram baler series is designed to process high-memory materials such as plastic bottles and LDPE film, and can bale an array of other materials including aluminium and steel cans, and hard plastics. For especially difficult materials, an Accent 470 wire tying system can be incorporated to apply extra wires to the bale. Custom builds are available for more niche applications. MRS’ range of Godswill balers typically

come in three frame sizes and feature modular hydraulic systems, which allow MRS to increase kilowatt packages to tailor the machine to customer requirements. “Hydraulic systems are designed to be highly efficient, offering regenerative oil management, energy-efficient components and variable frequency drives, with variable speed controllers to optimise low-load stages of the baling cycle,” Marcus says. For ease of use, all Godswill balers are equipped with the Human Machine Interface – an intuitive touchscreen setup that allows operators to monitor or adjust machine parameters for different materials; as well as access diagnostics, and troubleshoot problems. For more information, visit: www.materialrecoverysolutions.com.au

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for manufacturers to use recycled plastic The NSW Government’s $9 million Circular Plastics Program is now open for expressions of interest to support manufacturers in NSW transition to better plastic products. Expression of interest submissions for the first round of grants close on 17 November. To find out more, visit the EPA’s Grant Calendar: www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/grants

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – RENEWABLE ENERGY

Energy efficient LGI’S LATEST BIOGAS TO RENEWABLE POWER PROJECT IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, SUPPLYING A COUNCIL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT BEHIND THE METER.

Toowoomba biogas to power project – progress as at 5 October 2022.

ociety’s demand for energy is not going to fade any time soon, says Matthew Tap, Project Manager

at LGI. Across the globe, energy use has continued to increase since the Industrial Revolution. Whether it’s natural gas, electricity, or oil, we’re reliant on it for everything from heating and cooling to transportation and communication. Matthew says there’s a growing awareness of the emissions implications of how energy is produced and an aspiration to find solutions which minimise, reduce, or negate them. “The impacts of climate change on our environment are undeniable,” Matthew says. “Energy production, in particular

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electricity, is one area where solutions are being developed. “We can be more efficient with the generation of energy and meeting demand.” Matthew has had a keen interest in renewables and the technology that has driven the energy space in the past eight to 10 years. It wasn’t until interning with LGI in 2017 that biogas piqued his curiosity. LGI specialises in capturing biogas from landfills to generate electricity. Most systems are registered to generate carbon credits and built for regional councils with minimal cost impact to the community, to help councils reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

All landfills emit biogas, which is about 50 per cent methane, and can impact the environment and the community unless properly managed. Matthew says there’s a need to use it in the best way possible. “LGI is not a proponent of putting waste in landfill. By far the best outcome would be if we produced less waste and sent less waste to landfill,” Matthew says. “But even if we were to stop landfilling today there is still waste in the ground that will produce biogas and emissions for decades. We still need to manage the emissions created from the material we have in the ground.” He says LGI has built more than 30 systems with biogas flaring and/ or power generation on landfills in its

13-year history. In November it will flick the switch on a first-of-its-kind power station to supply the Toowoomba Regional Council’s wastewater treatment plant with electricity behind the meter. LGI will use biogas produced by Toowoomba’s landfill to generate reliable, renewable electricity, which the council will buy back to power its Wetalla Water Reclamation Facility. The project will initially supply up to 70 per cent of the power required to run the facility. “It’s not often you come across a project where you can do something this innovative and unique,” Matthew says. “Toowoomba Regional Council, from the start, has voiced a need to do more than just extract biogas from this project. During a site inspection of the landfill, LGI realised there’s a lot of opportunity, with the wastewater treatment plant located across the road, to provide a service the council can use to reduce its bills. “It’s turning something that used to be a liability into an environmental and financial benefit.” LGI started with a biogas extraction system with a flare at the Toowoomba landfill in 2020 to abate carbon and improve local air quality. Since 2020, 7.3 cubic metres of biogas has been captured,

Matthew Tap, LGI Project Manager.

Engine arriving on site at Toowoomba, September 2020.

the equivalent of 69,000 tonnes of carbon abatement (in CO2-equivalence). Testing proved the gas field can support a 1000-kilowatt generator, consuming about 700 cubic metres an hour of biogas from the landfill. Matthew says the new power station has been designed for a capacity of up to 2000 cubic metres of gas. As the landfill builds, an additional generator can be installed. It’s also been future-proofed with the ability to add energy storage, such as a battery, down the track. In August, Toowoomba Regional Council’s Water and Waste Committee portfolio leader Cr Nancy Sommerfield inspected the site. At the time she described mitigating the effects of methane gas emissions from the landfill, while reducing the reliance on fossil fuels to power the Wetalla Water Reclamation Facility, as a win-win. Wetalla is one of the council’s highest energy users. “This type of reuse project will help to significantly reduce the emission rate and provide a return that allows council to reduce operating costs,” Nancy said. She said the project set the scene for additional energy projects the council is investigating. Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) created by the project under

the Federal Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund have enabled carbon abatement and biogas-to-power from regional landfills such as these to be commercially viable. LGI is also helping councils across the Australian east coast to capture biogas, decrease emissions and reduce their carbon footprint, including in Gladstone, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Gympie, Moreton Bay and Brisbane in Queensland; Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Clarence Valley, Bega, Eurobodalla and Hawkesbury in New South Wales, as well as Mugga Lane and West Belconnen in the Australian Capital Territory. At LGI’s seven landfill gas to power sites more than 87,500MWh is being produced annually – enough to power about 15,000 homes for a year. Once energised, Toowoomba will be LGI’s eighth power generation project. Matthew praised Toowoomba Regional council for having the foresight to do more with the gas than what is standard practice. “They pushed the envelope and it’s created something that sets a standard for the rest of the industry.” For more information, visit: www.lgi.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – GASIFICATION

Why waste the waste? AUSTRALIAN COMPANY H2 4U SAYS HIGH-TEMPERATURE GASIFICATION IS THE MISSING PIECE OF THE WASTE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.

espite strides made in repurposing waste and research, progression and investment into the circular economy, more than 20 million tonnes of municipal solid waste still is sent to Australian landfill annually. It is a problem that will continue to grow across the country as society evolves. Henk Wiese, Chief Executive Officer of H2 4U, says there is a need to find new ways to deal with waste heading for landfills. Methane and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted from landfills are up to 80 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. Taking action now, says Henk, could be the difference between Australia, and possibly the world, achieving climate targets. “If current waste management processes are not changed, the growing and compounding issue of landfill GHG emissions and dangerous toxins from

Gasification technology is ready for implementation in Australia.

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municipal solid waste going into landfill will only increase the negative impact on our communities,” Henk says. “Without a change to the current process, this will get worse, and we will continue to waste an opportunity to capture and repurpose a valuable resource of renewable energy.” THE MISSING PIECE H2 4U Pty Ltd, an Australian company based on the Gold Coast, has worked with its team of engineers from Germany, South Africa and around the world for more than 20 years to develop a High Temperature Waste Gasification Conversion Technology. Henk says that using the teams’ mineralogical and gasification expertise, the company has completed development and testing of proof of concept and pilot plants. The technology has been independently verified and is commercially ready for implementation in Australia. “Our gasifiers convert municipal waste, normally destined for landfill, into highly valuable Syngas in a carbon negative manner,” he says. “The syngas is used to produce a sustainable and reliable source of high output Green Hydrogen, Green Biofuels and Green electricity at market leading rates.” GASIFICATION V INCINERATION Henk says incineration is an outdated technology used for the treatment of waste by burning the organic matter it contains.

The waste materials that are combusted in the process are converted into residual ash and fly ash (from incombustible materials), and heat. Typically, trash incineration emits pollution including nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury, dioxins, and ultrafine particles that can cause harm to the community and the environment. “Even the most advanced pollution control devices can’t eliminate these toxins,” Henk says. “About 30 per cent of air pollutants generated from incineration remain as fly ash, bottom ash, boiler ash, slag and wastewater treatment sludge, poisoning the soil and groundwater, deposited in landfills for generations to come. “Waste incineration is often an expensive and inefficient way to generate energy.” Gasification is a chemical process that breaks down waste into its simplest molecular form through established oxidation and reduction reactions. It requires waste to be super-heated in a controlled-oxygen environment to the point that it reacts at the atomic level. Henk says the H2 4U gasification process is a fully enclosed process that is carbon neutral and emission-free. No complex molecule or compound can survive the extreme heat the feedstock is exposed to. The dioxins, furans, PCBs, tars, oils, industrial waste, paint, plastics, etc are completely broken down into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. “Even asbestos, a former cancercausing fire-proofing fibre, turns into

harmless silicates,” he says. “Gasification of municipal solid waste can be a costeffective way of managing waste and producing energy, in conjunction with a commercially viable business model.” ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS The end of life of many landfills will have a significant impact on the ability of local communities to cope with waste. With the reduced options available for dealing with waste and the additional pressure on existing facilities, Henk says gasification plants are an environmentally sound and economically viable solution. “Our H2 4U gasification plants reduce the inputted volumetric amounts of feedstock going into landfill by 97-99 per cent,” he says. “This benchmark reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfills provides

an immediate positive environmental impact by reducing harmful emissions and seepage into the surrounding environment generated by current waste management processes. “It benefits not only the environment, by reducing damaging emissions, but also the surrounding communities by removing harmful toxins and sets the future for waste management zones.” THE OPPORTUNITY Henk says the bespoke H2 4U high temperature gasification conversion process to break down harmful elements into usable green energy is a marketleading opportunity for Australia. “There are very few limitations as to what the plants can take as a feedstock. This includes, but is not limited to, tyres, hard plastics, coal coke,

biomass, medical waste, industrial waste, food waste, MSW and even asbestos,” Henk says. “H2 4U’s scalability of feedstock inputs, of 100-1000 tonnes of waste per day and more, per plant, makes us a market leader in processing waste to clean green energy. “The modularity of the H2 4U gasification plants allows them to be fully customised to suit the needs of the client and community. “Besides a range of opportunities for our plants to produce green hydrogen, biofuels, green ammonia and other valuable by-products, we can even produce potable water or power a desalination plant.” For more information, visit: www.H24U.com

(07) 5629 0092 26 Blue Rock Drive, Luscombe, QLD 4207

WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – SHREDDERS

The 4000M’s welded knives cut in both directions with multiple cutting faces.

High production C&D shredding THE M&J PRESHRED 4000M MOBILE SHREDDER COMBINES DURABILITY, PORTABILITY, AND POWER TO PROVIDE A VERSATILE SHREDDING SOLUTION FOR ANY WASTE STREAM.

he M&J PreShred 4000M Mobile Shredder – as the name suggests – is designed as the first port of call for any waste stream that needs to be broken down to a more manageable size. This means it needs to be able to handle a wide range of materials without skipping a beat. Tutt Bryant’s Paul Doran, Business Development Manager (Metso/M&J), says the machine’s low-speed, hightorque design is key to its effectiveness and durability. “The shafts are very heavy, and they have a lot of momentum – up to 75 kilo newtons of torque,” he says. “They cut in both directions and with multiple cutting faces, so they’re designed to break down any waste stream as quickly as possible.” Paul says construction and demolition waste is a great example of how varied and challenging waste streams can be. “You’ll get chunks of concrete, steel and timber, as well as plaster board and all sorts of other bulky items,” he says. “What this shredder does is break it all down to minimise air voids in the material. This increases transport density, making your payloads higher.”

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Paul says there are many potential knock-on economic and emissions savings in treating material this way. Higher payloads allow for running fewer trucks, reducing cost per tonne of transport and reducing the operating hours required for compactors to compact shredded waste streams going to landfill. SHREDDING HISTORY Tutt Bryant has been the Australian distributor for M&J for the past two and a half years. In that time, Paul has seen the demand for the Danish company’s shredding machinery increase. “Australia is behind Europe when it comes to recycling, and we’re seeing the popularity of shredders such as these, rise as our country catches up,” he says. “M&J has been in Denmark for 160 years – originally as a foundry – and has been manufacturing waste shredders since 1988. There’s a lot of them installed all around the world.” Paul says this has given the company years to refine its shredding solutions for any waste stream. “In Denmark, they reuse almost everything,” he says. “Anything that isn’t

recyclable is processed to generate energy – so they don’t have landfills. “With our landmass in Australia, we’ve historically not had to be that efficient with air space in our landfills, but those days are quickly approaching – especially as new landfill approvals are becoming harder to obtain.” However, this doesn’t mean that shredders such as M&J’s are about

A perpendicular magnet can be engaged to separate metal from shredded waste.

loader or excavator. “This allows the operator to see the knives working, and easily identify a foreign object or any sort of build-up in the hopper without leaving the comfort of their machine’s cab,” Paul says.

The 4000M is tough enough to handle any waste stream.

to become obsolete. Paul says that as Australia works to reduce waste sent to landfill, a good shredder is just as useful for resource recovery. “One of Tutt Bryant’s customers in South East Queensland uses an M&J 4000M shredder primarily to improve resource recovery at their picking station,” he says. “With particles at a much more manageable size, it enables pickers to more easily and efficiently recover timber, plastics, steel, or concrete which improves recyclable recovery yields and reduces the volume going to landfill.” The machine also features a perpendicular magnet mounted above the product conveyor, which can be engaged to separate ferrous metal from shredded waste. “If you’re shredding something without any metal in it, it can be lifted out of the way so you can shred as fast as possible,” Paul says. “But if there’s metal you want to recover and sell rather than send to landfill, you can place a skip bin underneath and it will all be separated out.” BUILT TO LAST Paul says M&J’s long history and experience in all corners of the waste world means its products are designed to tackle anything – and to maximise durability while they’re at it. “They have a range of knife sets available for various specific applications,

and these are welded onto the shafts for maximum strength,” he says. These knife sets can be supplied on interchangeable cutting tables, which allow operators to easily swap them out for different applications or waste streams. The 4000M is also designed for selfpreservation in situations where there is a risk of damaging the knives. “It’s set up so that any fine material fed into the hopper will fall through the cutting table onto the conveyor below,” Paul says. “This simple concept allows anything that doesn’t need attention from the knives, and that might be abrasive and cause needless wear, to pass straight through. “There is also a large area between the cutting table and the product conveyor below, which improves access for maintenance, but also allows bulky material that passes through to be quickly whisked away to avoid any sort of stoppages due to material build-up. “And, if the machine does detect something in the hopper that can’t be shredded, it will have around five attempts to shred it before alerting the operator and powering down to avoid serious damage. This provides some comfort to the owner that the machine will not try and destroy itself.” The 4000M also comes standard with a camera mounted in the hopper, which connects to a small, dedicated monitor which can be mounted in the cab of a

PERFORMANCE OPTIMISATION All M&J shredders are equipped with M&J Metrics – a fleet management system providing remote monitoring for operational and maintenance data, including for power consumption and usage, and to help diagnose and address faults. “The operator, owner, or fleet manager can monitor the performance and health of the machine, fuel usage, pressure on the shafts, and a vast range of performance data,” Paul says. “It enables them to make informed decisions about when to plan maintenance or order parts.” The 4000M is powered by a Cat C15 engine, which Paul says offers a great balance of power and emissions. “Caterpillar and M&J have put a lot of work into optimising the engine and the machine, which enables us to do full services every 500 hours, rather than the standard 250 hours,” he says. “This means less downtime, meaning more hours of operation, more productivity, and more potential for profit.” Paul says Tutt Bryant’s national footprint for parts and service also helps keep M&J machines running for longer. “When you combine all our warehouses, as well as our sister companies Tutt Bryant Hire and Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift and Shift, we have nearly 30 locations around the country,” Paul says. “After all, there’s no point in having a great machine if you can’t access the parts and support to help keep it that way.” For more information, visit: www.tuttbryant.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – TRUCKS DAF’s CF 340 FAD trucks are engineered and assembled in Australia.

Local motives WM WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IS KEEPING IT LOCAL WITH FOUR NEW AUSTRALIAN-ENGINEERED AND ASSEMBLED DAF TRUCKS FROM PACCAR AUSTRALIA.

M Waste Management Services has been providing waste management and recycling services to Victoria’s southeastern suburbs since 1985. The Boronia-based family-owned business was established by Managing Director Mark Jeffs, who has overseen its growth into one of Victoria’s largest hard waste collection companies. Now with a fleet of more than 70 vehicles and a workforce of about 100, WM Waste is a company built on strong professional and community relationships – one that endeavours to preserve the environment around it. Candice Fecondo, WM Waste Hard Waste Operations Manager, says Mark has made a particular effort to support and engage with the local community through his work. “He sponsors a lot of local sporting clubs, charities, and likes to support local businesses as well,” she says. Candice says this mindset was a contributing factor when Mark and the WM Waste team were looking to expand the company’s fleet of rear-loading compactor trucks. This led WM Waste to purchase four new DAF CF 340 FAD (8x4) trucks through PACCAR dealer

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Hallam Truck Centre earlier this year. BUILT IN AND FOR AUSTRALIA DAF’s CF 340 FAD trucks are locally engineered and assembled by PACCAR Australia at its Bayswater facility, and optimised specifically for the needs of the country’s waste management sector. WM Waste paired these trucks with Superior Pak rear-loading compactors, which was made simple with DAF’s bodybuilder-friendly flexible chassis layout. Candice says the trucks have been designed to deal with any situation a waste company might encounter. “They go everywhere, from Toorak to the Yarra Valley and beyond,” she says. “I’ve found we can take these trucks across all terrains. They’re great on the highway, great on dirt roads, and great on city streets. “Big trucks like these are not always easy to handle in cities, but they cope well. Their turning circle is pretty standout for a twin-steer, which is great for courts and other tight areas. “The side camera is also great for tight streets, allowing that extra visibility on

the blind side of the cabin. Our drivers really love that feature.” Candice says the CF 340’s suspension also makes for more comfortable operation, especially when working long hours. “When you’re fully loaded and you hit a bump, that can really throw a truck around,” she says. “But these DAFs just glide across them – you feel in control.” EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY The CF 340 is powered by a PACCAR MX-11 Euro 6 engine and an Allison 3200 six-speed automatic gearbox. Combined with the truck’s low tareweight design, it is optimised to offer a balance of power and efficiency. “PACCAR has re-engineered these chassis to be about 500 kilograms lighter, which really helps increase our payload capacity when you add that up over three or four loads per day,” Candice says. She says one aspect that has been popular with the WM Waste team is the Driver Performance feature offered as part of the PACCAR Connect telematics system. This system evaluates a driver’s performance by monitoring a range of behaviours and translates that data

should be anticipating braking events, and over-idling in order to save fuel. We’re noticing the difference with our fuel bill.”

The Driver Performance feature provides live feedback to encourage efficient operation.

into a detailed scorecard. This also provides drivers with tips on how to operate the vehicles to maximise efficiency, reducing fuel burn and maintenance costs. “Our drivers treat it like a bit of a challenge, they have a sense of

competition about it,” Candice says. “They love going for the best score, and it’s helping them drive more efficiently. It provides live feedback to the driver through the dashboard as well – it will let them know when they’re driving too hard, advises when they

ROBUST SUPPORT Candice says WM Waste’s previous positive experience with DAF trucks has been strengthened by the relationship the business has developed with the local dealer and the support it has offered. “The sales team at Hallam Truck Centre has been great, and very involved through the whole process,” she says. “They also follow through with the service department side of things to make sure we are taken care of.” For more information, visit: www.daf.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – MACHINERY

Genox underwater pelletising system THE SPS SERIES IS A THREE-IN-ONE SYSTEM THAT CAN PROCESS AN EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PLASTICS. APPLIED MACHINERY’S PETER KOUEIK EXPLAINS.

ore than 300 companies in Australia have Genox recycling equipment installed, making it one of Australia’s leading manufacturers of recycling machinery. The company is perhaps best known for its focus on providing the latest recycling technology at a competitive price point, empowering large and small companies to achieve their environmental key performance indicators and contribute to the true circular economy. Genox’s range includes standalone shredder and granulator units, automatic metal and tyre recycling systems, through to washing plants for size reduction, washing and separating of contaminated plastics The Genox SPS Series is a game changer for plastics recycling.

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and other materials. The company’s latest innovation is the SPS Series Pelletising System: a three-in-one integrated system that includes plastic waste size reduction and filtering, pre-heating and underwater pelletising. The innovative design allows for an extensive range of soft plastics and rigid flakes plastics to be processed. This includes Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) packaging film, agricultural film, High-density polyethylene (HDPE), milk bottle flake, Polypropylene (PP) bottles and plastic flake recovered from e-waste. “The SPS system is especially efficient and stable for low-bulk density materials,” says Peter Koueik,

Applied Machinery’s Sales Manager – Recycling Division. “The variable speed cutter compactor (with airflush) cuts the plastics into flakes. Heat created by high-speed friction pre-heats and dries the material and makes it shrink. “Arc-shaped plates guide the material down into the extruder under the centrifugal force of the knife disc. Thus, size reduction, pre-heating and compacting is combined and this enables stable and effective feeding of small bulk density plastics.” Peter says that one of the most innovative aspects of the SPS Series is the self-cleaning laser filtration system which allows for nonstop recycling extrusion – making

it especially suitable to highly contaminated materials and high throughput applications. Different from traditional screen changers – that require the dirty wire mesh to be continually changed – the SCF system provides continuous filtering performance removing contaminates from the surface of the steel screen plate automatically, thus saving time and reducing labour costs. A two stage (triple venting) extrusion process with vacuum degassing is used. The pelletiser cutting speed is automatically adjusted according to the melt pressure at the die head to ensure uniform pellets. Pressure of the blade onto the die is automatically adjusted to ensure even cutting force by a precision pressure sensor.

“The Genox SPS Series is a true underwater pelletising system which allows for a far greater range of materials to be processed including high-melt index PP grades,” Peter says. “The final step in the process makes use of an advanced dewatering vibrating sieve combined with a horizontal centrifugal dryer. This high-efficiency, low-cost drying system uses precise temperature control and an optimised plasticisation design to ensure a highquality consistent pellet size. A single stage or two-stage pelletising system can be specified.” The system can be started and stopped by one button to protect it from any inadvertent commands. Shutdown safety switches are located along the line wherever rotating

blades are in operation. “Until now, underwater pelletising and self-cleaning laser filter systems were simply not available on complete lines at this price point,” Peter says. For a short time companies can take advantage of a special launch pricing as Applied Machinery introduces the systems to the Australian recycling market. Applied doesn’t just sell machinery; one of the company’s key advantages is that it has specialist engineers who install machinery and train customers and their staff to use it efficiently and safely. The company then provides regular servicing and follow-up. For more information, visit: www.appliedmachinery.com.au, or www.genoxmachinery.com.au

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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION – HOOK LIFTS

Boom time waste in regional Queensland JARI MAATA HAS TAKEN AAA SKIP BINS TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND ISUZU TRUCKS ARE A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND HIS EXPANSION PLANS.

undaberg, on the central Queensland coast, is expanding at rapid rate and so too is its reliance on local waste removal businesses such as relative newcomers AAA Skip Bins. From rubbish collection following an event or festival, a skip bin to deal with construction waste, to general hard rubbish removal, AAA Skip Bins has it covered. Local resident Jari Maata, OwnerOperator of AAA Skip Bins, took the business on in 2016 when he saw an opportunity while renovating and managing a housing project in Bundaberg. BINS FOR BRANDS “Our bins are our brand,” Jari says. “The bins do a lot of our advertising for us, they are so recognisable, I have never had to advertise any other way.” The head-turning bright orange bins with black logo catch the eye almost as much as Jari’s new Isuzu NQR 87-190 – the latest addition to his growing fleet of mostly hook lift trucks. Starting out with just the one 1990 Isuzu FRR 500, purchased along with the business from the original owner, Jari has taken AAA Skip Bins to the next level. From a fresh new colour scheme, the clever name and an overall expansion of the business’s capacity and customer service, Jari has personified innovation at every turn. “AAA stands for ‘Affordable, Anytime, Anywhere,’ and that’s what we aim to

Jari Maata, Owner-Operator AAA Skip Bins.

provide for our customers,” Jari says. “Waste removal is a great business to be in. I should have looked into it years earlier but I just didn’t know its potential.” In harnessing that potential, Jari’s made some updates and upgrades to AAA Skip Bins as he learnt more about the trade. “Another big operational change I made was swapping to a hook lift system for the bins rather than the original chain link system. “With the hook lift method, the hook comes out from an arm and it goes over the back of the truck, and it picks up the bin from the rear of the vehicle. “We’ve found that it’s a more efficient system and I can spend more time in the cabin rather than getting out all the time to secure things. With the hook lift I can arrive at the job site and stay in the truck while lowering the bins onto

the ground.” WASTE BOOM Since the onset of COVID-19, many urban Australians have relocated to parts of country less impacted by the pandemic. Bundaberg is just one regional city in Queensland that has begun experiencing a population boom. “AAA Skip Bins has grown about 25 per cent during the past year, if not more,” Jari says. “More housing projects and refurbishments has meant a lot more work for us.” This boom in business prompted the recent addition of an NQR to Jari’s fleet of Isuzu trucks. “The NQR has great power for that size of truck, this was a big factor for us.” With a GVM of 8700 kilograms and sporting Isuzu’s popular 4-cylinder,

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“AAA stands for ‘Affordable, Anytime, Anywhere,’ that’s what we aim to provide for our customers.” Jari Maata, Onwer-Operators AAA Skp Bins

16-valve 4HK1-TCC engine, Jari says his want for more bang-for-buck has been realised. Producing 140 kW (190PS) @ 2,600 rpm and torque of 513 Nm @ 1,600 2,600 rpm, there’s plenty of grunt to get the job done, regardless of location. “This one is a medium wheelbase which is exactly what I was looking for because we do a lot of inside access work in the city and around construction sites,” he says. “The overall size and manoeuvrability were a really important factor when purchasing.”

The six-speed automated manual transmission on the NQR makes manoeuvring in tight spaces such as a work site or housing project that much easier. “All my trucks are automatic – I find the automated manual transmission fantastic.” Jari also has plans for extending his fleet in the future. “I have a 4-cylinder FRR that I bought in 2018, and I find that the engine is good for what I do. But in the future, when I get a more powerful truck, it will be bigger and able to carry larger

waste loads and heavier skip bins. TOOL OF CHOICE The reliability of Isuzu’s aftercare support is vital to Isuzu owners putting their trucks to work and growing their fleet operations. “I opted for the extended warranty on my 2021 NQR and in future, I plan to investigate the service agreements as well,” says Jari When asked about his plans for the business, there was no hesitation when it came to his truck brand of choice. “I’m really happy with Isuzu Trucks. They back their products and that’s the key for me … they back their products and I know the reliability of their trucks.” For more information, visit: www.isuzu.com.au

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COUNCIL IN FOCUS

Focus on regional waste solutions SOUTHERN WASTE SOLUTIONS, A COUNCIL-OWNED WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY IN SOUTHERN TASMANIA, IS TAKING A LEAD ROLE IN CREATING WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE.

T R S Southern Waste Solutions’ Copping landfill site will be home to an organics processing facility capable of handling Southern Tasmania’s current and future organics processing needs.

shake-up is occurring in Tasmania’s largest waste management authority, Southern Waste Solutions. New Chief Executive Officer, Chris Adekunle, is driving innovation to ensure the business adapts to rapid changes in the waste sector, including leveraging opportunities from the Tasmanian Government’s newly introduced waste levy. Chris, who took on the CEO role in May 2022, has held senior positions

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at Veolia, Cleanaway, Port Headland Council and the Brisbane City Council. He says it’s a critical time for waste management in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Government introduced a waste levy of $20 per tonne on July 1, 2022. The levy will increase to $60 in two years, with an intention to drive behavioural change, resulting in less waste entering landfill. The need to innovate and adapt the traditional landfill business model is a challenge that SWS and Chris welcome.

“SWS is Tasmania’s largest waste management facility and is strategically placed to manage waste from across Southern Tasmania when other facilities reach end-of-life in the coming years,” Chris says. “We are taking a lead role in the important and necessary transition to a future where waste is reduced and diverted away from landfill and into innovative, value-added products. “That transition is only going to speed up with the introduction of the waste

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Chris Adekunle, SWS Chief Executive Officer.

levy, which is an internationally proven way to ensure we assign greater value to the things we throw away.” Southern Waste Solutions is a waste management authority jointly owned by Clarence City, Sorell, Tasman and

Kingborough councils. It accepts and manages waste at both the Lutana Waste Transfer Station and Copping Landfill sites. Chris says the other major landfills servicing southern Tasmania, and particularly Hobart, are space constrained and surrounded by urban development while the Copping landfill site has ample space. He says SWS’s immediate focus is to build a state-of-the-art organics processing facility capable of handling Southern Tasmania’s current and future organics processing needs. “SWS is committed to working in partnership with industry and government to achieve a solution that is tailored to the unique needs of the region and individual businesses,” he says. The organics facility is still in the development phase, with tenders for

construction likely to be advertised in the first quarter of 2023. It will likely be built at SWS’ site at Copping, East of Hobart and will service industrial customers, along with food and organics collections for 50,000 households, diverting up to 20,000 tonnes per annum of organic material from landfill. Chris says feedstock and end markets are still being discussed with industry partners. He says the organics project is an example of Southern Waste Solutions’ commitment to diversify the services it can offer to industry partners, including in the agriculture, aquaculture and horticultural sectors. SWS also manages the only controlled waste C-cell in Tasmania, at the Copping landfill, which can accept contaminated soil.

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E C Y C L I N G. C O

EVENTS

Breaking barriers WASTE MANAGEMENT REVIEW CELEBRATES THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS.

arah Marshall, the newly crowned Woman of the Year for 2022, has spent her career pushing for positive change in the construction sector and beyond. As a Construction and Infrastructure Executive at civil infrastructure company Fulton Hogan, Sarah has helped drive sustainability, improve culture, tackle mental health issues, increase Indigenous engagement and procurement, and improve gender diversity. Her achievements and dedication were formally recognised at the 2022 Women in Industry Awards in September at Sydney’s Doltone House in Jones Bay Wharf, where she accepted both the Woman of the Year and Excellence in Construction awards. It capped off a night of celebration, networking, and inspiration – hosted by Master of Ceremonies Jean Kittson – that shone a light on the accomplishments of exceptional women who have achieved success across a range of industries typically dominated by men. Sarah says it was overwhelming to be recognised among a talented group of women from a diverse cross-section of industries. “For someone like me, who has worked in the construction industry for more than 25 years, these awards are a reminder of how far we’ve come and how much is still left to do,” she says. “We must continue to drive positive change now and for the next generation, breaking down barriers and creating new possibilities.” Sarah says the Women in Industry Awards are important in raising

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awareness of the significant and meaningful contribution that women make to industry every day, and highlight the importance of having senior leaders such as herself represented. “I truly believe ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ – so while being nominated can be uncomfortable for many of us, it’s important to remind younger women coming up the ranks that they are worthy to hold space with their male counterparts,” she says. Sarah was also joined three other women from Fulton Hogan on the winners’ list. “Fulton Hogan did very well, with three of my impressive colleagues – Nina McHardy, Joanne Jeffs, and Barbara Pitsos also taking away awards,” Sarah says. “This reflects the work of so many people within our business that support women to grow and achieve their career aspirations.” WASTE MANAGEMENT WINNERS In our September issue, Waste Management Review spoke to two of the finalists representing the resource recovery sector. Both Sage Hahn, of Bio Gro, and Rebecca Healy, of Boxhead Plastics, won their respective categories. Sage collected the Business Development Success of the Year award for her work as Victorian State Manager at Bio Gro, where she has harnessed her passion for organics recycling to drive meaningful growth in the business in a short period of time. “I was happy just to be nominated,” Sage says. “But then to be a finalist,

and to go to the event – even if I hadn’t won, it would have been great just to be involved. “It was nice to see so many strong, capable people doing wonderful things in their industries. It’s such a great event, and I was very humbled to be a part of it.” Rebecca was awarded for Excellence in Manufacturing. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Boxhead Plastics, Rebecca has built a unique social enterprise around the collection and remanufacture of landfill-bound plastic waste. Rebecca says the win was an honour, but the overall experience was more valuable. “It was energising to be among so many amazing, successful and inspiring women,” Rebecca says. “I feel a new sense of determination knowing that there is an army of women working together to reach a common goal, to represent and support the minority in male-dominated industries. “The organisers did a wonderful job with the awards night. Furthermore, we made some exciting connections that have the potential to help grow and scale our business.” WINNERS’ LIST Social Leader of the Year Joanne Jeffs, People Project Manager at Fulton Hogan, was awarded the Social Leader of the Year award – sponsored by Komatsu. During her time with Fulton Hogan, Joanne has championed and delivered on strategies for diversity, inclusion, and community engagement – including the

Transport, was recognised for a long and successful career with the Excellence in Transport Award. Frances started the business with her late ex-husband Reg in 1975, before taking over the business in 1989 with her son Alan. She has steered Ross Transport through some challenging times, her strength and resilience providing a sense of stability and calm. Aged 81, Frances is still involved with the business today, overseeing office staff while training her granddaughter to take over the business.

Sarah Marshall, of Fulton Hogan, won the Woman of the Year and Excellence in Construction awards.

‘Kicking Goals Program’, a coaching and mentoring program for First Nations employees. Rising Star of the Year The Rising Star of the Year – sponsored by Atlas Copco – was awarded to Helen Tower from vaccine manufacturer CSL Seqirus. Helen is a validation specialist with a demonstrated passion for her work, which has included contributions to the locally manufactured Influenza vaccine, Q fever vaccine, and Australian antivenom products. Helen’s work was also pivotal in creating frameworks that enabled CSL Seqirus to adapt its manufacturing process to produce the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Industry Advocacy Award Nina McHardy, Fulton Hogan’s Regional Communications and Stakeholder Manager for Victoria and Tasmania, won the Industry Advocacy Award for her work in breaking down barriers for women in the construction industry, as well as driving meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and businesses. Nina has also been instrumental in building partnerships between Fulton Hogan, the AFLW, and amateur football clubs.

Mentor of the Year The Mentor of the Year award went to Danielle Bull, General Manager Operations at WesTrac Cat. Always looking for new avenues to promote success for women in business and industry, Danielle has taken on numerous official and unofficial mentoring arrangements throughout her career. In her role at WesTrac, she actively seeks out and cultivates new mentormentee relationships between people in the business. In 2022, she co-founded Industrious Women Networking in the Newcastle and Hunter region, which attracted 100 women to its inaugural event in April.

Excellence in Engineering The Excellence in Engineering award was won by Louise Adams, Aurecon’s Group Chief Operating Officer and former CEO for Australia and New Zealand. With more than 20 years’ experience as a Chartered Civil Engineer, she became the first female Executive Director on Aurecon’s Board in 2013. A passionate advocate for female leadership and equality within the fields of STEM, Louise has developed a reputation as a well-respected, empathetic, and effective leader, and a valued keynote speaker at engineering industry conferences.

Safety Advocacy Award The Safety Advocacy Award was won by Barbara Pitsos, who has been with Fulton Hogan in various safety roles since 2016. She currently manages a team committed to the safety of all staff and contractors, while also working to promote and maintain the company’s strong safety culture. Barbara led the creation of the ‘Stay Safe Not Silent’ video campaign, which has had a big impact across the business, and garnered praise from WorkSafe.

Excellence in Mining The Excellence in Mining award – sponsored by Weir Minerals – was won by Sarah Coleman, Chief Executive Officer of digital transformation service business idoba. Sarah is passionate about challenging the norm, and is driven by her ambition to forge a new path for her own children and future generations, in mining and beyond. Under Sarah’s leadership, the idoba business has grown through the strategic acquisitions of Optika Solutions, Orelogy, and Atomorphis.

Excellence in Transport Frances Ross, Co-Founder of Ross

For more information, visit: www.womeninindustry.com.au

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EVENTS

Realising change LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY LEADERS WILL TAKE TO THE STAGE AT THIS YEAR’S INAUGURAL CIRCULARITY CONFERENCE.

ircularity, delivered by Planet Ark’s Australian Circular Economy (ACE) Hub, will delve into the latest research and real-world case studies to drive actionable change towards a more circular future in the Asia Pacific. “Australia has both an opportunity and responsibility to be a catalyst for the circular economy transition in the Asia Pacific region,” says Paul Klymenko, Planet Ark Co-Chief Executive Officer. The conference, which will take place from 24-25 November at the Hilton Sydney, features a line-up of more than 100 business experts, consultants, and leaders in circular economy practice, covering a broad range of topics. “Beyond laying the foundations of circular principles and updates on the current circular landscape, the strength and vision behind the design of Circularity’s exclusive content program is to equip delegates for actionable change and

Andy Hill from Planet Price will present a session at Circularity.

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“Australia has both an opportunity and responsibility to be a catalyst for the circular economy transition in the Asia Pacific region.” Paul Klymenko, Planet Ark Co-Chief Executive Officer

transition towards tangible circular practices,” says Sofie Teh, Circularity Product Manager. She says one of the most anticipated sessions will be The Measure of an Economy: Circular Metrics & Rationale Decision Making, presented by Steve Johnston from Salesforce and Andy Hill from Planet Price. This session will discuss the complexities and challenges of measuring circularity, outline key metrics that enable credible decision making without the greenwash and explore how to move beyond discussing circularity, to measuring and monitoring circular outcomes. Other key sessions of interest include: Fast-tracking the Australian policy landscape; Who’s following the money? Investing and financing the circular economy; Designing for Circularity: Constraints and opportunities; Exploring circular business models; Providing confidence in circular procurement; and Why sharing is caring: Opportunities for entrepreneurs to deliver product as a service.

Over the two days, Circularity will provide delegates with a comprehensive and valuable agenda, consisting of conference sessions, exhibition, networking drinks and an awards dinner. Sofie says delegates can expect to take away thought leadership and actionable tools to implement circular economy practices in their business, as well as a unique opportunity to build longterm business partnerships and connections with some of Australia’s key decision makers. To book a ticket and view the full program, visit: circularitylive.com.au

Steve Johnston, from Salesforce will discuss complexities and challenges of measuring circularity.

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Waste production data collected on Loadrite refuse truck scales presents an opportunity to be used as a non-discounting point-of-difference for both existing and new customers. Loadrite scales collect waste data that is accurate, is collected automatically (no interaction from the driver required) and empowers producers to take actions. Contact – Loadrite New Zealand P 0800 493 444 E info@loadritescales.co.nz W www.loadritescales.co.nz

TELFORD SMITH, GRANULATORS AND SHREDDERS The ZERMA granulators are designed for the most extreme and universal applications required for today’s recycling facilities including size reduction of plastics, rubber, wood and e-waste. ZERMA shredders have been developed as rugged machines suitable for heavy duty applications including size reduction of materials such as plastic lumps, purgings, large hollow parts, film, fibre, and paper down to a size of less than 25-millimetres. TELFORD SMITH can offer turnkey solutions incorporating electronic materials sorting and separating, metal detection, dewatering and compacting, extrusion and pelletising lines, as well as materials handling, conveying and bagging systems and complete wash plants for plastics.

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LAST WORD

Exploring Victoria’s recycling advances VICTORIA’S ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION CHANGE TO ITS RECYCLING SYSTEM HAS PUT THE GARDEN STATE ON THE RIGHT PATH SAYS MATT GENEVER, INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SUSTAINABILITY VICTORIA.

Recycling and waste management are tracking nicely in Victoria.

n late 2018, I walked across two industrial sites in Melbourne with a large contingent of government and industry folk and was confronted by a grim situation. It was the height of the ‘recycling crisis’ in Victoria and we were facing the imminent collapse of a significant player in the kerbside recycling market. Fast forward four years and I’m happy to say that as a Victorian, I’ve now got a real spring in my

step. Things in the ‘garden state’ are tracking along nicely. In February 2020, the Victorian Government announced a once-ina-generation change to our recycling system. In case you missed the briefing, the government’s circular economy plan involves a number of transformational elements. These include moving to a standardised and consistent four-stream recycling system across Victoria,

introducing a container deposit scheme and significant investment in new infrastructure, education and behaviour change. They also include setting up a new market regulator, Recycling Victoria, and the Recycled First policy – a new approach to building markets for recycled materials. All this rolls off the tongue easily, mostly because it’s my job to recite it with ease. But the $64,000 question is – is it working?

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LAST WORD

I reckon it is. Our state’s circular economy plan has strong backing. The transformation of our waste and recycling system is supported by more than $500 million in government investment, and Sustainability Victoria is delivering on the ground, working across industry, councils, not-forprofits and every Victorian household. The cornerstone of the investment is a $100 million package targeting new infrastructure and domestic markets for recycled products and materials. In infrastructure alone, a contribution of about $67 million from the Victorian Government is matched by about $250 million from the Australian Government and industry. The scope of projects is extensive, from $100,000 for a small regional glass crusher to $36 million for a state-of-the-art circular plastics facility. By 2024, we will have added more than a million tonnes of new recycling capacity across the state. The appetite is there, and industry is jumping in, relishing more healthy co-contributions and risk sharing from government. It’s not just the scale that’s exciting. It is also the kind of companies that are knocking on our door. Typically, most of our projects happen with the ‘formal’ sector; organisations that have recycling as their bread and butter. But this is changing. We’re investing more often with manufacturing and packaging businesses that are realigning their production to use recycled materials. I recently visited a manufacturing business in Sunshine that used virgin plastic for injection moulding exclusively for 30 years but has just invested more than $1 million to add a recycled polypropylene line and plans to double down with another next year. Now let’s be clear. While their motivation to drive innovation in

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this space is commendable, these guys are a for-profit business. They demonstrate the importance of maintaining and developing strong, domestic markets for recycled materials – something Sustainability Victoria has helped drive in the past 10 years by fostering close partnerships with industry and research institutes to fund research, development, trials, and commercialisation for new recycled products. These projects have helped kick things along but getting outcomes at scale continues to be a struggle. We need to go from hundreds to hundreds of thousands. On this front, the game changer in Victoria has been Recycled First. It is a nimble little policy. In fact, if you remove the title page, it’s just four pages long. Here in Victoria, we like building infrastructure, so Recycled First basically says if companies want to bid for our projects, they must show how they will optimise the use of recycled and reused materials. Not as an option or an add on – as a core requirement. This obligation has become a significant market attractor. The Victorian Government initiative, Ecologiq, has been able to connect suppliers of recycled products and materials directly into Big Build projects at scale. This policy shift is part of the reason our friends with the plastics manufacturing facility in Sunshine invested in a recycled plastics line. The void formers and other recycled plastic products they make help meet the demand created by Recycled First. So, my advice to all other states and territories in Australia is simple: ‘copy and paste’. These outcomes show that the industry is humming along, which is great, but the circular economy is obviously much broader. This is

Matt Genever, Interim CEO Sustainability Victoria.

why Sustainability Victoria is now engaging more closely with Victorians on the state’s recycling system, including how to use it, its benefits, and importantly, sharing stories about how recycling goes into new products. For example, the current behaviour change campaign, ‘Small Acts, Big Impact’, makes it easier for people to find simple ways to reduce waste and recycle correctly, and has been tailored to reach Victoria’s many culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Victorian councils and community groups are also forging ahead. In addition to rolling out the new fourstream service, many councils have circular economy plans of their own and are supporting and promoting local and precinct scale projects. Reuse and repair hubs, composting facilities, waste avoidance programs and recycling in multi-unit dwellings are just some of the projects we’re helping through $14 million in funding for councils and communities around Victoria. Of course, there is always more work to do. The Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre is targeting the next wave of change in the state. Last year we focused on textiles, and on food waste the year before. This year it’s design. The opportunities are many, and we’re absolutely up for it.

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