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NEW AGE, HIGH DENSITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, WITH NARROW ACCESS WAYS AND CHALLENGING LOCATIONS, HAVE IMPOSED NEW DEMANDS ON TRADITIONAL WASTE AND REFUSE DISPOSAL THAT A MELBOURNE COMPANY IS ANSWERING WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING SPECIFIC TRUCKS AND ITS OWN BIN LOADING SYSTEM. WE DROPPED IN TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WASTEWISE ENVIRONMENTAL TO SEE HOW THEY DO IT.

If you are like this writer, then you may have noticed the proliferation of high density housing projects that have been springing up all over Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Those densely packed developments have posed plenty of challenges for the developers, the residents and the local councils, particularly when it comes to removing the waste and garbage from the complexes.

The problem, or challenge, depending on how you look at it, has called for a little thinking outside the box, or should we say – bin!

One innovative waste collection company which specialises in servicing these new high-density and restricted access housing developments came up with a way of ensuring the refuse can be removed from the developments where many local councils have thrown up their hands in surrender. Surrender maybe too hard a word, but the reality is that the larger council run or contracted garbage trucks can often not reach the bin areas where resident’s place their garbage.

Waste Wise was started in 2008, and is still owed and operated by Frank Cardamone, a bloke who saw the need for a different type of waste collection operation to answer the growing need from large scale apartment developments for waste pick-ups by private contractors. This was because, as we said before, the traditional model was no longer tenable at many developments. The Waste Wise concept proved so successful in Melbourne that the company expanded operations seven years later into Sydney.

After starting with a single truck in Melbourne in 2008, Waste Wise now operates a fleet of more than 50 Hino trucks all automatics, and has become Australia’s market leader in ‘restricted access waste management solutions’ for multi-level and strata developments.

“In 2011 we were the first Australian Waste Management company to introduce the Waste Wise Mini Loader into our fleet, this mini loader truck allowed us to access restricted areas such as narrow laneways, underground and basement carparks as well as multi-story carparks,” said Frank Cardamone.

“The benefits to residents is the ability to save time and money since they no longer have to struggle to move their heavy bins into pre-defined collection points, either hundreds of meters away from the origin or in busy hard to access locations,” he added.

Frank Cardamone Waste Wise managing director

“We offer our customers a customised range of waste management services that fit the demands of modern high density living,” he added.

“We started this as a family owned business because of our desire to help clean up the environment and that desire and rationale is still the cornerstone of our operation.”

“We have been very with our innovative fleet particularly in developing our Mini trucks which deliver the ability to collect and process any type of waste, as well as making it easier to recycle and safely dispose of the waste.”

“We view waste as a valuable resource and our aim is to divert as much waste away from landfill as is possible, which given our experience in commercial waste collection and recycling means we’re always looking for and finding better, smarter and cleaner ways to make a sustainable future possible,” said Frank.

The fact is Waste Wise has pioneered, and been a real innovator in restricted access waste removal, so much so that other companies have copied many of its concepts.

The Waste Wise Fleet is made up of a mix of light duty Hino 300 models and also media duty 500 Series models, with the smaller trucks using the Aisin autos and the larger 500s fitted with Allison automatics.

Automatics are important because the trucks operate in confined and narrow areas where manoeuvrability is vital and Cardamone says the Allison automatic transmissions are critical for ensuring safe and efficient operation.

“Hino is my preferred choice of truck and the fact that they are factory fitted with Allison transmissions is also an important factor in ensuring our fleet works safely and efficiently”.

“Allison is the best transmission in the market and the easiest to operate in what are very challenging conditions. Our drivers love the Allison Automatics because they are less fatiguing to drive and are easier to operate in the tight conditions we have to operate in.” said Cardamone.

The WasteWise Hino 500 Series are FD Standard Cabs with the Allison 2500 Series six speed automatics with rear loader waste disposal bodies. The dual PTO functionality offered by the Allison along with its 339 Nm torque capacity is another important factor for Waste Wise operating its rear loaders according to Cardamone.

“The two most important aspects for us are safety and reliability and the Hino with the Allison Automatic deliver on both of those criteria,” said Cardamone.

WasteWise is currently planning its own Multi Recycling Facility (MRF) on a 6.5-acre site at its new headquarters in the northern Melbourne suburb of Thomastown.

THE FACT IS WASTE WISE HAS PIONEERED, AND BEEN A REAL INNOVATOR IN RESTRICTED ACCESS WASTE REMOVAL, SO MUCH SO THAT OTHER COMPANIES HAVE COPIED MANY OF ITS CONCEPTS