July 2017

Sustainable water solutions developed by Sydney Water

Hobart Airport project to use recycled water

Hobart Airport has been given the green light to use recycled water for flood compaction as part of its REX project.

This is the first time recycled water has been used on any Tasmanian construction project.

Works on the REX project, Hobart Airport southern runway extension, runs alongside the coastline. The underlying soils consist mainly of beach like sand, that creates difficulties when compacting to the required standards, and a significant volume of water is required to drench this soil before it’s compressed by the rollers.
Fulton Hogan has teamed up with the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant, operated by TasWater, who treats waste water to produce ‘Class A’ recycled water.
Having access to recycled water on the site saves using valuable clean drinking water, as well as saving the recycled water being pumped into the bay via Sinclair Creek. In the first three days of use, 1.23ML (1,230 KL or 1,230,000L) of recycled water was used for flood compaction.

Cleanaway commences new contract

Cleanaway has commenced its eight-year contract to deliver kerbside collection in the northern Queensland area of Burdekin, located between Townsville and Bowen in the delta of the Burdekin River.

The four brand new trucks are co-branded with Cleanaway and Burdekin Shire Council livery and include distinctive designs describing the type of waste being collected by the truck. They were presented to Burdekin Mayor Lyn McLaughlin prior to commencement.

Cleanaway Regional Manager of Solid Waste Services Chris Ashton said their Burdekin fleet comprised of two new general waste trucks, a recycling vehicle and a green waste vehicle.

“All are brand new and fitted with the latest technology to ensure maximum efficiency of service to the Burdekin community,” Mr Ashton said.

Mr Ashton said Cleanaway was excited to be expanding its operations to service the Burdekin Shire local government area.

“The awarding of the Burdekin contract allows Cleanaway to display its proud history and presents an opportunity to support Burdekin Shire Council towards growing and maintaining a sustainable future.

“We take very seriously the responsibility that’s been afforded to us to maintain what is a very important service to the community,” he said.

“The commencement of this contract will in no way affect the services residents currently receive. There is also no change to the majority of drivers in the team.”

In addition to providing a competitive contract, Cleanaway has committed to supporting the local community by utilising local content for ongoing labour, maintenance and fuel requirements. It said 75 per cent of the incumbent direct labour operators have joined Cleanaway in full-time employment.

“We are committed to maintaining a positive, strategic partnership with Burdekin Shire Council for the life of the contract,” Mr Ashton said.

Burdekin Shire Council is an exciting addition in regional Queensland with the total number of municipal contracts from Noosa to Port Douglas now standing at eight.

City of Sydney hosts free household chemical cleanout day

Sydneysiders are being asked to safely dispose of their old car batteries, solvents, pesticides and paints as part of the City of Sydney’s free household chemical cleanout day.

The joint initiative between the City and the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has been organised to help residents safely remove unwanted, hazardous items from their home without fear of harming the environment or local waterways.

“The City has a long-term objective of zero waste to landfill. The annual chemical cleanout brings us closer to that target while ensuring chemicals such as mercury, cadmium and lead don’t end up in our waterways,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

“The City is proud to work with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority to run chemical drop-off days to help keep our city and its waterways clean.”

Chemicals will be sorted into more than 40 categories for re-use or recycling. Items such as unwanted paints can be used as an alternative fuel in cement kilns, and residual gas can be recovered from gas bottles for industrial use.

Residents are advised to stay in their vehicles at the drop-off site to allow waste experts to safely collect all items and chemicals.

More than 22 tonnes of waste from 580 households was collected at the 2016 cleanout.

The City of Sydney said computers, mobile phones, cameras and other electronic goods should not be brought to the chemical clean-out but reserved for its next e-waste drop-off day in September.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore also invited residents to have their say on the City’s draft waste strategy, which is currently on exhibition.

“One of the exciting actions proposed in the draft ‘Leave Nothing to Waste’ is a community drop off centre open year round for problem waste items such as those that are dropped off annually at the chemical cleanout day,” Mr Moore said.

“To voice your support for this measure, visit sydneyyoursay.com.au and leave your feedback.”

Pictured: Marco Baiteri at last year’s event held at the Sydney Park depo.

EPA Tasmania approves waste capture system

The Environment Protection Authority Tasmania has approved salmon producer Tassal’s proposed waste capture system for operation in Macquarie Harbour.

Wes Ford, EPA Director, said that based on Tassal’s reporting of the trial to date and its Environmental Management Plan, he is allowing the company to operate with the supplementary biomass of up to 28 tonnes/hectare provided it complies with its Environment Protection Notice (EPN).

“The EPN contains the requirements and conditions to regulate the capture and disposal of the fish farm waste including reporting and monitoring requirements,” said Mr Ford.

“Under the EPN, Tassal is required to undertake a range of monitoring, including benthic observations and dissolved oxygen in the harbour, as well as parameters to measure the effectiveness of the system,” he said.

“The EPA will undertake regular reviews of the waste collection operation in the harbour and waste disposal.

“This approval will enable the company to carry supplementary biomass and delay the harvest of about 4000 tonnes of 2016 year-class fish until they reach market size,” he said.

Mr Ford said that the WCS is designed to capture the solid waste from 1.5 tonnes of fish for every 1 tonne of fish to be grown through to harvest that is in excess of Tassal’s 13 tonnes/hectare allocation (3,640 tonnes).

Maroochydore’s new automated waste collection system

The first stage of underground pipes for Maroochydore’s high-tech automated waste collection system were installed in late June.

Representatives from system designer and manufacturer Envac, visiting from South Korea, are overseeing the installation with project teams from Sunshine Coast Council, SunCentral and lead contractor Shadforths.

The waste system is the first of its kind for an Australian CBD and will be installed in stages over the coming decade to make the 53-hectare Maroochydore City Centre one of the cleanest and greenest in the country.

Rather than using wheelie bins, waste will be transported from commercial buildings and apartments at up to 70kmh through a 6.5km system of underground vacuum pipes located beneath the new city centre.

Acting Mayor Tim Dwyer said installation of the pipes was a milestone for the project and for the new Maroochydore CBD.

“It’s exciting to see an innovative, nation-first project like this taking shape on the Sunshine Coast,” Cr Dwyer said.

“Workers and residents in the new CBD will never have to walk past rows of wheelie bins or be woken early by noisy garbage trucks.

“This system will also benefit our environment and help make the Sunshine Coast Australia’s most sustainable region by increasing recycling rates, as has occurred in systems installed overseas.”

Common aspects of waste collection such as odours will be avoided due to the underground system, and the costs of daily street cleaning will be reduced.

Director of Infrastructure Services Andrew Ryan who is responsible for council’s waste management, said public areas would have their own waste inlets, enabling the new city streets, parks and plazas to be effectively serviced by the new technology and avoiding overflowing bins.

“Automated underground waste collection is just one of the ways in which the new Maroochydore CBD will be among the most technologically advanced in Australia,” Mr Ryan said.

“This system can be installed because we are building on an undeveloped, greenfield site within an existing urban area – and that has many other benefits.

“For instance, we are also building a high-speed fibre optic network into the city’s very foundations, which will enable us to provide ‘smart’ signage, free Wi-Fi hotspots, real-time transport information, movement sensors and smart lighting.”

$3 million to tackle organic waste in NSW

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has opened up grants up to $3 million for councils, waste and/or organics processing companies and not-for-profit organisations who have plans for projects that can tackle the amount of food and garden waste that goes to landfill.

The NSW EPA and Environmental Trust are inviting applicants to submit their proposals under three different grant streams:

  • Organics Processing Infrastructure – up to $3 million for infrastructure to process more source separated organics from households and businesses
  • Food Donation Infrastructure – up to $500,000 for equipment to collect, store and redistribute surplus food to people in need
  • Product Quality – up to $500,000 for equipment to improve recycled organics product quality

Previous rounds of these grants have already funded projects that have made a positive impact on local communities. Last year, 3 Pallaettes was awarded a $295,600 Organics Processing Infrastructure Grant to provide the Central Coast with an open windrow composting system for organic wastes, that would otherwise be sent to landfill, to produce a premium grade humified soil conditioner.

With a $89,500 grant under the Food Donation stream, Settlement Services were able to purchase a van, cool rooms and freezer to run The Staples Bag program, supplying a bag of food staples to people in need.

EPA Unit Head Organics Amanda Kane said the grants gave councils and community groups the chance to fund projects that could make a real difference when it came to organic waste.

“From saving good food from being wasted and tackling food insecurity in our state, to increasing NSW capacity to process more collected green waste,  these grants are designed to tackle organic food waste from every angle,” Ms Kane said.

The Office of Environment & Heritage (OEH) Director Grants Peter Dixon said the Environmental Trust was pleased to offer the new rounds of organics funding for organics collections under the Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.

“This is a significant amount of money that will go to projects that will make a significant change to organic waste in our state.”

The grants are being delivered through a partnership between the EPA and the Environmental Trust (which is administered by OEH).

Applications close 5pm Thursday, 10 August 2017. The EPA is hosting webinars to assist potential applications find out more about grant programs.

New Waste Plans For Victoria

The Victorian Government has completed new long-term plans for waste and resource recovery across six Victorian regions.

Acting Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Richard Wynne announced the 10-year plans today, which cover the Barwon South West, Gippsland, Goulburn Valley, Grampians Central West, Loddon Mallee, and North East regions.

Together with the 30-year Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan and the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan, the announcement completes a comprehensive statewide waste infrastructure framework.

By 2043, Victorians will generate 60 per cent more waste than they do now – over 20 million tonnes each year.

The framework recognises that disposing of waste to landfill can impact health, amenity and the environment, and will reduce the need for landfills by developing markets for recovered materials and energy.

An evaluation of Victoria’s landfill capacity found that no new landfills are needed for at least the next ten years.

The State Government provided $30.4 million for waste and resource recovery in the Victorian Budget 2017/18.

“These plans will help us reduce the impact waste has on local communities, our economy and the environment,” said Acting Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Richard Wynne.

“We’re investing more than $30 million in waste and resource recovery now and putting in place solid plans for the future, to reduce landfill and the impact Victorians have on the environment.”

 

SUEZ and Ventia to open new soil processing facility

SUEZ and Ventia have partnered to develop a soil processing facility at SUEZ’s Taylors Road Landfill in Dandenong South, 45 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD.

 

The proposed soil processing facility will use direct thermal desorption treatment and stabilisation technologies to treat a range of contaminated soil to minimise its environmental impact and where possible create the potential for re-use.

Ventia Utility Services General Manager, Nan-Maree Schoerie said: “As the most experienced remediation services company in the country, Ventia is pleased to partner with SUEZ to offer our clients best-practice, technology-led solutions which will reduce the volume of contaminated waste going to landfill.

“The new facility complements the world-class environmental and remediation solutions Ventia already delivers to our public and private sector clients, building on our position as the market leader in thermal processing of contaminated soils.”

“The facility will treat and reduce the environmental risks of contaminated soils and recover valuable materials that can be reused. By co-locating the facility at Taylors Road Landfill, we will provide a complete resource recovery and management solution for contaminated soils in Victoria,” said SUEZ State General Manager, Kelvin Sargent.

“We are excited to commence construction soon, and we can expect to start servicing the contaminated soils market in late 2017,” Mr Sargent added.

In 2015, the Victorian Government identified the Taylors Road Landfill as a waste management hub of state importance and identfied the opportunity to co-locate additional compatible resource recovery activities at the site.

SUEZ  owns and operates Victoria’s only landfill licenced to receive category B solid Prescribed Industrial Waste. Ventia has successfully completed more than 140 remediation jobs over 20+ years including Australia’s largest and most complex environmental projects.

Fuel reduction key for Australian fleets

Seventy-five per cent of Australian fleet businesses cite fuel reduction as their key priority, according to a new report by ACA Research.

The report – commissioned by Fleetmatics, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company owned by US corporation, Verizon – aimed at exploring the key challenges associated with managing fleets of five to 50 vehicles.

“Fuel and labour costs are the largest expenses for 69 per cent of businesses across the transport, construction and services and distribution industries,” ACA Research found.

Todd Ewing, Director of Product Management at Fleetmatics, responded by stating that “managing driver behaviour” was one way to keep these costs down.

“Fuel costs get out of hand very quickly if not monitored effectively,” he said, pointing to mobile workforce software as one possible solution to avoid issues like excessive idling.

“For businesses who are currently using the software, less than half of them experience the challenge of staff idling vehicles unnecessarily.

“However, 60 per cent of those who haven’t adopted the technology face the challenge of excessive idling, which wastes fuel.”

In addition, poor driver habits, such as speeding and harsh braking, are said to be an issue for 65 per cent of businesses who haven’t invested in mobile workforce software solutions.

Brendan Woods, President, Traffic Management Association of Australia, commented, “These findings indicate that fleet managers can achieve greater visibility through data in order to drive profitability.

“The correct use of vehicle tracking technology is key to doing just that. With the ability to make informed decisions based on driver and vehicle performance, fleet managers are well positioned to improve safety, reduce costs and drive their business to the next level of efficiency.”

215 companies took part in the online survey, with no breakdown provided as to the size and makes of the vehicles covered.

This article originally appeared on Prime Mover Magazine.

Half a million for South Burnett recycling centre

The Queensland Government will provide an additional half a million dollars for a recycling centre in the town of Cherbourg.

Based in the South Burnett region of Queensland, the facility is set to boost its production while supporting local jobs.

Queensland Government Minister for State Development and Cherbourg ministerial champion Dr Anthony Lynham said the contribution now totals more than $1.48 million into the South Burnett region’s first and only recycling centre.

The centre – the first in a remote indigenous community in the country – currently provides work for five locals and Dr Lynham said the funds would increase this to seven full time equivalent positions within the first year of operations.

“It’s great to see this facility continuing to expand in Cherbourg, helping the environment and supporting local jobs and training opportunities,” Dr Lynham said.

“Council is partnering with the state on the stage three upgrade, contributing $10,000.

“The stage two expansion will start by July 2017 to treble annual output and the latest upgrade will increase productivity from 1000 tonnes to 3000 tonnes, which will increase again to 3500.”

“Infrastructure projects spark jobs growth and flow-on business opportunities, keeping regional Queensland’s local economies ticking over and its communities strong,” he said.