July 2018

Q&A War on Waste episode to feature WMAA

Q&A War on Waste episode to feature WMAA

ABC’s current affairs program Q&A will feature waste management leaders as it discusses the current issues facing Australia’s waste and recycling industry.

It will be a special War on Waste episode, and will feature a diverse range of panellists, including the Waste Management Association of Australia CEO Gayle Sloan.

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Joining them will be Craig Reucassel, host of the ABC’s War on Waste program and Tony Jones, the host of Q&A.

Ms Sloan will also appear in episode three of the second season of the War on Waste, which begins on Tuesday 24 July.

The panel will also include Ronni Kahn, an Australian entrepreneur who started the food rescue charity Oz Harvest. The charity partners with the United Nations Environment Programme to raise awareness on the issue of food waste and works with governments and key stakeholders with a goal to halve waste by 2030.

Nature’s Organics CEO Jo Taranto will also be part of the panel. She is also the director of social enterprise start up “Good for the Hood”, whose mission is to inspire communities around the country to reduce waste.

Rounding out the panel is the President of the Australian Local Government Association David O’Loughlin. He has held executive positions across the public and private sectors of the construction industry for more than 27 years and now represents local government, including at Ministerial Councils and the Council of Australian Governments.

The Q&A episode will broadcast on Monday 23 June at 9:35pm (AEST). To ask a question of the panel, click here. To register to join the audience, click here.

McDonalds to phase out plastic straws by 2020

McDonalds to phase out plastic straws by 2020

McDonald’s Australia has announced it will phase out existing plastic straws from it 970 restaurants around the country by 2020.

It is currently working with local suppliers to find viable alternatives and will start a trial of paper straws in two restaurants from August.

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The move is part of the company’s global effort to identify sustainable alternatives to its current single-use plastic straws.

The trial will also help McDonald’s reach its goal of making its guest packaging from entirely renewable, recycled or certified sources by 2025.

McDonald’s Australia Director of Supply Chain Robert Sexton said as one of the world’s largest restaurant businesses, the company has a responsibility and opportunity to make significant change.

“Together with the global business, we have been working for some time to find appropriate alternatives. We know plastic straws is a topic our customers are passionate about and we will find a viable solution,” he said.

Alongside the moves to eliminate plastic straws, McDonalds is also currently trialling cup recycling through a partnership with Simply Cups. The trial launched in April in eight restaurants and includes segmented dining room bins to separate liquids, plastics, paper cups and general waste.

“Beverage cups are a unique concern when it comes to recycling through normal paper recycling facilities due to the inner plastic lining,” Mr Sexton said.

“By separating the cups through designated bins, we can ensure cups are diverted to the right facility to recycle this material. Our trials will provide useful learnings that will help to determine next steps for potential wider restaurant implementation.”

LSM adds Vision Techniques products to portfolio

LSM Technologies has added UK-based Vision Techniques’ driving safety technology to its portfolio. These aids include several OH&S technologies that can help to prevent collisions, vandalism, theft, rollaways and other such incidents.

Among the applications acquired by LSM are VT’s Banskman radar system for auto braking while reversing; the BrakeSafe anti-rollaway system that can automatically apply the vehicle’s brakes; IDent Drive Stop, which can immobilise the vehicle in the absence of an RFID tag, acting as both a theft deterrent and handbrake failsafe; IDent RFID Controls for operator security; and Stop Safe, a controlled braking system.

For more information, video case studies from FloGas and Keir Group are available via LSM’s website here.

Nestlé’s packaging plan

Waste Management Review speaks to Nestlé Packaging Specialist Jacky Nordsvan about the company’s packaging strategy, plan for soft plastics and zero waste to landfill agenda.
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Integrated machinery

Waste Management Review highlights a variety of sorting and separating equipment from Eggersmann GmbH, designed to suit a diverse range of applications from construction and demolition to municipal solid waste. 

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McDonalds join Starbucks consortium to end cup waste

Two of the world’s largest food and beverage retailers will identify and commercialise a recyclable and compostable cup which can be used globally.

The NextGen Cup Challenge aims to offer promising solutions on the recovery of single-use cups, with a focus on the fiber-based hot and cold cup, and working to create a fully recyclable and/or compostable cup in North America.

McDonalds has joined Starbucks, the founding member of the group, to form part of The NextGen Cup Consortium and Challenge. It follows recent commitments by McDonalds and Starbucks to turn to more sustainable packaging solutions.

The $5 million investment by McDonalds brings the total project fund to $10 million, which kicks off in September and invites innovators, entrepreneurs, industry experts, and recyclers to submit their ideas for the next generation of recyclable and/or compostable cups.

Awardees will receive acceleration funding up to $1 million based on key milestones. Up to seven of the awardees will enter a six-month accelerator program to help scale their solutions.

“McDonald’s is committed to using our scale for good to make positive changes that impact our planet and the communities we serve,” said Marion Gross, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, McDonald’s USA.

“We are excited to join Starbucks and Closed Loop to help solve this pressing challenge as collaboration is key to finding a scalable, lasting global solution.”

Colleen Chapman, vice president of Global Social Impact focused on sustainability for Starbucks, said that a better cup will benefit the entire industry and the company invite others to join them as we move their efforts forward.

NextGen builds on years of work in the industry and is a critical step in the development of a global end-to-end solution that will potentially allow the 600 billion cups globally to be diverted from landfills and given a second life.

The consortium is building a robust advisory council including leaders in environmental NGOs including WWF, human-centered design, academic leaders, the paper and plastic industry, recyclers, composters, and municipalities to ensure that the work is grounded in the needs of the entire value chain and the cups make it from shelf to consumer and back through the recovery system to another high value use.

“There has never been a greater need to tackle the ways in which we source and recover materials. McDonald’s participation is a strong step forward in building momentum from major brands to come together and develop innovative approaches to materials waste,” said Erin Simon, Director of Sustainability Research and Development (R&D) and Material Science at World Wildlife Fund, U.S.

“Working together across the entire value chain of these major companies will allow us to create a comprehensive and lasting solution to this critical conservation challenge.”

“To date we have received more than 1000 inquiries from companies and individuals interested in participating in the challenge and we anticipate some exciting and impactful proposals,” said Kate Daly, Executive Director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners.

No intention to sell Bingo Industries shares: Tartak family

Bingo Industries Limited (Bingo) has issued a statement on the ASX regarding speculation about a potential sale of shares by the end of the voluntary escrow period in August.

The Tartak family, who own about 30 per cent of the $1 billion group, floated on the ASX last year after raising $440 million.

“The Tartak family’s decision not to sell reflects their strong commitment to Bingo and their view that the long-term outlook for the company and the industry remains favourable, including the expected positive impact on Bingo from the impending introduction of a Queensland waste levy, expected to be legislated in early 2019,” the statement read.

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Bingo will announce its FY18 full-year results on Tuesday, 21 August and the statement reaffirms its previously stated guidance of pro forma FY18 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of about $93 million.

“I see [the statement] as very binding. I’m still a new CEO, still building credentials for myself, the last thing I would do is go against my word,” Chief Executive Daniel Tartak told the Australian Financial Review.

He added to the publication that he had been open with investors about his “five-year vision” for the company and it “seems right we continue to be long-term holders”.

Mr Tartak said Bingo Industries issued the statement in response to a “bit of market chatter and speculation”.

In March, Bingo Industries announced its half year results for the 2018 financial year, reporting strong net revenue growth of 43 per cent.

The company’s net revenue has increased to $142.4 million compared to this time last year, which according to its FY18 half-year results, reflects business momentum and increased market share.

Return and Earn sees half a billion containers returned

More than half a billion containers have been returned to Return and Earn reverse vending machines in NSW, eight months after the scheme launched.

The container deposit scheme aims to improve recycling rates and reduce the volume of litter in the state by 40 per cent by 2020.

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Each eligible container is worth 10 cents when returned to a reverse vending machine or depot.

Drink containers litter currently makes up 44 per cent of the volume of all litter throughout NSW and costs more than $162 million to manage, according to the NSW Environment Protection Authority.

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) was the first educational institution to install a reverse vending machine as part of the scheme.

UNSW Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability Will Syddall said that while this initiative helps to reduce littering and improve recycling rates, it is just one step in improving the way we create and manage waste.

“In the waste hierarchy, reducing and reusing resources is better than recycling them. We encourage the community to use reusable water bottles and coffee cups so that they can avoid disposable cups and bottles altogether,” Mr Syddall said.

“We also recognise that we have more work to do to reduce the amount of single-use plastic and other consumables used on our campuses.”

According to the World Bank, half of the plastic ever manufactured was made in the last 15 years.

EPA VIC hold public meeting for waste to energy facility

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria will hold a public meeting after receiving a works approval application from Australian Paper to develop a large-scale waste to energy facility.

The facility is proposed to be co-located within the boundaries of the Australian Paper site in Maryville, Latrobe Valley.

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Australian Paper propose the facility would accept and use an estimated 650,000 tonnes a year of municipal solid waste and commercial and industrial waste from the Melbourne and Gippsland regions.

In order to begin works, a works approval is required from EPA for any waste management activities that have the potential for significant environmental impacts.

EPA Director of Development Assessments Tim Faragher said EPA Victoria will now hold a section 20B Conference under the Environmental Protection Act 1970 to ensure it understands the views of the community regarding the works approval application.

The Section 20B Conference will be independently chaired and a report produced detailing key issues and possible solutions raised in written submissions and at the conference. This report, which will be made available online, will be used by EPA to inform its decision on whether or not to approve the works approval application,” he said.

The conference will be held on 25 July 2018 at the Premier Function Centre, 29 Grey Street, Traralgon at 6pm.

Global definition of recyclable developed

The term “recyclable” has received a global definition in relation to plastic packaging and products from two international recycling organisations.

In order for a plastic to be considered recyclable according to the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and Plastics Recycling Europe (PRE), it must meet four conditions.

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The product must be made of a plastic that is collected for recycling, has market value and/or is supported by a legislatively mandated program. It also must be sorted and aggregated into defined streams for recycling processed.

It must also be able to be processed and reclaimed or recycled with a commercial recycling process and it must become a raw material that is used in the production of a new product.

Under this definition, innovative materials must demonstrate that they can be collected and sorted in sufficient quantities, must be compatible with the existing industrial recycling processes or will have to be available in sufficient quantities to justify new recycling processes.

In a joint statement from PRE President Ton Emans and CEO of APR Steve Alexander said the onslaught of recent announcements around commitments to package sustainability and recyclability often did not have a defined definition.

“Recently, we have seen many announcements regarding legislative measures on plastics products and pledges of the industry actors committing to making their products recyclable,” Mr Emans said.

“As recyclers, we are a fundamental part of the solution to the issue of sustainability of plastics, and we need for the appropriate audiences to understand what is necessary to label a product or package ‘recyclable’,” he said.

Mr Alexander said the use of the term ‘recyclable’ is consistently used with packages and products without a defined reference point.

“At the end of the day, recyclability goes beyond just being technically recyclable there must be consumer access to a recycling program, a recycler must be able to process the material, and there must be an end market.”

Both groups have said they understand the complexity of a global system and welcome comments from the plastics recycling industry and relevant stakeholders.