June 2019

Tasmania to implement CDS

The Tasmanian Government has announced it will implement a container deposit scheme (CDS) in an effort to become the tidiest state by 2023.

The announcement makes Tasmania the seventh state or territory in the country to implement a CDS, leaving only Victoria without a scheme.

Environment Minister Elise Archer said drink containers account for an estimated 41 per cent of litter by volume in Tasmania.

“We know one of the most effective ways to change littering behaviours is to introduce a container refund scheme, as has been seen in other Australian jurisdictions,” Ms Archer said.

“The benefit of a CDS is the ability to produce purer streams of recyclable materials, which are then turned into higher value, second life products with reduced levels of contamination – a move strongly supported by local government, with enormous opportunities for local businesses.”

The decision follows a 2018 model framework report commissioned by the state government.

The report recommended Tasmania implement a scheme similar to other states, with a target of 60 refund points and a redemption rate of at least 80 per cent.

“Work will now commence on a detailed model and draft legislation, including consultation with the community, businesses and industry,” Ms Archer said.

“Specialist advice from a number of departments, as well the establishment of an expert reference group, will be critical to the scheme’s success.”

After legislation is enacted a management tender will be developed and released.

The scheme is expected to rolled out by 2022.

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Woolworths diverts food waste

In an effort to tackle the $20 billion Australian food waste problem, Woolworths have implemented active food waste diversion programs in 100 per cent of its supermarkets.

Woolworths Head of Sustainability Adrian Cullen said the company have recorded an eight per cent year-on-year reduction in food waste sent to land over the past three years.

“Food is meant to be eaten, not thrown – which is why together with our customers, our farmers and our community partners, we’re working to keep good food out of landfill,” Mr Cullen said.

According to Mr Cullen, Woolworths last year diverted over 55,000 tonnes of food and enabled over 10 million meals to be delivered to Australians in need across the country.

“Working with our partners OzHarvest, Foodbank and Fareshare to feed Australian’s who would otherwise go hungry is our number one priority when it comes to diverting food from our stores,” Mr Cullen said.

“We then work with local farmers so that surplus food, which cannot go to hunger relief, is used as stock feed for animals or for on-farm composting. This helps us further reduce and re-purpose bakery and produce waste.”

Mr Cullen said over 750 farmers and community groups have joined the Woolworths Stock Feed for Farmers program.

“Last year Australian farmers received more than 32,000 tonnes of surplus food from Woolworths that was no longer fit for human consumption.”

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Waste sulfur polymers to assist plastic recycling

A new study published in Chemistry – A European Journal, suggests the problem of plastic waste could be addressed via waste sulfur polymers.

Study co-director Justin Chalker of Flinders University said researchers are working to develop a range of versatile and recyclable materials by controlling physical and mechanical properties, bringing them closer to scale up for manufacturing.

“Polymers made from elemental sulfur have emerged as versatile materials for energy storage, optics applications, environmental remediation and agriculture,” Mr Chalker said.

“Controlling their properties takes a big step towards these new polymers being able to replace plastics, rubber and ceramics that are currently unrecyclable.”

According to Mr Chalker, research found the new polymers could be broken down and reformed into new materials.

“This represents a new era in recyclable materials made from renewable building blocks such as plant oils and industry by-products such as sulfur,” Mr Chalker said.

University of Liverpool collaborator Tom Hasell said the research is another important set towards taking sulfur-based polymers out of lab, for use in every-day practical material.

“Being able to produce polymers from sulfur – a waste product of the petrochemical industry – is a really exciting opportunity, both for the environment and for creating more sustainable products and industries,” Mr Hasell said.

“Almost every household item has some kind of plastic polymer plastic in them and making polymers from sulfur, not carbon, opens doors into a new frontier of possibilities.”

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Essential Services Commission to review Victorian waste sector

The Essential Services Commission will review waste and recycling services in Victoria to assess whether they should be regulated as an essential service like water and energy.

A further review of the landfill levy will also be conducted, to consider the current and future effectiveness of the initiative as an economic instrument for influencing waste management practices.

A $14.3 million Recycling Industry Development Fund has been established, targeting secondary processing infrastructure for priority materials such as paper, cardboard and plastics.

A $13.8 million program to provide incentives for new entrants to the Victorian recycling market has also been announced.

The Victorian Government announced the review in conjunction with a new $34.9 million package of recycling reforms.

Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA) Executive Officer Mark Smith welcomed the review.

“The VWMA welcomes consultation by the Essential Service Commission, with us and our members,” Mr Smith says.

“Grants can be great, but are not always the best method to support private investment. I’d like to see funding bodies exploring new ways for business to access funds, and this shouldn’t result in business competing with local government.”

Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the review will help create a more stable and productive recycling sector.

“It’s more important than ever to minimise the amount of waste we produce and ensure we’re recycling as many items as possible,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

She said the new initiatives are an important step in planning for the future of the waste and recycling industry.

“The package will provide support to Victorian councils when it comes to negotiating new contracts for recycling services, helping to improve business performance and put better contingency plans in place,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

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Downer opens soft plastics asphalt plant in Lake Macquarie

Plastic bags, recycled glass and printer toner will be used in the construction of new Hunter roads as part of a $5 million overhaul of Downer’s asphalt plant in Teralba, Lake Macquarie.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser officially opened the site this week, with the ability to process thousands of tonnes each year of sustainable road and pavement materials for the Hunter Region and Central Coast.

The facility is one of the most advanced of its kind in Australia, capable of producing a wide range of products including asphalt containing recycled tyre rubber and Reconophalt, an innovative asphalt product that contains high recycled content from materials such as soft plastics, glass, toner and reclaimed road.

The soft plastics are collected through the RedCycle program, which has collection bins in Coles and Woolworths supermarkets, while waste toner used in the product comes from the national Planet Ark recycling initiative.

Every kilometre of two-lane road made with Reconophalt contains the equivalent of 530,000 plastic bags, 168,000 glass bottles and 12,500 toner cartridges.

Cr Fraser said today’s opening, which coincides with World Environment Day, bolstered Lake Macquarie’s reputation for encouraging and embracing sustainable businesses and practices.

“I congratulate Downer on investing in new methods to close the loop on recycled materials,” Cr Fraser said.

“In the past 12 months in Lake Mac, we’ve seen the introduction of recycled glass sand in Council’s civil works, a trial of recycled materials in concrete footpaths and now this next step in our war on waste.”

Downer’s Executive General Manager Road Services, Dante Cremasco, said the milestone event held on World Environment Day demonstrates the importance of partnerships with councils and road authorities to maximise sustainable outcomes for the future growth of the region.

“The innovation our new Teralba asphalt plant brings will see us not only lower our carbon footprint, but also incorporate new streams of recycled materials into the asphalt we lay, further improving sustainable outcomes for the region’s local communities and their roads,” Mr Cremasco said.

“Downer’s investment in this flexible pavement products manufacturing hub allows us to reduce our reliance on increasingly scarce virgin materials by over 30 per cent and improve our energy consumption by up to 15 per cent, which are really pleasing outcomes for the region.”

Testing of the new Reconophalt material showed it lasted longer and was less prone to deformation than traditional forms of asphalt.

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Battery stewardship a priority for National Waste Policy

A recent of meeting of Environment Ministers has endorsed the work the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) as a priority under the National Waste Policy, according to a statement from the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative (ABRI).

In a letter to ABRI, Acting Chief of Staff for the Queensland Environment Minister Hannah Jackson said there was an agreement from all jurisdictions that the scope of the proposed battery stewardship scheme would be expanded to cover all batteries, including energy storage and non-rechargeable batteries.

“This is a pivotal moment for the scheme as it enables much needed funding to flow through the QLD Environment Department on behalf of all jurisdictions,” the statement reads.

“This will enable the BSC to conduct planned consultation with members to refine the proposed approach.”

Of the 400 million batteries that enter the Australian market each year, less than three per cent of non-car batteries are recycled in Australia, according to a 2014 trend analysis and market assessment report, prepared on behalf of the National Environment Protection Council Service Corporation.

A National Waste Policy Action Plan is currently being prepared, with the scheme listed for introduction by 2022.

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