One billion returns in first year of QLD CDS

In its first year of operations, Queensland’s container deposit scheme Containers for Change has seen one billion containers returned.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said the return rate is a third higher than predicted.

“On average, we’re currently seeing more than 3.4 million containers a day being returned across the state,” Ms Enoch said.

“These containers were the second most littered item in our state, but since the scheme started there has been a greater than 35 per cent reduction in containers ending up as litter.”

Ms Enoch said the scheme has also seen $100 million returned to Queenslanders and community groups.

“More and more small businesses are getting involved in running refund points, and charities and community groups are also seeing the benefits through fundraising activities,” Ms Enoch said.

“Ten cents per container adds up; and in the last 12 months more than $100 million has gone back to individuals, families, community groups and charities, including RSPCA Queensland who have raised about $3500 in donated refunds.”

Ms Enoch also announced that the state government is offering funding to more than 100 not-for-profit and community organisations to help the scheme grow, and provide a boost to fundraising efforts.

“The state government is committed to boosting recycling with well over 100 infrastructure grants being offered to not-for-profit organisations,” Ms Enoch said.

“These grants of up to $10,000 will help community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations purchase the equipment necessary to be donation points, the refunds from these donated containers going directly back to the community group.”

Container Exchange CEO Ken Noye said the scheme is supporting economic and job growth, with more than 700 jobs created across Queensland.

“One of the biggest benefits of the scheme has been the employment opportunities provided to young job-seekers, individuals with a disability, people re-entering the workforce and the long-term unemployed,” Mr Noye said.

“The economic benefits have also reached families, community groups, schools and sporting clubs, as a whole new revenue stream has been created.”

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2018 Gallagher waste trommel SRP2C&D

After previous installation at a general waste transfer station, a 2018 Gallagher waste trommel SRP2C&D is now available for purchase through Slattery Auctions. With an interchangeable trommel option, the dismantled machine is suited to both civil and waste screening environments.

The two stage C7 D SRP2C&D features a four bay main frame with 2850 millimetre wide bays and a 2100 millimetre height clearance. Additionally, the dismantled machine includes a four station picking line, solid complete cross belt blower, over band magnet in feed conveyor, access ladder and control console.

Manufactured using the latest engineering techniques and high level componentry, the Gallagher waste trommel is suited to screen a range of waste materials including municipal waste, aggregates, soil and biomass. The trommel can be assembled according to various industry requirements.

For more information contact Slattery Auctions.

Enquires: Gavin Woolley 0472 879 241

MWRRG plans new C&I strategy

The Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group’s (MWRRG) 2018-19 Annual Report, tabled in parliament November 1, examines progress against the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan.

According to the report, MWRRG is developing a new strategy for commercial and industrial (C&I) waste and advanced waste processing (AWP).

“This year we began developing the evidence base to inform a C&I waste strategy, including 180 waste audits and industry workshops,” the report reads.

“The strategy will initially focus on reducing the volume of plastics and food waste going to landfill.”

Other implementation plan objectives include reducing waste sent to landfill, increasing organic waste recovered, delivering community, environmental and economic benefits and developing a plan for Melbourne’s growing population.

MWRRG’s 2018-21 business plan outlined 45 Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan deliverables, with the 2018-19 report listing 19 completed, a further 19 ongoing and 15 continued.

The highest level of deliverables was achieved in the reducing waste sent to landfill objective, with 6 completed, 9 ongoing and 2 continued.

According to the report’s Message from the Chair and CEO, MWRRG continues to support local government through capacity building, collaborative contracts procurement and education.

“Reducing waste sent to landfill continues to be a priority for us,” the report reads.

“We are achieving this in a number of ways, including recycling more green and food waste, a new strategy for commercial and industrial waste and AWP.”

The report lists AWP as a core element of MWRRG’s strategic and integrated approach to reducing waste sent to landfill, alongside recycling, composting green and food waste, and continuing landfill contracts for waste that can’t otherwise by recovered.

“Our work this year has continued to build resilience and strengthen the operation of the waste and resource recovery sector – helping to ensure regular services for the community and a lower environmental impact,” the report reads.

“For the longer term, we have laid the foundations – to reduce waste to landfill, increase organic recovery and recycling – for investment, transparency and diversity in the sector.”

MWRRG 2018-19 highlights include:

Effectively managing $100 million in council contracts annually including four landfill contracts on behalf of 26 councils, one recycling processing contact on behalf of five councils and three organics processing contracts on behalf of 21 councils.

Reducing commercial and industrial waste through 180 commercial and industrial waste audits.

Promoting green waste recycling through the Back to Earth Initiative eastern garden competition, which attracted 58 nominated projects, 18,400 votes from residents and reached 109,000 residents on Facebook.

Empowering councils to deliver effective food waste recycling through a new food and green waste collection guide.

Developing an evidence base to take action through three new social research reports on food waste recycling, advanced waste processing and illegal dumping.

Protecting communities and the environment through three plans for waste and resource recovery hubs, and leading a memorandum of understanding between key state agencies to implement a whole of government approach to land buffer protection.

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Automated walking: Keith Walking Floor

Zyggy Reinoga, Keith Walking Floor Australia Manager, speaks to Waste Management Review about the company’s automated alternative to the tipping trailer.

The recently released 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit examined key challenges faced by Australia’s waste sector including population growth, patchwork government regulation and transportation costs.

Without action, transporting waste will become more costly and as such, so will resource recovery, according to the report. This is attributed to significant distances between waste generation points and processing facilities. Zyggy Reinoga, Keith Walking Floor Australia Manager, says the limited technical efficiency of waste trailers is an additional factor.

“Loading and unloading waste trailers can be time consuming because operators have to clean the body out manually,” he says.

“There are also issues with cross contamination that stem from ineffective cleaning and a lack of automated loading and unloading, which results in wasted space and reduced payloads.”

To counteract these inefficiencies, Keith Walking Floor developed a fully automated walking floor trailer system that allows cargo to be safely and efficiently unloaded without the need of a tipping trailer.

“The introduction of the rugged V-Floor slat 15 years ago, allowed operators to process loads that other trailers had to pass on because of transportation challenges.”

The V-Floor system consists of a series of reciprocating slats that are powered by a hydraulic drive.

“As the floor moves through its four-phase cycle, every third slat moves together,” Zyggy says.

“During the final phase, all slats move in unison conveying the material. The friction of the load on the two sets of slats that remain in place keeps the load from moving, while the final set of slats moves.”

Zyggy says V-Floor slats are designed for high impact and abrasion, and are suitable for construction and demolition waste, scrap metal, aggregates and specialty waste products such as fly ash.

“Operators need to make the most of their trailers and waste transport vehicles, and backhauling can double the efficiency of a fleet – an added benefit of our automated system,”
he says.

“Our sweep system also cleans the floor of the trailer as it unloads to reduce payload cross contamination.”

According to Zyggy, the sweep system eliminates the need for brooms or manual tarps and provides a safer working environment as the operator never has to enter the trailer body.

Zyggy says the V-Floor system recently underwent a redesign to increase the versatility of its unloading floor.

“Major advantages include an increase in the floor area that actually moves the load, and a reduction in the weight of the slats,” he says.

Zyggy added that the V-Floor’s bearing support system increases the life of both the bearing and the V-Floor slat.

“Designed to handle a variety of waste products, our walking floor system offers many benefits over conventional tipper trailers, with the horizontal unloading action eliminating many of the hazards associated with tipper trailer unloading,” Zyggy says.

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Safe scraps: West-Trans

Andrew McKinna, West-Trans National Sales and Marketing Manager, talks to Waste Management Review about addressing rising safety standards with automated tarping systems.

One of Western Australia’s largest metal shredder operates out of the Sims Metal Management scrap metal facility in Kwinana. Running consistently throughout the day, the machine shreds for a large portion of the state’s booming scrap metal recycling industry.

At the Kwinana facility, Sims purchase scrap metal from businesses and individuals across the region. As one of the largest metal recycling companies in the world, the facility sees near constant traffic, and as such, processes at the site are taken seriously.   

As scrap metal recycling is complex, there are multiple steps required before material can reach the shredder.

The process begins with the collection and transport of raw scrap, before pre-treatment, melting, refining, forming and finishing.

Despite the aggressive nature of the shredding process, it’s the initial stages, collection and transport, that pose the biggest safety concern for operators.

According to WorkSafe Western Australia, the most common injuries in the scrap metal sector are falls from heights, being hit by moving objects and muscular stress from handling and moving material.

Additionally, truck and trailer drivers are some of the most at-risk employees in the industry.

To get in front of potential safety issues, Sims Metal Management engaged transport equipment specialists West-Trans, to supply a range of automated tarping systems in early 2019.

Automatic tarping systems enable safer operations by keeping drivers on the ground, which in turn reduces the potential for work related injuries. By cutting the time it takes to load and unload material, automating the tarping process also increases route profitability.

Andrew McKinna, West-Trans National Sales and Marketing Manager, says the company’s tarping and load covering systems were developed in direct response to the rising demand for safety optimising equipment in the scrap metal and general waste and recycling industries.

“The technology, manufactured by UK based manufactures TransCover, is purpose-built for waste transport,” Andrew says.

“The system weighs just under 200 kilograms, which is half the weight of the traditional hydraulically actuated tarps currently being used in Australia, at roughly 70 per cent the cost.”

After a consultation period, West-Trans installed six DoubleCover automated tarping systems to a series of high cube tipper trailers at the Kwinana facility.

“Sims’ main objectives were of course load security, but most importantly operator safety,”
Andrew says.

“The team at Sims were pleased with how the tarping systems operated, making particular note of how they enabled more trips per day and all-weather operations.”

Following the successful trial in Western Australia, Andrew says West Trans fitted a further two trailers for Sims in Victoria.

Sims high cube trailers are 15 metres in length, with a full height of 4.3 metres, which Andrew says presents a challenge when drivers are required to secure a load on top of the trailer.

He says the lightweight DoubleCover system eliminates this problem, as the automation removes the need to manually untie and tarp.

“Drivers operating trailers fitted with DoubleCover systems pull up before or after the weight bridge, before rolling both the driver and curb side open. The rear frame follows the front frame when rolled, open or closed,” Andrew says.

“They then climb back into the truck and enter the yard to load or unload, and on leaving the yard, the driver closes the curb side first, the driver’s side last, climbs into the cab and drives away.”

Andrew explains that the entire process is completed from the ground, just behind the cab.

“No tying is required, no walking backwards and forwards around the trailer, and no climbing,” he says.

“Not only does this enhance safety for the driver, but could soon become a necessity, as more and more operations ban pedestrians from their yards.”

Andrew says DoubleCovers are generally used as a tarping solution for trailers with a length beyond the effective use of a traditional Hycover, or a tarp tower, which is more suited to hooklift applications.

“The DoubleCover system features a simple crank handle operation, and due to the design of the gear box, requires no pressure to secure the tarp in position once closed,” he says.

For high frequency use, Andrew says a hydraulic gear box option is also available.

“The whole system sits within the existing trailer height and width, and adds around 200 millimetres to the front of the trailer at the top,” he adds.

“Several mesh or net types are available according to the loads and contents to be contained, but the standard net, which we installed on the Sims’ trailers is incredibly tough, and capable of managing abrasive material.”

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Government launches review of Environment Protection Act

The Federal Government has launched a once in a decade review of Australia’s environmental law.

The decision aims to deliver greater certainty to business groups, farmers and environmental organisations.

Led by Monash University Professorial Fellow Graeme Samuel, the statutory review will examine whether the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) remains fit for purpose, and fit for the future within the context of a changing environment.

According to Environment Minister Sussan Ley, Professor Samuel will lead an expert panel including Bruce Martin, Wendy Craik, Erica Smyth and Andrew Macintosh.

“This review is not about ideology,” Ms Ley said.

“The one thing all sides of the environmental debate concede is that the complexities of the act are leading to unnecessary delays in reaching decisions, and to an increased focus on process rather than outcomes.”

Ms Ley said decision making delays are estimated to cost the economy roughly $300 million a year, which frustrates business and environmental groups.

“The act has been a world benchmark in environmental protection, but needs to be adapted to changes in the environment and economy,” Ms Ley said.

“I’ve asked Professor Samuel to look at how we can improve efficiency, and make clear and simple decisions that deliver strong, clear and focused environmental protection.”

Ms Ley said Professor Samuel will be releasing a discussion paper in November and begin initial stakeholder meetings shortly thereafter.

Under the review’s terms of reference, the independent reviewer must provide a report to the environment minister within 12 months of the review’s commencement.

Terms of reference include examining the act’s current operations and the extent to which objectives are being achieved. Furthermore, the reference aims to make recommendations to modernise the act, including considerations of Australia’s international environmental responsibilities and the implementation of relevant agreements between the Commonwealth, states and territories.

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ACT plastics ban

Victoria’s single-use plastic ban begins

Single-use plastic shopping bags have been banned across Victoria, under new legislation introduced to parliament in June.

The ban, which commenced November 1, applies to bags with a thickness of 35 microns or less, including bags made from degradable, biodegradable and compostable plastic.

Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the ban follows extensive community consultation on tackling plastic pollution, with 96 per cent in favour of the ban.

“The plastic bag ban is part of a suite of government measures designed to reduce the impact of plastic pollution, reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and strengthen Victoria’s recycling industry,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

“To support the community in moving to reusable bags, Sustainability Victoria is running a Better Bag Habits campaign – helping Victorian households to remember their phone, wallet, keys and bag before leaving home.”

According to Ms D’Ambrosio, the EPA is also is working with retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers to support them in understanding their obligations, as well as monitoring industry performance.

“The government engaged the National Retail Association to conduct over 180 tours of shopping centres and precincts throughout Victoria to assist retailers transitioning away from banned bags,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

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Fuelling the market

Waste Management Review speaks with key industry stakeholders about the potential tyre-derived fuel flow-on effects of the Council of Australian Governments’ proposed export ban.

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Urban-inspired collection: Volvo

Volvo’s new Vice President of Sales Tony O’Connell details the company’s latest waste collection iteration – the Volvo FE Low Entry Cab.

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Woolworths launches Loop reusable packaging program

Beginning mid-2021, Woolworths shoppers with have access to sustainable home delivery through TerraCycle’s zero-waste reusable packaging solution Loop.

According to a Woolworths statement, the program allows customers to consume a variety of commonly used products such as washing detergent, shampoo, juice and ice cream in customised, brand-specific, durable packaging that is delivered in a specially designed reusable shipping tote.

After use, the packaging is collected or can be dropped back in store, where it is cleaned, refilled and reused.

Woolworths Quality, Health & Sustainability General Manager Alex Holt said Loop is just the beginning of a long term partnership agreement between Woolworths and TerraCycle.

“We are pleased to be working with innovative partners like TerraCycle to lead the way in offering new and cutting-edge solutions to cut down on plastic waste,” Ms Holt said.

“Helping bring Loop to Australia is a further step in our long term ambition to reduce our impact on the environment and support a circular economy.”

Loop Global Business Development Vice President Anthony Rossi said Loop is the first global platform to offer consumers a way to move from disposability to durability with their purchases.

“Woolworths is the perfect partner to bring Loop to Australia, due to its operational scale and commitment to environmental sustainability,” Mr Rossi said.

“Together, we will help eliminate the idea of waste and bring a better product experience to consumers.”

Launching the partnership this week, Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews praised Woolworths’ commitment to sustainability.

“I congratulate Woolworths for showing the initiative to embrace a recycling solution that will significantly reduce its waste packaging,” Ms Andrews said.

“It is vitally important that both governments and the private sector play their part in reducing waste and embracing recycling solutions. I look forward to other businesses adopting similar initiatives.”

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