March 2020

Historic Cairns Wharf timber to be recycled

Historic rare timber from the world heritage-listed Wet Tropics of Queensland could find a new home, with recycled timber specialists Kennedy’s Timber removing hundreds of metres of piles as part of the $20 million upgrade of the Cairns wharves 1-6.

Built in 1942 during World War II, the Cairns Wharf was covered in 200 millimetres of thick concrete, which has ensured elements of the timber remained in good condition for its age.

Kennedy’s Timber has been contracted by Astral Construction to complete the removal of 2000 lineal metres of Crows Ash, 1500 lineal metres of Cairns Hickory and 150 turpentine piles – which will be put on sale for a special project.

Kennedy’s Timber founder Michael Kennedy said it is an honour to be part of such a significant project and to be asked to find a home for this piece of history.

“In 26 years of timber recycling, I have never seen such outstanding timber with a rich history – both Crows Ash and Hickory are very rare timbers and highly sought-after. Years ago, the timber was milled in the rainforest of the Wet Tropics of Queensland which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and logging is no longer permitted,” Mr Kennedy said. 

“To be able to give this timber to a new home is such a unique opportunity and we’re certain there will be plenty of individuals excited about the prospect of using this timber on their projects. The timber is very desirable for furniture makers due to its golden colour, durability and rich patina. Recycled timber also stores carbon so it’s always a great environmentally-friendly option.”

The state government is spending $20 million dollars to upgrade the Cairns wharves from 1-6 as part of the $127 million Cairns Shipping Development Project – which is designed to attract large cruise ships and boost tourism. 

A new concrete jetty has been built to replace the old structure at wharf 6, with 15 per cent retained for heritage purposes.

The timber removal process will take an estimated three weeks to complete.

“We want the Cairns Wharf recycled timber to go towards special projects and we have a few in mind – I would love to hear from local builders, architects and designers who have an exceptional home for this piece of history,” Mr Kennedy said.

Kennedy’s Timber is a specialist in recycled timber within the commercial and residential building industry and provide the full spectrum of timber design options.

Their recycled timber has been used in projects like Suncorp Stadium, Tree of Knowledge in Barcaldine, Parliament House Canberra, Hilton hotel and many resorts.

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Sustainability Vic seeks Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund EOIs

Sustainability Victoria is seeking expressions of interest for the state government’s new Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund.

The fund is designed to ramp up recycling infrastructure, improve the recovery of valuable recycled materials and divert waste from landfill. It will initially focus on stimulating investment in infrastructure that can sort and process organic, plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, textile, and tyre waste into high-value material streams.

According to a Sustainability Victoria statement, expressions of interest are now being accepted for two grant streams: Materials (paper, cardboard, plastic and glass) and Hazardous Waste (solvents).

The Materials stream includes $28 million to target infrastructure projects that will reprocess, remanufacture and build end-market capacity for priority recovered materials. While the Hazardous Waste stream includes $11.5 million to target infrastructure projects that can improve the recycling of solvents from liquid hazardous waste.

“This immediate investment will provide support for the government’s transformation of the state’s waste and recycling system, complementing the introduction of a new four-bin system across households and a state-wide container deposit scheme,” the statement reads.

“The Recycling Victoria Infrastructure Fund will drive innovation and improve the capability of Victoria’s recycling sector. This builds on the $28 million already committed in the 2019–20 budget delivering a record investment in Victoria’s recycling infrastructure as the state embraces a circular economy and a sustainable future.”

Expression of interest will close 3pm May 8.

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QLD opens consultation on single-use plastics ban legislation

Queensland is taking the next step in removing single-use plastics from the environment, opening consultation on a state-wide ban that will initially focus on straws, drink stirrers, cutlery and plates.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said single-use plastic was an increasing problem, damaging the state’s environment and marine life.

“It’s time to decide the future of single-use plastics in Queensland. Plastic pollution in our environment affects every aspect of our lives – from the water we drink and the food we consume, to the plants, animals and outdoor places we all love and enjoy,” she said.

“We are looking to limit and, where necessary, ban the supply of most single-use plastic products starting with straws, stirrers, plates, cutlery and cups.”

Ms Enoch said the state government’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan, released in 2019, committed to introducing enabling legislation in 2020, subject to consultation, to ban the supply of specific plastic products.

“In the future we’ll also consider other forms of single-use items such as coffee cups, heavyweight plastic shopping bags and polystyrene containers, but right now we’re focused on straws, stirrers, plates and cutlery,” she said.

According to Ms Enoch, the state government wants to hear as many perspectives as possible. She added that the needs of people with disability and the age care sector would be taken into account.

“Over 75 per cent of rubbish that is removed from Australian beaches is made of plastic. Our government has already taken steps to reduce plastic with the ban on single-use plastics bags and the introduction of Containers for Change,” she said.

“Those initiatives have seen hundreds of millions of individual plastic products kept from entering the environment, and now we’re looking ahead. We want to hear from Queenslanders as we take this next step.”

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NSW transfer station awarded $66K weighbridge grant

Waste 360 has been awarded a $66,496 grant from the NSW Planning, Industry and Environment Department to install a weighbridge at its new transfer station in Strathfield, NSW.

According to Planning, Industry and Environment Department Circular Economy Executive Director Sanjay Sridher, the grant was awarded under the Waste Less, Recycle More Initiative’s Weighbridge Fund.

“The weighbridge will enable Waste 360 to collect valuable data that helps to provide more accurate information on the volumes of waste and recyclables generated in NSW and supports improved environmental performance across the state,” he said.

Mr Sridher said this was the final round of funding under the Weighbridge Fund grants program.

“Over 35 waste and recycling facilities have received more than $2 million in grants under the Waste Less, Recycle More initiative to support the installation of weighbridges,” he said.

“This program has played an important role to support the modernisation of the waste sector in NSW. Better data collection through the use of weighbridges at licensed facilities improves understanding of the volumes of waste and recyclables, and facilitates the collection and payment of the waste and environment levy.”

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NSW targets zero organics in landfill by 2030

The NSW Government’s Net Zero Plan Stage One: 2020-2030 seeks to achieve net zero emissions from organic waste in landfill by 2030, with targeted actions to support councils improve services and product quality.

“Organic waste, such as food scraps and garden trimmings, makes up about 40 per cent of red-lidded kerbside bins. When sent to landfill, the decomposing material releases methane that may not be captured,” the plan reads.

“However, when this waste is managed effectively, through proper composting and recycling processes, methane emissions can be substantially reduced, soils can be regenerated to store carbon and biogas can be created to generate electricity.”

The plan outlines specific actions including supporting best-practice food and garden waste management infrastructure, and ensuring compost or other organic soils are of the highest quality for land application.

Furthermore, the state government will facilitate the development of waste-to-energy facilities in locations with strong community support, and update regulatory settings to ensure residual emissions from the organic waste industry are offset.

The NSW economy will see over $11.6 billion in private investment and 2400 new jobs as a result of the plan, according to Environment Minister Matt Kean.

“Where there are technologies that can reduce both our emissions and costs for households and businesses, we want to roll them out across the state. Where these technologies are not yet commercial, we want to invest in their development so they will be available in the decades to come,” Mr Kean said.

The plan outlines four key priorities: drive uptake of proven emissions reduction technologies, empower consumers and businesses to make sustainable choices, invest in the next wave of emissions reduction innovation and ensure the NSW Government leads by example.

Mr Kean said roughly two-thirds of the plan’s private investment will be directed at regional and rural NSW, “diversifying local economies that are doing it tough after the drought and devastating bushfire season.”

“Global markets are rapidly changing in response to climate change, with many of the world’s biggest economies and companies committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050. NSW already leads the nation with its economic and investment plans and from today, NSW will lead the nation with its Net Zero Plan,” Mr Kean said.

“Our actions are firmly grounded in science and economics, not ideology, to give our workers and businesses the best opportunity to thrive in a low-carbon world.”

The plan is financially supported by a $2 billion bilateral agreement between the Federal and NSW Government, announced in January 2020.

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Off-the-road tyre traction: Tyre Stewardship Australia

A critical first step to accelerating off-the-road tyre resource recovery has been completed, with the release of a new report commissioned by Tyre Stewardship Australia.

While the Australian tyre recycling conversation has traditionally focused on passenger and truck tyres, the disposal and recycling of off-the-road (OTR) tyres is largely uncharted territory.

OTR disposal and recycling is particularly challenging in the mining sector, where their size, construction and remote location makes material processing onerous.

To get an accurate picture of OTR, Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) engaged Randell Environmental Consulting for a research project. Working with Brock Baker Environmental consulting, the firms completed an analysis of the consumption and fate of OTR tyres.

The analysis was borne from the recommendations of a previous report that same year which identified the need to better understand OTR tyre consumption and fate.

This was given the estimated recovery rate in 2018-19 was a mere 11 per cent, compared to 89 per cent recovery within the passenger and truck sector. The remaining 89 per cent of OTR tyres were not recovered, with an assumed 81 per cent disposed onsite at mining, farming or similar sites.

The report covers the agriculture, aviation, construction, manufacturing and trade and mining sectors. In breaking down the findings, the mining sector had the highest OTR generation in 2018-19 at 68,000 (58 per cent), followed by agriculture at 31,400 (27 per cent) and the other sectors. Combining all the sectors collectively, the five-year average for OTR generation is around 119,000.

Importantly, the report is an entry point to facilitate more informed discussions and does not look to provide the answers to improved used mining tyre recovery.

Lina Goodman, TSA CEO, says stakeholder interviews and visits will inform further information-gathering.

“OTR tyres have been left off the discourse for a while. This is largely  because the opportunities to manage them from a resource recovery perspective haven’t been there, or were limited. We’re now starting to see that change,” Lina says.

“While OTR research has traditionally focused on the mining sector, this report tells us there are other parts of OTR that are just as important like agriculture and construction.

“What’s significant is they may be a little bit simpler to manage than the large earthmoving tyres on mining sites.”

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TYRES?

Australia’s used OTR tyres are subject to a range of different fates possible, including retreading for reuse, civil engineering, turned into processed rubber products, pyrolysis, stockpiles, landfill and exported overseas.

The report’s authors consulted with state and territory regulators and the used tyre recycling industry to understand the fate of these tyres.

Around 93 per cent of used OTR tyres within the mining sector, or 63,300 tonnes, went to onsite disposal.

Industry consultation finds that while repair of large mining tyres is a well-established practice, retreading of OTRs is not practised in Australia except in aviation, where retreading is a normal practice.

Civil engineering is not a significant fate either, with an uptake of around 1200 tonnes of used OTR tyres used in the construction of retaining walls or similar.

Notably, illegal stockpiling, excluding onsite disposal of OTRs was not common in 2018-19, with only 2300 tonnes. Likewise landfilling is unlikely (at 4000 tonnes) and pyrolysis and crumb, granules and buffing is rare.

An estimated 14,400 tonnes of used OTR tyres were exported overseas for processing in 2018-19, with 2500 tonnes of this from the aviation sector. The remaining 12,000 tonnes is believed to be from the construction and manufacturing sectors and sectioned into manageable sized pieces for export.

FUTURE AND EXISTING PRACTICES

After consultation with key mining jurisdictions (WA, QLD, NSW and NT), environment protection agencies and the waste industry, the report highlighted the various storage practices which differ from state to state.

Onsite disposal has been the historical practice as there hasn’t been alternatives. The report points out that mining companies should expect the current practice to cease.

A key point is that only a few of Australia’s used tyre processors are currently able to receive large mining OTR tyres.

Moreover, the report estimates the collection cost of large mining tyres can fall anywhere between $300 to $770 per tonne, with indicative processing per tonne a further $300 to $800 per tonne depending on the recovery outcomes.

All jurisdictions consulted allowed onsite tyre disposal but the requirements were nuanced.

For example, WA permits used mining tyres to be disposed onsite in designated areas defined in the mining site environmental licence. Conversely, Queensland had no limits on quantities or location for onsite storage and disposal, but specific projects had their own requirements. Consultation with EPA NSW staff found that mining tyres were allowed by EPA to be stored and disposed onsite with no limits on quantities or location.

QLD, NSW and WA are all reviewing the current practise of allowing onsite disposal and the QLD Government has raised the issue with the Minerals Council of Australia.

Other areas such as converting mining OTRs into crumbed rubber and steel or tyre-derived fuel are technically feasible, but energy intensive.

Recovery by pyrolysis remains an emerging option, with several sites in Australia targeting used mining tyres as a primary feedstock. This includes the Pearl Global facility and Tytec Recycling as examples which are all based in Queensland.

“The good news is there is a lot of interest from organisations to invest in providing solutions for the sector,” Lina says.

As for the critical next steps? An OTR working group is already underway comprising the earthmoving sector, tyre companies and government.

To improve Australian OTR recovery, the report proposes a range of options to consider. This covers continued collaborative discussions via the working group and OTR manufacturers contributing to the scheme with an aim of expediting the solutions.

Additionally, State and Federal Government intervention is also proposed with a regulatory framework to support these activities.

The framework should work in tandem with OTR sector moving towards the cessation of onsite disposal in all jurisdictions. Recyclers could then support that by developing onshore energy markets for tyre-derived fuel recovery.

Lina says all of these factors, in addition to a roadmap coming in 2020 from the working group, will be critical to achieving change.

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Grants open for WA CDS donation and refund points

The Western Australian Government is offering $200,000 in community grants to support the introduction of state’s upcoming container deposit scheme Containers for Change.

Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said not-for-profit organisations, schools and community groups can apply for a grant of up to $2000 to help them establish a donation or refund point for beverage containers.

“The grants, which will be administered by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, can be used for infrastructure such as bins, cages, skips, security stands, fences, tippers, sorting equipment and trailers,” he said.

According to Mr Dawson, priority will be given to applicants providing employment outcomes for people with disability, the long-term unemployed, and under-served remote and regional areas.

“We know from other states where container deposit schemes have been introduced that the 10-cent refund for eligible containers creates great opportunities for the whole community – from jobs, to local fundraising, to environmental benefits,” he said.

“I encourage anyone who is interested in this great initiative to register their attendance at their nearest community information session.”

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NSW allocates $1M to tackle local litter

The NSW Government is calling on councils and industry groups to apply for more than $1 million in grants to tackle litter in their local area.

A total of $1.17 million – comprising $670,000 for round six of the Community Litter Grants and $500,000 for the inaugural Cigarette Butt Litter Prevention Grants – is available to councils, businesses and organisations.

Environment Minister Matt Kean said more than 200 projects have been funded under the program, with some recording up to 80 per cent litter reduction in their targeted hotspot.

“Cigarettes butts are consistently the most littered item in NSW every year. I look forward to seeing innovative projects to help reduce the millions of butts littered each year and by doing so, cleaning up our environment,” he said.

According to Mr Kean, the community grants can be used to fund a number of litter initiatives including community education and engagement, clean-ups, new bins, promoting programs aimed at addressing littering, and strengthening the capacity of environmental groups working in the sector.

“Our community groups and councils are fantastic partners to assist with tackling litter. It is local communities who know their litter hotspots and can develop practical and effective solutions,” he said.

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