The waste industry is evolving into a smart, sophisticated sector making a difference for the environment. BINGO Industries is at the forefront of that change.
To be able to make a change for future generations is a big drawcard for Chris Jeffrey, BINGO Industries Chief Executive Officer.
In the top role for a little over two years, Chris is steering BINGO Industries as it pushes the boundaries of diversion of waste from landfill and resource recovery.
Already achieving industry-leading recovery rates of about 80 per cent at its audited facilities, BINGO has a clear pathway to get to what has been coined ‘the last mile’ – above 90 per cent. A lot of that is about diversion from landfill and circular economy. And, Chris says, it’s becoming a reality.
Year-on-year the company has established more offtake partnerships and is on track to achieve higher percentages of landfill diversion. This is in part due to BINGO’s vision for the future being linked to the bottom line, and the buy-in from the entire organisation.
“We’re in a unique scenario. The more we divert from landfill, the more we make and the better we leave the environment,” Chris says. “It’s tangible and the team can see it.
“In the financial year 2022 alone, BINGO’s operations recovered more than 15,000-tonnes of timber, 37,500-tonnes of metal and produced more than 792,000-tonnes of our ECO product range. By diverting material from landfill, we abated more than 256,000-tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to taking more than 53,000 cars off the road for a year.
“Fifteen years ago, we were a waste company. Now it’s all about recycling and waste is morphing into a commodity.”
BINGO began as a small family-owned skip bin business in Western Sydney. It has since grown into a fully integrated recycling and waste management company with operations across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
Chris came to BINGO in 2017 to help with its initial public offering and to ‘corporatise’ the business. Before his appointment as CEO in 2021 he held the roles of Chief Development Officer and Chief Financial Officer, seeing the company through several large acquisitions and geographical expansion.
He says governance and transition challenges at the beginning of his tenure are in the rear-view mirror and BINGO can now look forward. With a team that believes in the company’s vision for a waste-free Australia behind him, the biggest challenge, or opportunity, is raising the bar across the sector.
Two key elements to that are eliminating greenwashing and mandating independent audits of recovery rates. Both, Chris says, would help attract investment in the industry.
BINGO has had its key waste recovery rates verified independently since 2018, with the hope that other organisations would follow. It hasn’t happened.
“We’ve invested a lot into resource recovery. I know what it takes to recover at 85-90 per cent versus what others are doing,” Chris says. “I’m pleased that all jurisdictions have committed to achieving a circular economy and many are implementing and reviewing changes to their resource recovery frameworks to facilitate greater recycling and diversion of waste from landfills. However, we have also seen operators that claim to achieve high resource recovery rates, with limited recycling infrastructure to support such rates, and with no independent verification.
“Consistent enforcement of rules and regulatory apparatus is vital, to not only build trust in the resource recovery processes, but also create a level playing field, recognising the investment in capital and technology by legitimate industry operators.”
The construction and demolition (C&D) waste sector is leading the charge when it comes to resource recovery and diversion of waste from landfills and can be a catalyst for helping achieve waste recovery targets as set out in the National Waste Plan.
But Chris says more support is needed for innovation, broader industry collaboration and regulatory changes.
BINGO teams regularly scope new pathways and partnerships to divert problematic waste streams from landfills. A recent partnership with ReDirect Recycling supplies waste engineered timber to Australian Panels to be used in particleboard manufacturing – abating 49,000 tonnes of CO2 annually – equivalent to taking about 10,904 cars off the road every year.
Another long-term partnership with Vinidex diverts PVC waste from landfills to create new recycled pipe products. These partnerships reduce the reliance on virgin natural materials and deliver sustainable circular economy outcomes and, Chris says, should continue to be explored.
He encourages regulators and government to develop frameworks that make such partnerships possible. That includes review and monitoring of procurement frameworks to encourage greater use of recycled and recovered content by all levels of government for infrastructure projects.
“Regulators have a critical role to play in ensuring a level playing field on one side and on the flip side, they need to make sure they’re supporting innovation,” Chris says.
“The industry is investing heavily but we must also create new markets. Some co-ordination on regulations and product specifications across the country would be useful. Then we really need support by mandating use of recycled content at all levels.
“Markets are improving year-on-year but there’s still the problem of people saying they want recycled content, but at a cheaper price than virgin materials. There’s also the stigma of recycled quality versus virgin. It’s a challenge that has to be looked at before we run out of landfill. It’s no longer something the government can put off, it’s a pressing requirement that is real, particularly in New South Wales.”
Chris says the diversity of challenges means the C&D sector needs to be ambitious in achieving greater waste recovery targets.
Ambition is built into BINGO’s DNA. Its Material Processing Centre 2 (MPC2) in Eastern Creek is believed to be the most advanced and largest of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. The facility recently won the Sustainability Initiative of the Year at the inaugural Inside Construction Foundation Awards.
Over time, BINGO plans to replicate its New South Wales waste operations in Victoria and Queensland with vertical integration of collection, recycling and closing the loop for products.
“If we can do that, we’re looking at a business that’s leading the way in terms of recycling and the circular economy,” Chris says. “It’s a positive beacon.”
For more information, visit: www.bingoindustries.com.au
