Waste Management In Action

Baled to perfection: Material Recovery Solutions

Material Recovery Solutions explains its unique value proposition as it becomes the exclusive agent for Godswill balers in Australia and New Zealand.

International original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Godswill Paper Machinery Company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of balers.

With nearly 200 balers in operation in Australia and New Zealand, Godswill holds a substantial market share, with many operating in high-volume applications.

Since 1987, Godswill Paper machinery has proven to be an international player with exclusive agents committed to providing front line service and support globally.

To offer the reliable equipment locally, Material Recovery Solutions (MRS) recently became the exclusive agent for Godswill balers in Australia and New Zealand. Its range includes, but is not limited to – channel, two ram, closed door and custom build balers.

Flagship models comprise the GB-1111FX channel baler and the GB-1175TR two ram baler.

Marcus Corrigan, Managing Director of MRS, says the new agreeement is not a decision Godswill made lightly.

“We believe in putting after-sales support first and supporting our customers. Their confidence in us results in new orders,” Marcus says.

MRS technicians are armed with a suite of OEM spare parts to support Godswill products along with a full-serviced in-house machine shop, allowing items to be manufactured quickly.

Simon Davidson, Project Engineer at MRS, says the company aims to offer unrivalled support to the marketplace.

“It’s very significant to be able to offer quality components to a high tolerance,” Simon says.

“OEM parts are trialled and tested over many years to ensure longevity and reduce damage to other aspects of the machinery caused by faulty parts.”

Godswill balers are designed to provide export bale weights at high throughputs across a range of material types.

Channel balers support fibrous materials such as paper, cardboard and various waste streams.

The two ram balers, designed to bale high memory materials such as plastic bottles and LDPE film, can also bale an array of other materials. Custom builds are also available for niche applications.

Simon says the Godswill range was designed with usability and ease of maintenance in mind.

“Touchscreen human machine interface (HMI) combined with a push button system offers ease of use.”

Simon adds that customisable material settings with selective switchovers support effortless material changeovers.

“HMI provides intuitive diagnostics. Combined with our 24/7 service and support, we are able to ensure liability and year-long operations.”

“Our direct communication and close relationship with Godswill as a supplier enables us to get a quick response on all issues backed up by our technical knowledge and industry experience.”

“Through default, all Godswill balers have innovative safety functions with dual redundancy systems to operate in the safest possible manner.”

Marcus says the company currently manufacture systems to service the baling, processing, recovery and product destruction industries.

“We are expanding our scope within the industry by providing solutions in the collection sector, currently manufacturing a number of automated document collection vehicles.”

Marcus’ 20 years of experience in the material processing industry, including 15 in the material recovery industry, ensures he can serve customers with an advanced level of industry knowledge.

“While MRS is a young company, the ever-expanding team of engineers, technicians and manufacturers offer a wealth of knowledge adding to our overall diversity. I am proud of our achievements and excited about the future,” Marcus says.

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One million tonnes under threat: Alex Fraser

Alex Fraser has called on Kingston City Council to extend its operating permit for its glass and C&D recycling site as one million tonnes of recyclables risks going to landfill.

Alex Fraser’s Clarinda Recycling Facility plays a pivotal role in Victoria’s resource recovery network, with the capacity to recycle around 25 per cent of Melbourne’s glass and construction waste.

Situated in the Melbourne’s south-east near Clayton, the 22-hectare facility recycles up to one million tonnes of waste each year and turns it into VicRoads approved, high quality, sustainable construction materials. It is a key component of the company’s network of sites surrounding Melbourne.

Not many facilities can boast the capacity for such difficult-to-recycle waste streams, let alone the contribution Alex Fraser makes to repurposing value-added materials in infrastructure projects. The site employees 50 full-time people and has been operating since October 2009.

With Victoria’s big build placing pressure on dwindling natural resources and quarries moving further afield, the need to find a sustainable alternative has never been greater. According to PwC, the building and construction sector faces the challenge of maintaining access to supply of extractive resources.

It comes as encroachment of urban and regional development affects existing quarrying areas. Likewise, demand for extractive resources over 2015-50 is set to be almost double to supply the state’s planned new transport infrastructure, a concern alleviated through strategically placed sites like Alex Fraser’s.

Now, Alex Fraser’s site is under threat, with its permit with Kingston City Council set to expire in 2023.

THE REZONING

In 2015, Kingston’s industrial area was rezoned to be green wedge, with conditions preventing waste management operations on the land.

Since then, Alex Fraser has been actively working with the Victorian Government and its agencies to identify alternative locations.

Peter Murphy, Alex Fraser Group Managing Director, says that there is no way Alex Fraser will be able to find a suitable alternative location by 2023.

One of the key reasons is a need for Alex Fraser to be located within proximity to sources of construction and demolition waste, as well as kerbside collected glass.

“Using recycled material in infrastructure is only possible with facilities like Clarinda that are close to our cities – where waste is generated, and where major projects are underway,” Peter explains.

Alex Fraser supplies recycled construction materials to projects including the Level Crossing Removal Projects, Monash Freeway Upgrade, Thompsons Road Upgrade, and the Hallam Road Upgrade. It is also ideally located to supply the planned Suburban Rail Loop, South Eastern Roads Upgrade and Mordialloc Freeway.

Other prominent considerations are the scale of the 22-hectare site, quality road network and its extensive landscaping and screening with appropriate fencing and native foliage.

Alex Fraser’s application to Kingston City Council, lodged in September this year, seeks a 15-year extension of its operating permit.

“Unfortunately, there are no viable alternative sites, and so we’re asking Kingston City Council for more time,” Peter says.

“We need more time so we can continue to recycle until we can relocate, to avoid adding to Victoria’s recycling and resources crises.”

Peter notes that Victorians want certainty about what’s happening with their waste. A decision is expected from council this year and if Alex Fraser is denied an extension, it may have to scale back its recycling.

“If this key recycling facility is shut down in 2023, it would significantly impact on Victoria’s recycling capability, and cut the supply of construction materials urgently needed for Victoria’s big build.”

“Victoria is already in a recycling crisis – this would only make matters worse,” Mr Murphy said.

Kerbside glass is at the heart of Victoria’s recycling crisis – the state government recently supported an improvement to the Clarinda facility recycling capability. This will enable the annual recycling and distribution of 200 million bottles worth of recycled sand. The site’s closure could mean this goes to landfill instead.

PLANNING COMPLEXITIES

As Waste Management Review reported in its 2018 article, Protecting our infrastructure, urban encroachment has pushed sites such as Alex Fraser’s away from the urban sprawl.

“It’s taken years for Alex Fraser to build a network of recycling sites of suitable scale, in locations serviced by major roads, that are close enough to raw and finished product markets,” Peter said at the time.

“The unfortunate reality is that a lot of effort from hard-working people across government departments, and a suite of very good specifications, plans and policies that would support better outcomes are completely undermined by some planning decisions.”

Peter says that relocating facilities is a complex exercise and simply rezoning new land does not alleviate the problems caused when zonings on ideal existing sites are changed.

The challenge for operators has been finding suitable sites large enough to achieve economies of scale close enough to where waste is generated.

Peter says that if Alex Fraser were to shut own, a major metropolitan quarry would have to be established to extract the same volume of resources.

ISSUE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

As highlighted in Victoria’s Inquiry into Recycling and Waste Management in June 5 hearings, glass mountains have filled sheds all over Melbourne. Alex Fraser’s response to the glass-waste conundrum has been to step up production with new infrastructure at Clarinda and a state-of-the-art plant in Laverton North. Together, these projects have increased the company’s capacity to recycle up to one billion bottles a year, including the most problematic glass waste streams.

“If you came through Bayside this morning, we have got a crew out there laying asphalt that has got glass, plastics, recycled asphalt in it…being used all day, every day, in massive quantities,” Peter told the hearing in June.

“It is also jobs like LXRA, various Monash upgrades, the Western Ring Road – all the way back to the Grand Prix track actually – that have got some kind of recycled content in them. So I think in Victoria the story is pretty good. Victoria’s big build is underway.”

He reiterated that the scale of these recycling efforts and the reuse in major projects and the scale was often misunderstood by lots of people, including at Clarinda.

“If you close that facility [Clarinda], you need to find a community somewhere that wants a big quarry established… and you need to tell them that they need a quarry because you shut down a resource recovery facility.”

“The Department of Economic Development, Jobs and Transport Resources did a very good study, three years ago, on the increasing cost to these projects due to carting quarry materials further out of town, and the cost is already well ahead of the base case.”

A letter from the Department of Treasury and Finance shows efforts were made to find an alternative site by the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (formerly DEDJTR) and Sustainability Victoria.

The department’s scoping found site options that meet current planning requirements are extremely limited, with none available in proximity to the cities where waste in generated and end markets exist.   

In this vein, Alex Fraser’s Clarinda site has also previously been recognised as part of a hub of state significance in the Statewide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan for Victoria.

In a May 2019 letter to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry Into Recycling and Waste Management by the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council, of which Alex Fraser is a member, CEO Rose Read points out that Clarinda is well known for operational excellence.

According to Peter, the company has not received any complaints regarding amenity impact on the surrounding area and was recognised for its high operating and environmental standards.

Its Alex Fraser’s significant market pull that has led to an outreach of support from numerous stakeholders.

In order to mitigate the issue into the future, Rose calls for the establishment of ‘green zones’ identified and protected for waste and recycling businesses that protect these assets for the life of the infrastructure.

Matt Genever, Director Resource Recovery at Sustainability Victoria, says SV recognised the site as an important site for resource recovery in Melbourne.

“Processing one million tonnes of recycling per annum, the site serves a dual purpose, both as a hub for construction and demolition waste in the south-east and through supply of aggregate and sand into new construction activities,” Matt says.

“We are acutely aware of the shortage of quarried materials to supply the state’s significant infrastructure program and having a site of this scale located in close proximity to these major projects is essential in ensuring ongoing supply of recycled construction products and materials.”

Wayne Russell, Visy Recycling Executive General Manager says that Alex Fraser had been an important partner to Visy for more than 14 years.

“Visy’s future glass recovery and recycling efforts would be severely hampered in the absence of the service the Alex Fraser network provides,” he says.

Mark Smith, VWMA Executive Officer, wrote of his concern of the unacceptable impact the closure of Clarinda would have on the Victorian waste and recycling network.

“Closure (even temporary) would have significant impact on Victoria’s recycling capability resulting in the accumulation and stockpiling of waste material,” he wrote.

At the beginning of September, Kingston Mayor Georgina Oxley confirmed the council received an application at the beginning of September which seeks to extend operations at the Alex Fraser site in Kingston’s green wedge.

“In 2015, Kingston Council welcomed protections for Kingston’s green wedge that were introduced by the Victorian Planning Minister that would ensure existing waste operations would cease at the end of their current permits and that no new operations would be allowed,” Ms Oxley said.

“Council wrote to the Planning Minister in April 2015 calling on the government to help Alex Fraser find an alternative site to ensure its long-term success while ensuring the end of waste-related activities in the green wedge. Invest Victoria has been working with Alex Fraser to identify suitable alternative sites.

“Council strongly supports the recycling sector and has a range of successful recycling business operating outside the green wedge within its industrial zoned areas.”

A Victorian Government spokesperson said the permit decision is currently a matter for Kingston City Council.

“We recognise the important contribution Alex Fraser makes to the recycling sector but also the concerns of local residents,” the spokesperson said.

“We’ll continue to work with both the council and Alex Fraser on resolving this matter.”

This article appeared in the October 2019 issue of Waste Management Review. 

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Improving recycling rates in the workplace: Method Recycling

To achieve the change necessary to make a difference in Australia, there needs to be consistency and standardisation in the industry from the beginning to end, writes Dan Crawford, Method Australia Business Development Manager. 

Read moreImproving recycling rates in the workplace: Method Recycling

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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Pushing power: Hitachi

Waste Management Review speaks with Matt McCarthy, Hitachi National Major Account Manager, about designing wheel loaders for the waste industry.

Be it mining, construction, forestry or waste management, wheel loaders are a key fixture across multiple industries. While the basic function of the machine remains relatively unchanged, different applications require specialised additives and system structures.

In a waste context, this can include devices to regulate temperature, individual guarding and differential systems designed to enhance pushing power.

Recognising the impact of industry understanding, international construction equipment manufacturer Hitachi has developed a specialised waste service team to guide in-house design and customer support.

Matt McCarthy, Hitachi National Major Account Manager, says his job requires him to work closely with major accounts to monitor their needs and industry-specific requirements.

“If a company hopes to sell into a specific industry, it must have a layered understanding of how the sector works and what its central needs are,” Matt says.

“While Hitachi’s client list spans multiple sectors, we are very attuned to the specificity of the waste and recycling industry, and the need to employ heavy-duty equipment solutions.”

Matt says Hitachi’s close relationship with the waste industry allows the company to develop machines based on acquired knowledge.

“One of our biggest strengths as a national company is our expansive branch network and industry-focused departments,” Matt says.

“This means we have a significant breadth of knowledge to pull from, plus the size of our team enables fast response times.”

Matt says when it comes to machinery and equipment design, the waste sector is demanding.

“Operators at transfer stations, landfills and resource recovery facilities expect a lot from their equipment for good reason, given they regularly deal with harsh materials that require safe and environmentally sound handling.”

Matt says Hitachi’s ZW-5 Wheel Loader range was designed with site conditions in mind and is suited to most applications.

“It can handle anything from solid waste, organics, to recyclable waste and construction and demolition material.”

According to Matt, ZW-5s were designed using research and development from Hitachi’s excavator range.   

“Hitachi is renowned for our hydraulic excavators,” he explains.

“When developing the ZW-5, we chose to incorporate a lot of the same design principals, features, benefits and even componentry.”

ZW-5 Wheel Loaders use a torque proportional differential system, which Matt says is a key point of difference.

“Hitachi includes standard torque proportioning differentials against the whole range, meaning all the machine’s usable power is available to the ground,” he says.

“Customers comment that the pushing power of the machines is exceptional, and because it’s concentrated, they are using a lot less fuel.”

The Hitachi torque proportional differential system automatically adjusts the machine’s driving force to both wheels.

“Unlike conventional differential systems, when road resistance under both wheels is different, the differential reduces slippage and enables the loader to move freely, even in slippery and uneven terrain,” Matt says.

He adds that another benefit of the differential system is reduced tyre wear.

“Hitachi’s system sends torque to the wheels to gain better traction, leading to less damage and longer tyre life.”

Hitachi Wheel Loaders are also equipped with a new hydraulic circuit that accelerates the combined operation of the bucket and lift arm for loading, while prioritising bucket use for unloading.

“The lift arm movement contributes to the new ZW-5’s high productivity levels, as the flow control lowers the lift arm smoothly, reducing vibrations and operator fatigue,” Matt says.

Matt says the manoeuvrability of the ZW-5-Wheel Loader series is also enhanced by automatic gearshift controls.

“The auto one option automatically shifts between first and fifth gear, dependent on the load, when second to fifth gears have been engaged.”

“The auto two option automatically shifts between second and fifth gear, relative to the load. If required, the operator can also change gears manually by using the down shift switch to suit the terrain on any job site.”

The ZW-5’s automatic reversible cooling fan, which Matt says allows the wheel loader to work long hours more consistently, is another relevant feature for the waste industry.

“The fan facilitates easy radiator cleaning, with a one-minute automatic reverse rotation every 30 operating minutes,” he says.

“Having engaged cleaning systems in place is crucial when working in dusty and hot environments.”

For its waste customers, Hitachi also provides a specialised waste handling package. “We can fit ZW-5s with durable guarding, reducing the potential for waste to get trapped in the machine and cause damage,” he says.

“We also have dust protection screens and guards for the front windshield, buckets and axle seals all of which conform to outdoor waste safety specifications.”

According to Matt, Hitachi’s commitment to understanding industry is driven by its total cost of ownership focus.

“Hitachi isn’t just thinking about purchase price. Instead, we are continuously examining ways to reduce total life costs through fuel saving technology and specialised servicing,” he says.

“When a machine is not working efficiently there is reduced productivity, and as such, the operator isn’t earning income.

“It’s Hitachi’s job to keep these machines running, so uptimes can be as high as possible.”

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Fully loaded timber: CJD Equipment

Direct Pallets & Recycling are working to address the problem of wood waste with sturdy machinery from CJD Equipment.

Virtually every manufacturer deals with the issue of waste timber in the form of pallets. Despite their natural resource status, wood pallets are difficult to dispose of and take up significant landfill space.

According to the NSW EPA, approximately 140,000 tonnes of waste wood pallets and crates are sent to landfill each year in Sydney alone.

That said, the problem of wood waste is not being ignored, with proactive resource recovery work through organisations such as the Forest Stewardship Council and private businesses like Direct Pallets & Recycling.

Direct Pallets is a closed loop pallet provider that sells new, near new and fully recycled pallets. To complete the circle, Direct Pallets also shreds excess waste timber to manufacture fully recycled animal bedding, biofuels and garden mulch.

Rob James, Direct Pallets & Recycling Managing Director, says it’s not an over exaggeration to say his company handles a million pallets each year. He adds that 80 per cent of the pallets they sell are manufactured with fully recycled timber.

“Many clients will receive new or recycled pallets through us and then backload our trucks with old pallets for recycling,” Rob says.

Rob started Direct Pallets 25 years ago when he was 23 years old. He says the initial focus was metal recycling, before the company turned its attention to timber.

“Our 10,000-square metre site in Ingleburn NSW handles a near constant flow of trucks, with some dropping pallets off for refurbishing or recycling and others picking new ones up,” he says.

To keep the flow going, Rob says he relies on simple but sturdy equipment.

“We have eight-wheeler hook bin trucks, specialised walking floor trucks, flat top trucks, forklifts, excavators and two large LG946L SDLG wheel loaders,” he explains.

“We purchased the loaders from CJD Equipment after successfully working with them in the past.”

CJD is an Australian owned distributor of construction equipment and trucks for a variety of manufacturing and waste disposal industries.

CJD’s product portfolio includes multiple industry leading brands, such as Volvo, Kenworh, DAF and Fuso.

Rob says being aware of CJD’s long list of international distribution deals made him confident in the company’s ability to provide a loader that met his requirements.

“The SDLG wheel loader is a simple piece of equipment that’s ideal for loading and unloading loose material such as shredded wood.”

The SDLG loader supplied by CJD has high roll buckets, which Direct Pallets uses to load mulch into trucks for transport and reinforce pallet stockpiles.

The wheel loader has a fully certified ROPS-FOPS rollover protection air-conditioned cab, with wraparound pillarless front and rear windscreens for clear visibility.

The SDLG also comes with a standard Volvo compatible quick hitch and general purpose bucket, with a bolt-on cutting edge designed to increase productivity.

According to Rob, the engine is high torque, high performance and fuel efficient, and connects to a tropical cooling package that allows it to work at full capacity in tough conditions.

Rob says he initially brought just one SDLG wheel loader from CJD. However, after watching the machine in action, he went back for a second.

“CJD has been great to work with, not just with supplying the loaders, but also with servicing and after-sales support,” Rob says.

“The comfort of having their back-up was a big influence on our decision to buy the first, and then second SDLG loader.”

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Paying the rent: Select Civil

Waste Management Review explores the streamlined equipment process of Select Civil’s dry plant hire service. 

Managing the purchasing and maintenance of waste facility equipment can be time-consuming, and often beyond the capacity of time-poor site operation managers.

To streamline this process, waste management services company Select Civil supply long-term, full-service, dry hire plants in a range of applications, such as waste transfer stations, green waste processing facilities, alternative waste plants and landfills.   

Renaud Chauvet, Select Civil Managing Director, says the company currently own and maintain 39 plants on long term dry contracts. He adds that the service strives to simplify equipment purchasing and ease of maintenance.

“Waste operators work under harsh conditions and inevitably their machinery breaks down. Select Civil alleviates this problem by providing plant diagnostic and repairs for break down and servicing – we operate like a turnkey solution for mobile equipment,” Renaud says.

According to Renaud, a key challenge when running large-scale waste facilities is multiple points of contact and conflicting information.

“To run a facility of scale, operators need to speak with financiers about capital, suppliers about parts and service companies about maintenance,” Renaud says.

“Whether internal or external, that’s too many voices. With Select Civil there is one point of contact. We handle everything and we make sure the plant is available to do its job when needed.”

When a client engages Select Civil, Renaud visits their site to assess specific operational requirements. From there, he develops a detailed recommendation plan and later makes an offer.

“The process is very transparent. Clients have access to Select Civil’s cost of financing, residual values, as well as budgets for major overhauls, ground engaging tools, tyres, everything,” Renaud says.

“We work with an open book attitude to develop trust with the clients, which means they can focus on their operation and not worry about yellow gear.”

Next, Select Civil opens tenders to original equipment manufacturers to quote on the machinery. To find the best equipment result, Renaud generally invites at least three manufacturers to quote.

“Select Civil has good relationships with tier one manufacturers, and is not tied to anyone brand, but we make sure the equipment is backed up by a solid dealer. That said, we keep our options open when clients are interested in trying less established brands.”

Select Civil then buys the equipment, which has benefits beyond streamlining the decision-making process.

“Large waste facilities don’t always have immediate access to the capital required to procure heavy plants in a timely manner, so renting the equipment side-steps this issue,”
he says.

“Additionally, it’s difficult for original equipment manufacturers to lock equipment resale value in, so we remove that risk for the client.”

Renaud says Select Civil are committed to servicing every piece of equipment after 250 operating hours.

“Most original equipment manufacturers advertise servicing after 500 hours, but because of the typical waste environment, we think it’s best not to stretch it past 250,” he explains

Renaud says many of Select Civil’s plant hire clients began as general waste management and landfill customers.

“When we run their landfill operations, clients invariably realise we are very knowledgeable about the waste industry and the need for well-maintained reliable equipment, as availability is key in our industry.

“Current and recent contracts – some in excess of $10 million – demonstrate our ability to take on, manage and successfully complete large-scale waste projects of any nature.”

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Crumb rubber gathering: Tyre Stewardship Australia

Tyre Stewardship Australia hosted a workshop with stakeholders from across the whole supply chain, providing an update on the progress of crumb rubber uptake.

The circular economy is a long-discussed topic as multiple industries recognise the need to shift from the linear economy to one where products are kept in the supply chain for as long as possible.

While the term has been thrown around loosely from time to time, the roads sector is one that has been taking proactive action on material reuse for decades. Turning discussion into action, the Australian Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPA), which represents more than 500 members in the road construction sector, chose to embed this theme into its 18th conference.

Crumb rubber (CR) products are one of the best known and well tested areas that demonstrate the circular economy. CR modified binder has been used in Australia since the mid-70s, although its utilisation has been inconsistent and more common in spray sealing applications.

But in recent times, a more diverse use of CR in pavements has become commonplace through research and development funded by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA).

To get a sense of CR uptake, TSA sponsored a workshop at the AAPA Conference in Sydney in August.

The workshop was facilitated Joe Grobler from the Australian Road Research Board and included presentations from TSA Senior Strategy Manager Liam O’Keefe, Puma Bitumen’s Erik Denneman, Tyrecycle’s Clinton Habner and Fulton Hogan’s Darryl Byrne.

The presenters included stakeholders from each end of the supply chain of Australian tyre-derived product in the road sector, from bitumen supply to tyre recycling and road construction.

Mr Habner spoke on behalf of the challenges facing recycling industries that remanufacture end-of-life materials and the benefits that ongoing procurement of their product can provide to the sector.

Mr Denneman discussed the fact that increasing demand from CR binders is already impacting Puma Bitumen – one of Australia’s largest bitumen providers for asphalt products. According to Mr Denneman, we’re no longer waiting for the market to shift – it’s already moving. He also provided extensive technical analysis on trends in the industry.

Finally, Mr Byrne from Fulton Hogan spoke of the fact that as a contractor, he’s seen the benefits of CR binders in creating longer lasting pavements. He explained that the days of trials and demonstrations must give way to normalising use. Contractors are ready to provide the product, however, better manufacturing infrastructure that can accommodate CR and more cost competitive feedstock is required.

“We’ve got about 450,000 tonnes of tyre waste here in Australia. We use a small percentage of that, 10,000 tonnes in bitumen surfacing, [and] I think we can grow that quite rapidly over the coming years, with the aspiration within industry in various forms to get it to 35,000 tonnes per annum,” Mr Byrne said.

The panellists noted that an uplift in volume in CR is starting to occur in asphalt use as modern asphalt plants are able to produce wet mixed CR asphalts though vertical tanks with agitation.

Mr Byrne highlighted that an increase in CR consumption will require investment in equipment and new technology due to a limited number of producers on the market.

As the workshop arrived at the interactive component of the presentation, an audience of road owners/government, contractors, designers, binder suppliers, industry organisations and others were able to vote on a range of questions. More than 60 participants were involved in most questions with road owners/government making up around 40 per cent of the audience, followed by contractors and binder suppliers.

A majority of participants voted that performance drove their product selection followed by initial costs, whole-of-life costs, sustainability and policy. More than 80 per cent of participants are currently using CR, while the barriers stopping its increased uptake were attributed to a lack of infrastructure/supply, followed by a lack of specifications/guidelines and cost.

Around 63 per cent of participants believe adequate specifications/guidelines are not in place and around 40 per cent were unaware if their companies test CR for compliance with the specifications. Around 80 per cent of participants agreed sourcing local tyres was important to them.

Broadly speaking, the main barriers to increasing CR were noted to be cost, health and safety and performance.

Mr Byrne said that road agencies are increasingly changing their practices and predicts an increase in CR in other states and territories akin to how it has been used in Victoria.

One of the key discussion points was that CR has been used in Australia for more than 50 years and it was important all stakeholders stopped referring to these projects as “trials”. While VicRoads has been an industry leader in CR, a need to utilise more passenger tyres and shift the policy in government towards supporting local product manufacture was acknowledged.

In terms of modern specifications, the various states and territories each have their own specifications that support CR uptake and most require they be natural, synthetic and free from contaminants.

Mr O’Keefe said that the conversation reiterated that the industry is primed to provide the product to market, but it’s now the role of end users to “take up the challenge” and procure CR product in greater volume.

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Landfill machine guidance empowers operators: Position Partners

Machine guidance is used in the waste management industry to optimise compaction and give waste facility managers real time data, ensuring fill plans are being followed safely and to design.

Used widely in large metro waste management facilities, machine guidance adoption rates for landfill operations is increasing steadily with council and privately- operated sites realising the productivity gains that can be achieved with this simple yet valuable tool.

One such progressive facility is managed by Toowoomba Regional Council to the west of Brisbane in South East Queensland.

According to Toowoomba Regional Council Water and Waste Portfolio Leader Bill Cahill, the waste facility services a population of around 130,000 people and manages 50,000 tonnes of waste per year.

“Safe and efficient use of our council waste facility is important to ensure its longevity and optimise capacity,” Mr Cahill said.

“Adopting innovative technology is one way to maximise productivity and proactively implement best practice waste management.”

Just over a year ago, the council invested in Carlson’s LandfillGrade machine guidance systems for the landfills 37-tonne compactor and CAT 963 drott.

Carlson’s LandfillGrade solution utilises precise GPS technology, with an easy to follow design displayed in the cab of the machine, which gives the operator a clear visual display of the machine’s position relative to compaction design.

A simple colour code of green for optimal compaction, and blue for over compaction, gives a quick visual reference throughout the working day.

Real time information for the operators enables accurate loading and compacting while minimising air space, with the ability to see how much more is needed on a lift-by-lift basis.

Position Partners Landfill, Mining & Solar Business Manager Andrew Granger said with the operators’ increased ability to work to design without external survey checks, rework is reduced and there is improved safety as batters are graded to design and not made too steep.

“Machine guidance for waste management applications gives accurate and timely reporting capabilities along with certainty that staff and machine operators are working to the latest fill plans,” Mr Granger said.

Position Partners distributes and supports Carlson Landfill machine guidance technology throughout Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia.

“The company has branches in every state and territory of Australia and prides itself on training, support and services for the technology to ensure operators and managers are maximising productivity gains,” Mr Granger said.

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