Two firms that partnered to convert flower waste into clean biofuel briquettes have won the EPA Tasmania Sustainability Award.
Greenham Tasmania and Botanical Resources Australia (BRA) were singled out for their ‘Pyrethrum Marc Briquettes – Biofuel for Boilers from Waste Product’ innovation.
They were amongst four finalists showcased at the Tasmania Community Achievement Awards presentation evening in Hobart on 5 November. More than 350 people attended the event, including the Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, Matthew Groom. The awards organisers received 180 nominations across nine categories, one of these being the EPA Sustainability Award
BRA is a global leader in the production of the 100 per cent natural insecticide active, pyrethrins, extracted from Australian grown pyrethrum daisies, while Greenham is a meat processing business, whose Smithton plant produces some of the world’s best grassfed beef under the Cape Grim label.
After extensive R&D, plant modification and capital investment by both companies, the waste flower material from the BRA pyrethrum process is converted into biofuel briquettes, which replaces coal in Greenham’s boiler.
Greenham now solely burns the pyrethrum briquettes and has reduced air emissions by more than 75 per cent and a reduction of carbon intensity of above 90 per cent
EPA Tasmania Chair Warren Jones presented the EPA Sustainability Award to the joint recipients, Greenham’s Robert Cox and BRA’s Ray Howe.
“The project involves the direct conversion of a waste product into clean biofuel energy, delivering a cheaper energy source, lower emissions and reduced transport and trucking in the area,” Mr Jones said.
“It provides clean and carbon neutral air-emissions with significant benefits for the environment but there are also clear flow-on benefits for the local community and regional industry, and this is what ‘sustainable development’ is all about.
“The result is revenue from waste and a source of clean, carbon neutral energy,” he added.
Among the three other finalists for the Sustainability Award was Andrew Walter Constructions for its Bunnings Mornington project. By committing to sustainability in the demolition and civil works, its team crushed and reused 4,000 tonnes of concrete, reclaimed 500 tonnes of steel and generated 1,500 square metres of mulch.
Full details of the finalists’ projects for the EPA Tasmania Sustainability Award are on the EPA website.
Main image shows: Warren Jones (centre), Chair of the EPA Board presenting the EPA Sustainability Award 2016 to Ray Howe, Production Manager, BRA and Robert Cox, Plant Manager, Greenham Tasmania.
