In-vessel harmonisation

Waste Management Review speaks with NALG In-vessel Composting Systems Director & CEO Philip Parekalam, about building a more circular Australian organics market.

Despite being the largest package of waste and recycling reforms in Victoria’s history, when Recycling Victoria was released last year, many questioned the long-awaited circular economy policy’s recycling sector focus.

Philip Parekalam brought up similar concerns when he spoke to Waste Management Review in April, with the NALG In-Vessel Composting CEO posing two simple questions: if we are simply recycling organics, can we say we are a circular economy? And, are we using the right technology or short circuiting to keep gate fees low so we just push forward today’s problem to tomorrow?

Parekalam suggests the answer is complex, highlighting emissions from fossil-based electricity consumption and diesel fuel, as well as procurement of poorly performing technologies at lower costs.

“An operator might be bringing in and composting 80,000 tonnes of organic material, but they are also running lorries, burning fossil fuel and using fossil power to run their site.

“Where is the sustainability there?” he says.

Australia is still a ‘kindergarten’ in organics waste processing, Parekalam says.

He adds that leading circular economies have already moved to source separation of food and green waste, plus extracting renewable energy from inside organics.

“No organics to landfill, extraction of renewables from organics and the production of quality compost need regulatory drivers and a willingness to pay,” Parekalam says.

IN-VESSEL TECHNOLOGY

NALG Australia, including its European technology partners, has over 35 years of experience in waste processing and treatment.

It specialises in developing tailored solutions for its clients, including all DA, CC, EPA approvals, design, engineering, construction, control systems and management training to recover recyclables and produce compost products.

According to Parekalam, a prominent demonstration of the company’s success and commitment to building a high-performing organics sector is its turnkey in-vessel compost facilities.

“With over 22 years localised Australian experience, NALG has developed working in-vessel composting facilities and software for our clients based on the Australian climate and waste streams,” he says.

“We believe every site is different and unique, and every region portrays different types of waste streams which can be diverse in moisture content, density, porosity and break down properties.”

Once facilities are cold commissioned, NALG works with its clients to fine-tune the whole process, making it as cost-effective and environmentally friendly as possible.

“With a rigorous, streamlined turnkey project management process that is supported by worldwide expertise, we are continually demonstrating our ability to complete projects in a timely and capital effective manner,” Parekalam says.

Current and completed projects include Suez’s Kemps Creek, NSW facility, which processes 50,000 tonnes per annum via bio drying, and Phoenix Power Recyclers’ Yalata, Queensland advanced composting facility, which processes 55,000 tonnes of FOGO, GO and grease trap each year.

NALG is also currently working on ORF development works for Pinegro for 65,000 tonnes, where EPA license modification and works approvals are approved and currently moving to the next stage of development, which is design, build and training.

Parekalam highlights the Phoenix Power Recyclers facility as a standout example of NALG’s approach, with 40,000 tonnes per annum of compost produced via in-vessel tunnels.

“The turnkey system of in-vessel composting works by placing the materials into a series of tunnels, regulating the process of composting by manipulating the temperature, oxygen level and moisture level,” Parekalam says.

The plant’s DA, EPA licence, design, build, and commission were undertaken by NALG, which also offered management, staff training and technical support for on-going processes and operations.

The plant features a three-stage air scrubber and bio-filer to reduce odours, with the resulting compost marketed to farms and nurseries under the Earthborn brand.

Parekalam emphasises NALG’s bespoke approach to facility design, as highlighted in its unique approach to the Phoenix Power Recyclers facility.

“Our evaluations are based on feedstock. If you have a lot of green waste coming in for example, then your infrastructure can start with basic capital and in-vessel composting technology,” he says.

“Whereas when you start to add more to the feedstock, such as meat or anything with high nitrate levels, then you require more capital investment such as high-level scrubbers, mixing zones and better air movement in pre-treatment buildings.

“To handle corrosive environments, we would also add more product to the concrete, to ensure the building is designed in such a way that it lasts a long time under those stressors.”