The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) 2024 Annual Conference was held at Sea World Resort Conference Centre on the Gold Coast. The AORA Conference was a three-day event that was themed Collaboration for Success – Securing our Industry’s Future, brought together key stakeholders from Australia’s organics recycling industry (business, government, and academia) to discuss the importance of working together to secure the future of our industry. Strong foundations for collaboration were established between all parties, focusing on navigating regulatory landscapes, identifying priority issues, and exploring investment avenues for the industries sustainable growth.
The first AORA conference was held in 2013 in Sydney and is now run annually, rotating the location around Australia. After the success of the conference in Melbourne in 2023, the challenge was for Queensland was to go one better and that was achieved. The 2024 conference was the largest and most successful for the Association so far. Highlights included:
- The 2024 AORA Annual Conference kicked off with the sixth Equipment Demonstration Day, allowing attendees to see shredders, screens, grinders, loaders, excavators, and more in operation. Participants had the opportunity to compare different models, engage with suppliers, and inspect the equipment up close. Sponsored by FOCUS Enviro, the event showcased 22 pieces of equipment and attracted more than 160 attendees. Special thanks to BMI Resource Recovery, Environmental Resource Solutions and Phoenix Power Recyclers for providing the site and necessary materials for the day.
- Thirty-five exhibitors showcased their equipment and services at the trade display. The exhibition was the centre piece for the conference breaks, allowing delegates on each day the opportunity to investigate the latest in industry innovation.
- A speaker program including keynote addresses from:
Prof Sally Brown, University of Washington (USA). Compost is the Environmental Equivalent of Duct Tape was the title of Brown’s speech. Among other information, she stated that compost can effectively hold the planet together. Pretty much anything you need done, you can do either by composting or by using compost. There is methane avoidance when food scraps are taken from the landfill to the pile. For soils, it enriches soil carbon and is the most effective tool for both soil carbon storage and restoring soil health.
Steve Nicholson, Eniver farm and agricultural agronomy consultant (NSW). His presentation discussed why his company started using organics, its results achieved so far, its failures and successes, the problems encountered, and strategies the company used to overcome them. Additionally, it explored the significance of organics in a soil carbon program and its role in the future.
A total of 304 individuals attended the conference, with attendees travelling from across Australia and the world.
In thinking about the conference, the 2024 theme, the presentations made and the many and varied discussions that ensued during and after the event, several key themes emerged prominently, including:
1. Organics recycling will be at the forefront of Australia’s circular economy transition. With almost half of the country’s waste streams constituting organic material, an effective circular economy will be elusive without a sustainable, and effective organics recycling industry.
2. The critical importance of soil and soil health continues to emerge, and organics have a critical role to play in achieving this. Aside from the importance of diversion from landfill and the benefits of this to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, organics will increasingly become important to improving our soils through improved carbon storage, improving water holding capacity, increasing organic matter and as a consequence, and increasing soil microbial activity. Building on this knowledge through further research and developing the organics/soil health story will increasingly become important.
3. Recognised as an ongoing and challenging issue, especially in securing the much-needed future investment and confidence in the Australian organics recycling industry, is the lack of harmonisation of regulations across the Australian states/territories. The current review of the AS4454 standards (composts, soil conditioners and mulches) is well supported by the industry through the consultation phase of the review but concerns exist that the revised standard will lack the acceptance and adoption of states and territory regulators, potentially resulting in an impotent outcome.
4. Effective collaboration is a key ingredient to the future of the industry. As I noted during my welcome address on the Thursday morning, the room was full of passionate and committed industry participants, all willing to share their knowledge and to be part of the solutions to secure the industry’s future, but we can’t do it alone.
AORA would like to acknowledge the generous support of all of its sponsors and partners in helping to achieve the success on the 2024 Annual Conference with a special thanks to the Queensland Government for being our Government Partner in 2024. Thank you to all of our speakers for generously sharing their knowledge and insights and a big thank you to all attendees – AORA recognises your commitment to be part of our conference and for that we are
grateful.
John McKew is the National Executive Officer for AORA