Case study: refining the definition of waste
Clients regularly ask MRA why they need a waste licence for an activity which on the face of it might not look like waste processing.
Recent Land and Environment Court (LEC) and Court of Criminal Appeal (CCA) decisions have clarified the meaning of “waste” in NSW and it is important that people working in the sector understand exactly what the EPA, the legislation, and Courts mean by the term. Read more
On May 12, two proclamations under the Act commenced and 19 newly amalgamated councils began operations, including Armidale Regional Council, the merger of Armidale Dumaresq and Guyra Shire Councils, Inner West Council, comprising Ashfield, Leichhardt Municipal and, Marrickville Councils, and CanterburyBankstown Council, merging Bankstown City and Canterbury City Councils.
12 merger proposals are pending and the Minister has decided that 14 proposals will not proceed, including Manly, Mosman Municipal and Warringah Councils, as well as Tamworth Regional and Walcha Councils. Read more
Wastewater infrastructure enables cities to develop economies to grow and communities to thrive, but is also a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions – primarily due to inherent inefficiencies.
According to a new research paper by Xylem, Australian provider of water and wastewater solutions, the answers to some of these challenges are already available today, with existing high efficiency wastewater management systems significantly cutting harmful emissions without adding costs to current operations. Read more
The Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) was faced with this challenge after being awarded funding to deliver a set of five region-wide waste campaigns across its population of 1.6 million people, including one focused on improving household kerbside recycling.
SSROC planned to commission an agency to develop strong marketing and communications strategies for each campaign area that would also align with the NSW EPA’s key program resources. However, with a tight budget, a large group of key stakeholders and a diverse population to reach, choosing the right agency at the right price would be difficult without a specific audience, a clear set of outcomes to achieve, and agreement between their member councils. Read more
The project diverts water from Bayswater Brook into the reconstructed wetland, which passively treats the water and reduces pollutants flowing into the Swan River.
The project is expected to prevent 1.35t of nitrogen, 200kg of phosphorous, and around 40t of sediment and other rubbish from entering the river.
Key considerations and advice (technical/technology/processes, etc) provided during the project
The design of the wetland has been informed by a detailed understanding of the water and nutrient balance based on hydraulic investigations, site surveys, groundwater and wetland water level logging, and water quality monitoring. Read more
Come October, Venhoek will celebrate his first anniversary as CEO of Suez in Australia and New Zealand. He told Inside Waste he “really liked” Australia’s ambition and drive, as well as the acknowledgement from clients, stakeholders, and colleagues that the industry could change for the better.
Venhoek is an industry veteran, entering the sector in 1992 after spotting an advertisement in the newspaper in the Netherlands for “an interesting job” in waste. Read more
The charge is associated with the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection’s Connect service launched last month.
Connect includes the ability to track waste online, which Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles said would make it more efficient for operators to lodge regulated waste transport data and track their operations in an easy-to-use online platform.
The department has produced a few tutorial videos to help the sector, including waste transporters, receivers, and generators, better understand their obligations. Read more