Compostable takeaway coffee cups are a staple in many people’s lives these days. In moments where they embark on their morning coffee run and forget their reusable cups, compostable or biodegradable single-use options prove to be that little bit better than the outdated versions that end up in landfill – provided the alternative is disposed of correctly.
The Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA) is calling for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to rethink its export ban on paper and cardboard.
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It’s been said by industry and government leaders – Australia’s waste industry is finally in the spotlight and it is getting the recognition it needs at a federal level.
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When developing countries such as China opened the floodgates to receiving waste recyclables after it became a member of Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), there was no need to separate the seven categories of plastics. It was easier and more economical for Australian companies to bundle it up and export it to China for ‘recycling.’ In 2017, Australia’s exports of domestic waste to China amounted to over 600,000 tonnes.
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An app that helps users identify what they can recycle, and how, has been released in NSW.
Cleanaway is aiming to reopen three former SKM sites in Victoria by the end of the year, which should alleviate some of the strain on 15 councils that are still sending recyclable material to landfill following the closure of several SKM Recycling sites.
As an environmental management and law graduate, Chris Dart didn’t imagine he would be immersed in the world of waste. But after joining EnviroCom Australia in 2016 as a graduate, Dart found a passion for the industry that he hadn’t known was there.
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Running kerbside recycling outside of council, with external operators, is one way that Australia could improve its recycling system, according to Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) CEO Pete Shmigel.
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Until now, the Federal government has had little focus on the waste industry but this is changing, according to Australia’s Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environment Management Trevor Evans.
With organics representing on average, half of the waste that goes into household general waste bins, speakers at this year’s WasteQ Conference in Toowoomba, Queensland, urged local and state governments to increase their focus on diverting organics from landfill.