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The ACT is “without a doubt” in a better position than other states and territories to deal with Australia’s growing waste problem, according to the man managing Canberra’s recycling facilities. With 95 per cent of recycling sold domestically, Garth Lamb, chief development officer of Re.Group, said the ACT has largely avoided the tumultuous aftermath of China’s National Sword Policy. More than two years after China refused to accept 99 per cent of the world’s recycling, stakeholders will meet in Canberra to identify solutions to the increasing plastic-waste challenge. Minister Sussan Ley will host the National Plastics Summit on Monday, addressing opportunities to meet targets set under the National Waste Policy Action Plan, which include banning the export of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres from the second half of 2020. In the wake of Australia’s export ban from China, one of Sydney’s largest recycling facilities, Polytrade Recycling’s plant, recently joined Victoria’s SKM Corporate to become the latest casualty of the market collapse. Mr Lamb said unlike “very export focused” waste industries the ACT was primarily selling metals and mixed-plastics to Asia, which accounted for about 5 per cent of its recycling. Canberra’s yellow bin and drop off centre recycling, including product from the Mugga and Mitchell Resource Management Centres, is sent to the Materials Recovery Facility in Hume. Paper and cardboard makes up more than half of Canberra’s recycled material and is sent to a pulp and paper mill at Tumut. Australia’s largest integrated pulp and paper mill was forced to slow production throughout January after it lost manufacturing product to bushfires. The disruption caused several hundred tons of paper and cardboard to be stockpiled at the West Belconnen and Mugga Resource Management Centres. Mr Lamb said while it was “back to business as usual this month” it would take a while to clear the build up. A Transport Canberra and City Services spokesperson said the ACT Fire and Rescue had been monitoring the facilities, and in line with the 2019-20 territory budget, work was underway to expand storage at the Materials Recovery Facility in Hume. Re.Group has a $6.486 million contract to run the Hume recycling centre until 2022. Mr Lamb said, despite initial concerns, Re.Group had avoided sending any of the Tumut-bound recyclable product to landfill. “The bushfires certainly slowed things down for the month, but compared to elsewhere, we can’t complain too much,” Mr Lamb said. He said the uptake of its commercial recycling initiative – created to incentivise hospitality and other businesses to recycle by offering 10 cents per bottle and can – had been “reasonable”. “We would certainly like to see more,” Mr Lamb said. “There is no doubt that the business community could do more to improve their recycling efforts.”
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The ACT is “without a doubt” in a better position than other states and territories to deal with Australia’s growing waste problem, according to the man managing Canberra’s recycling facilities.
With 95 per cent of recycling sold domestically, Garth Lamb, chief development officer of Re.Group, said the ACT has largely avoided the tumultuous aftermath of China’s National Sword Policy.
More than two years after China refused to accept 99 per cent of the world’s recycling, stakeholders will meet in Canberra to identify solutions to the increasing plastic-waste challenge.
Minister Sussan Ley will host the National Plastics Summit on Monday, addressing opportunities to meet targets set under the National Waste Policy Action Plan, which include banning the export of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres from the second half of 2020.
In the wake of Australia’s export ban from China, one of Sydney’s largest recycling facilities, Polytrade Recycling’s plant, recently joined Victoria’s SKM Corporate to become the latest casualty of the market collapse.
Mr Lamb said unlike “very export focused” waste industries the ACT was primarily selling metals and mixed-plastics to Asia, which accounted for about 5 per cent of its recycling.
Canberra’s yellow bin and drop off centre recycling, including product from the Mugga and Mitchell Resource Management Centres, is sent to the Materials Recovery Facility in Hume.
Despite initial concerns, Re.Group has avoided sending any of the Tumut-bound recyclable product to landfill.. Picture: Dion Georgopoulos
Paper and cardboard makes up more than half of Canberra’s recycled material and is sent to a pulp and paper mill at Tumut. Australia’s largest integrated pulp and paper mill was forced to slow production throughout January after it lost manufacturing product to bushfires.
The disruption caused several hundred tons of paper and cardboard to be stockpiled at the West Belconnen and Mugga Resource Management Centres.
Mr Lamb said while it was “back to business as usual this month” it would take a while to clear the build up.
A Transport Canberra and City Services spokesperson said the ACT Fire and Rescue had been monitoring the facilities, and in line with the 2019-20 territory budget, work was underway to expand storage at the Materials Recovery Facility in Hume.
Re.Group has a $6.486 million contract to run the Hume recycling centre until 2022.
Mr Lamb said, despite initial concerns, Re.Group had avoided sending any of the Tumut-bound recyclable product to landfill.
“The bushfires certainly slowed things down for the month, but compared to elsewhere, we can’t complain too much,” Mr Lamb said.
He said the uptake of its commercial recycling initiative – created to incentivise hospitality and other businesses to recycle by offering 10 cents per bottle and can – had been “reasonable”.
“We would certainly like to see more,” Mr Lamb said.
“There is no doubt that the business community could do more to improve their recycling efforts.”
