Articles
Recycling rate continues to rise
The Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) announced today that the overall recycling rate for post-consumer packaging in Australia is 63.8% for 2012. [ + ]
Solar cabling solutions get sporty
In the stadium of current German football champions Borussia Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park), a total of 8800 thin-film solar modules were installed on the roof with a total power of 924 kWp. To provide a reliable connection for the modules, Lapp Systems produced four-way Y array harnesses. [ + ]
CSIRO ‘solar sponge’ soaks up CO2 emissions
CSIRO scientists have created a ‘solar sponge’ that captures and then releases carbon dioxide using the power of natural sunlight, as published in scientific journal Angewandte Chemie. [ + ]
The case for compostable bags being used for food recycling
Source Separation Systems Compost-A-Pak compostable bin liner is being used in food recycling programs. [ + ]
Designing a stronger Christchurch
Upping sticks and moving from Belfast, Ireland, to New Zealand is a significant lifestyle change for anyone, but MWH Global water and wastewater engineer Chris Maguire* never thought it would bring him face to face with the challenge of helping to rebuild an earthquake-torn city. [ + ]
Renewable energy cooling for supercomputer
The development of a renewable system for cooling Australia’s largest supercomputer is one step closer following the start of an innovative geothermal energy project in Perth. [ + ]
Energy management to help councils
Responding to requests from users, Halytech has improved its Illuminator sports-field lighting management system to monitor energy use and, where appropriate, enable councils to charge for it. [ + ]
Australia’s largest green roof project launched
The University of Melbourne and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne have launched Australia’s largest green roof research and outreach project at the university’s Burnley Campus near Richmond. [ + ]
NSW residents encouraged to waste less, recycle more
On 23 February, NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker announced the state’s new ‘Waste Less, Recycle More’ Waste Resource and Recovery Initiative - a five-year, $465.7 million plan intended to transform waste and recycling in NSW. [ + ]
UniSort sorting equipment makes significant increases in capacity possible
Since 2004, Brantner Walters has operated an automated recyclable materials sorting plant in Wölbling, Austria. In May 2012, a pre-sorting facility was put into operation at the facility in order to effectively respond to growing throughput and increasing requirements for product quality. [ + ]
Lagoon de-sludging works completed
In late December 2012, Coliban Water began lagoon de-sludging works at the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to assist treatment processes and manage odour generation on-site. [ + ]
Fracking under pressure as investors call for risk reporting and reduction
Investors have called on oil and gas companies to disclose critical information about the ways they are managing and measuring the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing operations and shale gas transmission. [ + ]
In my opinion: Why do building owners settle for less?
It’s an all-too-common story with building retrofits that owners opt for a litany of bandaid solutions rather than a holistic approach. [ + ]
Royal Society award boosts micro energy generation
A professor at the University of Bath has been awarded an esteemed Wolfson Research Merit Award from Royal Society for her work in the field of low-carbon research. [ + ]
Biosolids drying plant officially opened
On 16 January, the Victorian Minister for Water, the Hon Peter Walsh MLA, officially opened the $77 million biosolids thermal drying facility at the Black Rock environmental precinct in Connewarre - the largest biosolids drying plant of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. [ + ]
