AWRE Innovation Awards finalists announced

The Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo Innovation Awards are being held on Wednesday 21 November at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre and are set to reward forward thinking waste and recycling innovations. The awards will celebrate products and projects which strive to perform beyond what is considered achievable.

New processes, systems and products which stimulate growth and raise standards across the entire industry are being independently judged by Jon Dee, founder of Do Something!; Nic Burt, CEO Facility Management Association of Australia; and Robert Verhey, Strategy LGSA.

A safe, simple and economical solution to the thermal compaction of polystyrene (styrofoam) waste is among this year’s finalists. The Styromelt EPS Densifier is specially designed for applications where traditional hydraulic compaction is not economical or practical, or where lingering odours and contaminants are present in the polystyrene (eg, organic matter from fish/meat).

The first purpose-built FIBC used for the safe containment and transport of asbestos has also made the cut. The Hazibag product allows for a safer method to contain, transport and dispose of asbestos, medical waste, contaminated soils and toxic wood and plants.

The MAS DRD 18 DS by Koga Recyclingtech is a dry cleaning system for post-industrial and post-consumer plastic waste streams. The technology is used to dry and clean agricultural film, post-industrial film, shopping bags and other materials for the re-extrusion to plastic pellets. Washing without water conserves this precious resource.

Reinventing the way waste collection field staff work and communicate is the Wastedge.com iPad/iPhone app. This entry is the first on the Australian market for waste collection and provides a paperless system with many features, including a map showing drivers where their jobs are and directions to them.

Australia’s only indoor/outdoor emissions-free Electric Waste & Facility Service Vehicle by Wrightway Products was also announced as a finalist in 2012. Waste-specific vehicles provide safe, efficient collection, transportation and emptying of bins, solid or liquid waste. These smaller, low-noise, emissions-free vehicles allow access and use to otherwise difficult or inaccessible bulk transfer situations, eg, limited access basements/loading docks of high-rise buildings or events management.

After more than 10 years of continuous development, the Mercedes-Benz Econic offers a solution for transport requirements in the fields of municipal, collection and distribution services. The vehicle concept is efficient, quiet and ergonomic, and in addition complies with the emissions standard EEV.

The winners will be announced at the Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo, held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre from 21-22 November. To find out more about the show and to register for your free entry, visit awre.com.au.