Sydney Markets wins recycling award at World CSR Congress

Sydney Markets has received a ‘Best Renewable Resources: Recycling’ award at the Global Sustainability Leadership Conference and Awards, a part of the World Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Congress. The company was shortlisted as the winner from over 2500 international entries.

The award recognised Sydney Markets for its innovation and commitment to sustainable business practices, closing the loop and reducing its environmental footprint through waste management, recycling, and water and energy savings. Sydney Markets generates 20,000 tonnes of waste per annum but has increased its resource recovery rate from 17% in 2005 to 65% in 2013 by implementing a number of initiatives, including:

• A Green Point Facility that operates daily to allow tenants to deliver waste to be sorted, separated and diverted into eight waste streams including organic, cardboard/paper, timber, steel, plastic, polystyrene, steel and concrete.
• Working with Veolia Environmental Services to collect and transport waste streams with the aim of diverting the majority of the organic waste produced. Over 4000 tonnes of organic waste are processed each year by EarthPower Technologies using anaerobic digestion technology to convert solid and liquid wastes using bacteria into a biogas and a sludge that is dried to produce a high nutrient organic fertiliser.
• The on-site recycling of polystyrene using a machine at Sydney Markets Flemington that has resulted in over 50 tonnes per annum of polystyrene or the equivalent of over 200,000 boxes being recycled.
• The daily collection and recycling of plastic film in excess of 30 tonnes per annum.
• The re-using and recycling of timber pallets with damaged pallets being shredded and turned into garden mulch. About 1156 tonnes of timber pallets were recycled in 2013.
• Reducing paper consumption by 30% since 2011 with the introduction of electronic invoicing to tenants, sending information by email and staff education.
• Working with Planet Ark to recycle over 120 kg of printer cartridges and old mobile phones in 2013.

The company’s investment in its recycling program has reduced its waste disposal costs by over $7 million since 2005. More recent initiatives include the collection of fluorescent tubes, light bulbs, batteries and e-waste; and water recycling plans will be incorporated in Sydney Markets’ environmental management plans in the near future.

In addition, Sydney Markets has introduced energy- and water-efficiency measures. The introduction of energy-efficient lighting and sensor-controlled light fittings has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by over 6000 tonnes to date. Smart water meters, the use of a rainwater tank and the retrofitting of public toilets have meanwhile reduced water consumption by 22% in 2013 when compared to 2011.

“Sydney Markets is the largest distribution centre in the Southern Hemisphere and we are committed to reducing, re-using and recycling as our core environmental management philosophy,” said Brad Latham, CEO of Sydney Markets.

“This award validates our efforts to continuously improve by adopting initiatives that create more sustainable operations in partnership with our tenants, employees and partners.”