Sustainability award finalists' innovation recognised

Organisers of this year’s Enviro Conference and Exhibition have announced the finalists for a national competition to find Australia’s most cutting-edge sustainable innovation. The winner will be announced at the event, which is taking place from 21 to 23 July in Melbourne.

The projects are being judged on their sustainability, innovation and successful implementation. The intent of the Sulo Innovation in Sustainability Award is to recognise individuals, groups or companies who have recently completed a successful, innovative and sustainable project.

A joint venture between the Waste Management Association of Australia and the Australian Water Association, Enviro 2010 will assemble industry and corporate leaders, policymakers as well as technical practitioners in an effort to drive innovation within the sustainability sector.

The conference will run concurrently with the Enviro 2010 Exhibition where over 100 exhibitors will display the latest in environmental technology.

Summary of projects selected as finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Barwon Regional Waste Management Group developed an innovative and holistic approach to dealing with the problems of expanded polystyrene (EPS) waste that involved working with Geelong Disabled Peoples Industries to establish a collection and processing facility, local traders to ensure they diverted their waste EPS from landfill and a local manufacturer - Newtown Cement Products - to establish an end market for the processed EPS waste.
• Intec developed and successfully trialled a process for recycling waste sludges, residues and filter cakes, particularly those with high levels of lead, zinc, copper and tin contamination. Working with an engaged and committed client and the EPA, this process diverted hundreds of tonnes of waste (which previously had been stockpiled with nowhere to go) back into the useful product stream, ultimately benefiting the community and the natural environment.
• Siemens' project saw a partnership form between Siemens, Knox City Council, South East Water, Utility Services, federal and state governments and the local sports clubs to facilitate water harvesting at the Siemens site, which was then pumped using a smart monitoring system to the local sports ground approximately 1.3 km away in order to provide year-round water (up to 19 ML) for an oval that attracts up to 10,000 spectators at local cricket and football games.
• Veolia Environmental Services and Hazell Bros Group partnered to find a process of dealing with mixed broken glass that previously had no practical use. Working with a number of stakeholders including the EPA they developed a process to mill the broken glass back to glass sand and aggregates and partnered in delivering the first completed recycled glass demonstration project of its kind in Australia at Rosny Park Tennis Club car park.
• Visy Industries first completed its best practice kraft paper mill in Tumut in 2000 and commissioned its second stage in October 2009. The second stage set even higher benchmarks for sustainability than the first and achieved more than double the output of product with such achievements as no additional land being used, a closed-loop water system being implemented and world’s best practice greenhouse per tonne of output at the site. This was achieved with continual and open engagement with the local community.