Transitioning from waste to resource

The Australian Government has set an ambitious target to get to 80% recovery rates by 2030. Getting to this milestone will require the cooperation of stakeholders from across the waste and recycling sector and will require a shift in how businesses and consumers view and use materials and waste, transitioning from a disposable economy to a circular one. Moving toward this sustainable, more environmentally focused economy requires buy-in from industry, government and the community at large.

Michelle Mandl-Keating from TOMRA Cleanaway said, “I believe that the community and business has a considerable role to play in further activating the circular economy.

“Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives, like Container Deposit Schemes, mobilise the community to participate in waste and resource recovery through legislating a ‘polluter pays’ approach to resource management. Community participation and support of outcomes is vital to achieving the outcome, which is ultimately delivering a circular economy and moving away from waste,” she continued.

At this crucial time for the industry, Waste Expo Australia will see one of the largest gatherings of waste and resource recovery professionals gather in Melbourne to discuss strategies to reduce waste overall as well as reducing the amount of waste heading to landfill.

Thought leaders at Waste Expo Australia will present on the shift away from linear economic models to a circular economy, where product stewardship and the move away from raw material use is a priority, with speakers from Sustainability Victoria, Recycle Vic, TOMRA Cleanaway, GHD and more.

TOMRA Cleanaway will present its world class Container Deposit Scheme, Return and Earn. 

Mandl-Keating continued, “Direct refund of the container deposit has played a key role in triggering the paradigm shift in the community regarding the value of waste. EPR programs are highly future focused and geared towards achieving a positive legacy with community behaviours that keep valuable finite resources and energy in a continuous loop. 

“TOMRA Cleanaway is driven to achieve greater recovery of materials to enable the circular economy.  Throughout our contract delivery in NSW, we have been able to deliver certainty of quality commodity volumes to recyclers that have in turn been able to invest in domestic processing activities.

“Our materials are delivered, in most instances, to domestic processors and manufacturers, and from the time of collection of an eligible beverage container to recycling and reprocessing it can take as little as 6 weeks for a recycled container to be back in market for purchase,” she concluded.

According to Robby Clark, Portfolio Director for the Energy & Waste Portfolio at RX Global Waste Expo, this is a critical time for the waste industry. “We are proud to deliver the most comprehensive Waste Expo agenda. With a stellar line-up of speakers from all across recycling and waste management, all coming together to share their successes, lessons learnt and what the future holds,Waste Expo gives attendees the opportunity to hear from some of the biggest names in the industry at the conference and do business with leading suppliers for free on the expo floor,” he concluded.

To view the full Waste Expo Australia Conference Agenda, please visit: https://www.wasteexpoaustralia.com.au/en-gb/conference-agenda.html.

Waste Expo Australia is co-located with All-Energy Australia, forming the largest gathering for waste and recycling management, clean and renewable energy, and energy storage professionals in the country. Free registration is available at https://www.wasteexpoaustralia.com.au/