Australian Government and telcos encourage mobile phone recycling
25 July, 2012Australia’s telecommunications manufacturers and carriers together with Senator Don Farrell, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, have launched the industry’s online video encouraging mobile phone recycling.
A penny for your thoughts - and your containers
23 July, 2012 by Lauren DavisIn August, the Council of Australian Governments will consider the proposed national container deposit scheme (CDS). The scheme, which would involve consumers paying a 10-cent deposit on beverage containers and claiming it back at recycling depots, has attracted a large amount of support from environmental groups - and opposition from the beverages industry. As the national CDS gains further public and political interest, Sustainability Matters takes a look at both sides of the argument so far.
Sustainable products key to refurbishment project
17 July, 2012ResourceCo’s recycled cement has been a key component in the refurbishment of the Civil Contractor’s Federation (CCF) head office and training facility redevelopment. The CCF SA’s Centre of Excellence is being showcased as a ‘model’ for best practice environmental and sustainable construction initiatives.
‘Green steel’ from old rubber tyres produces no waste or toxic fumes
26 June, 2012The seemingly impossible dream of producing steel with the help of recycled materials such as old rubber tyres and plastics is now a reality thanks to close researcher-industry collaboration.
Carbon calculator helps to boost timber pallet recycling and jobs
25 June, 2012On 21 June, Stephen Mitchell, Sustainability Program Manager with the Timber Development Association of NSW, launched the online end-of-life wood pallets and packaging diversion calculator at Direct Pallets and Recycling, a new recycling centre at Ingleburn in Sydney’s south-west.
Feathers one day, fibre the next
25 June, 2012Every year, New Zealand produces about 50,000 tonnes of chicken feathers. In the past the only options for these feathers were to process them into low-grade animal feed, incinerate them or store them in landfills. But the feathers are now being sought as extra support for biodegradable plastics. An example of this concept was announced in March 2011, when American scientists including Dr Yiqi Yang demonstrated that they could make chicken-feather-based thermoplastics which remained stable in water. A little over a year later, at the University of Waikato, a similar incident is occurring.
Brother joins ANZRP to provide a free national e-waste recycling service
19 June, 2012Brother International Australia, a provider of home and business IT peripherals, has joined the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP), to provide a free e-waste recycling service for Australian consumers.
Westfield almost trebles recycling rate
19 June, 2012Following the successful installation of new recycling bins at Westfield Shopping Centres nationally, the recycling of bottles and cans has almost trebled from 542 to 1492 tonnes a year, equivalent to more than 62 million small plastic PET containers.
Regional Western Australia introduces state’s first mobile glass crusher
14 June, 2012RoeROC (Roe Regional Organisation of Councils) has celebrated the launch of the first mobile glass crusher in Western Australia. The Komplet MT5000 mobile glass crusher will increase glass recycling rates in the region by processing glass bottles and jars collected from households and businesses in Corrigin, Kulin, Kondinin and Narembeen Councils. The recovered glass will then be used locally in civil construction applications, diverting around 800 tonnes of glass from landfill annually.
Report on role of local government in waste and recycling released
08 June, 2012The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has released the report ‘Role and performance of local government - waste and recycling related data and information’.
Plantic eco Plastic for high-barrier packaging
31 May, 2012Plantic Technologies and Braskem are bringing their technologies together to create an ultrahigh-barrier packaging which is 90% renewably sourced.
Century Yuasa battery recycling program
28 May, 2012Century Batteries has launched a nationwide recycling service for used lead acid batteries with over 900 locations around Australia where businesses and households can drop off used lead acid batteries free of charge and know that they will be handled safely and recycled into a host of different products.
Thousands of students to participate in largest recycling challenge
28 May, 2012Australia’s largest schools recycling program, MobileMuster’s 2012 Schools Recycling Challenge, has kicked off again for the fifth year running. This free schools program, offered by the telecommunications industry, is designed to educate and engage students in learning about product stewardship and the importance of keeping old mobiles and their accessories out of landfill.
Sulo Australia Waste Watcher and Billi Box office and school recycling containers
22 May, 2012Sulo Australia has launched a practical and versatile range of containers specifically designed for recycling and waste collection in offices and schools. These stylish containers are suitable for the canteen, staffroom, kitchen, workshop, library, photocopying room, common room, conference room and more.
Canon celebrates 10 years of recycling with Cartridges 4 Planet Ark
04 May, 2012Canon is proud to be celebrating 10 years of the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark recycling program. This anniversary is a significant milestone, with more than 18 million cartridges diverted from landfill since 2003, of which 4,267,687 were Canon cartridges.
