WE’RE WHEELIE IN A MESS
Fears of massive disruption for recycling Waste groups in crisis talks with minister
AUSTRALIA’S recycling crisis looks set to impact Geelong, with fears the region’s recycling provider may not be able to guarantee collection beyond today.
An industry insider claimed SKM Recycling was unsure if it would be able to guarantee collection in Geelong and the Surf Coast, amid industry-wide turmoil.
It is understood that some collected recycling may simply end up in landfill if collection companies cannot find a processing company to accept the waste.
AUSTRALIA’S recycling crisis looks set to impact Geelong, with fears the region’s recycling provider may not be able to guarantee collection beyond today.
An industry insider claimed SKM Recycling had warned the City of Greater Geelong it would not be able to guarantee recycling collection beyond today, amid industry-wide turmoil.
It is understood some collected recycling may simply end up in landfill if collection companies cannot find a processing company to accept the waste.
SKM Recycling, which provides collection services for the City of Greater Geelong and the Surf Coast LANDFILL FATE LOOMS FOR RECYCLING THERE’S a very real chance your recycling could soon be headed for landfill.
That’s what industry insiders are warning anyway, as China’s restriction on what recycling waste it will accept leaves Aussie contractors scrambling to work out how to continue providing recycling services.
Paper giant Visy’s decision to stop accepting waste from collection contractors should be seen as a clear message from the industry that the highest Shire, yesterday confirmed it was in critical talks to safeguard the future of recycling in the state.
“Talks are continuing with the State Government levels of bureaucracy need to solve the growing issue.
If we were reliant on another country to accept our recycling waste, why didn’t we have a fallback option for if that country pulled out of the agreement?
If this government, and country, wants to be progressive and really work to protect the environment, recycling needs to be easy, financially viable and — more than likely — operate from our own backyard, rather than China’s. and the Municipal Association (of Victoria) on the measures required to secure the ongoing viability of kerbside recycling in Victoria,” a spokesman for the company said.
“The outcome of those talks is critical to the future of the industry.”
Australian recycling had been typically sent to China, but a decision by the country to ban 24 categories of solid waste has crippled the commercial viability of many recycling companies.
Paper giant Visy last month told collection contractors it would no longer accept waste because it had become “commercially unviable”.
It is understood the company invoked an “unforeseen circumstances” clause to suspend contracts with contractors for more than a dozen councils, referring to China’s ban in its decision.
The spokesman for SKM Recycling said it would continue to provide services to all contracted councils during its critical talks with the State Government and Municipal Association of Victoria.
City Hall director of city services Guy WilsonBrowne said it was expected kerbside recycling services would continue as normal.
“The City has received no notification from SKM Recycling regarding a change to services in Greater Geelong,” WilsonBrowne said.
Surf Coast Shire Mayor David Bell also said he expected services to continue as usual.
“We are committed to showing environmental leadership and encourage people to continue to separate recyclables and place them in their yellowlid bin,” Cr Bell said.