Watch your waste
Global environmentalmanagement company REMONDIS deals with more than 30 million tonnes of recyclables annually. Luke Agati, Director and CEO of REMONDIS Australia, explains that it’s every local business’s responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint. He
As the planet warms, it’s never been more important to dispose of waste responsibly. Since 1982, REMONDIS has been servicing municipalities and commercial and industrial customers from 35 locations Australia-wide. “Sustainability is the core of our business – you’ve got to look to the future,” says Agati. REMONDIS develops and implements bespoke solutions to deal with every kind of waste: food and garden organics, liquids, chemicals and recyclables. It focuses on helping customers reduce waste, increase recycling and engage staff in the process to drive behavioural change. “We’re deploying the latest technology and adapting it for the Australian environment and regulations,” explains Agati. REMONDIS believes that education is key. “Education in schools will ensure a mindset shift at grassroots level.” Here, Agati outlines three planetpositive ways that REMONDIS is dealing with Australia’s waste. “In 2016, REMONDIS reviewed Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach hotel’s waste management. The Sydney hotel had basic waste solutions in place, which meant high costs and low recycling rates. REMONDIS introduced six additional recycling streams, including an onsite solution to food waste, commingle, fluorescent tubes and batteries, and a baling solution for paper and cardboard. We put source-separation recycling bins in all hotel rooms, making the process easier for both guests and housekeeping. These changes, combined with multilingual, colour-coded signage, ensured the new recycling program was easy to follow and manage. By the end of 2017, the hotel’s waste-disposal costs were reduced by almost half and recycling rates and staff engagement increased.”
Generating energy from waste
“Our global parent has experience in generating energy from waste and we’re looking at what we can bring to Australia. From our landfill facility at Swanbank in Queensland, we’re generating enough electricity to power 2000 homes. We capture the methane gas and, with a joint-venture partner, convert it into electricity. It’s early days but we’re very excited about how this technology will help our environment for generations to come.” “Councils are focused on implementing sustainability practices and diverting waste from landfill. REMONDIS has been processing food organics and garden organics (FOGO) for Port Macquarie–Hastings Council since 2001 via in-vessel tunnel composting. The FOGO is treated in a temperature-controlled concrete tunnel and comes out as high-quality compost, which can be sold. The compost is used by farms and nurseries and for urban landscaping and land remediation. By providing composting solutions, REMONDIS is helping businesses and councils improve their environmental footprint.”