LODDON MALLEE

WASTE AND RESOURCE RECOVERY GROUP

In This Issue

• WRRIP Launch

• Grant Recipients

• GreenLight Project

• 2017/18 Education Projects

• Member Council Report

• ResourceSmart Schools Update

From the Chair

Welcome to the latest edition of the LMWRRG newsletter. It has been a busy couple of months with the promotion of the Loddon Mallee Waste Info App with our eight member Councils and launch of the Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan. The LMWRRG Board approved funding for six applicants to the Loddon Mallee Fund and Opportunities through Organics Grant, the details of these projects are included in this newsletter.

Jennifer Anderson

LMWRRG Chair

From the Executive Officer

The development of project plans for 2017/2018 has been the focus of LMWRRG staff with a number of the planned activities included in this edition. The LMWRRG Annual Report for 2016/2017 has been signed off by the Board highlighting the productive year we had. I hope you find the articles in the newsletter informative.

Karen Fazzani

LMWRRG Executive Officer

karen.fazzani@lmwrrg.vic.gov.au

Newsletter August 2017

The Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan is Launched On Friday 4th August 2017 the Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery

Group invited all of its valued stakeholders to the Loddon Mallee Waste and

Resource Recovery Implementation Plan Launch in Bendigo.

Through a presentation, stakeholders were provided with the chance to find out

about the content and implementation of the plan, and also have conversations

with the LMWRRG about the plan after the presentation.

The Launch also included a panel session after lunch comprising representatives from the Victorian Governments environment portfolio (Sustainability Victoria; Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning; Environment Protection

Authority Victoria and LMWRRG) who provided details about how they are working together through the Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Planning Framework.

Loddon Mallee Waste and Resource Recovery Fund Recipients Two applicants have been successful in receiving funding through the 2017/18 round of the Loddon Mallee Waste and

Resource Recovery Fund.

The aim of the funding is to assist councils, business, industry and community groups to deliver best practice projects that help

improve recycling and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill from the commercial and industrial (C&I) and construction

and demolition (C&D) sectors within our region.

I Do Stuff Bendigo - PALLETS TO PELLETS (P2P) project.

This is a pilot project to develop a system to divert single use wooden pallets from landfill and to process these pallets to

produce an environmentally sustainable biomass fuel that provides heating to a range of horticultural industries currently

relying on gas to heat growing environments.

A portable chipping machine will provide a free on-site pallet and end of life timber chipping service to C&I and C&D

businesses. Businesses are currently being contacted to confirm their pallets and end of life timber collections.

Chipped material will be processed via Hammer-Mill with the product then pelletised. A small sample of pallets has been

processed into pellet chips to confirm their suitability for pelletising. The sample pellets will be sent for independent

scientific calorific testing.

The pellets will then be taken to B&B Basil for heating the hot house (pilot test environment).

Christie Centre—Construction and Demolition Waste Recover-Sort-ReUse Program

Aroundagain is a social enterprise that employs people living with a disability.

The funding will be used on a pilot project to collect waste materials from construction and

demolition sites throughout Sunraysia to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and

increase the recovery of waste materials that can be reused and recycled. Pallet cages are

used to collect the materials which are then transported via a trailer to Aroundagain, where the

materials will be sorted in a shed by staff for resale and recycling. The Christie Centre are

currently awaiting planning permit approval for the shed build.

Supporting education materials will be developed as well as data monitoring.

Project partners include Mildura Rural City Council and local construction company Lifestyle

Developments.

House 1 - Demolition of a house and clean-up of site in Mildura. An estimated one of tonne waste to landfill was avoided

which resulted in an on sale for Aroundagain of $2,300. Windows and doors were salvaged, with Luke Tierney ’s expert

team removing the windows as they are the most difficult items to salvage in one piece.

The GreenLight Project The GreenLight Project is designed to support businesses to be more resource efficient, competitive and innovative enterprises.

This highly innovative holistic business program is facilitated by ECO2Sys, leaders in business diagnostics and excellence

programs.

The program assists businesses in reviewing and completing an assessment in the business of financial and resource

consumption. Once assessment is complete an analysis is undertaken to support resource efficiency and process optimisation.

The assessment enables the business map to map its footprint and project its desired outcomes.

The participants took part in 3 workshops held in Bendigo and Mildura and a one-on-one session. Around 25 businesses from

Bendigo, Castlemaine and Mildura have undertaken the program over the last 4 months.

Organics Grants Recipients We are pleased to announce the successful grant applicants of the Opportunity through Organics Grant. Four successful

organisations proposals were approved.

Grant 1. Waste to Energy

Waste to Energy feasibility study to investigate the use of organic waste from a Sunraysia Food processor and if the

current organic waste can be used for waste to energy. The study will assess whether there is enough organic waste to

power a viable waste to energy plant and if other organic waste within Mildura and be used as a fuel source.

Grant 2. Thermal Efficiency

Thermal efficiency testing on a number of organics and assessing whether they can be made into biomass pellets and

used as an efficient fuel source into the future. Wood waste, Almond Hulls, Olive pip waste and shredded timber to be

made into pellets then tested for thermal efficiency.

Grant 3. Organic Dehydrator

An apartment complex in the City of Greater Bendigo is purchasing an organic dehydrator. The complex has residential

and commercial tenants plus a café, all producing organic waste. With space a premium, a dehydrator will process organic

waste inhouse reducing the requirement for bins. The grant will assist with cost of purchase and information gained can

help with future developments of high density living and will be a demonstration site for other businesses.

Grant 4. Feasibility Study

Collaboration between Macedon Ranges Shire Council and a Kyneton business to undertake a feasibility study into Waste

to Energy and composting. The business and council have an organic waste product that could be used as a fuel for

Waste to Energy. The study will assess whether the waste generated from the plant and other organic waste generated

within Macedon Ranges can be used as a compost material or as a fuel source for waste to energy.

Member Council Reports Buloke Shire Council

Reshaping works of the closed Culgoa landfill site

has been completed. The large above ground

banks running the length of the site on both east

and west sides have been consolidated to the

centre and reshaped to create a gentle sloping

profile across the entire site. The profile created

will minimise the impact of surface water runoff

eroding the cap. The next phase of rehabilitation

will be to transport in topsoil fill to consolidate the cap and allow native grasses to grow.

As part of capital works projects, a trial of off grid solar power will be undertaken at the Donald landfill to supply power to run

lights and air conditioning. Mains power is not available near any of the landfill sites in Buloke other than Birchip to make power

connection a viable option. If successful the solar option will be installed at the remaining sites to improve conditions for the

landfill operators.

City of Greater Bendigo

Launched ‘sort it out before you throw it out’ campaign aimed at increasing recycling in the Greater Bendigo area after May

audits found 40% of the waste bin was recyclable. The campaign is using social media, TV, Radio and print to deliver a range of

messages.

Started branding waste trucks with educational messages, such as what can be recycled, no plastic bags in the recycling or

organics bin etc.

The Organics Project Officer has been undertaking education sessions across the municipality, so far 33 schools have taken up

this offer. Erin talks about which household items belong in each bin and the importance of recycling and composting.

Gannawarra Shire Council

Denyers Road landfill has undergone major works including capping construction and the installation of 2 x landfill gas and 2 x

groundwater bore holes.

Loddon Shire Council

Loddon Shire has recently developed a master plan for all three of our unlicensed Landfills, the objective of the master plan

was to:

• Develop a conceptual landfill cap profile for all three landfill sites

• Estimate the remaining airspace volumes for each site based on survey and the conceptual cap profile

• Estimate the remaining lifespan of each landfill based on historical and projected waste volume data.

The master plan will be used as a guide for Councils new waste management strategy.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council

Council has been successful in getting $12,000 as part of the Sustainability Victoria Litter Innovation Fund Round 2.

The grant will be used for installation of covert cameras at hot spots identified within the shire for surveillance, increase

enforcement by penalising illegal dumpers and behaviour change to reduce illegal dumping in local government area. This will

be facilitated through community education campaigns reinforcing that illegal dumping is unacceptable and encouraging

residents to report illegal dumping incidents.

Mildura Rural City Council

The construction of the Ouyen Transfer Station at Ouyen Landfill has commenced. Construction will take seven weeks and will

allow residents to divert their recycling before disposing of waste, saving the customer money and increasing recycling rates.

Swan Hill Rural City Council

Council has been undertaking general operational works at our landfill and transfer station sites.

Capping works are to commence this month at Swan Hill, along with the instillation of gas monitoring system and drainage

works.

Our Team

Executive Officer

Karen Fazzani

P: 03 5494 3711

M: 0417 123 012

F: 03 5494 3491

PO Box 144

Wedderburn VIC 3518

Program Director

Melanie Bell

Market Development

Manager

Stewart West

Project Officers

Rachel McConville

Sharna Ross

Trinity Mawson

ResourceSmart

Schools

Coordinator

Ellen White

ResourceSmart

Schools Facilitator

Michelle Barton

Administration

Officer

Julie Bateman

www.lmwrrg.vic.gov.au

Member Council Report cont. Mount Alexander Shire Council

The EPA conducted a licence compliance assessment inspection on 15 August 2017.

Green waste was mulched and drumMUSTER containers collected and the concept design

for new waste profile and top of cap is in progress

2017/18 Education Projects Over the next 12 months LMWRRG’s Project Officers will be delivering a series of

education programs throughout the region. These will include:

Get It Sorted—A new round of promotion of this campaign encouraging residents to sort

their waste before transporting it to their local transfer station. This ensures that as many

resources as possible will be diverted from landfill and has the potential to save residents

money.

The Scrunch Test—This advertising campaign will be launched throughout the region in

2018, educating residents about sorting their plastic waste correctly.

Community Organics Workshop—A household organics workshop will be held in Kerang

for residents wanting to know more about reducing organic waste to landfill during the

Spring growing period.

Waste Management in Hospitals Conference—Conferences will be held in Bendigo and

Swan Hill for operations managers, nursing staff and cleaning management. The

conferences will address best practice waste management within hospitals.

Just Eat It School Screenings—Following on from the success of last years screenings

of Just Eat It, the LMWRRG will conducting two screenings for school students during

Term 4. The sessions will be held in Mildura and Castlemaine, with teachers provided with

resources to take back to their respective schools to further engage their school

communities on the issue of food waste in society.

ResourceSmart Schools Chewton Primary School has been named a 5

star ResourceSmart School. The Chair of the

Sustainability Victoria (SV) Board, Ms Heather

Campbell, announced the award when the SV

Board visited the school on Wednesday 23rd

August 2017.

Julie Holden, Principal at the school spoke

about the journey the school has taken, and the

many projects they have completed as part of

their ResourceSmart Schools program.

Students have been involved in projects such as the vegie garden, the dry creek bed and

the sustainable cubby house, with links to the curriculum in each project. School Council

has been involved by setting policy that supports sustainable practices, and the community

has been involved by participating in the projects, and particularly in the crowd funding

project the school ran to raise funds to purchase solar panels.

This is a great achievement for the school and the wider community, and their five stars will

be proudly displayed at the entrance to the school.