8 August 2017: “Trashed: The dirty truth about your rubbish”
Following the story on Four Corners on Monday night ( (7th August) regarding some of the unfavourable elements and activities in the waste industry, a number of queries have been received. The program focused on minority elements of the waste industry, operating predominantly in northern NSW & Qld, where inconsistent state legislation allows an exploitation of the laws.
Locally, Member Councils have their own waste disposal contracts in place, separate from East Waste and while we are not across the back end activities of these, from our industry knowledge and observations, practices appear sound and importantly compliant.
Recyclables are currently sent to SKM, under a 10 year contract and they have recently finished establishing a site at Ottoway for initial processing. As a Victorian-based company we are aware that the majority of our material is sent and processed in Victoria. Our contract has strict parameters around recycling targets and materials to be recovered. We have also sought and received assurances from SKM that all glass is recycled. SKM currently provide a tiered rebate arrangement for recyclables which would further suggest it is treated as a commodity and not sent to landfill. Notwithstanding this we are aware and accept that stockpiling is a standard management practice for recyclers, as with many resource commodities.
Green Waste is sent and processed locally by Jeffries who are a fourth-generation wholly South Australian company. Jeffries mix the kerbside collected material with organic material derived from other sources (eg. hospitality and manufacturers) to create and supply compost, soil and mulch products to resellers across metropolitan Adelaide, and supplies product to many leading South Australian vineyards and vegetable growers. This is a good example of a successful localised circular economy.
In summary East Waste is vigilant and content that our current supply chain is compliant with the high standards the majority of the industry follow and as an Organisation will continue to undertake work to ensure this remains into the future.
Click here to read the Media Release response from the Waste Management Association of Australia.
If you have any specific questions or seek additional information, please contact our General Manager Rob Gregory, 0417 466 929 or Business Improvement Manager – Corporate, Shane Raymond, 0422 418 261.
