Toyota Motor Company Australia has implemented a 5 year plan to reduce water consumption by 25% per vehicle produced. The first step was a water footprint assessment to identify and measure current water use and waste water discharges. See http://www.aigroup.com.au/environment/casestudies/ … [Read more...]
Amcor reduced waste to landfill
Amcor has achieved a 48% reduction in waste to landfill compared to 2005-06. Through a partnership with Fibre Energy P/L solid waste is being is processed to form pellets known as fibre shots, to be used as coal replacement. This accounts for 60,000t per annum of solid waste being diverted from landfill in a waste to energy process. Amcor has also developed a bacterium to digest nearly all of its 35t waste ink sludge per month. The annual expected saving in waste disposal is more than … [Read more...]
Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act 2006 (Commonwealth)
The Act was repealed in 2014 and the program closed. For more information about the program and its outcomes see http://eex.gov.au/energy-management/energy-efficiency-opportunities/ … [Read more...]
Barwon area recycling innovation
Barwon Regional Waste Management Group (BRWMG) collects and processes expanded polystyrene (EPS) waste. They provide a free drop off point for the bulky plastic saving businesses the cost of waste removal and diverting it from landfill. To date 129t of EPS has been diverted. BRWMG then shreds the EPS and works to find recycling opportunities. One example is a local concrete manufacturer that uses the EPS in a successful range of light weight pavers. See … [Read more...]
Rigid plastic packaging recycling
The rigid plastic packaging project found that recycling of 100% post-consumer polypropylene (PP) is technically feasible, cost effective and there are a variety of suitable markets for the recyclate. Potential markets for the recyclate include: Cable reels Compost bins Export pallets Trenching products Binders / folders Pot planters Desk calendars See http://www.packagingcovenant.org.au/page.php?name=natrigidplasticpackagingrecoveryandrecycling0105 … [Read more...]
Right sized equipment
Apollo Hardwoods was established using lean princples. They invested in developing “right sized” equipment which used less energy, fitted into small production cells, and allowed them to fabricate the same amount of finished product using fewer logs and generating less wood scrap. See http://www.epa.gov/lean/environment/studies/apollo.htm … [Read more...]
