Pictures: SANDRA MORELLO
MOUNT Gambier’s largest recycling operator has called on residents to be vigilant with their waste amid a staggering 30pc of material dumped in kerbside recycling bins being contaminated.
This fresh appeal to residents comes as Green Triangle Recyclers announces plans to undergo a $900,000 upgrade of its Eucalypt Drive facility.
The company has received nearly $425,000 from the State Government to progress the project, which will see it recover more recyclable material from the waste stream.
The recycling centre processes around 80 tonnes of material dumped in kerbside recycling bins each week, with a third heading straight to landfill.
Green Triangle Recyclers proprietor Ian Webber yesterday welcomed the government funding that would be used for a major redevelopment of the recycling sorting facility.
He said the project would result in a higher quality product recovery at the Mount Gambier facility, which was vital for its long term sustainability.
Mr Webber said the project was in response to the recycling crisis sweeping across the nation following China backing away from taking recyclables.
“The 30pc of waste in the recycling stream we have to take out by hand,” Mr Webber said at the facility yesterday.
“The more contaminated rubbish people put in their recyclables, the harder it is for us to survive.
“We have to get our contamination levels to a manageable level – 30pc is far too high.”
Explaining most people recycled with the best intentions, he said the reality was residents needed to carefully consider what they threw into their blue recyclable bins.
While the future of the facility was under a cloud, Mr Webber said the company had secured a long term contract with Mount Gambier City Council to cement its viability.
“We are also progressing solutions for plastics,” said Mr Webber, who revealed this material was currently being stockpiled.
“Australia has a big problem with mixed plastics because we have been exporting this problem to other countries, but now they are not taking it and we have to work out what to do with it.
“At the state and federal level, we have got some serious issues to overcome in the next two to three years.”
Otherwise, Mr Webber warned there would be a “mountainous amount” of material sitting around.
Regarding the company’s upgrade, Mr Webber said the project would see greater automation in sorting cardboard, more glass recovery, an extended building and another baler on the site.
He said new equipment would enable the company to take contaminants out of the fine glass in the waste stream so it could be used for potentially concrete or bitumen.
A second baler on the site will mean the operation will continue if one of the baler breaks down.
At the moment, all of the smashed glass – which is a significant part of the waste stream – goes directly to landfill.
The funding its part of a State Government $12.4m support package for the state’s embattled recycling industry following China’s crackdown on plastics.
Environment Minister David Speirs yesterday welcomed the funding windfall for the Mount Gambier recycling operation.
He said $3.2m had been earmarked to be spread across 17 recycling infrastructure projects across the state.
Mr Speirs said this funding – delivered through Green Industries SA – is estimated to create and maintain 36 full-time jobs.
“The Marshall Liberal Government is supporting South Australia’s recycling industry and local job creation,” he
said.
