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WasteSorted Awards celebrate WA waste champions

Lucy JarvisWanneroo Times

PEOPLE with a passion for turning trash into treasure gathered for the 2021 WasteSorted Awards this month.

Recycling projects for hospital waste, roads and cans were among the winners at the May 5 awards hosted by the Waste Authority at Westin Perth.

Initiatives to divert food waste, construction material and e-waste from landfill were also recognised, and the event celebrated achievements of individuals and groups who seek to reduce waste.

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City of Stirling waste and fleet services coordinator Keith Rickman was named 2021 Waste Champion in recognition of his five decades’ service, including with the Balcatta tip shop and collecting e-waste.

City of Stirling waste and fleet services coordinator Keith Rickman with MC Josh Byrne in the background at the 2021 WasteSorted Awards.
Camera IconCity of Stirling waste and fleet services coordinator Keith Rickman with MC Josh Byrne in the background at the 2021 WasteSorted Awards. Credit: David Broadway

“His passion and efforts have helped the City of Stirling achieve national status in many of its waste endeavours,” MC Josh Byrne said.

Mr Rickman said he had been surrounded by good people doing work he loved and enjoyed the opportunities to make significant change.

“The waste industry is driven by constant change,” he said.

“Ratepayers demand a high quality service.

“I’ve always called it the Rolls Royce of services within the City of Stirling.”

Mr Rickman said his son “inspires me every day” with his passion to work with the City through disability employer Workpower for 50 years, like his father.

Downer Group's Reconophalt being laid on Riverside Drive in East Fremantle.
Camera IconDowner Group's Reconophalt being laid on Riverside Drive in East Fremantle. Credit: Supplied

Downer Group won two categories – community waste and waste management – for its recycle road base product, Reconophalt

Since May 2018, the company has produced more than 100,000 tonnes of asphalt product with high recycled content, which has been used to pave roads across Australia.

Asphalt WA manager Paul Morreira said the company identified the impact of its carbon footprint importing material for asphalt, and realised it could recycle soft plastics, tyres and glass instead.

Mr Morreira said they hoped to work with Main Roads to use more recycled product in cycle paths as well.

Instant Waste Management recycled construction waste at Catalina estate in Clarkson and Mindarie.
Camera IconInstant Waste Management recycled construction waste at Catalina estate in Clarkson and Mindarie. Credit: Supplied

Instant Waste Management won the commercial and industrial waste category for its solution to construction and demolition waste at Catalina estate in Clarkson and Mindarie.

About 4156 tonnes was transferred it to its Bayswater site for separation and recycling as fill and road base, including in the estate.

State resource development manager Jake Hickey said it was nice to see the innovative project “get that foot in the door” and thanked Tamala Park Regional Council and building companies for their support.

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital operating room plastics recycling.
Camera IconSir Charles Gairdner Hospital operating room plastics recycling. Credit: Supplied

A ‘Green Team’ of doctors, nurses, anaesthetic technicians and patient support staff at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Nedlands won the team of the year title.

The group has led the charge in the challenging space of hospital waste management and become the ‘go to’ team for all things recycling.

SCGH anaesthesia consultant Divya Sharma said when she gave an anaesthetic, she had six bins beside her to separate the needles, hard and soft plastics, and other medical waste.

Dr Sharma said they had also changed anaesthetic gases to reduce impacts on the ozone layer and their carbon footprint.

Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital anaesthesia consultant Divya Sharma, registered nurse Stephen Chatterton and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith.
Camera IconEnvironment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital anaesthesia consultant Divya Sharma, registered nurse Stephen Chatterton and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith. Credit: David Broadway

Town of Cambridge, Green Machines Lab, Poly Pipe Recycling and Aussie Pool Covers won the innovation of the year for their Pool Blanket Recycling Program.

It took more than a year of research and collaboration to devise the system to collect cast-off pool covers, recycling them into useful products like builders’ film and wheel stops used in car parks.

Pool Blanket Recycling Program in Town of Cambridge.
Camera IconPool Blanket Recycling Program in Town of Cambridge. Credit: Supplied

Believed to be the first of its kind in Australia, the program was a circular and innovative solution to a disposal problem for pool covers.

Youth Affairs Council’s Youth Educating about Waste pilot program won the young waste achiever category.

Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Megan Menon from Youth Educating about Waste (YEW) and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith.
Camera IconEnvironment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Megan Menon from Youth Educating about Waste (YEW) and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith. Credit: David Broadway

Peer educator Megan Menon said the program educated 17-24-year-olds about sustainable ways to reduce food, textile and plastic waste.

“It was a great opportunity for them to understand about their impact on the environment,” she said.

The 2021 WA Waste Award went to Southern Metropolitan Regional Council for demonstrating commitment to community waste, reduction, recycling and reuse over two decades through its Regional Recovery Resource Centre.

Southern Metropolitan Regional Council FOGO processing facility.
Camera IconSouthern Metropolitan Regional Council FOGO processing facility. Credit: Supplied

SMRC chairman Doug Thompson said the achievement reflected the commitment of member councils and staff during the centre’s 20 years of operation.

Strategic projects executive manager Brendan Doherty thanked frontline staff who “still have to physically with gloves on deal with waste”.

“This was a 20-year project and we have now achieved 20 years and are now transitioning out of that and into new technology,” he said.

DevelopmentWA and City of Bunbury were joint Waste Initiative of the Year winners for addressing emerging waste streams through their respective OneOneFive Hamilton Hill and FOGO (food and garden organics) public bin projects.

The urban renewal project in Hamilton Hill recovered more than 10,000 tonnes of material – 96 per cent of the project’s demolition waste, with 86 per cent of material reused on site.

Stockpiles at OneOneFive Hamilton Hill development site.
Camera IconStockpiles at OneOneFive Hamilton Hill development site. Credit: Supplied

DevelopmentWA chief operating officer Dean Mudford praised the team for thinking “outside the box” to create

Family business North West Recycling won the regional category for keeping 4.8 million drinks containers in remote towns and communities from landfill since October.

The company employed 12 people and has shared almost $500,000 in revenue with the community.

Owner Jodie Swaffer said it was a great achievement for the six-month-old business and they were excited to see where the Containers for Change scheme would take it.

Jodie and Jake Swaffer with their kids Hugh (5) and Vince (4).
Camera IconJodie and Jake Swaffer with their kids Hugh (5) and Vince (4). Credit: Alexander Scott/Pilbara News

The event started with Samuel-Yombich Pilot-Kickett playing didgeridoo before Ballardong and Whadjuk Nyungar leader Oral Maguire gave the Welcome to Country.

Waste Authority WA chairman Reg Howard-Smith said the awards celebrated waste champions for their efforts and innovative solutions to raise awareness, implement programs and inspire others.

“With the innovation, enthusiasm and dedication displayed by our winners and all of our finalists, we can help transform our state and create a cleaner, greener future for us all,” he said.

“The true winner from each category is the WA community and the environment.”

Mr Howard-Smith said while some waste generation was inevitable, WA’s waste strategy encouraged a circular economy where waste was valued, recycled and reused.

He said recycling generated three times more jobs, and the goal was to build processing facilities in WA for the 12,500 tonnes of plastic and 7000 tonnes of tyres that could no longer be exported.

Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Town of Cambridge waste minimisation officer Carey Wright, Green Machines Lab business development manager Alfredo Figuera and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith.
Camera IconEnvironment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Town of Cambridge waste minimisation officer Carey Wright, Green Machines Lab business development manager Alfredo Figuera and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith. Credit: David Broadway

Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said “each of this year’s 40 finalists exemplified an innovative solution to reduce waste, and promote reuse and recycling”.

“They also assist the State Government in its goal to promote a cleaner, more sustainable environment in WA, with at least 75 per cent of waste generated our State reused or recycled by 2030,” she said.

Mr Byrne said approval was granted for people to remove masks while on stage during the award presentations, and trophies were recycled from demolition material.

Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Southern Metropolitan Regional Council chairman Doug Thompson, strategic projects executive manager Brendan Doherty and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith.
Camera IconEnvironment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Southern Metropolitan Regional Council chairman Doug Thompson, strategic projects executive manager Brendan Doherty and Waste Authority chairman Reg Howard-Smith. Credit: David Broadway

2021 WasteSorted category winners

  • Community Waste Award: Downer Group, Canning Vale
  • Commercial and Industrial Waste Award: Instant Waste Management, Catalina estate in Clarkson
  • Waste Management Award: Downer Group, Canning Vale
  • WA Regional Waste Award: North West Recycling, Karratha
  • 2021 Waste Champion: Keith Rickman, City of Stirling
  • Waste Team of the Year: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Green Team, Nedlands
  • Waste Innovation of the Year: Town of Cambridge, Green Machines Lab, Poly Pipe Recycling and Aussie Pool Covers for the Pool Blanket Recycling Program
  • WasteSorted School of the Year: Manea Senior College, Bunbury
  • 2021 Young Waste Achiever: Youth Affairs Council’s Youth Educating about Waste pilot program
  • Media award: Lucy Jarvis, Wanneroo Times
  • 2021 WA Waste Award: Southern Metropolitan Regional Council
  • 2021 Waste Initiative of the Year (joint winners): City of Bunbury for the Public FOGO Bins Program and DevelopmentWA for the OneOneFive Hamilton Hill project
Southern Metropolitan Regional Council materials recovery facility.
Camera IconSouthern Metropolitan Regional Council materials recovery facility. Credit: Supplied

Reporter Lucy Jarvis received the media award recognising efforts to shine a light on waste and ensure it remained an important topic for debate and discussion. Over the past decade at Community News, she has regularly reported on waste matters, from community waste activities, local government waste planning, illegal dumping and the Container Deposit Scheme.