Can FOGO work in MUDs?
Circular Economy
27 May 2020

Can FOGO work in MUDs?

Following up on Virginia Brunton's well received "Where to with food waste" article, Mike Ritchie discusses FOGO in MUDs. Mike argues that collecting FOGO from MUDs is not just feasible, it is necessary. Getting food and garden waste out of all households will: - reduce #waste to #landfill by 50% or more - save up to 2.7% of Australia’s GHG emissions and - produce millions of tonnes of soil enhancing compost.

Creating economic wealth from emissions reduction – a case study of recycling
Carbon
26 May 2020

Creating economic wealth from emissions reduction – a case study of recycling

The waste and recycling industry contributes close to 3% of Australia’s direct emissions. However, recycling abates much more by capturing the embodied energy of the recovered materials. We can create a more sustainable Australia by reducing emissions, increasing recycling and growing new green jobs.

Open letter to Minister Kean on NSW waste reform
Circular Economy
25 May 2020

Open letter to Minister Kean on NSW waste reform

MRA managing director Mike Ritchie recently sent Minister Kean an open letter recognising the State's successes in waste management and identifying key concerns and potential solutions for supporting resource recovery post COVID-19.

Waste management facilities are not the same as shopping centres
Planning & Approvals
13 May 2020

Waste management facilities are not the same as shopping centres

The Federal ban on exports of recyclables requires that over 100 new processing facilities be built to process the 1.3MT of recyclables that we previously exported. Getting approval for waste facilities can be hard, expensive and time consuming. Esther Hughes provides a few pointers for making the process as painless as possible.

WA Waste Authority’s Better practice FOGO kerbside collection Program
Circular Economy
7 May 2020

WA Waste Authority’s Better practice FOGO kerbside collection Program

The WA Waste Authority is providing $20m to local governments over the next 6 years to implement a three-bin FOGO kerbside service.

NSW Fast Track Planning Approvals
NSW
1 May 2020

NSW Fast Track Planning Approvals

Getting a planning approval for a waste facility is a long and excruciating process, especially in NSW. Now, the NSW Government is trying to combat the economic downturn brought about by COVID-19 by cutting down red-tape to speed up the planning process and stimulate the construction industry.

Rebuild after COVID-19: All governments should ban organics to landfill
Circular Economy
24 April 2020

Rebuild after COVID-19: All governments should ban organics to landfill

Organics to landfill make up more than half of all waste to landfill in Australia. They are also responsible for a fair amount of the waste sector's GHG emissions. How can we create environmental benefits and stimulate the economic growth sorely needed post COVID-19?

Where to with food waste
Climate Change
20 April 2020

Where to with food waste

If global food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, behind the U.S. and China One thing we can do to combat climate change as individuals, households, local councils, state governments and federal governments is address food waste to landfill. So, what are our options?

2 years to get an approval – tell him he’s dreaming!
NSW
16 April 2020

2 years to get an approval – tell him he’s dreaming!

Everyone working in waste and recycling knows that getting a planning approval for a waste facility is a long and excruciating process, especially in NSW. Mike Ritchie looks at why this is the case and puts forward 3 ideas for NSW to get its mojo back.

Circulate, NSW Industrial Ecology Program
Circular Economy
9 April 2020

Circulate, NSW Industrial Ecology Program

The NSW EPA Civil Construction Market Program is one of the few waste sector related grant programs currently open in Australia. Applications close in a week and reopen in July so get in touch with MRA now to discuss your options.

Update to NSW Waste Facilities’ Financial Assurance Requirements
Legislation
8 April 2020

Update to NSW Waste Facilities’ Financial Assurance Requirements

The NSW EPA has developed a draft financial assurance policy and guideline to ensure that those responsible for pollution or contamination pay the costs of clean-up or remediation. MRA's submission on the Draft Policy and Draft Guideline is outlined in this post.

NSW EPA Civil Construction Market Program
Grants
7 April 2020

NSW EPA Civil Construction Market Program

The NSW EPA Civil Construction Market Program is one of the few waste sector related grant programs currently open in Australia. Applications close in a week and reopen in July so get in touch with MRA now to discuss your options.

Sign up for all our latest articles

Subscribe to our blog and receive notifications of new articles by email

Blog categories

Nabers Accredited Assessor
Local Government Procurement Approved Contractor
Awards