Recycling

Voluntary action by every individual helps to grow recycling rates; an extra milk bottle in the recycling bin; installing a home composting system, all contribute. Australia leads the world in household recycling rates. In the business sector most of the economically viable streams are already being recycled (cardboard, paper, metals and plastic) although there is […]

South Australia’s suggested waste management reforms as set out in ‘Reforming waste management – Creating certainty for an industry to grow’ discusses the concept of ‘Pay as you throw’ or ‘Save as you throw’ variable rate pricing for waste services. The basics are to provide variable pricing based on the volume of the bin or […]

In our recent article ‘Is it time for a landfill ban on polystyrene?’, we referenced New York City’s decision to ban single-use polystyrene foam containers and packaging. The decision meant the end of polystyrene throw away coffee cups. Unexpectedly, on 22 September, Justice Margaret Chan, of the New York Supreme Court overturned the ban citing […]

Virginia Brunton recently joined the MRA team, bringing with her over 25 years experience in organics research, industry development and engagement with farmers, producers and policy makers. Virginia will lead MRA Organics with a focus on: council organics and compost services, recovered organics market expansion solutions for businesses advice to government and industry grant funding […]

The Albury Wodonga region is the best in both NSW and Victoria for household recycling. That’s according to a recent audit of kerbside household waste, which shows that total diversion rates of the four councils that introduced a combined food and garden organics service this year was 82% on average. The councils that achieved this […]

The councils of the Albury Wodonga region have set the “best practice” benchmark for food and garden waste (FOGO) recycling in Australia. Recent data comparing the Albury Wodonga food and green waste contamination rate to other councils that have introduced similar services, shows that the region is performing better than all others, with a current […]

You’ve seen it in nearly every movie set in a New York winter – the movie’s main character bundled in a coat, clutching a cup of hot “kwa-fee” – in a polystyrene foam cup. However, as of July 1st 2015, a ban on single-use polystyrene foam food and beverage containers (take away containers, food trays, […]

Inside Waste (April 2013) published an article by MRA on Weight Based Charging (WBC) titled ‘Wake the Sleeping Giant on C&I’. It argued Weight Based Charging for commercial waste, would likely assist in achieving Australia’s C&I resource recovery targets. WBC provides waste generators with a direct price signal, equating waste generation to costs. At present […]

MRA Consulting Group today announces that Dr Ron Wainberg has joined the MRA team. Ron will take on the role of Technical Director in MRA, responsible for business development, consulting services and training. Wainberg said “MRA is young and exciting. They have been a tough competitor over the last few years. I am really keen […]

The NSW EPA has released four new grant programs under the $465.7 million NSW Government Waste Less Recycle More program. The new grants provide a one off opportunity to a range of eligible applicants within NSW, including local governments, businesses, industry and the community. The new grant rounds are summarised below. Grant Streams Maximum funding […]

The rollout of new food and garden (FOGO) waste collection systems is stressful for many councils. MyWaste shows it does not need to be. For many residents, wheeling out and collecting their bins each week represents their most significant interaction with Council. This is a learned behaviour established over many years. Subsequently, changes to collection […]

Article written by Jacqueline Ong and originally published by Inside Waste Is there a compelling case for councils to go down the FOGO path? For NSW at least, the government is supportive of increasing organic diversion rates and has put its money where its mouth is with the Waste Less Recycle More initiative. MRA Consulting […]