The urgency of saving kerbside recycling is being felt in Melbourne

By Mike Ritchie, MRA Consulting Group

Since my article on Saving Kerbside Recycling was written, the Victorian EPA has temporarily closed down the three SKM MRFs in Melbourne, due to fire risk associated with stockpiles. In all likelihood, these stockpiles would not exist if it wasn’t for China’s National Sword “ban” on recyclables import. Or if we had developed an effective recycling management plan in the year since the ban came on force.

Whatever the case, the end result has been that at least 20 councils have either suspended their kerbside recycling services or they are sending their recyclables to landfill. Only a few have managed to find alternatives allowing them to continue recycling.

It remains to be seen if SKM can overcome the short term stockpiling issue quickly.

This is testimony to the need to risk proof kerbside recycling by on-shoring secondary reprocessing.