A large proportion of waste generated in-process at Penguin Composites is offcut fibre composite material, which has very limited options for recycling or re-use. Management wanted to explore opportunities to reduce waste at the source at investigate alternative uses for offcuts.
Approximately 80% of waste generated on-site at Nichols Poultry is already recycled. Single-use plastic film products help the company maintain food safety standards. The main barrier to recycling this waste is high contamination rates from liquid proteins.
At Jinglers Creek Vineyard, nylon nets are used to protect ripening fruit from losses to birds. Applying nets requires a team of people, a tractor and approximately two square kilometres of polyester netting, which is replaced every seven years. The owner applied their technology skills to develop an innovative alternative.
The materials used in production at Direct Edge Manufacturing (mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium) are highly recyclable and there are established systems in place for collection and recycling.
The business maintains a large inventory of offcuts to optimise value inherent in the material and reduce embedded energy in each product lifecycle.
Botanical Resources Australia is looking outside their own system to see how they can add value to other material streams. Existing pelletising equipment, used in the production of pyrethrum oil, is under-utilised and could be repurposed to convert timber wastes from external sources into bio-fuel.
Bridestowe Lavender Estate composts large quantities of organic waste from lavender oil production. The business wanted to focus on food and other waste generated through their cafe, to reduce waste to landfill.
