AUSTRALIA – The Corangamite Shire Council has introduced upgraded skips dedicated to recycling glass jars and bottles within their local government area.
To facilitate this glass recycling initiative, the council enhanced the Corangamite Regional Landfill at Naroghid and multiple transfer stations, including those at Derrinallum, Skipton, Timboon, and Port Campbell.
These new recycling skips are specifically crafted for efficient glass collection, notably taller than their predecessors.
Corangamite Shire councilor Jamie Vogels emphasized that this investment aims for a high-value glass collection.
Vogels highlighted the significance of community cooperation, stating, “If people don’t help by doing the right thing, we’ll wind up with a downgraded product.”
Vogels expounded on the concept of ‘cradle to cradle,’ emphasizing the importance of the continuous circular economy for glass materials—transforming glass bottles and jars into new ones through recycling.
Conversely, materials incorrectly disposed of will follow a ‘cradle to grave’ path and end up being used as road base, a recycling process deviating from the circular economy.
The new skips are clearly labeled, distinguishing between ‘Glass Only’ and ‘Comingled Recycling’ materials.
These steps align with Corangamite Shire Council’s commitment to meet the new Recycling Victoria state legislation, mandating the separation of glass materials from general recycling by 2027.
This US$320,000 upgrade project received funding from the state government through the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action Transfer Station Upgrade Fund and was executed by local contractors.
Furthermore, the council aims to introduce new 120-litre wheelie bins for kerbside collection across the region by February 2024, intending to launch the scheme in the subsequent month.
This initiative aligns with the country’s broader objectives to escalate the recycling rate. Earlier this year, Visy embarked on constructing a cutting-edge glass recycling and manufacturing hub in Yatala, Queensland.
Announced in April 2022, the facility commands an investment of A$500 million (US$314 million) and is poised to produce approximately one billion glass containers and jars annually.
Moreover, it will efficiently recycle 40,000 tonnes of glass, equivalent to diverting 200 million beer bottles away from landfills.
Breaking ground in October 2022, the manufacturing facility is set to commence operations by 2025. Its establishment is projected to generate 600 employment opportunities during construction and sustain 200 green-collar manufacturing jobs upon becoming operational. This development will augment Visy’s Queensland workforce to over 1,000 individuals.
The facility’s core strategy involves integrating virgin resources with recycled glass sourced from kerbside bins and the Queensland Government’s Containers for Change program. The aim is to produce fresh bottles for the food and beverage sector within Queensland.
Leveraging energy-efficient manufacturing technology, the plant anticipates elevating Visy’s glass packaging’s recycled content from 30% to an impressive 70%.
Comprising an array of essential components, the facility encompasses an integrated recycled glass cullet plant, container glass manufacturing unit, and a warehouse for finished goods and distribution.
Its primary infrastructure encompasses a glass manufacturing edifice and batch house, a recycled glass beneficiation plant with storage bunkers, a production facility, a highbay warehouse, cullet silos, alongside ancillary features such as a workshop, equipment parking area, canteen, amenities zone, fire pumps and tanks, transformer yard, parking zones, office space, and landscaped areas.
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