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Welcome to the Recycle Right Newsletter
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SMRC ENewsletter

What's wrong with this picture?
This photo was taken on the RRRC’s Materials Recovery Facility Tip Floor. It’s the first place recyclables from your yellow topped bin find themselves, after being picked up by the rubbish truck.

Most people take the time to sort their recyclables responsibly, but as you can see in this picture, others take the “put it in any bin” approach.

So what’s wrong with this picture?
Send an email to tours@smrc.com.au telling us at least two things that should never have been put in the yellow bin, to go in the draw to win an Onya gift pack to help reduce your waste. The gift pack includes a backpack, drink bottle, shopping and weigh bags and a sandwich wrap. If you’re stuck, you can find the answers on the Recycle Right App.

Problem Waste...
Each month in the newsletter we are going to report on an item which has caused us grief and cost money through having to stop the plant to clear blockages.

This months problem item is Ratchet Straps.
Cheap, poor quality ratchet straps can be purchased at most hardware stores. Any long items cause problems in the recycling facility as they wrap around the moving parts such as the spinning disks we use to separate the paper and cardboard.

The straps are of particular concern as they wrap around the spinning disks and when the metal end flicks around it jams the machinery, causing the plant to have to stop while the blockage is fixed.

This is currently happening twice a day and takes about 15 minutes to remedy at a cost to the organisation of over $3,000 per week.

If you are unsure if an item can be recycled in the yellow bin, download the app or contact us via recycleright.wa.gov.au

Perth's Zoo Creatures Help Gardens Grow Wild

Perth Zoo is offering gardeners the opportunity to welcome an elephant, rhino or lion into their backyards to help their gardens grow wild.
Perth Zoo is selling its excess animal manure and garden waste which has been treated, composted and packaged as ‘Creature Compost’.

Perth Zoo’s Sustainability Coordinator, Daniel Baker, said: “Perth Zoo’s animals produce about 600 kilograms of manure every day.

“With more than 1500 animals cared for at the Zoo, as well as green waste from our extensive gardens we have a lot of waste to get rid of.”

 â€œWe’d particularly like to thank our elephants who are jumbo contributors to the product.”

“Each elephant can produce 90 kilograms of poo a day!  Whilst our Rhinos make it nice and easy for us to collect as they defecate in the same spot, creating ‘poo middens’ a strategy used by the species to mark their territory, “ said Daniel.

 â€œRather than sending all this waste to landfill, we work with our partner, Nutrarich, who take it to their site in the Swan Valley to be composted according to Australian standards.”

“What we don’t use on the Zoo’s lush gardens we are now making available for the community to purchase – who wouldn’t want to say they’ve had a little help from a giraffe, bear or tiger!”

Apart from being found nowhere else in Australia, Creature Compost is also sustainable.

“This product has helped us divert 500 tonnes of organic waste from landfill in the past 12 months.”

“Burying organic materials produces large volumes of methane, one of the worst greenhouse gasses, so we’re thrilled to be able to reduce our environmental footprint even further.”

“And it’s the product that just keeps on giving as funds raised from the purchase of Creature Compost helps with the running costs of the Zoo, which means we can divert more money into saving wildlife,” said Daniel.

A 10 litre bag of Creature Compost for young gardening enthusiasts or 25 litre bag for wild gardeners is available for purchase at the Zoo’s shop or online: www.perthzoo.com.au

Bulk orders can be collected from Nutrarich at their Swan Valley depot.

Nutrarich are also the compost partner of the SMRC, blending our compost to meet Australian Standards AS4454 for compost, soil conditioners and mulches.

CHRISTMAS WASTE...
Feeling full after the festive season? Our Materials Recovery Facility and Waste Composting Facility were practically bulging at the seams as the stream of waste from Christmas parties and New Year’s celebrations hit the RRRC. Tacky plastic decorations, bundles of wrapping paper and empty drink containers galore, some simple changes to end of year celebrations can reduce the festive hangover facing our facilities.
  1. Instead of buying cheap presents that might not last into the new year, why not give the gift of an experience instead?
  2. Set up a compost bin at home to turn all that old paper wrapping paper into compost for your garden.
  3. Make sure plastic bottles, aluminium cans and glass jars are rinsed and go into the recycling bin.

Water Corporation Asks Local Governments To Help Save Water


The drying climate is the biggest challenge the Water Corporation has faced and there has been no let up this year. Perth experienced its warmest spring on record, with the lowest rainfall recorded in five years.
This has resulted in higher than expected community water use, so Water Corporation is asking Local Governments to help bring water use back in-line with what is expected for this time of year by sharing water saving tips with their ratepayers in newsletters, social media and website. Top water saving tips for summer:
  • Whatever you do, just drop 2 – Reduce irrigation system run times by two minutes. Households should be watering for no more than 10 minutes per station.
  • Prepare your garden by applying a soil wetting agent and soil improver to help water penetrate to the roots of plants where it is needed most.  Applying good quality waterwise mulch will also greatly reduce evaporation from soil.

Water Corporation has water saving tips available on its website, including the Water Use Calculator – this creates personalised water saving action plan personalised to households needs.

Water Corporation also shares water saving tips on its Facebook and Twitter accounts – Local Governments are encouraged to follow Water Corporation and share tips. Tag Water Corporation in your posts so your waterwise efforts can be shared.
Facebook: Water Corporation
Twitter: @watercorpwa

For more information, please visit the Water Corporation website: http://watercorporation.com.au/save-water.

DID YOU KNOW...

One tree only makes enough paper pulp to produce 3000 sheets, or 5 reams, of paper. Every tonne of recycled paper that we make saves up to 24 trees, plus water, electricity, oil and landfill space. Reduce paper waste by reading it on the screen and printing double sided whenever possible.

Source: www.si.cm.uwa.edu.au/

World Wetlands Day 2016
World Wetlands Day commemorates the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance on February 2nd 1971. Wetlands are essential for human health and prosperity. They provide us with fresh water, ensure our food supply, sustain biodiversity, protect against flooding, and store carbon dioxide. They are also a major source of employment globally.

The 12th annual WA Wetland Management Conference will be held on Tuesday 2 February 2016 at the Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre. To find out more about how you can get involved, visit
cockburnwetlands.org.au/world-wetlands-day/

 

Would you like to join the Community Advisory Group?

If you are interested in waste and sustainability, educating the community and making a difference, the Community Advisory Group needs you!

Community Advisory Group
In February, the SMRC are giving their Community Advisory Group a fresh new look and purpose.

All it takes is a few hours of your time each month to attend a meeting and assist with a community waste education project. Everyone is welcome to join.

The group meet on a Thursday every two months and will be involved in some exciting projects in the community in 2016. If you have any questions or would like to talk about joining you can contact Taryn Davis at the SMRC on 9329 2700 or email tdavis@smrc.com.au

Clean Up Australia Day 2016


In 2015 an estimated 526,268 volunteers removed 13,933 tonnes of rubbish at 6,333 sites across the country.

Registrations are now open for 2016


Business: Tuesday 1 March

Schools: Friday 4 March

Community: Sunday 6 March
Twilight Tours of the RRRC...
 


In November, the RRRC had local Scout groups visit for a twilight tour of the facilities. The excursion provided an opportunity for children to see what happens to their waste after it is emptied from their kerbside bins. They were also able to realise the importance of individuals and the community adopting a lifestyle that allows ecologically sustainable development through preventing environmental overload, environmental degradation and resource depletion, a Scout value.

The days are getting shorter, but there is still time to bring your scout group or other community groups for a twilight tour of our facility. For more information, contact Emma on 9359 9528 or tours@smrc.com.au.

The next community tour dates open to families and individuals are:

• Saturday 06 February 2016

• Saturday 12 March 2016

Other dates can be arranged for groups.  To discuss your tour requirements, please contact Emma Baker on: 9256 9528 or tours@smrc.com.au
SMRC Member Council Logos
SMRC Member Council Logos
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Copyright © 2016 Resource Recovery Group, All rights reserved.


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