keeping the holes out of holistic: the need for real partnerships

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Keeping the Holes Out of Holistic:The Need for Real Partnerships

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Keeping the Holes Out of Holistic:The Need for Real Partnerships

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Keeping the Holes Out of Holistic:The Need for Real Partnerships

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The Benefits of Grey Hair

• my defection to “the dark side” created a window of opportunity to view the waste sector from both sides of the fence.

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10 Years – Results?

• Some excellent results• Systems• Behaviour• Not all A+

Kerbside Recycling Systems• Crate based collect and disappear• MGB commingled post collection sort• Split stream partially commingled– Glass crates/– non glass MGB

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Start From the Moral High Ground?

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The Moral High Ground Is the Holistic View

• Argument for Common good

• Holes exist• What are they?

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1. The Double Vision Hole?

• Long term – sustainable earth?

• Short term – here and now cost effectiveness?

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Conflict?

• Just the long term?• Just the short term?• Do we do justice to both?

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2. The Market Economy Hole

• Very little intervention• Refuse collection and

disposal $160/tonne• Recycling collection and

reuse $300/tonne

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3. The Lowest Hanging Fruit Hole

• Value judgement in term “recyclable”• Economical in market economy• Lowest hanging fruit first– $/tonne?– $/tonne CO2 equiv saved?

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20% Not Justified?

• Small objects high sorting costs• 3 – 7 plastics?• PVC

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4. The Mixing Hole• 15 separate streams?• How much in same container?• Collection cost vs post collection sorting

cost

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4. The Mixing Hole• 15 separate streams?• How much in same container?• Collection cost vs post collection sorting

cost

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Glass In or Glass Out?

• Recommendation is separate glass• Similar total cost to full commingling • Environmentally superior outcome

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Closed Receptacles - Contamination

• Cannot detect during collection• Elephant in the room• Poorly managed • Education!

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5. Procurement Process Hole

• Biggest hole?• Does process foster partnership• Target maximum holistic value?

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Relationship Focus

• Credible process – credible result• Avoid commodity perspective• Waste officers lead• Encourage relationship

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Why Change?

• Commodities Market getting harder?• Yields declining?• Impact of kerbside organics• Some TLAs just too small?• the waste community is a community of

competing values

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The Future

• Government intervention – levy too low• WMMP – real accountability• Prioritise benefit/cost• Some TLAs too small• Less mixing?• Procure for long term

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Thank You