Australians currently produce about 50 million tonnes of waste per year, averaging over 2 tonnes per person and it is continually increasing. This session will look at the waste cycle, the current state of the industry and how we can all help reduce the volume of waste produced. It will also provide insight into the new waste levy in QLD and the impact China's ban on receiving recyclables is likely to have.
Waste Reduction – Richard Denniss
Richard will deliver an entertaining discussion on how we can reduce waste by distinguishing between consumerism, the love of buying things, which is undeniably harmful to us and the planet, and materialism, the love of things, which can in fact be beneficial.
Reuse – Kali Martin
Kali will discuss the waste streams that are currently being processed by NuGrow and how they are recycled into beneficial products such as compost and soil conditioners. Case studies will be presented demonstrating NuGrow’s innovative approach to closing the loop between waste and resources to achieve their vision of healthier environments supporting healthier communities.
Recycling – Georgina Davis
Georgina will discuss the design of Queensland’s new landfill levy and also proposed amendments to the current waste management licencing regime in Queensland. Since 2012, she has written extensively on the changing international demand for recyclable materials. She will briefly summarise the new quality guidelines for resources exported to China and what it means for Queensland’s waste management and materials recovery sector?
Anaerobic digestion (AD) for energy recovery from organics – Dr. Gareth Forde and Max Barnes
Gareth will talk about how we can generate energy from waste organics and how AD compares to other waste to energy (W2E) options. Implications of the proposed landfill levy will be considered.
Panel Discussion
After the presentations there will be a panel discussion with the speakers.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Richard Denniss: Chief Economist - Australia Institute
Richard Denniss is the author of Econobabble and Curing Affluenza, and co-author of Affluenza. He is chief economist at the Australia Institute. He writes for the Monthly, the Canberra Times and the Australian Financial Review.
Kali Martin: NuGrow
Kali is a dedicated quality management professional with over 10 years’ experience in industrial processing. Kali’s passion for sustainability has seen her recently join the NuGrow team where her diverse background in manufacturing and waste management is being utilised to further strengthen NuGrow’s quality management systems. NuGrow is Queensland's largest organic waste recycler and compost/soils manufacturer and has been an innovator in this industry for the last 15 years. NuGrow is helping Queensland lead the way in a sustainable approach to waste management and land rehabilitation by offering an effective alternative to traditional waste management.
Georgina Davis: Waste to Opportunity
Georgina is a Doctor of Engineering, Chartered Waste Manager and Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) with 25 years’ international experience. Georgina is the Founder of the Waste to Opportunity Enterprise and holds an Adjunct position at Griffith University. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Certified Member of the Governance Institute of Australia and a Board Member of the Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA).
Max Barnes: All Energy Pty Ltd
Max is the Principal Engineer at All Energy Pty Ltd, and works in the areas of energy generation and efficiency, process innovation and economic optimization. Max has deep industrial experience in the power, bio-fuels, biotech, food and agri-business sectors. A key motivator is to develop circular economy solutions to generate revenue and reduce operating costs via “behind the meter” energy innovations for power, heat, cooling, and waste management.
For more information see the attached flyer.
PRESENTATIONS AND VIDEO RECORDING
Thankyou to our speakers for making their presentations available and allowing us to record the evening. Links below: