THE FUTURE OF WASTE: Let’s start the new year with good news. Innovations in waste lead to important outcomes and here are three worth celebrating.
Local – Eco Barge Whitsundays
257,450 kilos of marine debris have been removed by Eco Barge since 2009.
A tremendous success story in our region, they minimise waste impact and develop new products from locally sourced marine debris.
The approval of a substantial grant will enable repurposing marine debris, under the Queensland Circular Economy Program, to make useful items to sell locally.
We are excited to share Eco Barge’s continued success and commitment as they help us transition from a traditional ‘take, make, waste’ model to a sustainable circular economy.
Queensland – Sunshine Coast ENVAC System
Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast, has created Australia’s first automated underground waste collection system, operating since 2021.
The waste travels up to 70km per hour through a 6.5km system of underground vacuum pipes, from residential apartments, commercial premises and public places.
These ENVAC units are unassuming, under a standard bin where separated waste and recycling travels to a collection facility on the edge of the city.
Also, in Sweden, Barcelona, London and Beijing, they provide cleaner streets, fewer odours and no overflowing wheelie bins.
This system will be expanded as the city precinct continues to be developed on the Sunshine Coast.
Global – The Ocean Cleanup
The largest cleanup in history, since 2013 The Ocean Cleanup has been researching, extracting and monitoring plastic pollution in oceans and rivers globally.
This not-for-profit was founded by then 18-year-old Boyan Slat, in his hometown Delft in the Netherlands, and has grown to 120 engineers, scientists and computational modelers to rid the oceans of plastic.
Creating an artificial coastline with U shaped barriers that guide the plastic into a retention zone, the waste is diverted and collected.
The most problematic waste site, the great Pacific garbage patch between Hawaii and California, is one of their many projects.
Trash removed in total is 20,377,431 kilos, and their ongoing technological advancement continues to improve efficiency.
This inspiring initiative has a goal to clean up 90 per cent of the oceans by 2040.
Every piece of plastic we can eliminate by choosing a sustainable alternative, moves us closer to a Zero Waste Whitsundays.
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