Each Australian produces on average about one tonne of rubbish per year, with 22.45 million tonnes of waste going to landfill across the country in 2002. Because we are using up the earth's resources and generating more and more waste, managing waste in a responsible way has become more important than ever.

A new class of waste treatment technology called Alternative Waste Technology (AWT) has developed in recent years to help address this issue.

What is Alternative Waste Technology (AWT)?

AWT describes a technology that:  

• Diverts waste away from landfill;
• Recovers more resources from the waste stream; and
• Minimises the impact on the environment.
  
  AWTs are described as "alternative" because they offer a more sustainable solution than waste disposal methods such as landfill, landfill bioreactors and incineration. AWT can include mechanical separation methods, biological processes, thermal technologies and mechanical biological treatment.
  
  What technology does WSN Environmental Solutions support?
  
  At WSN Environmental Solutions we believe that it is always important to find the right waste management solution for each local situation. There isn't any one technology that can meet the needs of every community. Out of the many different types of technologies available, we believe that those based on mechanical biological treatment offer the best solution because they recover the most resources from the waste and have reduced impact on the environment.
  
  What is Mechanical Biological Treatment?
  
  Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) describes a system that combines the mechanical sorting of waste with some kind of biological treatment. The processes can include:
  • Removing the recyclables such as glass, plastic, metals, paper and cardboard for recycling;
  • A biological process that produces compost;
  • Capturing the gas produced as the waste breaks down, preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere and causing harmful greenhouse gas emissions; and
    Using this captured gas to generate electricity.
    
    Depending on the particular system used, less than 20% of waste can end up in landfill.
    
    Our AWT facilities in Sydney?
    
    1) Eastern Creek UR-3R
    Sydney's first AWT facility for household waste, the Eastern Creek AWT, was launched in September, 2004. The Facility uses a type of mechanical biological treatment called the UR-3R Process that transforms household waste into valuable resources such as glass, plastics, metals, paper, high quality compost and green energy.
    
    The Eastern Creek AWT is designed to do the following*:
    • Initially process 11% of Sydney's household waste, up to 16% on expansion;
    • Divert up to 80% of waste away from landfill;
    • Capture up to 100% of bio-gas produced;
    • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking 50,000 cars off the road;
    • Produce 23,500 tonnes of compost each year;
    • Produce green electricity, equivalent to providing 2,250 homes with year-round green power; and
    • Recover an extra 23,000 tonnes of recyclable materials every year.
      
      * actual outcomes depend on factors such as quality of inputs and rate of throughput.
    
    The UR-3R is a partnership between WSN Environmental Solutions and Global Renewables. Fairfield City Council was the first council to sign up to use the facility.
    Click here for more information
    
    2) Macarthur Resource Recovery Centre - ArrowBio Technology
    Minimising environmental and social impacts, keeping costs low and meeting local needs, were all key factors in developing the Macarthur Resource Recovery Park.  Australia's first large-scale fully integrated waste management site.
    
    Four south-west Sydney councils - Camden, Campbelltown, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee - needed an integrated solution that would complement their existing bin collection systems, deal with all their waste streams, treat waste locally and extract the highest possible resource value, with minimal cost to their communities.  Our solution was to thoroughly analyse the individual and joint needs of the councils, and their desired outcomes.  As a results, we developed the concept of one integrated site, combining several different facilities and world-class technolgies to manage all waste streams in the one location.  Underlying this is the principle of a "closed-loop" approach, with as many products as possible returned to the community and local councils.  Only recovered products like recycables and compost will leave the site.
    
    Click here for more information.
    
    3) The Ecolibrium Organics Facility - Tunnel Composting
    The Ecolibrium Organics Facility is a fully enclosed, environmentally controlled tunnel composting system using a proven technology. The Facility will be very similar to the highly successful Port Macquarie composting facility that is used by Hastings Council.
    
    Tunnel composting is a simple technology that uses natural decomposition processes in an enclosed, controlled environment. The decomposition process takes place inside concrete tunnels and takes as little as 21 days to produce high quality compost material.
    
    The Facility is designed to process 30,000 tonnes of organics each year*. It is anticipated that this will produce around 18,300 tonnes of high-grade compost and mulch that comply with Australian Standards. The plant can be expanded very simply by adding extra tunnels.
    
    The Ecolibrium Organics Facility will process garden organics blended with the organic material produced from the Ecolibrium Mixed Waste Facility and nutrient rich bio-solids from Sydney Water.  The Facility is designed to minimise the impact of odour on the surrounding community by ensuring that composting activities are contained within concrete tunnels. Exhaust air from the tunnels will be passed through a biofilter to remove odours.
    
    A strict contamination management program will ensure that unwanted items are kept out of the compost and that the final product will be of a high quality and free of pathogens. Any contamination received at the EcolibriumTM Organics Facility (except hazardous and construction materials) will be transferred to the Ecolibrium Mixed Waste Facility to undergo further processing and extract more beneficial products.
    
    * actual outcomes depend on factors such as quality of inputs and rate of throughput.
    
    Click here for more information
    
    
    What will happen in the future?
    
    With support from local councils and their communities, more AWT facilities will be developed to help transform waste into a valuable resource. WSN Environmental Solutions plans to build AWT facilities across it's network in the future to ensure that Sydney can manage it's waste in a more sustainable way.
    
    Sources:
    WSN Environmental Solutions
    Recycled Organics Unit, UNSW
    NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change