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AUSTRALIAN GREEN CLEAN AND UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

At Australian Green Clean, we truly believe that we need to make waste to landfill a thing of the past. We work collaboratively with the University of South Australia to divert significant tonnes of waste from landfill and help the University in meeting their environmental goals.

Sustainable initiatives AGC has been working on with the University include, supply of educational materials, provision of waste tours with supervisors, account managers and facility coordinators and provision of regular reporting and analysis of waste sent to landfill.

Across all campuses, AGC have implemented bin systems that consists of Organics, Dry Waste, Paper & Cardboard and Co-Mingled Recycling. Outlined below is some information on the waste streams and where this waste goes once it is collected.

AGC DIVERTED 84% OF WASTE FROM LANDFILL IN 2023 FY.

TO PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT THAT'S....

$217,800
IN CLIENT SAVINGS FROM WASTE DIVERSION

1,735
TONNES OF C02 AVOIDED

435
CARS TAKEN OFF THE ROAD

3157

TREES PLANTED

977

FLIGHTS FROM SYDNEY TO HONG KONG

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WASTE?

All waste produced on campuses is locally collected and consolidated by our on site cleaners. You may notice your cleaner placing different bin liner bags into their trolleys, but please do not be concerned as this is just the first step of the waste management process to collect all bin bags efficiently. They take these bin bags to the marked back of house bins and separate into organics, dry waste, paper & cardboard and mixed recycling.

All collected waste is then transported to local depots at Wingfield. Each waste stream is taken to a different location including;

Food/green waste - Jeffries Organics
Co-mingle waste (plastic, glass, metal) - Advanced Resource Recovery Technology (AART)
Cardboard/paper - Remondis Wingfield Depot
Dry Waste - ResourceCo

This has helped the university to significantly reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill each year.

Other waste streams collected across the University to manage unique waste include;

Construction waste
Batteries (battery bins are located in all our FM Assist offices)
Medical waste
Confidential waste (these bins are placed across campuses for use)
Polystyrene

WASTE STREAMS

WHAT IS ORGANIC WASTE?

Organic waste is organic material such as food, garden and lawn clippings. It can also include animal and plant based material, certified compostable packaging (look for packaging with the Seedling Logo) and degradable carbon such as timber. The recovery and recycling of garden and food organics reduces greenhouse gasses as well as water consumption, and protects our soil resources - one of the earth’s most complex and biologically diverse ecosystems.

WHAT HAPPENS TO ORGANIC WASTE?

Organic materials are collected from Jeffries where they force aeration composting including temperature and oxygen monitoring. The organics is then sorted using (R.O.S.S) featuring state of the art X-Tract technology. The material is then grinded and turned into compost soil and mulch. Compost and mulch is then purchased by businesses and individuals to fuel their gardens!

WHAT IS DRY WASTE?

Dry waste is general waste that is dry only (organics cannot go into this bin). Examples of dry waste include small hard plastics (lids and bread tags), non-compostable coffee cups, polystrene products, soft plastics (chip packets), broken glass and and broken crockery.

WHAT HAPPENS TO DRY WASTE?

All dry waste materials are collected from the campuses and sent to ResourceCo at Winfield. The dry waste materials are turned into Process Engineered Fuel (PEF), also known as Alternative Fuels. This alternative energy replaces coal and gas in high combustion facilities. Currently Adelaide Brighton Cement use PEF for energy supply for its cement kilns. Creating Alternative Fuels diverts up to 95% of waste from going to landfill.

WHAT IS RECYCLABLE WASTE?

Recyclable waste is clean and dry recyclables such as rigid plastics, paper, cardboard, steel and aluminium that can be collected and recycled or reused in some form. This is the most common recycling stream for households and businesses. Examples of recyclable waste include drink cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles, drink cartons, cardboard boxes, paper and aluminium trays.

WHAT HAPPENS TO CO-MINGLED WASTE?

After your co-mingled recyclables are collected, they are transported to ResourceCo at Wingfield. The materials are checked that they are dry waste, and then turned into Process Engineered Fuel (PEF), also known as Alternative Fuels. This alternative energy replaces coal and gas in high combustion facilities. RecoureCo receives materials, removes contaminants and then separates.