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Recycling of Timber Used in the Plastics Packaging Industry. Presenter: Robert Dvorak EcoRecycle Victoria’s Timberlinks Network Business Breakfast 26 th of March, 2003. Types of Timber Waste. Broken and damaged wooden pallets.
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Recycling of Timber Used in the Plastics Packaging Industry Presenter: Robert Dvorak EcoRecycle Victoria’s Timberlinks Network Business Breakfast 26th of March, 2003
Types of Timber Waste • Broken and damaged wooden pallets. • Timber packaging such as top frames and to some extent masonite boards • Solid wooden platforms & plywood boards from imported machinery. • Wooden boxes • Other wooden pieces
Cost Analysis of Timber Recycling • Analysis of 2002 annual disposal costs discovered to be approximately – $70,000 (at one site only) • Hidden costs due to loss of resources. • Approximate Cost of disposal of all timber to the landfill was approximated to be $8,000 However.. • Recycling of all the timber was NOT FREE Total Removal Fees & Labour Costs added up to $2,000. • Careful planning, advice and key contacts from Ecorecycle Vic has saved ACI $6,000.
How was it achieved ? • Focus at management level on the environmental responsibility a business has to the wider community. • Awareness of EcoRecycle Vic direction, knowledge and experience (i) Government focus on reducing waste to landfill (e.g. higher landfill fees)(ii) Help from EcoRecycle for ACI to link-up with recycling business & provide advice on how to best recycle other materials.
How was it achieved & who benefited? • A strategy was put in place on the most cost effective and environmentally beneficial way to clean-up scrap at ACI and ensure that long term waste generation is minimised and eliminated. • Staff morale had increased and other ACI personnel became interested in what was being done. • Other ACI sites have now approached the Executive Team to fully develop a strategy for all sites.
What has been achieved overall ? • Site has been cleaned up with minimal amount going to landfill. • Land area free of scrap has increased by over 2,000m2. • 2 full skips of steel removed free of charge.
What has been achieved overall ? • Council, safety, fire risks minimised or eliminated. • 5 Semi-trailers worth of timber removed for recycling (75% cost saving by recycling it vs. landfill option). • Management focus on a company wide recycling strategy and waste generation.
Conclusions • Company management need to develop & fully support a recycling strategy best tailored to their business. • Important to find “the right recycling partners”. • Loss of material resources to waste and landfill is a good indicator of manufacturing inefficiency. • Important to value the benefits of recycling by: (i) Financial Analysis (ii) Safety Analysis (iii) Environmental & Social Analysis All of the above are equally important.
Acknowledgements • EcoRecycle Victoria (Kevin Mooney/David Rako) • Waste Converters Recycling (Ward Petherbridge) • ACI (Andrew Ebert, Executive Team, Factory Personnel)