A plAn to Tackle Waste in Aboriginal Communities

1. A plAn to Tackle Waste in Aboriginal Communities

2. Overview • Case study: APY Lands – 2007 – 2010 • Cast study: Warraber Island – 2008 – 2010 • Waste Aid: NSW 2014 – 2018 • NSW Govt 2016 - 2017 • Current Project: Qld 2019 - 2019

3. Case study: Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Background: 1996 Report - $1,000,000 spent • Trailers - stores and communities • Trenches dug and landfills fenced • Bio-solid pits • Wheelie bins

4. 2008 • SA Dept Premier and Cabinet / Zero Waste SA • Timeline 2007 – 2010 • Scoping visit and seek permission • Trailers/ trucks/ bins - broken • Tips - burning and overflowing

5. Plan and Do • Conducted research • Prepared a draft report • Regional Waste Management Priorities and Implementation Plan • 16 trials - $600,000 • Delivered “Rubbish Report” • 78 recommendations

6. Consultation • Need a local leader • Respectful of culture • Seek permission • Consult in first language • Listening tour - visiting communities, BBQs

7. Waste Audit

8. Litter Audit

9. Education • Aim: behaviour change by education and information • Engagement • ARDS “Germ theory” Indigenous education specialists • Knowledge & tools

10. Household Cleaning Kits • Indigenous Environmental Health workers • Tested 3 types of bins • Shower/kitchen • Weekly Monitoring – bin liners • Motto “No survey without service”

11. Bin & Stands – Houses Aim: reduce burning at home • Provided wheelie bins • Designed bin stands prevent animals & litter

12. Bin & Stands – Public Areas Aim: to reduce litter • 100 stands and bins • 800 bags concrete

13. Bulky Waste – “big rubbish” Aim - Remove oversized items from yards

14. Waste Collection Aim – truck vs trailer • Truck ($155,000) • Trailer ($10,700) - 15 bins, tipper, ramp, solid fill tyres, welded on Time and motion study • Truck – 3 mins per bin • Trailer – 4 mins per bin

15. Source Separation Aim: To set up source separation areas at landfill Signs were designed and prepared showing descriptions in Pitjantjatjara, English and in pictures

16. Car and Appliance Stripping Aim: create social enterprise • Tools, training, network provided • Uni SA - business planning • Re- sale as scrap or parts

17. Container Deposit System Aim: Increase recovery, reduce litter • 1,000,000 containers sold annually • 10c on each bottle and can = $100,000 • No Scheme for 30 years • 11 bales 1st month • 15 bales 2nd month

18. Household Recycling – Umuwa Aim : crate based kerbside collection for Umuwa • Govt. town – no store or school - 95% staff and contractors • Purchased trailer, 60 litre black crates, stickers, fridge magnets

19. Cardboard Aim: Recycle cardboard & stop burning • All stores weekly trip to tip and burn • Power installed, baler provided, • Free backload, • Trial Visy pay freight

20. Car Removal • Aim: Remove cars from entire lands • > 5,000 cars, 35 trucks, 20 caravans, 13 buses

21. Case Study: Warraber Island • One of 16 inhabited Islands • Population: 247 • Dwellings: 54 • Clinic, school, council office • Flights – charter • Barge – weekly food / fuel / mail • AQIS – strict protocols

24. Project Outline • Identify and quantify current and projected waste • Develop a comprehensive strategy for all waste streams • Oversee implementation • Monitor, evaluate and report • Appropriate for regional roll out • 2007 - 2010

25. NEW Rubbish Program • Existing • Proposed

26. NEW Garden Waste Program • Existing • Proposed

27. NEW Food Waste Program

29. NEW Cardboard Program

30. NEW Recycling Program

31. Education • School • Every trip – “Miss Anne” • Talks, excursion and activities • Art and slogan competition for shopping bags

32. Training • Training of all staff • Specialist training by suppliers – “How to guide” • Work Plans – day by day • Weekly monitoring and reporting sheets • Inspection by Qld Workplace Safety Inspector

34. The bins are burning • Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2007 • 1110 remote communities • 72% don't have a rubbish pickup.  • Health Habitat • A study of 7,151 indigenous homes nationally • 51% NO bin and NO regular rubbish service.

35. What to do • Vision : Improve health, environmental and social outcomes in disadvantaged communities through positive waste management solutions • Waste Aid want: • Every family to have a rubbish bin • Every house to have a rubbish pickup • Every community a landfill • Reduce litter and illegal dumping • Increase recycling and resource recovery

36. Who are we • ASIC registered company • Charitable and tax deductibility status • Foundation grant $40,000 - APC • Strategic Plan 2014-19 • Do real projects • Advocacy • Build sustainable organisation • Now merged with Community Resources • effective May 2018

37. NSW – SWAC • Sustainable Waste in Aboriginal Communities • Aust. Packaging Covenant • Dept. Health • NSW Aboriginal Affairs • NSW ALC • NSW EPA • LGNSW • Resource Recovery Aust. • Waste Aid

38. New model and approach Aboriginal Community Based Environmental Management (ACBEM) • Puts the Aboriginal community at the centre • Shifts the balance to community owned and managed solutions • Support employment and social enterprise • Engage in co-design of infrastructure/ education • Build community skills / capacity • “do with” not “do to” • Leave a legacy • Develop leaders

39. Sustainable Waste Management Model Bourke and Enngonia, NSW State Project Oversight Sustainable Waste in Aboriginal Communities Working Party (SWAC) Aust. Packaging Covenant (APC) NSW Aboriginal Affairs NSW ALC NSW EPA NSW Health LGNSW Resource Recovery Australia Waste Aid Local Project Oversight Bourke Waste Advisory Committee (BWAC) Waste Aid BACWP NullaNulla LALC Murra Warri LALC BAHS Bourke Shire / Netwaste NSW Aboriginal Affairs NSW EPA Rural Fire Service NSW Health MPREC SWAC BWAC Donors Funding Donations • Aboriginal Affairs – secretariat • Bourke Shire – equipment / free tipping • EPA – compost bins and worm farms • Impact environmental – educational resources • MPREC – labour • Townley Environmental Services – photography • Sulo – household bins • Waste Aid – labour • WCRA – training Total $50,000 + Funding Aust. Packaging Covenant – $70K NSW EPA – $60K Rural Fire Service - $29K Dept. Health - $31.4K Netwaste - $3K Total $193,400

40. 1. Community Consultation

41. 2. Community Environmental Advisers

42. 3. Legacy clean-up – litter

43. 3. Legacy clean-up – illegal dumping

44. 3. Legacy clean-up – bulky waste

45. 3. Legacy clean-up – car pad

46. 4. Infrastructure audit & needs analysis

47. 5. Developing new education materials

48. 6. Service agreement • Council, community and land owner

49. Brewarrina, Goodooga and Weilmoringle Results 500m3 of legacy waste removed 62% average litter reduction Bins 97m3scrap metal recycled 82 Household 14 Litter 12 co-designed signs 32 old cars recycled “Ngemba Community Working Party were very happy with the way Waste Aid implemented the project in partnership with the working party. Waste Aid put First Nations people’s governance, decision making and cultural protocols at the centre of their engagement, involving the working party from the beginning and continuously throughout the project. The project has had real employment and capacity building outcomes for community members and a sense of community satisfaction is evident.” Grace Gordon, Co-Chair of the Ngemba Community Working Party

50. Communities post clean up!