The Strategic Waste Initiatives Scheme

Waste Knot Want Knot

From Issue 1 of Zeroing In - 15 June 2006

The City of Swan and several partners will receive one of this year’s biggest Strategic Waste Initiatives Scheme (SWIS) grants, as they attempt to solve the problem of timber heading from Malaga’s industrial district to landfill.

It is the second grant for the City and its partners, Ernst and Young and Jobs Australia, but will allow the group to move from a conceptual solution to one that might be strong enough to encourage business to get on board.

City of Swan acting chief executive Mike Foley said an initial SWIS grant of $9500, given in the 2004 round, had assisted the City and its partners in preparing a feasibility study into the amount of wood in the waste stream, the type of wood waste, and possible avenues for reusing or recycling the wood.

“We knew that Malaga businesses were spending a lot of money on waste disposal of timber with it tending to go to landfill,” he said.

“The first study looked at whether we could save them a few dollars in tip fees while finding an environmental solution to the wood waste.

“It was a feasibility study into the reuse of wood waste in a more environmentally friendly manner and provided some economic evidence to the businesses as well.”

That initial study provided some scale to the problem.

According to the Ernst and Young report, timber manufacturers in Malaga were paying $180,000 each year to dispose of 1.5 tonnes of wood waste. Some 80 per cent of that waste was in the form of mixed particle board and MDF off-cuts, including sawdust.

While the initial report identified a number of markets that were interested in taking the wood waste, it was felt more research was needed to make a strong case for businesses.

Mr Foley said one issue under scrutiny was whether the sawdust – which has high levels of urea and formaldehyde – could be converted into an alternative fuel source.

The practice was used by some businesses internationally and in the Eastern States, he said, but information was relatively scarce as it was usually commercial in confidence.

“We want to look at the same issue but make the findings freely available so that anybody who is interested can look at it as a potential fuel source,” he said.

Other possible uses of the wood waste included combining sawdust and plastic milk bottles into decking boards – something again done in the Eastern States – or adding timber to concrete to increase strength and insulation. Proving that the waste could be centrally collected for pick-up or reuse would add to any economic argument by a business looking to relocate or start similar enterprises in WA, Mr Foley said.

“We think this new study will help in market creation and show that these sorts of businesses could be viable.”