Geelong event showcases recycled solutions

AN EVENT in Geelong highlighted the growing number of products made from recycled materials available to Victorian municipalities and showcased several local examples out in the field.

The first Buy Recycled Western council showcase was held at the City of Greater Geelong’s Wurriki Nyal building and was intended to empower councils to make confident decisions when buying recycled materials and supports Victoria’s transition to a circular economy.

Part of Sustainability Victoria’s Recycled First Local Government program, the full-day event saw represenatives of 21 councils from Melbourne and the west of Victoria discuss how they can buy and use a greater volume of recycled materials for infrastructure, landscaping, parks and gardens in their municipality.

As well as a small trade show featuring recycled product suppliers from the state’s west, the showcase also ran site vists to three locations in Geelong using recycled materials: the Western Beach Boardwalk in Rippleside; the bridges at Cowies Creek in Seagull Paddock, North Geelong; and the Anakie Organics Processing Facility.

Ballarat company Replas installed the decking at the Western Beach Boardwalk, and Victorian territory manager Chris Smith said the company installed the boardwalk 18 years ago.

“It looks pretty much the same as it did, apart from a bit of dirt on it.

“For the same reasons that we don’t want plastic in our environment uncontrolled – it doesn’t go anywhere – that’s the same reasons plastic makes a great, long-lasting product when it’s put into the right application.”

The two bridges at Cowies Creek commissioned by the City of Greater Geelong have been lauded for their engineering, receiving three awards and a commendation at the Institute of Public Works Engineers Australasia (IPWEA) Victorian Division awards in 2022.

Made from a world-first geopolymer, the bridges are designed to be maintenance-free for at least 100 years and can then be recycled at the end of its life.

City of Greater Geelong economic development senior industry sector lead Tina Perfrement said the final outcome of the procurement by innovation process used to tender for the bridges met several objectives for the city, and the process was now embedded in the city’s procurement policy.

‘You’re taking to the market your absolute wishes of what you want to have achieved, and testing that with the market, and they will soon tell you, collectively, if they can.”

Barwon Water was one of the exhibitors at the trade show, and presented details about its Regional Renewable Organics Network (RRON) facility.

The water authority has signed waste supply agreements with the Borough of Queenscliffe, City of Greater Geelong, Golden Plains Shire, and Surf Coast Shire to take organic waste from kerbside collection and process it into products including biochar at RRON when it is built at Barwon Water’s Black Rock facility.