Rip Curl Pro achieves record recycling rate

GARBAGE is on the way out at the Rip Curl Pro, with organisers announcing a record two-thirds of the waste produced at this year’s event was diverted away from landfill.

The average rate of recycling over the past five years at the annual surfing competition at Bells Beach was just under 50 per cent, with a high of 56.54 percent in 2016, but the more than 65 per cent achieved in 2018 is the best yet.

Surfing Victoria, the Surf Coast Shire and the World Surf League (WSL) are thrilled with the result.

Surfing Victoria operations manager Peter Murphy said the organisation had introduced a plastic-free policy on all event vendors and partners over the past 12 months.

“This has allowed us to reduce the amount of waste from the event that goes to landfill but more importantly it has forced food vendors and event partners to change their practices to become more environmentally friendly.

“Not only has this made a difference at the Rip Curl Pro, it has flow on effects to our domestic events as well as other events vendors may attend. We now encourage all staff to bring re-usable water bottles, coffee cups and reduce the amount of waste brought down to the beach.”

Surf Coast Shire waste management supervisor Lachlan Close said the strong partnership between the shire and Surfing Victoria was key to the strong reduction in waste to landfill.

“The continued commitment to reduce waste to landfill and ensure the RCP is an environmental leader is due to the excellent relationship between Surfing Victoria and the shire.

“For over 10 years the partnership has sought continual improvement in waste management, which has seen this year’s event divert 65 per cent of total waste generated from landfill.

“Often unseen and unheard, waste management ticks along in the background and the Rip Curl Pro has had some amazing achievements over the years. Since its inception in 2012, commercial food organic recycling has diverted 4.78 tonnes from landfill. “

WSL chief executive officer Sophie Goldschmidt said the league was continually looking at ways to reduce the footprint its events leave on the areas in which they are held and on the environment as a whole.

“We are so thrilled to hear that this year, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach has seen its best waste diversion rate to date and is such a testament to the great work done by the Surf Coast Shire, and Surfing Victoria along with their event partners and the WSL.”