An exciting new program assisting local businesses to identify new ways of recycling their waste is set to roll out across the region in the coming months.
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Skillset CEO Craig Randazzo is thrilled that his organisation has been successful in its bid to deliver the Environment Protection Authority (EPA’s) Industrial Ecology Business Network grant for inland NSW.
The grant is part of the Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.
“We are really excited to have been chosen to facilitate a program that not only helps local businesses maintain a competitive edge, but one that can have such a positive impact on the environment,” he said.
Skillset’s operations manager Ashley Bland said the idea was really simple, but effective.
He said, in essence, it comes down to what a business throws out and what they need.
A third party, in this case Skillset, will collect this information and join up the dots to see how businesses can help each other out.
Mr Bland said there was already an excellent example of this principle at work in the region.
He said Simplot ends up with a lot of corn waste but, instead of putting that waste into landfill, it is sent to farms to feed livestock.
Mr Bland said particleboard is made in the area, and there are businesses who are currently throwing out pallets.
“We are so excited about this program. It is one of the best things we could be doing to support the community,” Mr Bland said.
“Business owners don’t have the time or energy to work out what they can do with their waste.
“It’s just not on their radar because they are so busy.
“That is where we come in.”
Mr Bland said as part of the program Skillset will run workshops and compile a data base of materials in the region, listing what businesses throw out and what they need.
“What we are trying to do is help the community do something more useful with the waste they are currently throwing away,” Mr Bland said.
“There is no sense in filling up the tip with materials that are useful to someone else.
“Let’s reserve the landfill for things we can’t do anything else with.”
The EPA estimates that up to 70 per cent of waste that businesses send to landfill could be recycled and this funding is targeted at making it as easy as possible for businesses to do that.
Interested businesses and organisations can get involved in the program by contacting Mr Bland on 6330 1400 or by attending one of the breakfast meetings hosted around the region in the coming weeks.