WASTE-SORTING ON-SITE PROVIDES COST SAVINGS

DATS can supply a set of skip bins so wastes can be sorted directly into segregated bins on your site. DATS has special purpose 1m³ and 2m³ recycling pods for modest size waste removal jobs. Recycling pods are clearly labelled and colour-coded for the different recycling categories. A set of regular skip bins can be used on larger jobs. A set of recycling pods or bins can be kept on-site for the duration of the job and emptied as they become full. Separating wastes into the different waste recycling categories on-site ready for collection by DATS can substantially reduce waste management costs.

Mixed waste is taken to a waste sorting depot where reusable materials are recovered for processing and the remainder is sent to landfill. Separating wastes on-site eliminates the cost of waste sorting, eliminates the cost of transporting material from the sorting facility to a reprocessing plant reduces the total amount of waste sent to landfill from about 15% to 5%. It also reduces the consumption of energy for waste sorting and transport of sorted wastes.

Recoverable materials are re-used in the following ways:

• Cardboard, paper, plastics and metals are processed for reuse.
• Timber is recycled.
• Brick and concrete wastes are crushed to produce aggregate.
• Clean soil, sandstone and rocks are separated and processed for landscape uses.
• Vegetation is processed to produce mulch for landscaping.

Waste sent to land fill currently attracts a substantial NSW EPA levy in addition to landfill charges. The levy was introduced as an incentive to encourage recycling and discourage disposing of wastes to landfill. The levy will increase by $10 per tonne per year plus a CPI adjustment for the next six years. Because the EPA levy, landfill charges and waste transport are all charged by the tonne it is particularly important to separate out heavy wastes: soil, sandstone, rocks, bricks, concrete and metals.

Getting rid of waste is getting more and more expensive. Recycling helps us to hold costs down. DATS crane trucks make organising the delivery and of pick-up bins easy. There is no need to worry about access for trucks. The hi-ab arm allows bins to be lifted over the usual site clutter of materials and equipment. We have two bins delivered at the beginning of a job – one for masonry and one for light waste. We have them replaced as they are filled.

Luke Humphreys, Construction Manager, Tareena Constructions Pty Ltd