1 Jan 2022

A game changer for all our yellow bin recyclables | Wine Coast Whippet

Richard Evans

South Australia's largest and most advanced household recyclables facility which is able to process 60,000 tonnes of yellow bin recyclables every year has opened in Seaford Heights.

The Southern Materials Recovery Facility (SMRF) was opened by Senator Andrew McLachlan in November and coincided with the 25th anniversary of National Recycling Week.

The state-of-the-art 6,000 sq m SMRF deploys world-leading advanced screening and optical sorting technologies to process 25,000kg of recyclables every hour including cardboard, plastic and glass.

It is Australia's first major materials recycling facility designed to meet the Council of Australian Government's export ban requirements which ensures waste is processed and reused in Australia rather than being shipped overseas.

The facility is a joint initiative of Australian recycling and resource recovery specialist Re.Group and the Southern Region Waste Recycling Authority (SRWRA), which is made up of City of Holdfast Bay, City of Marion and City of Onkaparinga.

It is also the first Australian materials recycling facility to be developed through a public-private partnership with the federal government chipping in a $5.3 million community development grant which allows the facility to also service other regional councils and commercial businesses.

SRWRA Chair Mark Booth said the SMRF was a game changer for waste management and resource recovery in SA.

"The SMRF will set a new benchmark for materials recovery facilities and raise the bar as Australia's recycling industry continues to evolve and mature to meet the growing demand for domestic processing," Mr Booth said.

The SMRF employs 18 full-time sta? with senior employees requiring advanced manufacturing skills to use the cutting edge technologies to process the regions recyclables.

Senator for South Australia Andrew McLachlan CSC said the new facility would lead the nation in recycling and resource recovery.

"This is the most state-of-the-art recycling centre in the country that is going to set a new benchmark for Australia," he said.

"Communities across Adelaide's southern suburbs and the Fleurieu Peninsula can now be confident their recyclable waste is being processed to world-class standards and reused right here in Australia.

"Recycling is one of the most practical ways we can reduce needless waste going to landfill and save our planet from destruction. The Federal Government has provided significant funding to this project and we are committed to supporting the ongoing development of new recycling technology in line with our net zero emissions by 2050 target." Living in a community that is sustainable and at one with natures is essential Senator McLachlan said.

"We do not want future generations to exist amongst the waste we leave behind."