A 12-month trial on a cotton farm just outside the rural town of Goondiwindi, Queensland, has shown it’s possible to divert large amounts of end-of-life cotton textile waste from landfill with no harm done to soil health or cotton yields.

Project collaborators are confident that with a solid business plan and more research, returning shredded cotton products to cotton fields could soon offer benefits to soil health, and a scalable solution to the massive global problem of textile waste.

According to Cotton Research and Development Corporation supported soil scientist Dr Oliver Knox of University of Newcastle (UNE): “At the very least the trial showed that no harm was done to soil health, with microbial activity slightly increased and at least 2070 kg of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO_2e) mitigated through the breakdown of these garments in soil rather than landfill.

“The trial diverted around two tonnes of textile waste from landfill with no negative impact on cotton planting, emergence, growth or harvest. Soil carbon levels remained stable and the soil’s bugs responded well to the added cotton material,” Knox said.

“There also appeared to be no adverse effect from dyes and finishes although more testing is needed on a wider range of chemicals to be absolutely sure of that.”

According to farmer Sam Coulton, the cotton fields easily “swallowed up” the shredded cotton material, giving him confidence that this composting method has practical long-term potential.

“We spread the cotton textile waste a few months before cotton planting in June 2021 and by January and the middle of the season the cotton waste had all but disappeared, even at the rate of 50 tonnes to the hectare,” Coulton said.

“I wouldn’t expect to see improvements in soil health or yield for at least five years as the benefits need time to accumulate, but I was very encouraged that there was no detrimental impact on our soils.

“In the past we’ve spread cotton gin trash on other parts of the farm and have seen dramatic improvements in the moisture-holding capacity on these fields so would expect the same using shredded cotton waste.”

The project, under the guidance of circular economy specialists Coreo, was a partnership between the Queensland Government, Goondiwindi Cotton, Sheridan, Cotton Australia, Worn Up, and Cotton Research and Development Corporation supported soil scientist Dr Oliver Knox of UNE.

Around two tonnes of end-of-life cotton textiles from Sheridan and State Emergency Service coveralls were processed at Worn Up in Sydney, transported to ‘Alcheringa’ farm and spread onto a cotton field by local farmer Sam Coulton.

According to Cotton Australia’s Brooke Summers, there is keen interest in further collaboration from industry groups, government, farmers, brands and potential investors.

“There’s certainly a huge amount of interest in this idea and the trial results, and while we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, we are hopeful that over time this will evolve to deliver a scalable solution for cotton textile waste here in Australia,” Summers said.

“We’re excited to announce the trial will be replicated in the 2022–23 cotton season, with cotton farmer Scott Morgan’s Gunnedah property in NSW added as a second site. This will give us further confidence the results we’ve already seen can be replicated across time and geographies.”

The project team will now set its sights on how best to collaborate on the way forward with a number of options already on the table:

• The Cotton Research and Development Corporation has committed to funding a three-year cotton textiles composting research project by the University of Newcastle that will further investigate the effects of dyes and finishes and look at ways to pelletise cotton textiles so they can be spread on fields using existing farm machinery.
• A repeat of the trial at Alcheringa with Sam Coulton and his team keen to also develop a business case, purchase a shredder and potentially provide a model for employment in regional cotton communities. The trial will also move to a second farm in Gunnedah NSW, ‘Kensal Green’, owned by cotton grower Scott Morgan.
• Sheridan, together with parent company Hanes Australasia, has committed to provide additional end-of-life cotton textiles and offcuts for the trial in 2022–23.
   

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/miwa

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/article/textile-circularity-cotton-fields-swallow-up-textile-waste-897327539

Biax is a recycled, recyclable, Australian-made product that can provide an alternative to the waffle pod. It is claimed to deliver the benefits of the polystyrene pod without the environmental downsides as it is made of recycled and recyclable material called Reprolene.

Produced by Biax’s new parent company Holloway Group, Biax pods are stackable, so they’re easier to transport and store onsite compared with foam pods. Pods for a 180 m² home can be delivered on a single-axle trailer and each pod weighs less than 3 kg.

Rather than simply replicating the same sizes as waffle pods, the Biax sizes are specifically calculated to provide good engineering outcomes when laying residential foundations. The range includes pods of different dimensions as well as new mini and adjustable pods to help ensure a more predictable result and accurate concrete forecasting.

Suitable for residential foundations of any size, the adjustable system is easy to install and endorsed by leading engineers and builders.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/product/biax-recycled-building-system-1055040856

Rockwell Automation and the University of Melbourne have partnered to help Australian companies involved in the manufacturing and resource industry use digital tools to reach their decarbonisation goals.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the organisations to collaborate on research, develop training, and solve problems that are faced by these sectors. Rockwell will contribute engineering and product training, while the University of Melbourne’s experience with research and innovation will be used to help build solutions to issues that businesses face in dealing with decarbonisation.

Anthony Wong, regional director, South Pacific, Rockwell Automation, said: “Decarbonisation is now front of mind for Australian industrial companies. They know they must act to remain attractive to consumers and meet compliance targets, but they often don’t know how to start or where to focus their energies for the greatest returns.

“Rockwell Automation and the University of Melbourne are coming together to share our expertise and explore practical solutions to this challenge.”

Professor Mark Cassidy, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Melbourne, said the MoU meant that outcomes will be achieved that would be impossible for each organisation on its own.

“Our engineering and information technology talent and resources, and Rockwell’s capital and expertise are perfectly placed to achieve the digital transformation of Australian industrial manufacturing that is needed,” Cassidy said.

“We see this collaboration as a key opportunity to demonstrate the University’s research capabilities, while providing opportunities to enrich our students’ learning experience through industry-led challenges and access to state-of-the-art technology.”

Industrial partners expressed support for the partnership, seeing the potential outcomes as highly positive.

Anthony Bourke, General Manager, Operations, Bega Foods said: “Bega Cheese have seen the advantages of partnering with the University of Melbourne. The value of bringing together a leading, global technology provider in Rockwell Automation, with the University and industry will be of great benefit to all parties.”

Michelle Ash, Technology Executive, Oz Minerals said: “Developing strong tripartite relationships between industry, solution providers and universities, is fundamentally important to accelerating development and solving important strategic problems in vital industries.”

Associate Professor Jo Staines, Enterprise Fellow, University of Melbourne said: “Learnings from the pandemic are still emerging, but I hope we are appreciating the value of a competitive and sustainable local manufacturing industry. Striving for cost competitiveness and improved sustainability should not be seen as opposing business goals. We can achieve both — reducing waste lowers costs and improves sustainability, and likewise, integrated digital solutions can enhance market responsiveness and encourage circularity.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/gstockstudio

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/rockwell-automation-and-unimelb-unveil-collaboration-584974916

A team of scientists from Australia and America have developed a non-flammable electrolyte material for sodium batteries, which are claimed to be safer and cheaper than their lithium-ion brethren.

Liquid electrolytes currently used in lithium and sodium batteries can be flammable if exposed to particular conditions. Therefore, they can pose a safety risk for applications such as in electric vehicles.

Now, a team of researchers from Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials has been working on a solid polymer electrolyte material that replaces the flammable solvents. These developments may serve as a pathway towards a safer form of battery.

An important component in the electrolyte was developed by Dr Cheng Zhang and Professor Andrew K Whittaker from the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. Researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago and the University of California Santa Barbara also contributed to the research.

“Most industries that develop sodium batteries generally use carbon-based electrode and liquid electrolyte, which has low capacity and also can fuel a fire if the battery overheats,” said Dr Xiaoen Wang, who is leading the research.

“We are taking a different approach, using reactive sodium metal as an anode to increase battery capacity and in the process are developing safer electrolytes to ensure the safety of sodium batteries.”

The researchers have stated that this is the first time that a fluorine-containing polymer has been used in solid-state sodium batteries before, with its use allowing them to be solvent-free and therefore less likely to be set alight spontaneously.

Additionally, one particular advantage of sodium batteries is that they have a low production cost, with sodium being plentiful and cheap.

“As lithium could become a rare commodity, the price of lithium batteries is high, while on the other hand, sodium resources are more abundant,” Wang said. “Our polymer will support the use of sodium batteries, which are low-cost when compared to lithium batteries.”

The use of the electrolyte material is helping to counteract another problem of sodium-based batteries, which is their reduced lifespan and lower energy density; by adopting it the scientists have found that their batteries have been able to reach 1000 cycles, which is comparable to a lithium battery.

Having done small-scale testing, the researchers are continuing their research, and larger models and prototypes will be moved ahead with soon. They are also hoping to utilise the batteries in solar energy storage or for electric cars in the future.

The full paper describing the electrolyte material is available from the journal Nature Materials.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/meenkulathiamma

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/article/safer-solid-state-batteries-may-be-on-the-horizon-849146919

Ventia has collaborated with Veolia to deliver an innovative solution for textile destruction using a recycling system that converts textiles to biofuel. The system was first trialled at six Ventia-managed clothing store sites — CICKS Darwin, Townsville, Enoggera, RAAF Base Edinburgh, HMAS Cerberus and Bandiana — and has now been rolled out nationally.

The challenge

Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are required to return combat clothing for disposal to prevent access by unauthorised personnel. Historically, a clothing store employee would cut items into strips with scissors by hand. This manual process was both time-consuming and posed a safety risk, particularly when hand-cutting combat boots. The strips were then used as rags or taken to local animal shelters, but unfortunately often ended up in landfill.

The solution

Ventia collaborated with Veolia to find a solution that would divert the uniforms from landfill, ensure certainty of destruction, and support Ventia and ADF’s sustainability targets.

In the trial, Veolia provided secure 600 L and 240 L tamper-proof disposal bins at each clothing store. Once full, Shred-X (sub-contracted by Veolia) collected the bins and the uniforms were machine-shredded, incinerated and converted to biofuel. The biofuel was sent to a facility that used it for electricity. 

Across the three-month trial, nearly 7 tonnes (6894 kg) of combat uniform were diverted from landfill and converted to approximately 700 L of biofuel. That is the equivalent of the fuel required for approx 10 car trips from Albury to Canberra.

Phillip McIntosh, Ventia’s Efficiency and Improvement Program Manager said: “The environmental and sustainability benefits of this initiative support Defence’s environmental and sustainability targets by diverting a significant volume of waste from landfill.” 

The recycling solution has streamlined processes and reduced time in manual handling at the clothing stores.

Application across Australia

The system has now been rolled out across all National Clothing Stores nationally. It has also been applied in other areas of Ventia’s Defence business such as linen disposal in its Housekeeping Services for its Defence-Based Services contract.

When Hayley French, Ventia’s National Service Delivery Manager for Domestic Services, heard of the plans to upgrade beds on Defence sites, she looked into applying the system used at its National Clothing Stores. She applied for an ‘Innovation to Defence’ to have the new process formally approved and now all linen and long-term lost property items can be disposed of through the same system. RAAF Woomera has been the first base to use this disposal method, discarding a year’s worth of redundant linen.

April Taylor, Ventia’s Domestic Services Coordinator at the RAAF base in Woomera, said: “The whole process turned out to be very quick and simple, and it was a pleasure to work with all partners involved.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Konov

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/case-study/textiles-to-biofuels-initiative-1319846471

After the Renewable Energy Target was abolished back in 2015, there were serious doubts about whether the industry would survive let alone transform into the multibillion-dollar industry as we see it today. Within just six years, Australia has made active steps to becoming a global clean energy export superpower, signalling the inevitability of a clean energy future.

The Australian renewable energy industry generated and accounted for 32.5% of the nation’s total electricity in 2021, continuing to break records backed by an impressive project tracker including various solar and wind initiatives that are currently under construction. Though our clean energy future has never looked brighter, there are still a number of challenges to address and overcome in the coming years.

With this topic in the crosshairs, All-Energy Australia is returning bigger and better than ever to Melbourne in October, shining a light on the nation’s roadmap to a clean energy future and offering a networking opportunity for thousands of industry professionals.

Held in partnership with the Clean Energy Council and co-located with Waste Expo Australia, this free-to-attend exhibition and conference is where renewable energy professionals can get exclusive access to the latest technologies and trends. This year’s program will host an impressive list of speakers discussing the latest in solar energy, energy storage, hydrogen energy, electric vehicles and bioenergy, alongside an expo floor with over 250 suppliers including the likes of GoodWe, Growatt, Nextracker and Sungrow.

Registrations for All-Energy Australia are now open, with the event set to take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 26–27 October 2022. VIP passes will be available for purchase, which includes access to video recordings of sessions in the plenary hall, speaker-approved PDF files of All-Energy Australia and Waste Expo Australia presentations and catering.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Taras Vyshnya

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/article/all-energy-australia-shining-a-light-on-the-nation-s-roadmap-to-a-clean-energy-future-1317935279

REMONDIS Australia has announced that it will be relying on solar power generation for its facilities across the country, implementing plans to double its renewable energy generation capacity this year, with the goal of sourcing all electricity in this manner by 2025.

Solar panels have already been installed at the company’s Springmount site in Queensland and its Awaba and St Marys sites in NSW. Its locations in Rocklea and Northgate in Queensland, Dandenong South in Victoria, Wingfield in South Australia and Henderson in Western Australia will soon be fitted with new solar electricity infrastructure.

Additionally, REMONDIS is already relying on solar in two depots, in Port Macquarie and Unanderra in NSW, and others may join the growing list of facilities using the sun for energy generation. The photovoltaic systems were installed by Atlas Renewables.

The company plans to increase its renewable energy generation to over 3 MW and the plan to embrace solar electricity is driven by its Sustainability Objectives and Targets, which align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“We take a lead on green practices when it comes to managing waste, and we also achieve our sustainability goals through in-house measures,” REMONDIS Australia National Technical Manager Amir Tadros said.

“Given that we’re a major industrial operator with sites all around Australia, shifting towards solar electricity use is a no-brainer. Reducing our reliance on grid supplied energy is good for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s good for us, too.

“As a major industrial operator within Australia, it is important to target reductions in the full scope of REMONDIS’s greenhouse gas emissions to help reduce not only our own environmental impacts, but also those of the customers we serve.”

Also being introduced by the business will be measures to capture gases from its Swanbank Landfill in Southeast Queensland and use them to generate more electricity.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/remondis-australia-embraces-solar-power-66565948

The Young Utility Leaders (YULs) for 2022/2023 have been announced, with Sydney Water’s Elliot Cichero selected as one of the recipients.

Each year the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) selects members aged 30 or under who are working in the water industry to receive personal and leadership skills development, and coaching from the Peter Cullen Trust. After 12 months, YULs will be able to pitch to the WSAA Board for the chance to win the Ross Young Scholarship.

“It’s an honour to be selected for this year’s program. I look forward to being inspired by senior experts in the urban water space and further developing my leadership skills,” Cichero said.

“I also welcome the opportunity to work with and learn from the experiences of the other young leaders in this year’s cohort and the different climate challenges they are facing across the country.”

Cichero works as a Resilience & Climate Change Adaption Analyst; this involves looking at how climate change is affecting Sydney Water’s assets and business functions. It also involves reporting on the company’s carbon emissions and progress towards net zero.

“I’m passionate about climate change mitigation and adaptation and I’m committed to being proactive in this space to ensure the future we leave for generations to come is sustainable.”

The other YULs for the year are: Esther Cooper, TasWater; Kate Buckley, Seqwater; Lachlan Glascodine, Melbourne Water; Liz Duguid, Water Corporation; and Ricardo Kobas, Barwon Water.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Yingyaipumi

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/wsaa-s-young-utility-leaders-announced-1433259249

The Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC) has opened its Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant in Western Australia. The plant will enable the development of technology and capability for the country to design and build cathode precursor manufacturing facilities.

Cathode precursors are necessary parts of batteries but require precision engineering and specialised materials. Australia has mineable resources that would make it a competitive location for the development of the precursors; specifically, it could utilise its nickel, cobalt, manganese, graphite and lithium to produce them.

The newly unveiled facility will link with other FBICRC flagship projects across Australia, including the National Battery Testing Centre at the Queensland University of Technology, battery materials research at the University of Technology Sydney, electrolyte research at Deakin University and battery anode research at the University of Melbourne.

Shannon O’Rourke, CEO of the FBICRC said, “The launch of the Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant is the culmination of several years of hard work, collaboration and integration by industry-leading partners and academic institutions, to progress the current and future needs of industry. We’re delighted to see this world-class facility up and running.

“The incoming government has committed to a National Battery Strategy which will help to seize local battery manufacturing opportunities. The Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant will be a key enabler to build an Australian manufacturing capability.”

The pilot plant will run test campaigns to assess precursor cathode active material (P-CAM) product units from BASF. These units will let the plant run different compositions and ratios of chemistries simultaneously, or run the same chemistries under four different conditions, changing variables such as temperature, pH or stirring rate. The resulting P-CAM will then be lithiated, calcined and electrochemically tested at the FBICRC-funded Electrochemical Testing Facility at the Queensland University of Technology. BHP Nickel West will also be providing equipment.

The FBICRC foresees Australia becoming a manufacturing powerhouse for the cathode precursors. Additionally, waste products of the manufacturing will be used to make fertiliser.

“Australia has the potential to develop into a competitive player in the international batteries industry. The Pilot Plant launch is a significant step in developing the on-shore capabilities and industry knowledge to create thousands of jobs and add billions of dollars to our economy,” O’Rourke said.

Matthias Dohrn, Senior Vice President, Global Battery Base Metals and Recycling, BASF said: “As a country rich in mineral resources, Australia is in a unique position to become a leading player in the global battery industry. BASF is delighted to be part of this development with our collaboration with the FBICRC and its members.”

Jessica Farrell, Asset President at Nickel West, said: “The launch of the Cathode Precursor Pilot Plant is a vital step towards developing a future growth industry here in Western Australia. The launch of this plant, made possible through the repurposing of equipment from our Nickel Sulphate Pilot Plant, will allow the FBICRC and the state government to explore further options for a downstream battery materials manufacturing industry. This is another exciting step for BHP as a major supplier of nickel, a commodity highly sought after by car and battery manufacturers across the globe.”

WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston said: “Launching the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre’s Precursor Production Pilot Plant today is an exciting step forward for Western Australia’s burgeoning battery materials manufacturing industry.

“The McGowan government is committed to growing and diversifying Western Australia’s mining industry.

“Western Australia isn’t just famous for having all the minerals you need to make a battery, we also have the capabilities to progress down the value chain and grow our battery manufacturing and downstream processing industries.”

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/charging-up-crucial-component-for-local-battery-industry-457721173

A trial of a biomethane project has begun at Sydney Water’s Malabar Wastewater Recovery Plant. The pilot program will use renewable biomethane to help up to 13,000 homes with their energy needs.

Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson said the provision of the renewable gas that has been produced from wastewater will help households reduce their carbon footprint in a more sustainable way.

“The Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility will create approximately 95,000 gigajoules of biomethane, from organic material in wastewater, to supply gas to around 6300 homes by the end of the year, with the capacity to double production by 2030,” Anderson said.

“This five-year pilot will put gas directly into the supply network and will also help industries across NSW meet their net-zero emissions targets, with the facility able to turn waste material into a new clean energy source.”

Sydney Water’s General Manager of Asset Lifecycle Paul Plowman said the project is expected to remove 5000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

“As Greater Sydney grows and the volume through our network increases, innovation-based partnerships will be crucial to unlocking the potential of wastewater to help power Greater Sydney,” Plowman said.

The $16 million project is a joint partnership between the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) — which has provided a $5.9 million grant — and the NSW Government, Sydney Water and energy infrastructure company Jemena.

It is expected that the entire system will be completed by the year’s end, with the gas supplied to the network soon after.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/wastewater/news/biomethane-production-trial-begins-in-sydney-149403394