CUSTOMER
the zero waste
challenge
Achieving zero waste to landfill is a challenging target for any
organisation, but one government department in South Australia
has shown how it can be done.
In 2005, the Department of Community and
Social Inclusion (DCSI) set out on a journey
to minimise its environmental impact. Their
original vision was immense but simple
in its message: to be the first major State
Government Department in South Australia to
achieve Zero Waste status.
Initial recycling and waste audits of the
department offices in metropolitan Adelaide and
regional South Australia showed that they were
starting from a very low base. The department
had no recycling practices in place, with the
majority of all waste material collected being
sent direct to landfill.
Following a vigorous tender process, DCSI
enlisted the expertise of SUEZ’s South
Australian Recycling & waste recovery division,
to help improve the department’s waste and
recycling practices and assist them to meet
their bold vision of achieving Zero Waste
status, initially within their offices located in the
Riverside Centre in Adelaide’s CBD.
Fast forward a few years and the results are
not only commendable but are considered
best-practice for all government departments in
South Australia.
During this time, SUEZ has focused on not only
delivering, but completely out-performing, its
commitments to help the department realise its
Zero Waste potential.
SUEZ ‘s SA Sales Manager, Chris Plummer,
said that the principal requirement of achieving
the department’s goal of diverting waste from
landfill was to separate unwanted resources
into streams that contain no contaminates.
“It’s a simple theory and one that we all practice
at home. General waste goes into general waste
bins, organic waste including paper towels
from kitchens and washrooms into organic bins
and paper and cardboard waste into paper and
cardboard bins,” Chris said.
SUEZ also implemented simple but effective
source separated systems for plastic,
polystyrene, glass bottles, plastic containers,
cartons, steel and aluminum cans.
Leading the drive to improve the department’s
environmental management practices was John
McInnes, Team Leader, Building Services and
Sustainability, DCSI.
*SUEZ Recycling and Recovery (referred to as SUEZ)
(ABN 70 002 902 650) is the new business name of SITA
Australia Pty Ltd. SITA Australia Pty Ltd is part of the
SUEZ global group of companies. SUEZ Recycling and
Recovery is a joint venture with Sembcorp.
NOV 2014
DCSI’s Riverside Centre in Adelaide, SA.
“We initially focused on the DCSI Riverside
Centre, using the premises as our test case for a
variety of different sustainability activities, John
explained.
“Initiatives such as a printer and paper reduction
program and the introduction of a three-bin
waste and recycling system had an immediate
impact on our landfill diversion rates,” he said.
sustainability – Zero Waste status in the 2009-10
financial year. This meant that none of the waste
generated within the offices went to landfill.
The department’s status also confirmed in an
independent report that was the first major
State Government office to achieve Zero Waste
status in South Australia and it is thought to be
the first in Australia.
Some practices were a little harder to get over
the line as the staff were confronted with the
need to change their existing habits.
John said that there was some initial resistance
from some people, but focusing on attitudinal
change, raising awareness and reinforcing
positive actions had a great impact on employee
behaviour.
“We used every means to spread the ‘green
message’ to engage our people in helping us to
reach our sustainability targets. We developed
the Greening Ambassadors program and
communicated through internal newsletters,
educational signage and our intranet,” he said.
With SUEZ’s help, DCSI’s Riverside Centre
achieved the holy grail of environmental
And it didn’t stop there. SUEZ now provides
the same resource recovery practices to DCSI,
Housing SA, Disability SA, Domiciliary Care SA,
Youth Justice and other affiliated divisions with a
94.52 per cent diversion rate across all 42 sites
serviced.