Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR)

Great to see Penny Sharpe MLC announcing plans for the NSW Government to introduce legislation for mandatory #battery regulation in 2025. This initiative aims to address the growing risks of battery-related fires and promote safe disposal practices through #productstewardship.   #NSW and #Victoria presented a draft Regulatory Impact Statement at this week’s #EnvironmentMinistersMeeting, outlining options for reforms to ensure batteries are safely managed throughout their lifecycle. This includes measures for safer #battery disposal, #recycling initiatives, and public education campaigns.   With over 10,000 battery-related fires and heat events a year across Australia waste and recycling systems, these actions are critical.   Stakeholder consultation will shape the final regulations, including industry and local government input.   https://lnkd.in/gNFhYaPn   #BatterySafety #BatteryRegulations #BatteryRecycling #ProductStewardship #FireSafety #NSWEnvironment  

#ACOR member Samsara Eco has announced a new development in #recycling technology: enzymes capable of infinitely recycling nylon 6, a synthetic fibre widely used in apparel, hosiery, and automotive. This advancement builds on their existing capabilities to recycle nylon 6,6 and polyester, aiming to reduce reliance on virgin plastics and address textile waste challenges. With less than 1% of textiles currently made from recycled materials, this innovation offers a potential pathway to greater circularity in the textile and fashion industries. Using their proprietary enzyme design platform, Samsara Eco seeks to enable precise and scalable recycling for various fibres, including mixed and dyed materials. https://lnkd.in/gjCMYrtj #TextileRecycling #ClimateTech #PlasticWaste #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #RecyclingInnovation

AORA - Australian Organics Recycling Association Limited has released a vital call to action to protect compost quality and drive Australia’s transition to a #circulareconomy.   #AORA is urging bans on #plastic fruit and vegetable food labels, plastic bread seals, and #styrofoam food packaging; also emphasising the need for better disposal management of disposable wipes, batteries (including vapes), and all types of plastic packaging, as these contaminants pose significant challenges to organic recycling.   Urgent action and collaboration across industries and communities is required to achieve cleaner compost and maximising environmental benefits.   https://lnkd.in/g6uUQn-y   #CompostQuality #OrganicRecycling #OrganicCompost #PlasticPackaging #BatterySafety #Batteries #SustainableFuture  

With Australia’s Environment Ministers set to meet, the #ACOR, Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (#WMRR), and Total Environment Centre (#TEC) have united to demand urgent mandatory regulation for end-of-life #batteries.   Current fire risks and environmental threats posed by improperly disposed batteries and consumer electronics, including #vapes and #escooter batteries, are unacceptable. We are calling for a new product stewardship scheme to ensure the safe disposal and recovery of all loose and embedded batteries.   ACOR CEO Suzanne Toumbourou emphasises: “Australia’s recycling sector faces an existential threat from batteries incorrectly disposed of in traditional bins. The safety of our workers and infrastructure is at stake.”   https://lnkd.in/gyksNk7u   #BatteryFires #BatterySafety #eWaste #ProducerResponsibility #ProductStewardship #Sustainability #CircularEconomy

Ahead of the state and federal #environment ministers meeting on 10 December, Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) CEO Suzanne Toumbourou tells us why Australia must urgently support markets for our #homegrown #recycling. Lindy Hughson Jan Arreza Navanpreet Kaur Sharon Rose Amos #PKN #PKNPackagingNews

ACOR's CEO Suzanne Toumbourou outlines the priority of supporting markets for Australian #recycled materials through #packaging reform in PKN Packaging News today. Every piece of packaging in Australia— whether locally made or imported — ultimately ends up in Australian bins. Packaging imported to Australia must be reprocessed domestically. To support a viable domestic #recycling system, we must ensure that this reprocessed material has a robust, sustainable market. It is critical that forthcoming packaging regulations ensure procurement of locally recycled packaging. https://lnkd.in/g9gAaHch

As Australia progresses national #packaging laws to cut waste and boost #recycling, we must prioritise Australian-made #recycledcontent and level the playing field for local producers. Our newly released policy on #recycled content in packaging outlines key steps to support our industry and secure a #sustainable future. Let's work together to reduce waste and drive a domestic #circulareconomy. https://lnkd.in/gjHfQf2T

The #InternationalCompostAlliance proudly joins the global effort to emphasise the importance of healthy soils in sustaining life on Earth on #WorldSoilDay.   This year's theme, "Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage," reminds us that understanding soil characteristics is essential for sustainable management and food security.   ICA members worldwide are hosting webinars and events exploring compost’s role in soil health and #sustainable agriculture.   Read more and register for the webinars here - https://lnkd.in/gBBcmwZA   #WorldSoilDay #Compost #Sustainability #SoilHealth #CircularEconomy AORA - Australian Organics Recycling Association Limited

Congratulations to #ACOR member Close the Loop Australia, who have received $2.35 million from the Australian and NSW Governments to establish an advanced #recycling facility in southwest NSW.    The facility will process 4,400 tonnes of post-consumer #softplastics annually into products like bins, pallets, and #TonerPlas — an engineered asphalt additive.   This innovative project, part of the #RecyclingModernisationFund, is a major step towards reducing plastic waste, boosting the #circulareconomy, and creating jobs in NSW. Well done to Close the Loop for driving sustainability forward!    https://lnkd.in/gY8a_R78   #SoftPlasticsRecycling #PlasticRecycling #Sustainability #JobsInRecycling

#ACOR, Total Environment Centre and Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia have joined forces to call for urgent mandatory regulation of all end-of-life batteries ahead of Australia’s environment ministers’ meeting on Tuesday 10 December.    Current product stewardship schemes are falling very short, with batteries and battery-powered consumer electronics causing over 10,000 fires annually across waste and recycling streams, posing serious risks to workers, infrastructure, and the #environment.   We urge governments to adopt a mandatory product stewardship scheme for all batteries, including those embedded in consumer electronics, addressing design standards, accessible collection, and nationwide education to ensure safe and #sustainable #endoflifebattery management.    Read more here - https://lnkd.in/gECThsck   #EWaste #ProductStewardship #Batteries #EndOfLifeBatteries #EnvironmentalSafety #BatteryFires