GREEN WASTE STREAM IS A MUST

Thursday, 07 May 2009 23:11

TEC called for the introduction of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme to keep toxic waste such as lead batteries out of landfills and Advanced Waste Treatment (AWT) plants.

 “We must divert lead batteries and other nasties from our composting waste streams,” said TEC’s spokesperson, Helen Kerley.

“Batteries, particularly used, lead-acid car batteries (aka ULABs) are a major source of contamination for AWTs, and render compost worthless. Just two crushed ULABs are enough to contaminate a day’s compost production at a standard AWT plant.”

Creating top quality compost which is not contaminated by plastics, e-waste, and other hazardous waste, is imperative said Kerley.

“AWTs represent some of the best practice approaches to waste management. It makes environmental and economic sense to divert rubbish from landfill to composting and recycling streams.”  

Kerley also pointed out that each tonne of lead manufactured from virgin resources emits around 2.1 tonnes of CO2-e.

“Australia urgently needs to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the manufacture of lead from primary raw materials and recovery of the lead from batteries will help,” she said.