Q&A with Courtney McGregor

Updates and Innovations

Speaking on Thursday 13^th August, 2016 at 2:15pm-3:45pm

Courtney McGregor

 

Q1: What do you think is one of emerging innovations that will change the industry for this year?

I think with the growing issue of Food Waste going to landfill this beckons more innovation from the waste industry but also the food and hospitality industry.  Closed Loop believes food waste technologies will even be brought closer to home for the consumer either it be through more widespread collection systems or small onsite composting machines.

 

Q2: What do you expect will be a major challenge for the waste and recycling industry over the next five years?

I believe there are three major challenges we will face in the next five years.  The first challenge is that we can expect greater scrutiny from business owners on how their waste will be managed by their waste contractor(s).  We have seen overseas that business owners as well as the media place a far greater amount of accountability on their waste industry.  Our challenge is to have the right mechanisms, collections and infrastructure to handle this greater awareness and desire to have commercial waste managed more environmentally responsibly.

 

Also, we need a clear channel to create a meaningful change campaign.  We need a consistent and simple message that all cultures of our vast nation can understand and make change to their lives. We got off the couch 35 years ago when Norm (Life Be In it) gave us inspiration.  The recycling industry needs a similar campaign.  Currently, there is still confusion within the industry and with the common public of what goes into each bin.
The last major challenge I believe will our industry will face is the change to a weight based charging mechanism as opposed to volume based charging.   The current method of invoicing is confusing to the customer and to my earlier point the customer will start to demand clarity on how their waste is managed and charged.  A weight based system has many challenges for the industry but with every challenge there is opportunity.  Even the discussion about it will bring out a much needed and desired revamp of how our industry handles change and innovates.

 

Q3: How can Closed Loop help businesses reduce their waste?

Our mantra is that “you cannot manage what you do not measure.”  As a result, in a Closed Loop program we empower our customers to know exactly what is going into their bins and therefore better grasp what they are being charged for.  When this is in place we have clarity and confidence to go to the market for the best waste solution and waste provider.

At Closed Loop we look at waste holistically.  In order to reduce it we look at what is creating the waste in the first place.  Once we understand (and better yet control) these ‘inputs’ we are then in a great position to devise a system to best manage the ‘outputs.’

To support this system Closed Loop supplies environmentally sustainable packaging to our customers, we continually scope and offer the latest waste management technologies, and we provides best practice waste management advice on a consultancy basis.

 

Q4: What advice do you have for others thinking of making the change?

“…grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”