Loop Organics: Closing the Loop

AWRE Exhibitor, Loop Organics, has been busy in three years since the last AWRE show and is a must-visit for professionals anticipating the impending NSW 2025 landfill targets.

“The NSW EPA targets of zero organics into landfill is just around the corner, so we all need to be planning now,” said Loop Organics Director, Lisa Rawlinson.

While Loop is predominantly focused on liquid waste, the company has invested in a major composting facility in the Hunter Valley to support its food manufacturing clients.

“Some customers are very aware of the EPA 2025 targets while others are still realising the potential impact to their business practice. Many talk about Net Zero targets, which are also on the horizon, but there are many other pressing EPA targets to think about,” said Lisa.

“The AWRE show will provide us with an opportunity to inform the industry and discuss alternative strategies in person. It will also be great to see our clients again after so long,” she said.

A major challenge of the new landfill targets will be education with factory staff playing a vital role to ensure the collected organic waste is free of contamination.

“The importance of keeping plastics out of our food chain is clear, the quality of compost applied to agricultural land is of utmost importance,” said Lisa.

Loop is a long term player in the industry with Lisa starting her first biosolids management company in 1994. She is a Master of Science in Agriculture and leads a team of Environmental Scientists to offer evidence based solutions.

Loop is heavily invested in ensuring its own operations are as sustainable as possible and going beyond carbon offsetting measures which they currently employ.

“Transport is a big focus for us as we look at replacing our diesel prime movers with electric when they become available. The numbers add up as there is an instant saving on fuel, and the solar array needed to charge the prime movers will pay itself off  in about 3 years” said Lisa. Loop is also keen to deploy electric tractors when they become available in Australia.

The company is literally closing the loop to offer circular solutions for waste collection and reuse. Collections are predominantly via food processors and reuse is found in industries such as farming and mining. NSW farmers including agriculture and cattle are utilising Loop’s services to apply biosolids as fertilizer to improve the fertility of soils that have been depleted of nutrients and organic matter over time. The company also partners with mines to supply custom blends of mine rehabilitation materials to encourage better topsoil to support site rehabilitation.

The investment in new equipment is coupled with the integration of new technologies to track and report on the transition of materials from waste to reuse. “Our new platforms can trace the full provenance of materials so we can conduct continuous improvement and trace our product every step of the way,” said Lisa.

You can visit Loop Organics at AWRE this August. Subscribe here to stay up-to-date on when registration for the show opens.