An opening speech by the curators of the Food Organics Garden Organics Speaker Series, KORE Wireless.

James Shin

Kore Wireless

The Australian Organics Industry Association National Executive Director takes us through the current performance of the Australian organics recycling industry and the current challenges and opportunities, with a focus on what the industry needs to achieve and with what support to reach the desired levels of organics recycling into the future.

John McKew

Australian Organics Recycling Association

Hear from recent experience in four councils using artificial intelligence and machine learning to measure contamination in bins as they are collected.

Naser Soueid

Alliance Software

Our expert panel discuss The hard lessons already learnt from roll-out of FOGO services and infrastructure in Australia.

Angus Johnston

New Resource Solutions

Sean Galdermans

OREZ

Aisha Poole

Penrith City Council

Naser Soueid

Alliance Software

Michelle Mandl

TOMRA Cleanaway

The Q&A and Summary session of the Food Organics Garden Organics Speaker Series featuring our expert panel speaker. To conclude, final words by our industry series partner and seminar curator, KORE Wireless.

Aisha Poole

Penrith City Council

Angus Johnston

New Resource Solutions

Michelle Mandl

TOMRA Cleanaway

Naser Soueid

Alliance Software

Sean Galdermans

OREZ

Facilitated networking outside Seminar Theatre with tray service drinks

NABERS has 25 years of industry experience and is one of the most influential tools delivered to support sustainability in the built environment. In the last 5 years NABERS has introduced the Waste Rating for offices and more recently public hospitals and Waste Verifications are available for most other building types. NABERS Waste Ratings have doubled each year since its commencement, and the team is keen to share their learnings and experience in working with industry leaders on circular economy and how waste fits into the decarbonising journey.

This session will look back at what the last few years have taught us and what lies ahead. Sara will provide insight into what's working and what isn't and what changes are coming down the pipeline that everyone working in waste and resource recovery needs to be aware of. This session aims to provide an understanding of how we as an industry can use what we've learned to get ahead of what's coming.

Sara Levett

NABERS NSW Government

Circular Economy in Design: The Case for Adaptive Reuse
Synopsis: The built environment presents a key opportunity to shift from a linear approach to a circular economy, contributing to making urban areas more sustainable. The earlier circular economy design strategies are embedded in projects, the more opportunities there will be to Design out Waste. Adaptive Reuse is one of the most critical strategies which involves the uplifting of assets while still retaining them in their current form.

Valentina will share key benefits of Adaptive Reuse, including embodied carbon conservation, reduction in the use of raw material, cost savings, preservation of historical buildings. She will also showcase recent WSP projects in Australia and overseas, where Adaptive Reuse was both implemented and measured.

This presentation will encourage all stakeholders to rethink the way we design our assets, and to play our role in the transition towards a circular economy.

Valentina Petrone

WSP

The panel discussion will aim to draw out the case for:
• Designing for best outcomes in all areas – whether that’s C&D, make good, or operational waste – and what that looks like in these different areas
• Connecting all actors in the chain – design and constructions, fit out, operations (cleaners, facilities managers and waste collection) and MRFs
• How all of this leads to better data, which directly impacts planning and outcomes

Alexandra Lomo Melian

NABERS

David Baggs

Global Greentag International

Josh Begbie

GECA

Valentina Petrone

WSP

Built Environment Speaker Series: Q&A and Summary

David Baggs

Global Greentag International

Josh Begbie

GECA

Valentina Petrone

WSP

Alexandra Lomo Melian

NABERS

Facilitated networking outside Seminar Theatre with tray service drinks

The NSW EPA is leading the state’s transition to a circular economy over the next 20 years. The waste industry is fundamental in this transition, a transition which must occur if NSW is to meet its’ emissions reduction targets and address climate change. This keynote address will help the waste industry by explaining the EPA’s programs of work to increase recycling and ensure growing waste volumes can be safely managed.

Nancy Chang

NSW Environment Protection Authority

This session will provide guidance on how to design your packaging to consider the implications of the up-coming Federal Government mandated National Packaging Design Standards, the new EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulations, the Sustainable Packaging Design Guidelines and also utilising global design guides that are intuitive and easy to use such as the WPO Global Packaging Design for Recycling Guide in your business. This session will also showcase best practice global and local award-winning sustainable packaging designs that have won WorldStar and PIDA awards for their innovative packaging.

Pippa Corry

Philo & Co

Ralph Moyle

Australian Institute Of Packaging (AIP)

BINGO is leading the way to a circular economy with its new Recycling Water Treatment Plant in Western Sydney’s growth corridor. Having invested close to $1 billion in recycling assets over the past eight years, its latest state-of-the-art facility will change the Construction and Demolition industry in NSW. BINGO will be able to accept up to 240,000 tonnes of GSW contaminated soils that would have otherwise been sent to landfill. The new plant and associated on-site infrastructure will see BINGO produce a further 300ktpa of recycled products for the Sydney market. The products will include aggregates, sand and soil and an engineered fill product. In addition, Australian companies are about to be challenged by new International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) climate reforms which will see the companies (of $500m revenue pa) having to disclose reporting on scope three emissions.

Tara Osborne

Bingo Industries

There has never been a greater period of change in the waste/resource recovery sector as Australia rapidly shifts towards a circular economy. A consequence of this change is a workforce shortage across the sector, particularly in some skilled areas like energy from waste. Veolia ANZ Chief People and Safety Officer Kim Hall has nearly two decades of experience in talent acquisition across multiple corporations specialising in advanced technologies and heavy industry. Here she provides key insights into how to transition workers from other industry sectors into our own, the time and training required, and how diversifying our workforce can assist this process and the personnel challenges ahead.

Kim Hall

Veolia ANZ

In this panel discussion, moderated by the National Retail Association, textile recycling innovators share their experiences, best practise, cutting edge technologies and partnerships making big changes in textile recycling.

Bonnie Marshall

National Retail Association (NRA)

Roxane Uzureau

Upcycle 4 Better Solutions

Courtney Holm

Circular Sourcing

Zac Bank

Ethread Pty Ltd

Ben Kaminsky

Textile Recyclers Australia Pty Ltd

Returning in 2024, the Innovations Pitch Fest provides a showcase opportunity for fledging solutions for the waste and recycling industry to be presented by the individuals and companies leading them. The Innovation Pitch Fest will feature a line-up of our 2024 Innovation Zone exhibitors. Directly after the pitch, our judges will provide feedback criteria, including consumer need, innovation, point of difference, go-to market strategy and product sustainability.

Jo Taranto

Good For The Hood

Betty Lei

Greenwave Group Pty Ltd

Elias Elias

Envirocrush

Graham Stevens

Polymer Tech 1RX

Jeanne O’donnell

Shoppacart P/L.

Patrick Manley

cercle

Judges provide feedback on the AWRE 2024 Pitch Fest entries and announce the winner for this year!

Justin Bonsey

Edge Impact

Caitlyn Touzell

Boomerang Labs

Adam Culley

Planet Ark

In the world of sustainability buzz words, circular procurement is fast emerging as one of the greatest tools councils have in their arsenal to create immediate and long-lasting sustainable impact. The level of spend and influence councils and joint organisations of councils have is immense.

In the keynote Nicole takes a detailed look at the tools available to all councils at every stage of the procurement process.

Edge Impact is a technical partner of the Australian Circular Economy (ACE) Hub’s metrics and procurement working groups and has an extensive track record in supporting councils in their sustainable procurement journeys, having developed circular procurement roadmaps, multi-criteria decision-making tools, contract clauses and policies for local governments across Australia.

Nicole Thompson

Edge Impact

In the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041, NSW Government committed to using its purchasing power to stimulate demand for recycled material, while also working to support the market response. The presentation will provide an update on actions being implemented to support this commitment. It will also provide insights into some of the challenges involved in integrating sustainability provisions into government procurement, and associated opportunities.

Lit Wei Chin

NSW Department Of Climate Change, Energy, The Environment And Water

Strategic, collaborative and innovative procurement with significant scale can be a game-changer that can shift markets. It can create favourable conditions for buyers, better services infrastructure investments for suppliers, lower risk, and lower prices towards achieving sustainability targets.

Cathy will share insights from successful large-scale procurements that have radically changed the game for renewable energy and end markets for recycled materials that have reduced emissions and saved money for participating councils.

This presentation will inspire bold ideas and demonstrate that strategic procurement, through collaboration and planning, can achieve massive results beyond what one council could do alone.

David West

Sourced Energy

Mark Wood

SSROC

When designed for sustainability outcomes in mind, procurement sets a blueprint for innovation and transformation throughout supply chains. This is particularly important as environmental and economic challenges become more acute and policy targets require increasing ambition, where recycled content is only the starting point.

This panel discussion will discuss insights from the public and private sectors, best-practice examples from Australia and around the world, solving the challenge of embedding procurement within an organisation, products as a services, and measuring the impact of procurements using the next generation of circularity metrics.

Justin Bonsey

Edge Impact

Hayley Jarick

Supply Chain Sustainability School Limited

Sebastian Salcedo Velasquez

Edge Impact

Kamila Hutchison

CHG-MERIDIAN

Circular Procurement Speaker Series: Q&A and Summary

Justin Bonsey

Edge Impact

Hayley Jarick

Supply Chain Sustainability School Limited

Kamila Hutchison

CHG-MERIDIAN

Sebastian Salcedo Velasquez

Edge Impact

Facilitated networking outside Seminar Theatre with tray service drinks

National Retail - steps retailers are taking to lead in sustainability and stewardship as well as cover topics on single use plastics and packaging.

Bonnie Marshall

National Retail Association (NRA)

'This presentation will cover current circular economy initiatives with a focus on how industry is leading change, and consumer behaviour change. Coca-Cola will discuss their initiatives and outline how industry has taken proactive steps for positive change.

Scott Edwards

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

The panel discussion will cover topics on national packaging and ways businesses can prepare for the national packaging mandates, labelling for businesses, including the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) and Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). Additionally, we will cover the National Plastics Recycling Scheme (NPRS) and the way industry is collaborating to pilot kerbside soft plastic recycling, and how product stewardship in Australia is expanding, how we can address barriers and what is in store for the future.

Bonnie Marshall

National Retail Association (NRA)

Renata Daudt

Awen Packaging Consulting

Barry Cosier

Australian Food And Grocery Council

Chris Foley

APCO

Scott Edwards

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Retail Speaker Series: Q&A and Summary

Bonnie Marshall

National Retail Association (NRA)

Barry Cosier

Australian Food And Grocery Council

Chris Foley

APCO

Scott Edwards

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Facilitated networking outside Seminar Theatre with tray service drinks

Australia is on the verge of an energy from waste (EfW) transition, with two plants coming online in WA this year, another approved in Victoria and a third in the midst of planning in NSW. Veolia will be the operator of all four. This is new technology for Australia but not for Veolia, which currently operates more than 65 EfW plants around the world. Mr Barker will explore the planning, construction, regulation and political challenges of bringing EfW to Australia, how EfW will help meet the waste and resource recovery targets set by governments across the country, and the new technology that has the potential to make EfW plants zero waste and create new resource recovery markets ― if regulators are prepared to alter resource recovery pathways. This is an opportunity to hear from one of Australia's leading EfW experts.

Craig Barker

Veolia Australia and New Zealand

NSW needs to reduce unnecessary plastic use to ensure that we have thriving ecosystems and waste streams free from plastic contamination. The NSW Plastics – Next Steps plan is aiming to do just that, through looking at options for new phase-outs on problematic plastic items and better designing plastic items and looking for opportunities for reuse. The NSW EPA will be continuing to lead this work and importantly plans to further engage with stakeholders this year.

Phoebe Ashe

NSW EPA

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion exploring the future of soft plastic recycling, including the complexities and opportunities, on a national scale. Hear about IQ Renew's pioneering Bag in Bin concept and Curby Program, explore innovative solutions like Circular Contracts by Close the Loop, and furthermore, gain insights into advanced chemical recycling technologies and their role in creating a continuously circular economy for soft plastics from Licella.

Mike Ritchie

MRA Consulting Group

Andrea Polson

Licella

Barry Cosier

Australian Food And Grocery Council

Danny Gallagher

iQRenew

Steve Morriss

Close the Loop Group

The most recent NSW waste strategy has dropped the waste hierarchy and replaced it with the circular economy.
The new model requires us to think in terms of ‘resources’ rather than ‘waste.’ While this thinking is embedded in the new strategy, it is not yet reflected in practical terms throughout the planning and licensing system.
In order to work toward a useful re-definition of waste, this presentation will cover three main aspects.
1. Comparison of the definitions of waste in three jurisdictions – NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
2. Comparison of existing ‘end of waste’ systems – such as Resource Recovery Orders and Exemptions, Declarations and End of Waste Codes.
3. Analysis of legal cases.
The Circular Economy requires not only supportive policy but also supportive regulatory systems. With the right systems in place, recovered resources can compete and generate growth.

Esther Hughes

MRA Consulting Group

Explore the intersection of education and circular economy impact with Comsol and Cool.Org. Through insightful case studies like Closing The E-Loop, an open-source initiative driving action against electronic waste, we'll demonstrate the pivotal role of education in societal transformation. Learn how collaborative efforts drive scalable change and explore opportunities to contribute to a circular future.

Hamish Curry

Cool.org

Tim De Ridder

Comsol

Over 500,000 SKU’s across Australia and New Zealand are now using the Australasian Recycling Labelling on their packaging in Australia and New Zealand. This session will discuss the changes and updates to the ARL program, the ARL Marketplace and consumer insights into the ARL program. This session will be panel discussion with a number of key experts in the ARL program.

Lara Barclay

Adaptation Environmental Support Pty Ltd

Sarah Sannen

Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation

Ralph Moyle

Australian Institute Of Packaging (AIP)