Cleanaway teams up with communities to champion Clean Up Australia Day 2023

Cleanaway teams up with communities to champion Clean Up Australia Day 2023

This Clean Up Australia Day, we joined forces with business partners and community members.

Communities - Partnerships

March 30, 2023

Highlights

“(It was) a great opportunity to give back to our community and reflect on the importance of the work we do here.”

“I service all these parks and these existing bins. It’s important that we show we are participants in the local community, and that we’re here to help too.”

Highlights

“(It was) a great opportunity to give back to our community and reflect on the importance of the work we do here.”

“I service all these parks and these existing bins. It’s important that we show we are participants in the local community, and that we’re here to help too.”

For Clean Up Australia Day 2023, Cleanaway teamed up with businesses and the community to clean up our surroundings.

2023 highlights include:

City of Sydney

Pictured: The volunteers are all smiles as they pose with the rubbish they have collected.

Volunteers from Cleanaway, Crown Sydney, JLL and International Towers in Barangaroo spent the morning picking up litter.

They filled 11 bags full of rubbish that weighed an incredible 45kg in total.

Resource Recovery Specialist Monica Davis said, “(It was) a great opportunity to give back to our community and reflect on the importance of the work we do here.”

Logan City

Pictured: The team together with Logan City Council volunteers after successfully cleaning up the park.

A team comprising of 30-strong our team members and Logan City Council volunteers spent three hours cleaning up and separating rubbish from recyclables at a popular local park.

All of these were then transported to Cleanaway facilities for further processing.

Logan resident and Operations Supervisor Declan Worth said, “I service all these parks and these existing bins. It’s important that we show we are participants in the local community, and that we’re here to help too.”

Nurragingy Reserve, Doonside

Pictured: Post clean up group photo with TOMRA Cleanaway.

On March 1, the New South Wales Education and TOMRA Cleanaway teams came together to clean up the Nurragingy Nature Reserve.

In just 45 minutes, they collected 1,646 pieces of litter, with soft plastics taking the number one spot.

Brisbane

Pictured: Brisbane Clean Up Australia Day volunteers in action sorting litter.

For Clean Up Australia Day, the Queensland Metro construction and demolition (C&D) team donated 20 skip bins across Brisbane to support volunteers over the weekend.

The Willawong and Brisbane City Council Alliance teams also participated by providing disposal services.

Contact us to learn more about making a sustainable future possible together in Australia.

A standing ovation for litter free outdoor events

A standing ovation for litter free outdoor events

Australians love a good party and our music festivals are the talk of the town, but can we do it litter free?

Communities - Resource Recovery

Tags: Communities
Highlights

Outdoor concerts and festivals bring with them the threat of littering and the environment shouldn’t suffer for the sake of our entertainment.

A recent ABC report likens a rubbish filled waterway to “the day after an outdoor concert,” associating concerts and music festivals with extensive litter.

This is hardly surprising. While 90% of Australians say they separate their waste at home, only 72% say they do so when on holiday according to the 2022 Recycling Behaviours Report.

The good news is that there are several measures event organisers can put into place to prevent a mess after any outdoor event.

Pictured: Cleanaway wheelie bins and skip bins at an outdoor event.

Australians want to do the right thing but sometimes it’s easier to just drop the waste if there’s no dedicated waste disposal site in sight.

According to our 2022 Recycling Behaviours Report, 64% of Australians say they sort their waste every time when at home.

However, this drops to just 36% when in public.

Providing waste and recycling bins with clear signage and instructions on what goes into the bins will encourage event goers to do the right thing and reduce litter.

Pictured: Resource Recovery Officer Evelyn doing a visual audit of a recycling bin to check for contamination at Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Clear bins frequently and keep grounds clean

The broken window theory states that if an environment looks clean and pristine, people are less likely to damage it.

However if it looks unkempt to begin with, then there’s a higher chance of people adding to the mess.

Frequently emptying bins can encourage their use and prevent errant dumping of waste.

The same goes for staff and volunteers: the more there are at the event, the better the chances of keeping the environment clean and tidy.

Encourage waste reduction and proper disposal

Concert and festival organisers can encourage the use and consumption of environmentally friendly solutions.

This goes beyond having enough bins at the venue.

Solutions can range from not selling food and snacks in single use packaging, providing compostable cutlery and even setting up water stations to refill drinking containers.

Some music festivals in Europe have even declared a ban on plastic bottles. Similar campaigns have been kicked off in Australia such as the BYOBottle campaign by Green Music Australia.

This initiative has been amplified by the Sustainable Concerts Working Group (SCWG) with a spinoff  BYOBottle campaign involving artistes such as Jack Johnson, P!nk and Bonnie Raitt.

Today over 120 Australian artists are now BYOBottle Ambassadors.

Collectively the entertainment and events industry can do a lot to encourage event goers to protect the environment and keep outdoor areas in perfect form for the next big gig.

Contact us today to learn more about how your outdoor event can make a sustainable future possible together for the community and the environment.

Pilot program supporting people living with a disability

Pilot program supporting people living with a disability

Cleanaway’s pilot program with Connecting2Australia (C2A) provides people living with a disability an opportunity to be a part of the waste industry

Communities - Partnerships

Tags: partnerships
Highlights

Cleanaway has embarked on a pilot program with social enterprise Connecting2Australia (C2A). The partnership is a step towards inclusivity in the waste industry by training and employing workers living with a disability.

C2A provides workers for landscaping at our hydrocarbons site in Berends Drive, Dandenong. Throughout this engagement, Regional Operations Manager Daniel Martin observed that the C2A workers were not only eager to learn new skills but also keen to interact with people.

This prompted Daniel to explore the idea of employing and training additional workers living with a disability for decanting oil and assembling spill kits on site.

Pictured: Service Representative Aaron Fagan and Regional Operations Manager Daniel Martin (far left) demonstrate how used lubricant and engine oil are collected for recovery.

Pictured: Aaron and Daniel show the C2A hires what goes into a Cleanaway spill kit.

“The passion and dedication demonstrated from the new C2A team members was contagious. They provided the combined workgroup real purpose of making a true contribution in more ways than one,” said Regional Operations Manager Daniel Martin.

Cleanaway’s partnership with C2A in one way we’re supporting a diverse and inclusive workplace which is a woven into our business strategies, right down to our different business units.

Our workforce across Australia is made up of employees who come from diverse backgrounds, experience, skills and needs. This diversity makes Cleanaway resilient and flexible to adapt to the ever evolving nature of the waste management industry.

In view of our trial with C2A we’ve also engaged our Health & Safety team to perform a safety audit. The audit ensures that we can continue to safely engage workers living with a disability at our Berends Drive site and other sites in the future.

Contact us to learn more about how we’re making a sustainable future possible for communities and businesses across Australia.

Cleanaway comes up to bat for Blind Cricket Australia

Cleanaway comes up to bat for Blind Cricket Australia

Cleanaway has teamed up with Blind Cricket Australia to help send four players from the national team to India.

Communities - Partnerships

February 23, 2023

Highlights

“I had to take a few days off work to prepare for India, so Cleanaway’s money covered my loss of earnings.”

“If it weren’t for the support of our players and companies like Cleanaway we wouldn’t be where we are.”

Tags: partnerships
Highlights

“I had to take a few days off work to prepare for India, so Cleanaway’s money covered my loss of earnings.”

“If it weren’t for the support of our players and companies like Cleanaway we wouldn’t be where we are.”

Cleanaway has teamed up with Blind Cricket Australia to help send four players from the national team to India.

Pictured: Photo from the finals of the National Cricket Inclusion Championship – 10th February 2023.

Michael Berg, Ryan Honschooten, Bradley Brider, and Matt Cameron of the Western Australian team (pictured left to right) were selected to represent Australia in the International Cricket Inclusion Series in India.

Cleanaway’s contribution of $2,400 helped ensure the team was well prepared for the series, where they beat New Zealand in the final. The funding is part of our commitment to supporting communities.

Ryan thanked Cleanaway for the opportunity.

“I had to take a few days off work to prepare for India, so Cleanaway’s money covered my loss of earnings,” he said.

Tony Sutton, Secretary of Blind Cricket Australia said “If it weren’t for the support of our players and companies like Cleanaway we wouldn’t be where we are.”

Cleanaway with Clean Up Australia

Cleanaway with Clean Up Australia

Cleanaway proudly supports Clean Up Australia, the charity that has inspired more than 20 million people to clean up, fix up and conserve our precious environment over more than 30 years.

Communities - Partnerships

February 20, 2023

Highlights

“It’s through great collaborations like what Clean Up Australia has with Cleanaway that really makes a difference.”

Tags: partnerships
Highlights

“It’s through great collaborations like what Clean Up Australia has with Cleanaway that really makes a difference.”

Cleanaway proudly supports Clean Up Australia, the charity that has inspired more than 20 million people to clean up, fix up and conserve our precious environment over more than 30 years.

Founded in 1989 by solo yachtsman Ian Kiernan AO, Clean Up Australia Day is a fixture of the country’s calendar on the first Sunday in March but the charity has evolved to provide practical solutions to help all Australians live more sustainably all year-round.

Clean Up Australia is chaired by Ian’s daughter, Pip Kiernan, who says organisations such as Cleanaway help fund free kits that include gloves and bags, tapping into a sentiment that we can all do something practical.

“[They] help us to evolve as an organisation and broaden our reach and influence in terms of prevention, helping Australians move towards that circular economy,” she said. “That is the solution where we need to be to tackle our waste challenges in this country.

“It’s through great collaborations like what Clean Up Australia has with Cleanaway that really makes a difference.”

Pip says this year, post-Covid, there is a great opportunity for people to come together again as a community and do something practical for the environment.

Clean Up Australia also run Business Clean Up Day, on 28 February,  a dedicated day for workplaces of all sizes to get involved and engage teams on a fun, practical volunteering day while improving the local environment.

Cleanaway colleagues in Queensland will spend the first half of their Tuesday morning helping to clean up J J Smith Park in Marsden, Logan, and raise money for Clean Up Australia. Click here to join, support or learn more about the event.

The waste industry’s fight for fire safety

The waste industry’s fight for fire safety

Batteries and other e-waste are a growing threat to the waste industry and communities across Australia

Communities - Industry Updates - Resource Recovery

February 9, 2023

Highlights

“When we think about the journey our rubbish goes on, from kitchen bin to the street for collection and then to waste facilities, if there’s a battery in the mix, the risk of a fire starting along the way soars.”

Tags: Recycling
Highlights

“When we think about the journey our rubbish goes on, from kitchen bin to the street for collection and then to waste facilities, if there’s a battery in the mix, the risk of a fire starting along the way soars.”

The waste industry is seeing a sharp increase in waste fires on garbage trucks and in waste facilities. In Australia more than 450 fires have been linked to lithium-ion batteries over the past 18 months, according to data provided by state fire departments. WA alone recorded 81 lithium-ion related fires in the last year compared to 21 in 2018, NSW recorded 180, 120 in VIC and 72 in QLD.

Many of these incidents are a direct result of waste contaminated with lithium batteries and other household batteries, which are a no go for kerbside bins.

Late on Boxing Day 2022 the Canberra suburb of Hume was rocked with news of a blaze at the local Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

ACT Fire and Rescue chief, Matthew Mavity, said in an interview with The Guardian that an incorrectly recycled battery or vape had not been ruled out.

“Any battery … has potential chemical energy stored and that can be released if it’s damaged,” he said.

Pictured: Facebook post by the ACT Emergency Services Agency detailing the Boxing Day blaze at Hume MRF. The fire has detailed residential recycling in the ACT.

ACT transport minister Chris Steel added that the incident should serve as a wake up call for people to make sure they only placed non-hazardous recyclables in their bins.

“Unfortunately, we do see too many dangerous objects put into the recycling stream that simply shouldn’t be there,” he said.

“Things like vapes, batteries and even gas cylinders that can cause a hazard and a risk of fire.”

The destruction of the Hume MRF is a massive blow to waste management in the ACT.

Thousands of tonnes of waste that could’ve previously been recycled locally is now being transported interstate for processing.

A nationwide concern

The Hume MRF fire is far from isolated. At around the same time, two fires broke out at a facility for yellow lidded waste in Kwinana, WA.

Just like the Hume incident, the Kwinana fires are believed to be caused by lithium batteries thrown into kerbside bins.

Pictured: Facebook post by City of Kwinana reporting on the fires that broke out at the local MRF in December 2022.

Pictured: Facebook post by Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA showing firefighters battling a fire on a garbage truck in November 2022.

Since 1 January 2022, Fire and Rescue NSW crews have responded to 180 li-ion battery fires compared to just over 16 in 2021.

Up north in Queensland, discarded batteries are believed to have caused eight Brisbane City Council garbage truck fires since July 2021.

All eight incidents forced the truck drivers to dump their hot loads on suburban streets.

In an interview with the Brisbane Times, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said that household batteries that were discarded in council bins were suspected of causing the fires.

“When we think about the journey our rubbish goes on, from kitchen bin to the street for collection and then to waste facilities, if there’s a battery in the mix, the risk of a fire starting along the way soars.”

Not even landfills are safe from battery fires.

The Australian Battery Recycling Initiative (ABRI) in its Inclusion of all batteries in the Victorian landfill ban submission to the Victorian EPA mentioned reports of at least two fires in a Victorian landfill believed to have been caused by li-ion batteries.

ABRI further explained in its submission that the incidence of battery fires in landfills continue to grow and that these incidents create hazardous fumes which are a danger to both firefighters and landfill operators.

A cause for change

According to the Hazardous waste infrastructure needs and capacity assessment report by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) the surge of li-ion entering the waste stream in the years to come is of particular concern.

The report estimates that waste li-ion batteries will grow by upwards of 300% each year by 2036. The result is the generation of between 100,000 to 187,000 tonnes of waste per year.

To put this into perspective, the Sydney Opera House weighs roughly 165,000 tonnes.

Source: Randell Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd & Blue Environment for the Hazardous Waste Section Department of the Environment July 2016.

Statistics by ABRI published in Waste battery disposal and recycling behavior: a study on the Australian perspective show that Australia’s battery recycling rate is still lagging behind many countries.

Pictured: Battery recycling rate in OECD countries including Australia (ABRI 2017).

The waste industry’s fight for fire safety requires concerted action to tackle Australia’s rapidly growing li-ion waste stream. This can be addressed by further developing the current battery recycling ecosystem to keep household batteries away from kerbside bins.

A nationwide effort such as this demands cooperation from the public, waste service providers and industry to support stewardship programs such as B-cycle, Australia’s official recycling scheme.

B-cycle was launched in January 2022. In its first six months of operation the scheme has collected over 900,000kg of batteries for recycling from more than 3,200 drop off points across all eight states and territories.

Safe and sustainable alternatives are also being developed by Australian companies as a long term solution to the li-ion waste problem.

Brisbane-based Redflow and Sydney-based Gelion have developed batteries with world leading zinc bromine flow technology.

Zinc-bromide batteries offer a safer and more reliable alternative to li-ion batteries. These next gen batteries also provide performance advantages over li-ion batteries by maintaining 100% state of health even after thousands of cycles.

Apart from new and emerging technologies, battery recycling education remains the waste industry’s best safeguard against waste fires.

Cleanaway provides free resources for Australians to learn how to properly discard of their batteries and other potentially hazardous household waste.

This includes information on free battery and e-waste recycling programs for residents to bring in their end of life household batteries as well as tips on handling and managing different battery types.

Pictured: Cleanaway battery recycling education poster.

We also partner with organisations such as Clean Up Australia to support hazardous waste disposal in communities across Australia and organise hazardous waste collection events with councils across the country.

Contact us to learn more about how we’re making a sustainable future possible for communities and businesses across Australia.

Explosive waste!

Explosive waste!

Be absolutely positive about keeping your used batteries out of your household recycling bins

Communities - Learning - Resource Recovery

January 19, 2023

Tags: Recycling
Highlights

Batteries of all types can be found in nearly everything we use today: from button batteries in our car keys to lithium batteries in our smartwatches.

Our busy lives are powered by these little things, and in turn we should never be too busy to discard them properly at the end of their life cycle.

Why is it important to keep used batteries out of kerbside recycling bins?

No battery lasts forever. It’s in the nature of single use batteries to run flat and the same goes for rechargeable batteries which eventually lose their capacity to hold a charge.

This brings us to the most important point: ALL batteries need to be disposed of properly (and safely).

If you’re still guessing where, here’s a hint – it’s not in your wheelie bin!

Pictured: Batteries disposed in kerbside bins can start fires in the back of garbage trucks and threaten the safety of the community at large.

Most batteries contain toxic heavy metals such as nickel, cadmium and mercury that are harmful to human, animal and plant life if released into waterways and ecosystems via landfill.

Additionally, lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries have been named as the culprit behind a rising number of household fires across Australia.

Li-ion batteries are highly sensitive to temperature changes and when discarded in household recycling bins they are likely to catch fire.

Fires can also break out in the back of garbage collection vehicles and at transfer stations where batteries frequently come into contact with flammable waste.

Pictured: Li-ion batteries discarded in a kerbside bin ignited at a Cleanaway transfer station.

What should you do with your used batteries?

Before dropping off your used batteries for recycling, tape the terminals first. To do this all you need is some non-conductive tape such as clear sticky tape, duct tape or electrical tape.

The next step would be to keep them in a glass jar, away from metal objects or heat sources such as stoves, radiators and even the sun!

Also, never store your batteries in a metal container as this can lead to sparks.

Pictured: The fire damage seen in the pictures above was caused by a vape pen battery that was thrown in a kerbside recycling bin.

Where can you dispose of your used batteries?

Aim to drop off your used batteries for recycling every six months. Retail outlets and supermarkets accept all kinds of batteries and e-waste for recycling:

  • Aldi: household batteries i.e. AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries (both rechargeable and non-rechargeable are accepted)
  • Battery World: check with your local store to see which kinds of batteries are accepted
  • Bunnings: household batteries i.e. AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries, batteries from power tools
  • Officeworks: household batteries i.e. AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries, laptop/mobile phone batteries
  • Woolworths: household batteries i.e. AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries.

Pictured: Battery recycling drop-off points at Bunnings (left) and Woolworths (right).

You can also search for a drop off point nearest to you using B-cycle’s list of drop off points.

B-cycle is Australia’s official battery stewardship scheme and is government backed to recycle used batteries, ensuring that the precious materials used to make them are reused.

The scheme has collected more than 918,000 kilograms of used batteries through 3,200 drop-off points across all states and territories in just six months.

Many councils offer free old battery disposal and e-waste recycling programs for residents to bring in their unwanted household batteries.

You can ring your local council and ask if battery disposal and recycling services are available to you.

Pictured: A Cleanaway driver servicing City of Casey had to drop the hot load in his new truck for the County Fire Authority to put out.

Pictured: This laptop with its battery still intact started a fire inside a baler at a Cleanaway sorting facility.

What happens to used batteries that are dropped off for recycling?

Batteries contain up to 95% recyclable materials. Through recycling, any steel, copper and aluminium present in them are reintroduced to the manufacturing sector for use in new products.

The active components of li-ion batteries such as graphite, cobalt, nickel and aluminium are turned into mixed metal dust which forms the building blocks of new li-ion batteries.

Battery manufacturers are seeing the value in battery recycling and are ramping up their roles within the ecosystem in Australia. According to McKinsey Battery Insights manufacturers will benefit greatly from a closed loop for batteries.

End of life li-ion batteries is a waste stream that is growing by 20% each year. As the battery recycling market matures, manufacturers will be able to lower their production costs by reusing raw materials present in used batteries while lowering their dependence on virgin raw material – a win-win situation for both industry and the environment.

Contact us to learn more about how we’re making a sustainable future possible for communities and businesses across Australia.

Make sustainable choices for Australia Day

Make sustainable choices for Australia Day

Say no to waste this Australia Day. Read on for our simple tips.

Communities

January 17, 2023

Highlights

Let’s make our Australia Day celebrations sustainable because every small bit scores big points for a cleaner, greener Australia.

Here are our top tips to get you started:

Waving the Aussie flag

Flags will be flying on Australia Day but where will yours end up after the 26 January celebrations?

Remember to store your flags in a convenient place for future celebrations. If you have any tattered or discoloured flags, give them a dignified send off by posting them to companies such as Flagworld who offer free flag and banner recycling services.

Hand flags are a different story altogether. You can make the call to only buy ones that are made with 100% recyclable fabric such as cotton or canvas and avoid buying hand flags that are manufactured with unrecyclable materials or materials you’re not familiar with.

Throwing a party

If you’re going to cook up a storm, plan your recipes around ingredients you can get at your local market.

Produce found at local markets generally use less packaging and are cheaper than store bought items. Another upside to buying from the market is you can get your hands on locally grown produce, which have a much smaller carbon footprint than produce transported from out of state.

On the day of the big do, make it easy for your guests to dispose of their waste by having dedicated waste sorting station. For example, have a bin for 10c recyclable bottles and cans and another one for food waste which can be disposed of through your organics bin or compost heap. Who knows – by being an environmentally conscious host you could inspire your guests to make their own changes at home!

Need more ideas on what you can recycle at home? Check out our Recycling Hub for plenty of ideas.

Making a case for food waste

Chances are that you’ll be left with heaps of leftover food from your party. If you don’t have access to an organic waste service, try composting at home to reduce the weight and volume of your general waste bin.

The best part about composting is that there are a few easy ways to do it. If you have a yard or even a small outdoor patch, you can make a compost heap.

However, if space is an issue – as it is with many homes these days – you can do worm composting indoors with a bin which you can easily buy from a nursery or hardware store.

Spending time outdoors

Whether it’s camping or kayaking, the golden rule is to leave only footprints.

Enjoy nature responsibly by following guidelines set by parks, reserves and protected areas. These are put in place to maintain the delicate balance of ecosystems and protect our precious native animals and plants.

If you’re planning on grabbing a bite outdoors, avoid disposable cutlery such as paper cups (which have plastic lining and therefore are not recyclable) and plastic forks and spoons. Instead, go for reusable cutlery and bring your own rubbish bags with you to ensure it’s only your footprints left behind.

This way you can keep the environment pristine and avoid having to deal with a hefty littering fine too.

Going a step further for a greener future

Cleanaway in partnership with Clean Up Australia, has encouraged millions of volunteers to take to their streets, beaches, parks, bushland and waterways to remove litter and illegally dumped rubbish.

If you’d like to do more for your community you can participate in Clean Up Australia Day which takes place on Sunday 5 March 2023.

You can also join an existing Clean Up or register a Clean Up on Clean Up Australia Day or any day of the year.

Contact us to learn more about how we’re making a sustainable future possible for communities and businesses across Australia.

Take the lead for Clean Up Australia in 2023

Take the lead for Clean Up Australia in 2023

Spearheading your own Clean Up to green up your surroundings is easier than you think.

Communities

Highlights

This year you can take charge with your very own Clean Up on Clean Up Australia Day which takes place on Sunday 5 March 2023.

Getting started and organising your event is half the fun. Here’s how you can lead your very own Clean Up in your community:

Step 1: Register a Clean Up
You can register a Clean Up on Clean Up Australia Day or any day of the year. However, you should first find a spot that deserves a good tidying up – beaches, parks, bushland and riverbanks are perfect.

Need help picking a site? Talk to your local council. They might know of illegal dumping spots that could use a good clean up!

If you want to do more for your community, you can also register for a Schools Clean Up or join an existing Clean Up.

Step 2: Get your Clean Up kit
Once you fill up the form to register your community site, you will receive a free Clean Up kit including bags, gloves, information and promotional materials in about two weeks from your registration date.

Don’t worry! There are a few things you can do while you wait for your Clean Up kit to arrive in your mail.

Step 3: Plan your Clean Up
Visit your site in advance and find out exactly where you can leave rubbish and recyclables so you can focus on the work at hand on the day of your Clean Up. There’s nothing worse than a last minute hiccup to ruin your big day out.

This is your chance to snap some ‘before’ photos too. Once you’re done with the Clean Up you can take some ‘after’ photos – these will also help you share the success of your Clean Up and recruit volunteers for future events.

Remember, safety first! Plan for potential scrapes and falls by saving contacts of hospitals and other emergency services that operate in the vicinity of your community site.

Packing a first aid kit and keeping it close by at all times would be a good idea too.

Step 4: Promote your Clean Up
Now it’s time to recruit some volunteers. These can be your friends and family or even your neighbours or colleagues from work – basically anyone who shares your passion for keeping your surrounds in tip top shape.

You can even go a step further and create an event on Facebook to keep your team in the loop for updates. Share those ‘before’ photos you took – it can help you make a case for your community site and why it deserves a good Clean Up.

Clean Up Australia also has promotional materials that you download and use to spread the word in the days leading to your Clean Up.

Find out how our Cleanaway team members participated in Clean Up Australia Day 2022 with their local community organisations and family members.

Contact us to learn more about how we’re making a sustainable future possible for communities and businesses across Australia.

FareShare receives $50,000 grant in Round 4 of Melbourne Regional Landfill Community Benefit Fund

FareShare receives $50,000 grant in Round 4 of Melbourne Regional Landfill Community Benefit Fund

Australia’s largest charity kitchen network is one of seven community groups that run wellbeing projects in the local area

Communities

December 15, 2022

Highlights

"Cleanaway is delighted to provide funding for local initiatives that enhance community health and well-being."

"These community groups have a tremendous positive impact in their local area and we’re proud to support them to enable them to continue to support their local community through a range of programs."

Tags: Communities
Highlights

"Cleanaway is delighted to provide funding for local initiatives that enhance community health and well-being."

"These community groups have a tremendous positive impact in their local area and we’re proud to support them to enable them to continue to support their local community through a range of programs."

Charity kitchen FareShare is one seven community groups to receive a $50,000 grant each in Round 4 of Melbourne Regional Landfill Community Benefit Fund.

FareShare’s network of charity kitchens is the largest in Australia. With kitchens in Melbourne and Brisbane, FareShare mobilises chefs and volunteers to cook free, nutritious meals made with rescued, donated and homegrown ingredients.

Pictured: FareShare chefs and volunteers show off their latest culinary creations in the Derrimut kitchen.

Cleanaway’s Head of Rehabilitation & Workers Compensation Andrew Mosca, Rehabilitation & Injury Management Advisors Juliana Boron and Joanne Moss and National BDM – Service Improvement Rick Pruckner recently volunteered at FareShare’s kitchen in Derrimut, Victoria.

Our four volunteers channelled their inner master chefs for three hours. They chopped up leek, fennel, onions and kohlrabi for FareShare’s chefs and volunteers to prepare meals.

These meals were then handed out to soup vans, homeless shelters, women refugees and disadvantaged groups.

Pictured from left to right: Andrew, Juliana, Joanne and Rick have a go in the FareShare kitchen.

Melbourne Regional Landfill Community Benefit Fund supports local community initiatives that promote health and wellbeing.

Examples of eligible funding projects include:

  • activities that enhance the local environment such as tree planting, litter collection or other types of environmental regeneration programs
  • construction of gardens, greenhouses or compost systems to promote waste reduction
  • installation of solar panels or additional recycling bins in schools or community buildings
  • charity groups or welfare programs that support communities in need.
  • sporting activities or community events that promote community inclusion and well-being
  • training or employment assistance schemes.

FareShare is one of seven local community groups to come out tops in Round 4 of Melbourne Regional Landfill Community Benefit Fund.

The other grant recipients in Round 4 were:

  • Aintree Scout Group
  • Burnside Heights Football Club
  • Caroline Chisholm Society
  • Caroline Springs Cricket Club
  • Caroline Springs Football Club
  • Western Emergency Relief Network.

The recipients were selected by a review panel consisting of Councillors from Melton City Council and Brimbank City Council and Cleanaway’s Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager Olga Ghiri.

“Cleanaway is delighted to provide funding for local initiatives that enhance community health and well-being. These community groups have a tremendous positive impact in their local area and we’re proud to support them to enable them to continue to support their local community through a range of programs,” said Olga.

For enquiries please contact:
Olga Ghiri – Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager
Email: olga.ghiri@cleanaway.com.au
Phone: 0478 316237

Contact us to learn more about how we’re making a sustainable future possible for communities and businesses across Australia.