8 November
2006 - A two year waste management project—funded
by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage
Trust—will improve Perth’s water quality, thanks
to a $2.6 million pilot project launched today.
The project targets industrial
by-products such as heavy metals, detergents,
petroleum, oil and grease, which can enter drainage
systems and cause serious problems for wetlands
and river systems. It will be managed by the Swan
Catchment Council which plans to develop an approach
that could be used at a national scale.
Australian Ministers for the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter
McGauran, said the project will encourage best
practice waste disposal within 6000 local small
to medium enterprises.
“The pilot is very much based
on the notion that the environment is everybody’s
business,” Senator Campbell said.
“This is particularly true when
it comes to water. Our towns, cities, businesses
and households rely on it, and if we take it for
granted this places unprecedented pressure on
our water resources and quality.
“Small companies and organisations
can play a vital role in protecting our water
quality and the surrounding environment while
maintaining their profitability - and in many
cases they’re finding innovative ways to do just
that.
“Through one project for example
the Swan Catchment Council will work with business
to develop a comprehensive set of best practice
waste management guidelines to use when planning
new industrial estates.
“Part of this work has involved
combining risk assessment tools with education
material, which has proven to be a successful
way of encouraging good management of waste disposal.
“The community is having a say
as well through initiatives like the Neighbourhood
Improvement Plan, with Edith Cowan University
conducting surveys in the Bellevue industrial
estate.
“The surveys will determine
the waste disposal issues and attitudes of business
owners. In 2008 a second survey will be undertaken
to measure changes in practices.
“This is going to continue to
build positive working relationships between local
government, the waste management industry and
industrial enterprises ranging from vehicle servicing
and repair shops to photographic processing laboratories.
“And perhaps best of all it’s
going to ensure that the Swan and Canning rivers
will be protected into the future.”
Speaking at the launch of the
project in Perth today, Federal Member for Hasluck,
Mr Stuart Henry MP, said the sub-projects were
designed to develop over time.
“Over the next two years best
practice will expand to include ‘Green Procurement
Services’, which focus on improving the waste
disposal methods of businesses providing a service
rather than a product.
“As more manufacturers and service
providers participate, a database will be introduced
to record practices used, creating a waste management
history and enabling better responses in the event
of pollution and safety hazards.
“This kind of work reflects
the long term view being taken in order to find
effective solutions to the issue of waste disposal
for businesses, improving water quality and the
environment.
“I’d like to thank and congratulate
the Local Governments, the Council as well as
business owners and employees for all their hard
work, and I look forward to seeing what’s to come.”
For more information about the
project contact Tony Soteriou on (08) 9374 3333).
For more information about natural resource management
please visit www.nrm.gov.au.
Rob Broadfield (Senator Campbell’s
office)
Mary Clarke (Media) (Mr Stewart Henry MP)
Small to Medium Enterprise (SME)
Waste Disposal Pilot Project Summary
Risk Assessment Tools: These have been developed
to help streamline and increase efficient use
of staff time. In combination with the development
of appropriate education material this has proven
to be an effective way of encouraging best management
practices.
Neighbourhood Improvement Plan:
Edith Cowan University has begun a two-year project
working with all businesses within the Bellevue
industrial precinct. Components include a baseline
survey quantifying and qualifying waste issues
and attitudes, and partnering with waste management
businesses to work with small to medium enterprises
on better waste management and disposal methods.
All small to medium enterprises will be re-surveyed
at the end of the project to measure changes in
practice.
Planning for New Industrial
Estates: The Council recently held a workshop
with government and private stakeholders and commissioned
a consultant to report on development of best
practice guidelines for planning new industrial
estates.
Green Procurement Service: Many
small to medium enterprises provide services rather
than a ‘product’. To encourage a move to best
practice, the green procurement project has been
funded to assist local government to develop and
encourage the purchase of ‘green services’ with
the inclusion of a ‘most favoured’ clause on contracts.
SME Database: There is a lack
of data on small to medium enterprise business
type and activities in the Swan region which creates
difficulties in planning projects. To overcome
this a feasibility study will be undertaken into
the development of a small to medium enterprise
database, which would be useful for many purposes
such as back-tracking pollution events, fire and
safety hazards and tracking trends in better management
practice.
