Green Industries SA news – Spring 2024
- GISA news
September 12, 2024
Welcome to our spring issue of GISA news. It’s been a busy and productive time for Green Industries SA, with the fourth round of single-use plastic bans, preliminary work on our next statewide waste strategy, and continuing the River Murray flood clean-up.
GISA staff and I recently collaborated with colleagues at the EPA, emergency services agencies, local government, and waste and resource recovery industry representatives to examine the challenges around proper battery management and disposal. We’re now focused on exploring solutions to reduce fire risks through the improved collection and recovery of batteries.
Our work supporting the unique needs of South Australia’s business sectors continues with the release of a range of new guides, featured below, tailored to show how diverse industries can adopt more circular and sustainable approaches.
GISA is hosting and participating in a series of events in the coming months, details below, and I look forward to seeing you there.
Josh Wheeler, A/Chief Executive
Say ‘so long’ to single-use plastics
The next stage of South Australia’s single-use plastic bans commenced on Sunday 1 September.
Items now banned from sale, supply and distribution (with some exemptions*) include:
plastic barrier bags when used for fruit, vegetables, nuts and confectionery
thick plastic shopping bags, including singlet style bags and plastic laminated paper shopping bags*
single-use plastic hot and cold beverage containers (including coffee cups) and their lids*
single-use plastic food containers when used for ready-to-eat takeaway food*
expanded polystyrene (EPS) consumer food and beverage containers
EPS trays
plastic confetti and plastic balloon sticks/ties
plastic food bag tags*.
Plastic plays an important role in our economy and daily lives, yet it is produced, used and discarded in a way that wastes resources and causes pollution and harm to our environment.
This stage of bans is the most significant for South Australia to date, and will help our state shift to reusable and compostable alternatives that make less of an impact on the environment and contribute to a more circular economy.
Learn more about SA’s single-use plastic bans
Guiding SA towards sustainability
GISA’s Business Sustainability Program assists South Australian businesses and industry sectors to accelerate sustainable change and provides tangible tools to empower businesses to change to more circular business models.
Some of the latest guides produced through the program:
 | Supporting sustainability in SA’s hospitality industry The Sustainability Guide for the South Australian Hospitality Industry includes a series of educational materials and case studies to help guide members of the Australian Hotel Association (SA Branch) along their journey to environmental sustainability in their businesses. Download the guide |
 | Net zero for Port Lincoln fisheries Pathways to Net Zero for the Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Association provides educational materials and case studies, and highlights key opportunities for the sector to adopt more sustainable practices, with a goal of achieving net zero. Download the guide |
 | Tackling waste in government offices The Government office waste: Strategy and better-practice guide provides advice to government agencies on improving waste management and recycling practices in government offices and administration facilities. Download the guide |
Welcome back, Vin
Eagle-eyed observers will have noticed ‘Vin’ from Which Bin has once again graced their screens, streets and radio.
The latest iteration of the Which Bin campaign places a strong focus on using the green organics bin to divert food waste from the landfill bin, so it can go on to be turned into nutrient-rich compost, soil and mulch products that are used on South Australian farms, vineyards and orchards to grow fresh produce.
Upcoming sponsored events
Recycling, litter, waste and resource recovery in South Australia: Data and Insights session, 26 September
In a session hosted by the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR), hear the latest results on the performance of South Australia’s recycling, waste management and landfill diversion from GISA’s data and evaluation team.
The Environment Protection Authority will also present on the progression of the review of South Australia’s Waste to Resources Policy.
Resource Recovery Conference, 16 to 17 October
GISA is pleased to partner with WMRR to present the Resource Recovery Conference at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
Across 2 days, the conference will look at all material streams and supporting infrastructure, and explore the necessary policy and regulatory settings, infrastructure planning, marketing development and the technology available and/or needed to achieve the 2030 targets.
The conference is sponsored by GISA, and will feature keynote addresses from Deputy Premier Susan Close and the GISA Chief Executive, as well as presentations from GISA staff on a range of topics including the challenges of textile recycling and an overview of GISA’s River Murray Flood Clean-up Program.
River Murray flood clean-up continues
GISA is leading the River Murray Flood Clean-up Program, coordinating waste removal, hazard reduction and demolitions. So far GISA has completed 405 demolitions and 117 hazard reduction jobs – with the remaining 22 demolition jobs and 10 hazard reduction jobs to be completed by March 2025.
Uniform procurement masterclass
In late July, GISA hosted a Masterclass on the procurement of government uniforms, with staff from various state government agencies in attendance.
The session was facilitated by Pamela Stecker from IMAGEWORKS, and explored:
the value of ESG to the uniform procurement process
the ESG risks and considerations when undertaking uniform procurement
uniform procurement tools, approaches and strategies to optimise ESG outcomes
international and local uniform procurement and management ESG best practice.
As well as facilitating, Pamela shared her knowledge of the textile, clothing and footwear industries, based on her experience as a consultant, designer, manufacturer, writer and trainer in the field.
Attendees also heard presentations from Australian owned and locally operating garment supplier Stewart and Heaton Clothing Co Pty Ltd, SA Health, who are undertaking market research for their upcoming supplier tender for more than 50,000 garments per year, and Blocktexx, the world-leading textile chemical recycler who can provide recycling solutions for poly cotton based uniforms.
OzHarvest – new free supermarket to feed those in need and avoid food waste
.jpg)
GISA have been long-time supporters of OzHarvest, providing funding for vehicles and cold storage to help feed those in need, and to divert costly food waste from landfill.
The Deputy Premier Susan Close recently launched OzHarvest’s new free market in Adelaide, opened in response to increasing demand for food relief.
Replicating their successful model from Sydney, this is a South Australian first. OzHarvest rescue surplus food from local supermarkets and food businesses to keep the shelves stocked, so those in need can access nutritious food, free of charge.
The supermarket’s opening hours are:
Tuesday 10 am to 2 pm
Wednesday 3 pm to 7 pm
Thursday 10 am to 2 pm
You can visit the market at 27 Manton St, Hindmarsh.
OzHarvest do ask that guests please respect their philosophy of taking what you need and giving if you can, and access the market only one day out of the 3 opening days to be able to share food with others. OzHarvest is a charitable organisation that depends on the generosity of donors and partners to be able to ‘Nourish Our Country’.
Saveful September
Saveful is a free app, supported by GISA, that guides people through making thousands of different dishes with meal frameworks that use ingredients already in their kitchens, to help them avoid food waste and save money on household bills.
This month is ‘Saveful September’, and Saveful users can enter a competition for the chance to with 1 of 5 $1000 gift cards.
Learn more and download the app
In August, A/Chief Executive Josh Wheeler and I attended the inaugural in-person State Waste Chairs and Chief Executive’s Forum for those of us working in the waste and recycling sector.
Coordinated by the Tasmanian Waste and Resource Recovery Board and hosted in Canberra, this event brought together state and territory government agencies and public authorities as well as representatives of Australia’s waste and recycling industry and key players in stewardship and policy.
I was pleased to note that South Australia’s reputation as being leaders on many of these issues, and our achievements were recognised by many other speakers.
The board and staff of GISA are currently focused on the development of South Australia’s next five-year waste strategy for 2025-2030 which intends to both maintain South Australia’s leadership position in waste management and recycling, and to accelerate the transition to a more circular economy.
There are a range of events GISA is partnering to deliver in the coming weeks and months that GISA board members and I will be attending, and I would encourage anyone interested in understanding our progress on the journey towards the circular economy to join us to hear first-hand about our work. Details can be found in the above article.
Nikki Govan, Presiding Member
