Recycling Right: How ECFD is Leading the Way in Supplier Recycling

Have you ever wondered what happens to your recycling after you toss it into the bin? It turns out, what many consider rubbish is a valuable resource. For example, an aluminium can can be recycled repeatedly, continuously transforming into a brand-new can with each cycle. This is all made possible through recycling facilities that sort, process, and repurpose our waste into useful materials.

The Recycling Journey

When we place our recyclables in the yellow-lid bin, they embark on a journey to the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). The Sunshine Coast Council has recently implemented advanced technologies at its new high-tech MRF in Nambour, which boasts a 98% purity rate in sorting paper and cardboard—the highest quality of any facility in Australia. This cutting-edge facility employs both manual and automated sorting techniques to maximise efficiency and minimise contamination. Here, recyclables are sorted into their respective materials, including glass, cartons, hard plastics, steel, aluminium, paper, and cardboard.

The process involves:

• Manual Sorting: Workers remove non-recyclable items, like plastic bags, which unfortunately get sent to landfill even if they contain recyclables.
• Mechanical Screening: Paper and cardboard are separated from other materials.
• Magnetic Separation: A powerful magnet extracts steel items.
• Eddy Current Separation: Aluminium is pushed off the conveyor belt into its own section.
• Glass and Plastic Sorting: Heavier glass falls through, while plastics continue down the belt.
• AI-Powered Sorting: A robotic arm uses artificial intelligence to remove non-recyclable items like soft plastics.

Once sorted, materials are baled and sent to manufacturers to be turned into new products. Glass bottles may become new bottles or road construction materials, paper transforms into toilet paper or egg cartons, and aluminium cans are reborn as—you guessed it—more aluminium cans!

ECFD’s Role in Supplier Recycling

At East Coast Freight Distribution (ECFD), we believe in taking recycling beyond household bins. We’ve implemented our own supplier recycling initiatives to ensure that our operations contribute to a sustainable future.

In addition to the crucial role, we play in enabling the Sunshine Coast Council’s waste management efforts by transporting recyclables efficiently from facilities like the Nambour MRF, we’ve also partnered with Remondis, a global leader in waste management and recycling services, to ensure responsible disposal and processing of materials such as used oil, filters, and oily rags. Through these collaborations, we are actively reducing waste and supporting a circular economy.

Our Key Initiatives:

1. Oily Rags, Oil & Filter Recycling: Instead of treating oil, rags, and filters as waste, we responsibly manage these and ensure they are collected and processed correctly.
2. On-Site Oil Collection: With our truck servicing now conducted in our own yard, we have a dedicated facility where used oil is collected in a specialised drum. Once we accumulate 200 litres, we transport it to the Remondis waste recycling centre for proper disposal and repurposing.
3. Specialised Recycling Bins: Used filters and oily rags are placed in designated bins to prevent contamination. Remondis collects these bins when they’re full, ensuring that the materials are handled through an environmentally friendly process.

Reducing Waste in Logistics

The logistics industry is a major contributor to environmental waste, from packaging to fuel consumption. At ECFD, we are working towards sustainable solutions that go beyond recycling. Our initiatives include:

• Optimised Delivery Routes: We use technology to plan the most efficient delivery routes, reducing fuel consumption and lowering our carbon footprint.
• Eco-Friendly Packaging: Where possible, we encourage the use of recyclable or biodegradable packaging materials for transported goods.
• Sustainable Vehicle Maintenance: Regular servicing ensures our vehicles run efficiently, reducing emissions and unnecessary waste.
• Employee Training: We educate our staff on best recycling practices, ensuring sustainability is embedded in our company culture.

Why It Matters

By implementing these supplier recycling initiatives, ECFD is reducing waste, lowering our environmental impact, and promoting responsible recycling within our industry. Just like how individuals make a difference by recycling correctly at home, businesses have an important role to play in ensuring waste is managed efficiently and sustainably.

Recycling is not just about placing items in the right bin—it’s about understanding the journey these materials take and how we can improve the process. When businesses take accountability for their waste and introduce sustainable practices, they contribute to a cleaner environment and a stronger economy.

The Bigger Picture: The Impact of Recycling

When we recycle correctly, we reduce the need for raw materials, conserve energy, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Here are some key benefits:

• Conserving Resources: Recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy required to make the same product from raw materials.
• Reducing Landfill Waste: Every tonne of recycled paper saves around 17 trees and significantly reduces landfill space.
• Lowering Carbon Emissions: Recycling plastic can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% compared to producing new plastic.

Recycling Right: A Collective Effort

Every action we take—whether at home or within our business operations—contributes to a larger, global effort to reduce waste and preserve resources. By placing the right items in recycling bins, supporting proper waste disposal practices, and encouraging sustainable habits, we can ensure that recyclable materials get their best chance of being turned into something new.

How You Can Help

• Educate Yourself: Know what can and cannot be recycled in your area to avoid contamination.
• Reduce Single-Use Plastics: Opt for reusable bags, bottles, and containers to cut down on waste.
• Support Recycling Programs: Encourage your workplace or community to implement responsible recycling practices.
• Dispose of Hazardous Waste Properly: Items like batteries, chemicals, and electronics require specialised disposal methods to prevent environmental harm.
• Spread Awareness: The more people who understand the importance of recycling correctly, the bigger the impact we can make.

At East Coast Freight Distribution, we’re committed to being part of the solution. By recycling right, reducing waste, and supporting sustainability initiatives, we can all make a difference—one can, one filter, and one initiative at a time. Together, we can lead the way towards a more sustainable future.