General News
15 June, 2023
Energy Breakthrough’s most waste-free year in 2022
The 2022 Energy Breakthrough event was the most sustainable in its 30-year history, diverting more than 3500 kilograms of waste materials generated by the event away from landfill. The sustainability boost to the event came as a result of funding...
The 2022 Energy Breakthrough event was the most sustainable in its 30-year history, diverting more than 3500 kilograms of waste materials generated by the event away from landfill.
The sustainability boost to the event came as a result of funding from Sustainability Victoria’s Circular Economy Councils Fund, which allowed the Central Goldfields Shire Council to partner with social enterprise B-Alternative.
The partnership enabled the organisations to engage with patrons and encourage behavioural change before and during the event, streaming resource recovery, implementing a reusable crockery system and utilising commercial grade dishwashers.
It also saw consultation with vendors for waste education and plastic-free vendor packaging and promoting environmental initiatives for behavioural change.
The results are in, and last year’s Energy Breakthrough saw an overall 82 percent decrease in waste sent to landfill, with 1528 kilograms, or 23 percent of total waste, recovered to be recycled and 1340 kg, equating to 20 percent of total waste, recovered to be composted.
There were 633 kgs of single-use packaging avoided through implementing the reusable crockery system, with the event generating only 250 grams of landfill per person, down from 1.6 kg in 2019.
Energy Breakthrough’s management group committee member and councillor Liesbeth Long said the committee was thrilled the funding had made such an impact in a short space of time.
“The results indicate we are leading by doing, with impactful results achieved at the 2022 Energy Breakthrough,” she said.
“Students, parents, volunteers and communities have been active participants in diverting waste from landfill and will apply these principles at home and at future events.
“It proves that effective resource recovery strategies and education can play a significant role in waste diversion and reduction.
“Thank you to the Victorian Government for the grant funding that made this possible, we look forward to working with B-Alternative again this year to continue to do better to reduce our environmental impact.”
Grant funding under the Circular Economy Councils Fund is part of the Victorian Government’s 10-year plan to transition to a circular economy.
B-Alternative general manager James McLennan said the landfill reduction results from the 2022 event were astounding.
“To see an 82 percent reduction in landfill is a huge success. This shows just how possible it is to divert waste from landfill when resource recovery streams are utilised,” he said.
B-Alternative will work with Energy Breakthrough again this year — with a focus on no single-use plastics.
This will include no single-use plastic cutlery, water or soft drink bottles, single use coffee cups/lids or plastic bags being brought to site or sold by vendors.
To support this change, Energy Breakthrough will work with schools and local community groups in the lead up to the event, which takes place from November 22 to 26.