Recycling restarts at five Melbourne councils after plant reopens
Recycling has restarted at five councils in Melbourne’s inner city as Victoria continues to battle the waste crisis after recycling giant SKM shutdown. See the before and after photos that show the extent of the state’s waste woes.
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Recycling at two more Melbourne councils will resume from today as Victoria continues to battle its waste woes.
Hobson’s Bay Council and Port Phillip yellow bin pick-ups are the latest to be sent for recycling at the Laverton North facility from this morning.
It comes after restructuring company KordaMentha revealed kerbside collections would start again last week for Melbourne, Brimbank and Moonee Valley.
This brings the total of councils where recycling has resumed to five, after embattled recycling giant SKM closed down in July throwing 33 councils into chaos.
The Laverton North site had to undergo a massive clean up before recycling could begin with the majority of stockpiled waste sent to landfill.
A company spokesman said following the clean up and equipment testing the Laverton facility “will be processing 240 tonnes a day, which is back to where it was in July”.
Following the collapse of SKM waste giant Cleanaway acquired $60 million of SKM’s debt in August and appointed KordaMentha as receivers and managers of the business.
The latest good news about kerbside pick-ups comes as buyers have the last chance today to put forward bids to purchase the plant.
“The receivers are expecting several offers,” said The KordaMentha spokesman.
“Buyers have been impressed with the clean-up and the way the facilities are being brought back to life.”
The receivers expect to announce a sale in late October.
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Meanwhile, work continues at the Coolaroo and Geelong plants, clearing the sites, which will resume operations under the new owners.
Last month Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio awarded a $10 million loan to the receivers to help sort out the state’s recycling crisis, along with tough new laws against rogue waste dumpers.
However, Ms D’Ambrosio would not detail terms of the lending including whether interest would be paid.