Plotting Reuse Pathways in a Recovery World - An SSROC Journey David Kuhn & Hazel Storey

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Plotting Reuse Pathways in a Recovery World - An SSROC Journey David Kuhn & Hazel Storey
An SSROC Journey
Plotting Reuse Pathways in a
Recovery World

                                   David Kuhn & Hazel Storey
               Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) Inc.

Coffs Waste Conference 2019
Plotting Reuse Pathways in a Recovery World - An SSROC Journey David Kuhn & Hazel Storey
SSROC context 2013-2021
16 councils (now 11) in southern Sydney;
1.8m residents; 40% of NSW waste

Newly developed Regional Waste Strategy
    Under : Avoiding and Reducing Waste
    • Reduce volume of material entering
      waste systems
    • Encourage & enable efficient
      consumption choices
    • Establish and progress a business
      case for reuse

3 plucky Coordinators hired in 2014
Plotting Reuse Pathways in a Recovery World - An SSROC Journey David Kuhn & Hazel Storey
Wayfinding
Orientation and navigation.

Pathway               The critical path linking Coordinators to the Strategy

Waypoints             Key projects, unlocking new insights or directions

Detours               A diversion in pathways, but chosen with purpose

Obstacles             Unforeseen barriers brought on by new intelligence or
                      constraints
Plotting Reuse Pathways in a Recovery World - An SSROC Journey David Kuhn & Hazel Storey
We started with data
Our compass.

     Regional objectives   Gave us: a council-endorsed road map, and a task
     SSROC WARR            to progress a business case for reuse.
     (2014)

     Social research:      Gave us: qualitative insights to community
     ’Reuse attitudes’     willingness to reuse
     (2014)
                                                           Pathway
     Bulky waste audit,    Gave us: quantum and
     12 councils           segregation of materials in     Waypoints
     (2014/15)             the cleanup stream
                                                           Detours

                                                           Obstacles
Plotting Reuse Pathways in a Recovery World - An SSROC Journey David Kuhn & Hazel Storey
Guided by councils
2015 workshop revealed new pathways

          Reuse Workshop, 9 councils attending

                       Standardise services with The Bower (2015-17)
                       • Tiered services for re-homing, community education
                       • SSROC master agreement (11 councils)
                       • SSROC host contract meetings

           Request for Proposals – Meeting the region’s reuse needs (2016)
           6 Respondents.
           • Markets could not meet regional reuse objectives
           • No suitable EPA funding to support.                        Pathway
           • “Let’s find a way to bring Reuse Organisations with us.”
                                                                              Waypoints

                                                                              Detours
           After the RFP, Councils as a group could not agree between
           1) better reuse/avoidance, or 2) better diversion                  Obstacles
Pivot to market capabilities
       Our assumption was the reuse marketplace needs stronger capabilities to:
       • address councils’ reuse and procurement objectives
       • and deliver reuse/avoidance outcomes
                                        Strengthening the Reuse Sector in Sydney workshop (2016)
                                        • Do Reuse/Recycling enterprises want a Network in Sydney?
                                        • 52 attendees: 23 CREs, 20 councils, with EPA, CSIRO, UNSW

                                              Zero Waste Network – Sydney (2016)
                                              • SSROC Funding Agreement
                 SSROC                        • ZWN-Sydney Strategic Plan, collaboration with: SSROC +
                 exploration of a                EPA + Sydney enterprises + Social Traders
                 ‘cream off’ of               • Network launch in Redfern
                 reusable items
                 from clean-up.                        ZWN-Sydney reuse/impact measurement (17-18)
                                                       Reuse enterprises’ best chance to verify reuse data
SSROC work began on clean-up                           to EPA & councils
processing tender                                      • SSROC + WSROC + Illawarra JO funding
• Explore commercial sector                            • 4 CREs in Sydney
   willingness to collect and store                    • Based on global best practice; a NSW first.
   reusables / recyclables separately
Pivot to market capabilities
Continued sector-facing work.

                    SSROC Workshop How to Win Work with Local Government (2016)
                    • For charities, N4P and social enterprise
                    • Collaboration SSROC + LGP + Social Traders

                    SSROC investment in Bower Online store (2017-18)
                    • Part digital expansion, part action learning

                    Auckland Council clean-up re-distribution model – ‘there was
                    over-excitement’
                    • SSROC investigation and case-making

                    •   Reality: Councils have no facilities, are in contract, or are
                        unconvinced
                    •   Reality: Re-use takers market was not well understood in Sydney
Another split in directions
Community. Council. Reuse Sector.

          1. Community-facing                                    2. Council-facing
         Responsible Citizenship                               Business Justification

     “Dumping is Rubbish… so Get Rid                       Fleet modelling (2018-19)
     of it Right” (2017-18)                                • Data, revenue, costs of
     www.getridofitright.com                                  changing trucks from
     • Digital marketing campaign,                            compactor to box body
         social media and website                          • Cost-benefit stacks up, but
     • Education/awareness about                              depends on various factors
         clean-up services
     • Targeted, successful
                                                   3. Reuse Sector–facing
     SSROC Regional Educators              Charity, enterprise, N4P ability to cope
     • New sessions on reuse added
       to existing workshop program,   ”Takers” market research (2018)
       and include calls to action.    • Current & projected capacities to take quantum
     • Another strategic use of           tonnages from clean-up stream.
       getridofitright.com             • Regional capacity is limited
2019/20 focus on big tickets
Pull using our own weight.

                SSROC Regional Clean-up Tender
                • How can SSROC/ councils use                 SSROC charities & ZWN
                  processing tender strategically?            engagement
                                                              • Round tables to work
                                                                out how reuse sector /
                                                                charities, and LG can
                                                                address concerns.
                        SSROC exploration: ‘taking
                        back control’                         •   Scoping marketing
                        • SSROC levy hypothecation                and campaigns behind
                          advocacy                                ”reuse takers”
                        • Exploring rationale for potential
                          to invest in infrastructure
What have we learned?
Two sectors driven differently.

For Social Enterprises, it’s a labour of love.

•   Reuse & recovery is the vehicle.
•   LG tendering processes are burdensome.
For Local Government, it’s about services & efficiencies,
resource recovery outcomes.

• Service delivery, safety and street amenity are the vehicles.
• Some are unwilling to use enforcement @ cleanup
  behaviours.
Meanwhile, community…

• Has the appetite for more opportunities.
• Online is growing, but only works for some
• Better understanding leads to changes in behaviour
Auckland Redistribution
Centre
WM Inc, Auckland City Council
and Zero Waste Network-NZ
Conclusions
The path to reuse is not linear

Data speaks

We still need:
• Facilities
• To shift society and systems
• Government (all levels) to fund & invest
• The sector to grow and be incentivised to grow

Procurement processes can affect change
Thank you

David Kuhn
dkuhn@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
                                Hazel Storey
                hazel.storey@ssroc.nsw.gov.au
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