Take a 'recycled' seat: (L-R) CEO of Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT), Paul McMahon; managing director of Relivit, Gareth Williamson; and Kristy Jones from Bunzl Outsourcing Services, around the Relivit bench made from recycled nappy plastic. The bench was presented to Southern Cross Care by Relivit.
Aged care provider, Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT), has demonstrated its green credentials by being the first to sign a contract with the waste and recycling company, Relivit.
The three-year deal will see incontinence pad waste from four of Southern Cross’ Sydney facilities diverted from landfill and processed at a purpose-built recycling plant.
The plastic and wood fibre will be reclaimed for reuse by industry, while the carbon footprint associated with this waste will be more than halved.
CEO of Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT), Paul McMahon, said the new partnership is the result of the organisation’s belief in the importance of environmentally sustainable aged care practices.
“Delivering high quality care to our residents is our priority, but we also believe we have a broader responsibility to deliver this care in a sustainable manner,” Mr McMahon said.
“Relivit’s pad recycling service allows us to divert our largest waste stream away from landfill and reduce associated carbon emissions, which is a great result for us and the community.”
Managing director of Relivit, Gareth Williamson, commended Southern Cross Care for providing “real environmental leadership”.
“Today’s agreement is very exciting as it marks an important milestone in the journey to launching Australia’s first pad recycling service,” Mr Williamson said.
“It also demonstrates that Relivit is moving from the needs assessment phase to the service contracting phase.”
This first contract is the result of an introduction made by Bunzl Outsourcing Services, which has strongly supported Relivit’s pad recycling service.
“As one of the largest distributors of continence products to the NSW aged care market, we can play an important role in improving the overall sustainability and profitability of the sector,” said managing director of Bunzl Outsourcing Services, Lance Ward.
“Assisting customers such as Southern Cross Care to access Relivit’s innovative program is exciting.
“This reflects our true partnership approach and our ability to offer consolidated product supply and sustainable programs, including waste removal.
“Securing waste supply from the aged care sector is very important to us and to the community, as this waste allows us to develop a viable collection network, opening up opportunities for councils, childcare centres and households to recycle this difficult waste stream.”
Relivit’s first plant is due to open in 2014. The organisation said the opening will be teamed with an expansion plan that would see plants open across Australia and New Zealand “in quick succession”.
Advanced technologies used in the process are able to sterilise waste and separate the wood fibre and plastics, before preparing these materials for resale.
The high quality wood fibre can be reused to make a variety of paper products and the plastics used for construction materials and outdoor furniture.
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