Monash University has been awarded an Australian Research Council Linkage Projects Grant to measure the benefits of reuse in the circular economy. “The COVID-19 crisis has shown how vulnerable our society and economy is on globalised commodity chains so this grant is timely in that we must reset our materials economy along more sustainable lines, […]
To assist businesses in dealing with the financial impacts of COVID-19, the Queensland Government will be deferring the increase of waste levy rates originally scheduled to take effect from 1 July 2020. A six month deferral to 1 January 2021 has been approved. This means the levy will stay at $75 per tonne for general […]
Whilst more Australians impacted by COVID-19 are finding themselves in dire need, many charity op shops are being forced to close, creating a perfect storm. Funding is down but calls for assistance up.
New recycling program opportunities are available via the State Government, including funding and grants.
NACRO has a vision for a Circular Textiles Economy, and it begins with the overarching perspective that clothing textiles donated to charities are a resource, not a waste. Clothing textiles are a valuable resource in Australia’s economy, whether they are new – or about to be reused. In fact, a pre-loved item made from quality […]
NACRO has launched a Victorian campaign on responsible donating targeting consumers, through radio and posters. The positive reinforcement campaign with a tagline of ‘Be Part of the Solution’ seeks to inform and inspire consumers to donate responsibly to charities. The campaign is funded by NACRO through income received from the charitable component of Metro Trains […]
NACRO has funded a critical piece of research to demonstrate the social, environmental and economic impacts of charitable reuse and recycling, using the case study of clothing textiles. Understanding the impact of NACRO member activities will contribute to an evidence base for the benefits of the sector, helping all NACRO members to demonstrate their unique […]
The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has entered into a Partnership Agreement with NACRO for the development of a suite of tender documents for waste and recycling management services under a Weight Based Billing system. NACRO estimates that NSW members may save up to $1.5 million annually through this project. The benefits of […]
NACRO commends the Federal Government on its inquiry into innovation in the Waste and Recycling Industries. NACRO has lodged a submission on the role of the charitable reuse and recycling sector as pioneers of the Circular Economy and key drivers of reuse in Australia. It calls on the Government to action four key recommendations: Leverage […]
The Western Australian Charitable Recyclers Dumping Reduction Program (CRDRP) supports charitable recyclers that divert used items from landfill and recover them for recycling and reuse. The program aims to reduce illegal dumping and littering, and to prevent unusable items – which ultimately end up at landfill – being left at donation sites. The program will […]
NACRO applauds the Tasmanian Government’s new draft Waste Action Plan. Tasmania’s commitment to move towards a Circular Economy is exciting, with opportunities to scale and accelerate the reuse, recycling, repair and resource recovery activities of NACRO members. We look forward to working with, and supporting EPA Tasmania to deliver its objectives. Read NACRO‘s Submission on […]
NACRO is delighted to announce that Griffith University have won a $347,000 Australian Research Council Linkage Grant social media grant to promote responsible donating. This is supported with an additional investment by the Department of Environment and Science, as well as NACRO members. The objective is to understand the social media messages that drive behaviour […]
Nacro is excited to announce 2 new major sponsors for the upcoming Annual Conference. Day One Sponsor – Recycling/Reuse – MRA Consulting MRA is sponsor of Day One of the Conference. They are one of Australia’s leading environmental Consultancy Firms, specialising in all aspects of waste and recycling. They are experts in waste, resource recovery […]
NACRO members are the original circular economy experts. We divert waste from landfill, generate funds to support the community, and create thousands of voluntary and paid positions around the country. However, we know very little about our collective impact – the contribution that we, as a sector, make to Australia’s social, environmental and economic fabric. […]
NACRO commends the Victorian Government on its commitment to developing a circular economy policy and the release of its Issues Paper for consultation. NACRO is delighted to submit the attached feedback outlining the importance of the charitable reuse, recycling and retail sector as both early adopters of circular economy principals, and as charitable organisations with […]
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has released a new application for the Community Service Exemption from the NSW Waste Levy. A downloadable PDF called ‘Community Service Exemption Guidelines – Completing an Application’ is now available to help applicants navigate the new application and can be found here. There is no change to how charities […]
NACRO Incorporating Zero Waste Network has been invited to provide feedback to the Victorian Government’s Circular Economy issues paper released this week. Charitable reuse, recycling and retail organisations are perfectly positioned to both support, and benefit from, the transition into a circular economy that will grow our economy, increase jobs and reduce impacts on the […]
Today, NACRO’s offer to integrate and merge the Zero Waste Network’s assets, services and influence into NACRO was formally completed. In announcing the integration, Omer Soker, CEO of NACRO said ‘The combined value proposition will scale our influence to uphold trust in, and promote the impact of the charitable reuse, recycling and retail sector as […]
NACRO is looking forward to providing feedback on behalf of the charitable reuse, recycling and retail sector, and working closely with EPA Tasmania. NACRO is pleased to see a commitment to support and accelerate charitable reuse and recycling in Tasmania, and will assertively assist the EPA with its commitment to the Circular Economy, and in […]
NACRO’s formal offer to integrate and merge the Zero Waste Network’s assets, members and influence into NACRO has been approved by the ZWN board and ratified by its members with overarching enthusiasm. Both are not-for-profit charitable associations with much in common. The combined value proposition will scale our influence to uphold trust in, and promote […]
Join leaders of the charitable recycling sector for the most important and thought-provoking two days of the year – at the NACRO Annual Conference at the Pullman Albert Park Melbourne on 14-15 October 2019. Take a look at the Conference Agenda and book at Early Bird rates today. Day 1 Recycling has Australia’s best speakers […]
Following representations to the South Australian Government and collaborative discussions with the EPA and Green Industries, NACRO is delighted that the Hon Rob Lucas, Treasurer of SA, has announced that a 50% reduction on the levy will be provided to charity organisations on unwanted waste they receive as part of the donation system. With the […]
Expanding on last year’s theme which saw a fully sold out conference and 100% satisfaction from attending delegates, the NACRO Annual Conference 2019 promises to be even bigger and better.
Frontier Materials (IFM) will put a new spin on vintage denim jeans, all in the name of reducing the huge environmental impact in the life cycle of the world’s most popular clothing item…
Australia’s recycling industry is concerned that Sunday’s 60 Minutes program didn’t paint the full picture of Australia’s recycling efforts and didn’t highlight the industry’s contribution of some 50,000 jobs and $15 billion in value, with real potential for more benefits. The report included:a false claim that much of Australia’s plastic waste is being disposed of […]
In Sweden, we consume 15kg of textiles per capita and year. Of this roughly 8kg are incinerated and 3kg are reused by charity organisations…
NACRO calls on all State Governments to invest just $10 for each tonne of waste charities deal with each year, into three proven interventions to tackle dumping at charities, to increase reuse and recycling initiatives in the charitable recycling sector and to educate consumers on responsible donations. NACRO also challenges the Federal Government to get […]
NACRO launches a new policy position and 3-point plan to tackle dumping at charities, to increase reuse and recycling in the charitable recycling sector, and to educate consumers on responsible donations. Omer Soker, CEO of NACRO was invited to launch the plan live on air on Weekend Sunrise. Policy Positions
Dressed by Vinnies is held any day that works for your school or organisation but one suggestion is National Dressed by Vinnies day on 26 October. Prior to the event all participants need to visit a local Vinnies shop and purchase any item to wear on the free dress day. They will then be Dressed […]
It’s time to start telling a different story about Australia’s waste industry. That the China ban in fact represents the massive incentive our country needs to start looking for solutions. And more and more stakeholders are contributing to the conversation about the future focused solutions. Fore more, click here.
Buy It Back Day (BIBD) is on Saturday 17 November this year as part of National Recycling Week (November 12-18), and encourages people to buy second hand or buy products containing recycled content. Organised by Planet Ark. For more, read on.
More recycling from NSW households could reduce taxes by up to $250 million per year or some $100 per household, according to the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR). Speaking at the Keep NSW Beautiful “Sustainable Cities Seminar” and at the NACRO Annual Conference, ACOR CEO Pete Shmigel said recovering more household material for recycling meant […]
NACRO has announced its new strategy with four key objectives, along with a three-tier, data-driven media and engagement positioning strategy. 1). Reduce illegal/unintentional dumping and increase reuse/recycling in collaboration with governments. 2). Expand influence with consumers, councils and commercials. 3). Uphold sector integrity for transparency and accountability. 4). Deliver member benefits for organisational sustainability. For […]
Charities in Australia spend $13 million on waste management each year, sending 60,000 tonnes of unusable donations; that have no value and can’t be recycled; as waste to landfill every year. On the positive side, charities divert over 500,000 tonnes of waste away from landfill every year by their reuse and recycling programs, with Australians […]
Omer Soker, CEO of NACRO was invited onto ABC News Breakfast to discuss responsible donations and how Australian consumers can help charities maximise the value of their donations into social welfare programs. Watch the video here.
A Canadian man’s sister had told him it was time to sift through his bulging closet and donate unused old clothing to a charity. That’s when he stumbled on the $1,750,000 winning lottery ticket, which he had purchased last year. The benefits of clearing out old closets and donating to charity! For more, read on.
Illegal dumping grant applications are now open and close on 5pm 30 October 2018. The NSW EPA is seeking expressions of interest (EOIs) from community groups on projects that identify local illegal dumping hotspots and have planned clean-up and prevention action. This is the sixth of eight funding rounds under the Combating Illegal Dumping: Clean-up and […]
This week is Charity Fraud Awareness Week (22 October to 26 October), an international initiative designed to raise awareness about fraud in the charity sector, and share best practice solutions in tackling fraud and financial crime. For more, click here.
For Charity Fraud Awareness Week, Scamwatch has revealed that charities are losing out on more than $320,000 in donations due to fake charity scams. Scamwatch is appealing to donors to be wary of fake charities or people impersonating real charities. In 2018, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) received almost 690 reports of scams. […]
All of the delegates who packed out the QT Gold Coast conference facility said they were 100% satisfied with the NACRO Conference. Huge thanks to all the speakers and panellists including Craig Reucassel, Mike Ritchie, Pete Shmigel, Brian Walker, Peter Knock, Richard Wood, Bianca Gray, Bianca Williams, Laura Hill, Tony Khoury, Gemma Rygate and Faye […]
The Australian Circular Fashion Conference (ACFC) is Australasia’s leading business event on sustainability in fashion. Following the success of the inaugural event last year, ACFC 2019 is a call to action to the industry to implement fashion sustainability within 5-10 years, targeted at over 500 business leaders. For more on ACFC or to register, read […]
Garage Sale Trail is Australia’s biggest weekend of garage sales, and is happening on October 20 & 21 this year. Over 400,000 Australians will hit the streets that weekend in search of pre-loved bargains. The event which aims to encourage Australians to choose pre-loved whether through an op shop or garage sale aims to save […]
What’s inside your wardrobe? This fun, fashionable and thought-provoking event is free to everyone interested in how our fashion shopping choices can change the world! A fabulous line up of panelists talk about sustainability and ethical practices in the fashion industry and how op-shopping fits into our every day fashion choices. Its a precursor to […]
Buy Nothing New Month is the brainchild of Tamara DiMattina, who Fairfax call ‘PR to The Planet’. It started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA. It’s a one month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines). It’s literally about taking one month off […]
The ‘Future of Recycling’ is the theme for NACRO’s Annual Conference, to be held at QT Gold Coast from 15-16 October 2018. The Event Program has been finalised and boasts the best line-up of speakers, sessions, panels and thought-provoking insights ever compiled for a NACRO Conference. More delegates than ever before have already registered and […]
In abeautifully titled article ‘Fashion But Make it Second Hand’, Elle Australia presents 10 useful op shopping tips from women who only buy second hand. For tips one to ten, read on.
Supermodel Helena Christensen says shops in thrift shops. Female First in the UK have her quoting “I shop at second-hand stores and online. I find much more joy in finding pieces that have been lived-in and are unique”. Spread the word. Op shopping truly does inspire joy, with pieces that are unique and have been […]
Reports that a defunct computer screen dropped at an Australian retailer for recycling was shipped to a junkyard in Thailand have renewed calls for Australia to get serious about e-waste controls, with calls for Australia to support international ban on such exports. Under current laws any such waste should have been sent to an approved recycler […]
We use our phones to do everything from delivering our favorite late night cravings to tracking our exercise. So why can’t we use the technology we engage with on a regular basis to do something good for the planet? Recycle Track Systems works like a typical App and gives users the ability to schedule on-demand […]
Sweden “recycles nearly all of its waste” and in doing so “generates electricity and heating”. So should Australia become more like Sweden and make our waste useful? Sweden has banned most landfill and has invested heavily with 34 waste-to-energy plants currently operating, with their first built in the 1940s! With half the waste in Sweden recycled and 49% of […]
Vive La France. France will roll out a series of measures to accelerate President Emmanuel Macron’s goal of reaching 100% plastic recycling by 2025. Junior Environment Minister Brune Poirson added “Declaring war on plastic is not enough. We need to transform the French economy.” Economic transformation and encouraging consumers to recycle is the key. For […]
Janet Gunter, co-founder of The Restart Project estimates that 1,000 Titanics’ worth of discarded electronics is dumped in the UK, with much of it extremely toxic if mishandled. In 2017, the United Nations University’s Global E-waste Monitor predicted global e-waste would hit 50 million tonnes this year — three million tonnes of it being small […]
An American company is in the business of turning blue things into green, and giving new life to jeans. Its an example of effective down cycling, with the former garment not recycled for more fashion use, but to meet commercial demand for insulation for homes and office buildings and fibre for bedding. Ultimately, the success […]
The Council for Textile Recycling in the USA estimates that 10,000 tonnes of textiles, in the form of clothes, shoes, accessories, manchester and accessories ends up in landfill. That’s 37kg on average of every person. How to divert these unusable donations from landfill and create new opportunities for recycling or down cycling is a key […]
The EPA NSW’s Product Improvement Program is open to applications, with individual grants of $50,000 to $1 million available. The program supports co-investment in infrastructure projects that aim to improve the quality of recycled materials, reduce the amount of unrecyclable material left at the end of the process, increase the amount of waste materials recycled, […]
The Queensland Government has released a comprehensive paper outlining the process for introducing a waste levy, which includes an exemptions system.
Government’s ‘Delivering a New Plan for the Future of Recycling’ media release
The leaders of the charitable recycling sector will be on the Gold Coast during 15-16 October, attending the NACRO Annual Conference 2018. Join them – register today. 90% of members said they want to know the Future of Recycling. So that’s the conference theme. More specifically, the Future of Recycling, Retail and Responsible Donating. Each […]
Vinnies NSW has launched a second Bulk Container Deposit Centre as part of the state’s container deposit scheme. The Unanderra facility can process up to 100,000 containers per day, and complements existing over-the-counter sites and reverse vending machines with an efficient way to process large volumes of eligible containers. Container deposit refunds can be received […]
Even in the luxury market. The meteoric rise of resale sites such as TrueFacet and Tradesy that provide dedicated environments for buying and selling pre-owned prestige watches and jewellery by offering guarantees of authenticity, has been achieved through best-in-class Search engine Optimisation (SEO). For example, TrueFacet mentions “Tiffany” 121 times on its Tiffany gallery page and […]
The Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC, Minister for Environment has invited NACRO to join Western Australia’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) Advisory Group. Ro Richardson of the Western Australian Department of Environment Regulation gave NACRO members a thorough brief on the CDS opportunities for charitable recyclers, during the WA NACRO Members Meeting on 7 May 2018. For […]
ThredUp is an online retail platform seeking to reinventing second-hand shopping by disintermediating op shops and sending clothes direct to consumers. As Australian op shops look to develop their online offerings, ThredUp needs to be on the radar. Here’s a product review and individual perspective from Cheap Chic.
Forget panning for gold or extracting copper ore. A new study shows that recovering metals from discarded electronics, a process known as urban mining, is far less expensive than mining them the traditional way. In 2016 alone, the world discarded 44.7 million metric tons of unusable or simply unwanted electronics. A Chinese study found that organisations […]
For most people, once they lift the lid and throw their rubbish in the wheelie bin, their household waste is out of sight, out of mind. Gunther Hoppe, chief executive of the Mindarie Regional Council in Western Australia is hoping to challenge this mindset by putting wheelie bin contents on display. As a trial to […]
Germany and Wales have seemingly mastered their waste problem. They could help Australia as it grapples with China’s ban on contaminated recyclable material. Having set an ambitious target to achieve zero waste by 2030, Wales could soon overtake Germany as the world’s leading recycling nation. Germany is so good at recycling they have even found a […]
Emergency measures in response to China’s ban on foreign waste, like stockpiling, landfilling or trying to find other international destinations for our recycling are not sustainable long-term solutions. We need a broad debate on a long-term rethink for an innovative, sustainable recycling sector – with all stakeholders coming together. Read The Conversation’s re-think suggestions here
The Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) has laid out a roadmap that starts with harmonising bins nationally ($28M), upgrading sorting centres ($33M), developing more factories to produce paper pulp and plastic pellets ($57M), using raw materials for infrastructure ($32M) and burning waste into energy. ACOR’s strategic vision on strategic focus areas and where upgrades are […]
In the lead up to the Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM), the Greens released an industry blueprint on waste recycling, designed to expand the Australian waste management system to replace the need to export recyclables. The Greens want to spend $500 million over five years on infrastructure and programs to improve recycling with a national […]