VAUGHN

A joint publication from

Sims Metal Management

and

KESAB environmental solutions

Issue Number 1 September 2011

Interview with Vaughan Levitzke, Chief Executive, Zero Waste SA

Vaugn2

Vaughan Levitzke

Chief Executive, Zero Waste SA

In early July 2011, Metallic Green met with the head of Zero Waste SA, Vaughan Levitske to talk about the importance of metal recycling in South Australia. As we discovered, this topic is at the very centre of Zero Waste SA's charter.

Metallic Green: Where does the recycling of metal sit in your priority list?

ZWSA: The short answer is, right towards the top. I should qualify that by saying that since this agency was formed in 2003, we have been focussed on our overarching target of reducing waste in all its forms by 25% by 2014. That imperative was formalised in South Australia's Strategic Plan and it is at the heart of everything we do.

And avoiding metal either going to landfill or simply rotting away is extremely important because firstly, there's a lot of it, secondly, it is one of the more recyclable materials a modern economy uses and thirdly, recycling steel represents an enormous saving in energy compared to the whole process of mining ore and processing it through to the manufacturing sector.

Metallic Green: Can you put a figure on the importance of recycling steel?

ZWSA: Yes, for every tonne of steel that is recycled, we save over a tonne of iron ore. Similarly, carbon emissions are reduced by over two tonnes by the same proccess.

Metallic Green: Are we making progress?

ZWSA: We certainly are. In 2003, Adelaide’s household recycling was just 23%. It is now better than 50%. In 2003, the largest landfill servicing Adelaide was closed. It had been burying more than 700,000 tonnes of waste each year and again, much of that was steel waste. There's a lot of progress still to be made but we are undoubtedly having an impact.

Metallic Green: How important for Zero Waste SA to collaborate with industry in achieving its goals?

ZWSA: It's important to understand that Zero Waste SA was not set up to enforce and prosecute. It is written into the Act that this organisation's primary function is to promote waste management practices and develop strategy. That means that collaboration is vitally important to us at all levels.

Zero Waste SA works closely with businesses, the waste and recycling industry, all of local government, the tertiary education sector and the community.

You might say we see ourselves as educators as much as anything else, because we understand that in the rough and tumble of life, the importance of running our lives and our industry in a way that helps preserve our environment is not necessarily at the top of the list for many people.

Metallic Green: So, Sims Metal Management and KESAB? A good initiative?

ZWSA: Yes of course it is. We have supported KESAB's activities since our formation. In many ways, they put the commercial edge to the policies and strategies we help in developing. I think it is admirable that KESAB is working with a leading recycler and I will go further by saying that we would encourage all stakeholders to continuously ramp up their efforts to ensure that metal does not quietly decompose under the sun or under the ground.

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