In this post:
Mr. Henry Grabar’s article from 5 April, 2019 Slate Magazine – Recycling is the World’s bizarro commodity,
ASPIRE – an online waste marketplace,
Sfridoo – an Italian/EU online waste marketplace,
…a list at the bottom with suggestions for financing a Small Business and more
Recycling Isn’t About the Planet. It’s About Profit.
“When you drop a plastic bottle in a blue bin, you’re joining the unruly transglobal trash trade.”
This great article by Mr. Henry Grabar, from the 5 April, 2019 Slate Magazine, really clarifies the story of how important “waste” is.
Anyone involved in industry, today (now that we all need to take this difficult journey to re-think how we work, play, think, buy…..everything in our lives…..by adding responsibility for planet Earth to our thought processes) should read the article from beginning to end, to understand the fooling around of rich countries in this business and how serious it is. I have pulled an item from the article to give you a taste. But if you have the time, go to Slate Magazine online and read the whole article.
A good place to start dealing with the Circular Economy, is getting a clear picture of how valuable “waste” can be.
Mr. Grabar’s story is from a USA point of view:
“Back in 2011, if you wanted to recycle a plastic Coke bottle, it was a great time to do it. That spring, every plastic soda bottle was worth about x8 what it was just 2½ years earlier, and x4 what it would be five years later.
Your 2011-era empty Coke bottle was not only worth a lot because of high oil prices—it was worth a lot because Pakistan had suffered devastating monsoons in the summer of 2010. Flooding in the Indus River was one of the events that sent cotton, in April 2011, to its highest price since records began in 1870. Jeans were going to be more expensive, Levi’s announced. And so, it turned out, was recycled PET plastic, because polyester fibers made from used plastic bottles were a cost-effective replacement for cotton. Cotton was up; plastic was up; recycled PET prices went up. The scramble was on for old bottles. Which you, American reader, the world’s leading consumer of soda and bottled water, have plenty of.
Recycling is the globe’s bizarro commodity, created by the richest people on Earth and sold to the developing world.” Or is it? Read the article!
This post goes into the details about two companies helping people sell waste at a value, and companies that are looking for feed stocks from such waste….there are now more of them worldwide and I have published another post with the updates.
Here is a new company that is helping with exactly what my blog is all about. The globe’s bizarro commodities:
CEO | ASPIRE | Circular Economy
The circular economy startup saving SMEs thousands in landfill costs
July, 2019 – A CSIRO-inspired startup is seeking support from Australian governments to help SMEs reduce their environmental footprint and save thousands.
ASPIRE (Advisory System for Processing, Innovation and Resource Efficiency) supports the re-think of waste for Small and Medium size Businesses (SMEs). It is a digital tool that assists businesses across regions, industries and local governments to create business to business collaborations.
The ASPIRE program assists with the growing issue of waste and disposal costs. In Australia, SME’s are 98% of operating businesses. To date, the program has focused on the manufacturing sector in Victoria, with great opportunities to grow ASPIRE outside that field and region. Expanding the program into other States and other sectors such as farming, organic, education and a focus on the construction industry is the immediate goal.
Successes, Metrics and Benefits for local governments and business
ASPIRE has been recognised by councils and businesses as adding value to their operations and as an effective approach to achieving environmental regulations for SMEs which is known to be challenging. Larger companies are also engaging with ASPIRE.
Direct metrics of success
- 380+ businesses engaged in the project
- 45,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill
- $207,000 saved for business ($193,000 reduction in waste disposal cost; $14,000 reduction in input material cost)
- 16 new business to business collaborations
The following direct benefits are also expected to result from ASPIRE
- New Private investment (one case study is forecasting potential new private investment, ~ $3million)
- Improved sales
- Reduced transport cost / emissions
- Jobs created and/or safeguarded
- CO2-equivalent emissions reduction via diversion from landfill / reuse
- Water savings
ASPIRE intelligently matches businesses with potential re-manufacturers, purchasers or recyclers of waste resources for a robust Circular Economy.
“Almost 80% of Australia’s waste is generated through commercial, industrial, construction or demolition activities. We developed ASPIRE in response to rising costs of waste management, and to redirect waste to more productive uses,” said Cameron McKenzie, ASPIRE’s newly appointed CEO.
ROTOMETRICS + GLOBAL WASTE MANAGEMENT = INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS
Through business engagement for the ASPIRE program, the *Hume BEN Officer, Amadis Lacheta met with Gregor Mason at Rotometrics to discuss opportunities for Industrial Symbiosis, or resource exchange between two companies that resulted in environmental and economic benefits for both companies. The result was a fantastic outcome for the two companies involved.
*Hume is a suburb of Canberra, Austrailia. The city council has a department called Business Efficiency Network, that works with companies in their jurisdiction.
I asked Mr. McKenzie about plans for the rest of the world…………….
On Sun, Sep 1, 2019 at 2:06 AM Cameron McKenzie <[email protected]> wrote:
Morning Lesley,
Thanks for reaching out!
ASPIRE will be expanding overseas (outside Australia) 2020-21. The mechanism for the expansion is yet to be confirmed, however, we will work very closely with local and state government with the rollout of the platform.
More than happy to discuss this with anyone interested.
Regards
Cameron McKenzie
CEO | ASPIRE | Circular Economy
As seen in The Fifth Estate, CSIRO and Smart Company
DipBus (Project Management)
MSc (Construction Management)
MBA (Executive)
MEI (Entrepreneurship & Innovation)….
[email protected]………aspiresme.com
Here is a another new company in Italy that is also helping use waste in the Circular Economy:
Sfridoo is an Italian startup founded in 2017, which helps companies transition towards a Circular Economy. It operates in the waste management sector, helping businesses find the best possible way to use their waste. It does this by using an innovative technological tool to help businesses work together within the B2B sector. So they can better use their waste and begin the shift towards a Circular Economy.
- Sfidoo services include:
- Training Businesses for the Circular Economy
- A Digital Business Tool with the ability to buy and sell primary and secondary waste materials.
- Consulting to give value to your waste.
- Green Marketing Strategies
Saving Small Businesses thousands in landfill costs.
Sfridoo.com is a B2B platform for purchasing and selling scrap materials. Sharing economy principles to turn the circular economy into a reality. Sfridoo has already enabled more than 100 businesses to recycle and reuse industrial scraps.
*3 part series with suggestions for financing a Small GREEN Business project:
Part #1 – Keep an Open Mind & Incentives offered by your Buyers
Part #2 – Documentation & CE and Sustainability Certificates
Part #3 – Private Funding & Government funding
and now 2 additional post about Waste Commodity tools.
and Waste Online Tools! There Are More Of Them!
Also:
The 2 Reports To Help GREEN Small Business Find Money
After COP 26 – Who Says There Was No Progress?
Intense Financial Talks At COP 26
Horrific Disruptive – Economic Opportunity!
Have You Been RE-THINKING Your Business?
How To Finance Your Own “Green” Recovery – 8 Tips For Small Businesses