Less than two years after breaking ground, Gardner Vaughan Group is celebrating the topping out of Bask, its second development in the exclusive coastal enclave of Bokarina on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.&nbsp;

Located only minutes from the beachfront, the two seven-storey luxury apartment towers, known individually as Mydas and Caretta, offer a selection of one-to-four-bedroom residences with views of Lake Kawana, the Glasshouse Mountains, and Bokarina Beach.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333359]

Gardner Vaughan Group Commercial Director Sam Gardner said the milestone marks the home stretch for construction, with first residents expected to be able to move in from Spring 2026.&nbsp;

“This is a significant milestone in bringing this development to life and represents our confidence in this region’s long-term growth and appeal,” Gardner said.&nbsp;

“With 85 per cent of apartments already sold, buyers are joining an established, coastal village that offers the very best of the Sunshine Coast – seasonally patrolled surf beaches, renowned restaurants, and links to established health and retail.&nbsp;

“The final collection of three- and four- bedroom apartments range in size from 127sqm to 300sqm, each with two or three secure car parks and storage, and with construction fast approaching completion we don’t expect the last few apartments to remain on the market for long.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333362]

Local restaurateur Luke Stringer, who co-owns and manages the award-winning Bocca Italian and Playa Mexican restaurants in Bokarina, has lived in the beachside suburb for 18 months and worked there for more than three years, and said the beachside suburb was thriving.&nbsp;

“It’s fair to say Bokarina is finally stepping into the sun and there’s a lot to love about the place,"&nbsp;Stringer said.

"It’s such a great community, where you see the same smiling faces every morning and everything’s within easy reach – it’s the perfect hub in the middle of the Sunshine Coast.

“When we first opened Bocca Italian, we were the lone restaurant, but it’s been amazing to see how the area has grown. The more venues that open, the busier it gets for everyone. When Playa Mexican opened its first Saturday night, Bocca had a record night and Playa was packed too, which blew us away how everyone is thriving.&nbsp;

“There’s a great energy around the place now, and people are really embracing Bokarina as a food and lifestyle destination.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=363368]

Stringer joined other buyers at Bask Bokarina and the Gardner Vaughan Group team to celebrate the topping out at a special event in February.&nbsp;

Located in Kawana Waters, midway between Caloundra and Maroochydore, Bokarina locals enjoy scenic walking paths around Lake Kawana, playgrounds, beachfront boardwalk and parklands, alongside all the convenience of a masterplanned beachside community.&nbsp;

“You see people jogging or swimming in the morning, then grabbing coffee at the cafes, people are really embracing the area and all this growth is bringing more people to Bokarina,” Stringer added.&nbsp;

To take advantage of the vistas, each of the 135 apartments at Bask is designed with full size windows and high ceilings that provide an abundance of natural light.&nbsp;

Prices for the remaining three-bedroom apartments start at $1,599,000 and four-bedroom apartments start at $3,149,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=363369]

The mixed-use development also features ground-level retail space for cafés, dining options and boutiques, including the soon-to-be-opened ‘Corner Shop’, by the team behind Noosa’s well known ‘Organika’.

Sam Gardner said Gardner Vaughan Group’s 37-year history building and developing across South East Queensland has contributed to the success of its second development in Bokarina, which follows the recently completed Zinc Apartments.&nbsp;

“We care how people live and this is reflected in the way we approach the design and delivery of every development,” he said. “Furthermore, as a builder-developer we have full control over the construction program and our 100 per cent completion rate is something people can draw confidence from.”&nbsp;

Founded by civil engineers Guy Gardner and Darryl Vaughan in 1989, the family-owned business has evolved from a consultancy firm to an award-winning builder-developer, with projects across the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=141609]

Joel Robinson

Gardner Vaughan Group tops out Bask Bokarina apartments

Prolific Melbourne developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> has launched its fourth new Gold Coast development in as many years.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a>, led by Daniel Faigen and backed by Eddie Hirsch, co-founder of United Petroleum, has unveiled The Eveleigh, on a prime 1,100 sqm site at 7-9 Surf Parade in the heart of Broadbeach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a> will deliver 100 apartments across 31 levels, making it the company’s largest Gold Coast project to date. It builds on the success of its three earlier developments, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/hemingway-1267-1273-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach">The Hemingway in Palm Beach</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/emerson-kirra-100-musgrave-street-coolangatta">The Emerson at Kirra</a>, both completed, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yves-mermaid-beach-7-9-mermaid-avenue-mermaid-beach">Yves Mermaid Beach</a>, which is nearing completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

The announcement of The Eveleigh affirms the company’s sustained confidence in the Gold Coast market which continues to remain undersupplied. It also increases the value of Hirsch &amp; Fa​igen’s Gold Coast development portfolio to more than $700 million since the company first entered the market in 2021 with Hemingway.

The company has enlisted its preferred architecture firm Rothelowman to design The Eveleigh, which will offer a thoughtfully curated lifestyle, including a substantial wellness precinct, communal recreation areas, children’s play spaces, work-from-home facilities, and shared lounge and dining areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

Designed for the prime market demographic of downsizers and interstate lifestyle investors in mind, The Eveleigh has been crafted to offer an increasingly rare blend of affordable luxury in a tightly held market. Uniquely positioned in the heart of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after lifestyle suburb of Broadbeach, the project will also boast uninterrupted beach and hinterland views.

The Surf Parade site is just a short walk to the bustling Broadbeach dining and retail precinct, Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and convention centre, and an easy stroll to Kurrawa Beach and the recreational amenity of Pratten Park on the Broadbeach foreshore.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

“We’re excited to be proceeding with our fourth project on the Gold Coast in what is certain to become the new luxury precinct in Broadbeach,” says Anthony Bueti, the CFO of Hirsch &amp;a​mp; Faigen and a shareholder of the group.

“With the likes of Mosa​ic and Abedian &amp;a​mp; Co also launching quality projects in the area, the transformation will cement Broadbeach as the premier lifestyle and amenity suburb on the Gold Coast.

"After four years in the Gold Coast market, and with three successful projects completed, The Eveleigh is the product of everything we have learned to love about the Gold Coast and it will be an incredible addition to our growing portfolio in one of the most vibrant property markets in the country. We continue to remain very confident in the high-end Gold Coast property market.”

Urban Activation Director Matt George is handling sales for The Eveleigh, having sold out The Emerson, The Hemingway, and Yves, all before construction was completed.

Melbourne builder MAXCON has already commenced construction on The Eveleigh. They are forecasting a mid-2028 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Hirsch & Faigen unveils The Eveleigh in Broadbeach

Two years after securing development approval for the final stage of its award-winning Thornton Precinct on the doorstep of Penrith Station, Urban Property Group is set to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/mayfair-on-penrith-172-lord-sheffield-circuit-penrith-nsw-2750">Mayfair on Penrith</a>, around 400 apartments designed to reflect two of Sydney’s most iconic structures.

The builder-developer has continued refining the design plans for the two-building development on a significant 8,280 sqm site on Sheffield Circuit, recognising the importance of the prime parcel as one of the closest developable sites to the station.

UPG enlisted architecture firm SJB to design the project. The team said they drew inspiration from both the General Post Office in Martin Place and East Circular Quay to help shape the design. The two-level colonnade, in particular, reflects the famous GPO building, which dates back to the 1860s.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362014]

There will be one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on offer, with interiors by Cox Architecture. Residences will sit above a retail podium featuring hospitality and lifestyle operators such as One Playground and Volcano’s Steakhouse, contributing to an activated ground plane within the broader Thornton precinct.

A communal rooftop with a pool and views towards the Blue Mountains will provide shared open space for residents. The development is positioned between Ron Mulock Oval and Westfield Penrith, with the Nepean River and Great River Walk also nearby, placing daily amenity and green space within walking distance.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362015]

Mayfair is being delivered by Urban Property Group, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly 40 years’ experience across Sydney. The project will be the first in Penrith to be offered with Resilience Insurance’s 10-year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) policy, which Urban Property Group has adopted across a number of its recent developments. The developer also has a 4.5-star iCIRT rating, one of the best ratings in market providing further confidence to buyers.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said providing additional assurance to off-the-plan buyers has become increasingly important.

“Anything we can do to give confidence in our product is a plus,” Elias told Apartments.com.au.

“Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. They’re making their single large investment, which is their home, and providing confidence is something that we feel is paramount.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362020]

The LDI policy provides a 10-year warranty covering structural defects, with independent inspections carried out during construction and protection for owners if defects arise post-completion.

Mayfair represents Urban Property Group’s sixth and final development within Thornton, consolidating the masterplanned precinct immediately east of the station.

The developer, which builds its own projects, has already commenced construction. SRM Residential is handling the sales campaign.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136726]

Urban Property Group to close the curtain on award-winning Thornton precinct with Mayfair on Penrith release

Investor appetite for Queenstown apartments is strengthening as supply constraints and four-season tourism continue to underpin demand across the alpine region.

In Frankton’s masterplanned Remarkables Park precinct,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>’s 141-apartment Mountain Oak development is attracting repeat and yield-focused buyers seeking exposure to that market dynamic.

Brandon, who specifically targeted Queenstown as an investment location, said the combination of price point and limited new supply made Mountain Oak stand out.

“It is a quality product in a location that struggles to densify,” he said, referencing Queenstown’s land-locked geography and development limitations.

<img alt="From slopes to markets: Mountain Oak connects residents to the best of Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/658d4f_48c3ec1ae5df4a2cab7d23c07c7f51b3~mv2.jpg?VersionId=27K8oQ4ExDN8Yu70VHDa9Olq59XU36m3" />

Having spent significant time in the region, Brandon pointed to its global reputation and consistent visitation as key fundamentals.

“Queenstown is a known destination from people all over the world. The place is land locked and there are issues building there. It’s also busy all year round.”

That four-season economy, driven by skiing and snowboarding in winter and hiking, cycling and water-based tourism in summer, was also central to Sherry’s decision to invest.

“I believe the four-season tourism has major appeal as it would ensure that the property will not remain empty, unlike other areas in NZ,” she said.

<img alt="From slopes to markets: Mountain Oak connects residents to the best of Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Living_WEB.jpg?VersionId=3LglY20Jp_MAzQYdvwODRWvtjL.cZcqI" />

Mountain Oak has been structured to respond to that sustained demand, with 365-day visitor accommodation consent underpinning a mix of one-bedroom, flexi, two-bedroom and dual-key configurations that can operate as either short-term visitor accommodation or long-term rental housing. Dual-key apartments comprise two self-contained residences on one title, allowing owners to generate dual income streams or occupy one side while leasing the other.&nbsp;

Under Safari Group’s optional visitor accommodation management model, owners receive 60 per cent of the annual income generated by their apartment, with 24/7 on-site management, guest services and listing exposure included. Independent appraisal modelling suggests gross yields of up to 15 per cent for certain two-bedroom configurations, based on estimated nightly rates and occupancy assumptions.

For Brandon, that flexibility aligned with his broader investment strategy.

“It helps to know that I can have it managed either way,” he said. “My focus is on purchasing high yield cashflow properties.”

<img alt="Investors back Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments as Queenstown’s four-season economy drives demand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c786ba7f-f974-4ce3-9833-1bcd9f2938d6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/658d4f_ae3c049f388f4c13bf801649d91cbb4a~mv2%20%281%29.jpg?VersionId=J25uvzGdvtFaXGzuwz28ewJ9wWzbtvur" />

He selected a one-bedroom flexi configuration, citing both yield and adaptability.

“I work remotely and can travel to most places and work. I enjoy making spaces that work for the lifestyle that I live and it seems that others also enjoy it.”

Ranging from 54 to 57 square metres, the one-bedroom flexi incorporates a separate multipurpose room suited to a home office, additional storage, or accommodation for ski gear and seasonal equipment, an increasingly relevant inclusion for buyers balancing remote work and alpine travel.

Interiors feature underfloor heating in bathrooms and a heat pump in the main living area, supporting year-round comfort. Upper-level apartments are positioned to maximise natural light, with sliding windows and balustrades in select residences enhancing outlook and ventilation. Units are available in both light and dark interior schemes.

<img alt="Investors back Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments as Queenstown’s four-season economy drives demand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8f9492e9-8ee0-4aae-856c-8996ed9d9a06" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/658d4f_7d066f5200024c1aa472d01e2dc776ed~mv2.jpg?VersionId=MLR5xn6fLqPdBi7vxyRT.1zhQX3Ln0Ev" />

Sherry, a repeat Safari Group buyer, said her previous experience with the developer provided confidence to secure another apartment.

“Their developments have always finished on time, the quality has been high, and I didn't feel that my investment may be at risk,” she said. “Knowledge of the developer and our two existing Safari apartments gave us the confidence to proceed with this one.”

Safari Group has delivered more than 2,000 hotel units and residential apartments nationally and is now undertaking its fifth Queenstown development, reinforcing buyer confidence in delivery capability.

Although Sherry was not initially targeting Queenstown due to its price profile, prior visits reshaped her view of the market.

“I absolutely love this region and believe it is a major tourist attraction, which led me to the decision to invest.”

<img alt="How Mountain Oak Apartments draws holiday home buyers to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Construction commenced in June 2025, with completion anticipated by mid-2027. Apartments are priced from NZ$639,000, and the development carries Overseas Investment Office exemption approval, allowing non-residents to purchase.

For both investors, the purchase represents a balance of income generation and long-term portfolio positioning in a tightly held alpine market.

“I firmly believe my investments in Safari developments are a combination of all these elements,” Sherry said. “The location of this project enabled me to diversify.”

As Queenstown continues to attract year-round visitation alongside constrained housing supply, Mountain Oak’s dual-key flexibility, optional on-site management structure and established developer track record are resonating with investors seeking exposure to the region’s resilient tourism economy.

Investors back Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments as Queenstown’s four-season economy drives demand

The Minns Labor Government is today unveiling a game-changing new precinct at Bays West – delivering up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes - directly above the new Bays West Metro Station currently under construction.

The landmark transformation will convert underutilised government-owned port land on the Harbour into Sydney’s newest suburb, while retaining important deep-water port facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

<img alt="Bays West" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f01d10-0b6b-49de-8033-d3ef2728cb6d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-04%20at%204.06.12%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=UA6_r._1jYROJ5tFNXMHqjNYLKYWIN.Y" />

Affordable housing will be embedded from the outset, including dedicated homes for essential workers such as nurses, teachers, paramedics, firefighters and police so they can live closer to the communities they serve.

The precinct will combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years.

Night-time entertainment and creative industries will be anchored by the revitalisation of the historic White Bay Power Station as a cultural and community destination, connected to the harbour across a new expansive public forecourt.

Planning of the area will prioritise connectivity, including active transport links to neighbouring communities such as Rozelle, Balmain and Glebe, improved pedestrian access to the waterfront, and connections to the CBD, including an active transport link across the Glebe Island Bridge.

The Government will lead a master planning process that will include an international design competition to guide development across the precinct, ensuring homes, essential infrastructure, jobs, public spaces and transport links are delivered together.

It will be led by a new delivery agency to be established over the coming weeks, which will report to Minister Kamper who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo. Once established, the publicly owned land in the precinct will be transferred to the new agency.

This is the first new suburb that has been built in inner Sydney in decades, it will see homes built alongside the Bays West Metro Station ensuring young people, families and downsizers are only minutes away from the CBD. As part of the transformation of the Bays West precinct, bulk port operations – including cement, gypsum and sugar handling – will cease on Glebe Island by no later than 2030.

<img alt="Glebe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46ef3c23-2ce1-4912-b8ba-5247de19d7b9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-04%20at%204.02.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=I5xKa7hLNlsueMsltA2dsYrRYtZCKvZz" />

The Government will work closely with industry to minimise impacts and ensure the continuity of supply. This includes a commitment of $270 million to improve road connections around the port at Port Kembla and to investigate increased rail freight capacity.

Working harbour operations across the precinct will be consolidated, mostly into White Bay, ensuring the precinct will continue to provide critical services for the harbour, including boat maintenance and marine construction and as a base for tug boats and for emergency services.

A new staging area will be established in White Bay, securing the future of the New Year’s Eve fireworks, Vivid and other major events for decades to come.

<img alt="Glebe island" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0554b153-b225-445b-a633-75aecea7dec9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-04%20at%204.06.17%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=P45ABy8KLuwjzVf04APWfeC4aOMA1Ngx" />

The cruise terminal will be retained in its current location, meaning tourists arriving in Sydney will be welcomed by the new precinct, with new shore-power facilities currently being installed that will reduce noise and emissions. The Sydney Heritage Fleet will also be offered new premises in White Bay.

Deep-water berths will be retained to preserve Sydney Harbour’s strategic operational capability, and the removal of the existing 1970s industrial silos, currently used as a billboard, as well as to store cement and sugar, will unlock new opportunities for public space and future housing.

“Right above a new metro station and minutes from the CBD, we’re delivering thousands of homes where people actually need them - close to work, close to services and close to transport,"&nbsp;Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said.

“Importantly, this precinct will include affordable and essential worker housing from day one, so nurses, teachers, paramedics and police can live closer to the communities they serve.

“We understand that not everyone will welcome change, but cities don’t stand still. If Sydney is going to remain a place young people and families can afford to live in, we have to use well-located land better and plan for the future.”

Glebe Island to accomodate 8,500 new homes near new Bays Metro Station

Waste Management

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GUEST OBSERVATION
I was in Switzerland recently and discovered that they haven’t had any landfill since the early 2000s, because all of their waste is either recycled or incinerated to produce electricity. How “green” is it to incinerate waste in order to produce electricity? Is it something New Zealand should consider, so that 1) we have no more landfill, and 2) we can replace our fossil-fuel power stations with power stations that incinerate waste?
Burning rubbish to generate electricity or heat sounds great: you get rid of all your waste and also get seemingly “sustainable” energy. What could be better?
Many developed countries already have significant “waste-to-energy” incineration plants and therefore less material going to landfill (although the ash has to be landfilled). These plants often have recycling industries attached to them, so that only non-recyclables end up in the furnace. If it is this good, why the opposition?
Here are seven reasons why caution is needed when considering waste-to-energy incineration plants.
Stifling innovation and waste reduction
<ol>
<li>Waste-to-energy plants require a high-volume, <a href="http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wtert/sofos/Rodriguez_thesis.pdf" target="_blank">guaranteed waste stream</a> for about 25 years to make them economically viable. If waste-to-energy companies divert large amounts of waste away from landfills, they need to somehow get more waste to maintain their expensive plants. For example, <a href="https://www.thelocal.se/20181112/sweden-imports-british-waste-to-heat-homes-but-wheres-the-post-brexit-solution" target="_blank">Sweden imports its waste from the UK</a> to feed its “beasts”.</li>
<li>The waste materials that are easiest to source and have buyers for recycling - like paper and plastic - also produce most energy when burned.</li>
<li>Waste-to-energy <a href="http://knowledgeauckland.org.nz/assets/publications/TR2019-009-CBA-on-waste-diversion-from-landfill-homes-land-community-Auckland.pdf">destroys innovation</a> in the waste sector. As a result of China not accepting our mixed plastics, people are now combining plastics with asphalt to make roads last longer and are making fence posts that could be replacing treated pine posts (which emit copper, chrome and arsenic into the ground). If a convenient waste-to-energy plant had been available, none of this would have happened.</li>
<li>Waste-to-energy <a href="http://knowledgeauckland.org.nz/assets/publications/TR2019-009-CBA-on-waste-diversion-from-landfill-homes-land-community-Auckland.pdf" target="_blank">reduces jobs</a>. Every job created in the incineration industry removes six jobs in landfill, 36 jobs in recycling and 296 jobs in the reuse industry.</li>
<li>Waste-to-energy works against a circular economy, which tries to keep goods in circulation. Instead, it perpetuates our current make-use-dispose mentality.</li>
<li>Waste-to-energy only makes marginal sense in economies that produce coal-fired electricity – and then only as a stop-gap measure until cleaner energy is available. New Zealand has a green electricity generation system, with about 86% already coming from renewable sources and a <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nz-embracing-renewable-electricity-future" target="_blank">target of 100% renewable by 2035</a>, so waste-to-energy would make it a less renewable energy economy.</li>
<li>Lastly, burning waste and contaminated plastics creates a greater environmental impact than burning the equivalent oil they are made from. These impacts include the release of harmful substances like dioxins and vinyl chloride as well as mixtures of many other harmful substances used in making plastics, which are not present in oil.</li>
</ol>
Landfills as mines of the future
European countries were driven to waste-to-energy as a result of a <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32006L0012" target="_blank">2007 directive that imposed heavy penalties</a> for countries that did not divert waste from landfills. The easiest way for those countries to comply was to install waste-to-energy plants, which meant their landfill waste dropped dramatically.
New Zealand does not have these sorts of directives and is in a better position to work towards reducing, reusing and recycling end-of-life materials, rather than sending them to an incinerator to recover some of the energy used to make them.
Is New Zealand significantly worse than Europe in managing waste? About a decade ago, a delegation from Switzerland visited New Zealand Ministry for the Environment officials to compare progress in each of the waste streams. Both parties were surprised to learn that they had managed to divert roughly the same amount of waste from landfill through different routes.
This shows that it is important New Zealand doesn’t blindly follow the route other countries have used and hope for the same results. Such is the case for waste-to-energy.
There is also an argument to be made for current landfills. Modern, sanitary landfills seal hazardous materials and waste stored over the last 50 years presents future possibilities of landfill mining.
Many <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-waste/tracking-europes-waste-theres-gold-in-them-landfills-idUSKBN1F61YH" target="_blank">landfills have higher concentrations of precious metals</a>, particularly gold, than mines and some are being mined for those metals. As resources become scarcer and prices increase, our landfills may become the mines of the future.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128630/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Jeff Seadon, Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-explained-seven-reasons-to-be-wary-of-waste-to-energy-proposals-128630" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: Many developed countries already have significant waste-to-energy operations and therefore less material going to landfill. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeff-seadon-790599" target="_blank">Jeff Seadon</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137" target="_blank">Auckland University of Technology</a>  <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-ND</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Climate explained: seven reasons to be wary of waste-to-energy proposals

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Discussion of the environment is embedded in our culture as public awareness over issues such as climate change and plastic pollution has grown. Advertisers are not shy about tapping into this concern for their own benefit.
A <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/767/Culture_on_Twitter.pdf#page=9" target="_blank">Twitter analysis last year</a> revealed that in the UK at least, the environment was a current and growing issue. Between January 2015 and March 2018, discussion on Twitter about single-use plastic, for example, increased by an incredible 5,543%.
Advertisers are already highly skilled at the power of narrative: reducing complexity and helping us make sense of their message. This power is amplified when the narrative taps into culture. A brand message, if successful, then becomes part of people’s conversations rather than interrupting them with ads they <a href="https://mumbrella.com.au/advertisers-should-remember-ordinary-people-dont-care-about-advertising-504672" target="_blank">don’t care about</a>.
Advertisers who tell a good story can persuade the public of all sorts of things. Some messages are positive and constructive. But a few are disingenuous and misleading.
The latter is especially true in the case of recycling, where advertisers often imply that consumers, not corporations, are responsible for the huge amounts of plastic waste a product creates.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292529/original/file-20190916-19035-m5srig.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> A CocaCola recycling campaign that ran in the 2019 European summer. Supplied by author
<h2>Plastic pollution is a big deal</h2>
Australia’s <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/7381c1de-31d0-429b-912c-91a6dbc83af7/files/national-waste-report-2018.pdf" target="_blank">National Waste Report last year</a> found 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste was generated in 2016-17 - or 103kg for each person. Most of it was only used once, and just 12% was recycled.
Coca-Cola says by the end of 2019, <a href="https://www.ccamatil.com/-/media/Cca/Corporate/Files/Media-Releases/2019/Coca-Cola-Australia-and-Coca-Cola-Amatil-announce-a-major-increase-in-recycled-plastic.ashx" target="_blank">70% of its plastic bottles in Australia</a> will be made entirely from recycled plastic. The company in August released a video in Australia thanking people for recycling.
It follows a European campaign <a href="https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2019/06/10/Don-t-buy-Coca-Cola-if-you-re-not-going-to-help-us-recycle" target="_blank">launched by the company in June</a> with the tagline “Don’t buy Coca-Cola if you’re not going to help us recycle”.
Absolut Vodka this year launched a new <a href="https://www.absolut.com/en/products/absolut-comeback/" target="_blank">limited edition bottle</a> made of 41% recycled glass - like all of its bottles - accompanied by a “Guide to a Circular Living Together”. The company told customers: “Now’s your time to shine on stage - rocking the recycling lifestyle as a true #RecyclingHero!”
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AeF8dp0rz2Q?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe> Coca-Cola Australia | Thanks For Recycling Campaign, 2019.
On the face of it, such campaigns might seem virtuous, especially following <a href="https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environment/recycling-and-reuse/response-to-china-national-sword" target="_blank">China’s 2018 policy</a> limiting the import of low-quality mixed recyclables. But in fact they continue a long history of framing consumers as the main waste culprits.
The practice began in the US in the 1950s when <a href="https://www.kab.org/" target="_blank">Keep America Beautiful</a> was formed. The non-profit consortium included Coca-Cola and tobacco manufacturer Phillip Morris, among others. Its campaigns, such as the 1971 “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Suu84khNGY">Crying Indian</a>” ad, tapped into a shared cultural guilt for polluting the environment and, in this case, mistreating native people.
Such tactics have been mirrored by <a href="https://kab.org.au/past-campaigns/litterers-anonymous-2/" target="_blank">Keep Australia Beautiful</a> campaigns.
But guilt is not a good predictor of people’s behaviour. A 2001 <a href="http://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2001_KoestnerHoulfortPaquetKnight_JASP.pdf" target="_blank">study</a> found individuals must feel ethically validated, not guilty, to behave in an environmentally friendly way.
<h2>Consumers are not the villains</h2>
Manufacturers of consumer products obviously play a <a href="https://www.eco-business.com/news/what-are-the-worlds-biggest-plastic-polluters-doing-about-the-problem/">major role</a> in the growing plastic problem. This is reflected in the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.packagingcovenant.org.au/documents/item/1091" target="_blank">Australian Packaging Covenant,</a> an agreement between government and industry.
It says responsibility for packaging should be shared by companies throughout the supply chain. Consumers, waste service providers, recyclers and governments also have roles to play.
<a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/more-recycling-wont-solve-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank">Researchers have noted</a> that a permissive legal framework has allowed plastic pollution to rise despite the obvious harm it causes to communities and marine life.
As Recycled Plastics Australia general manager Stephen Scherer <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-14/recycling-industry-demands-federal-action-as--waste-piles-up/10993218" target="_blank">told the ABC this year</a>:
…the federal government has been absent from the conversation about waste, while Australians are operating in a culture where ‘we don’t do what we’re not forced to do’.
Plastic waste is on the radar of Australian governments. State and federal environment ministers <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste-resource-recovery/plastics-and-packaging/packaging-covenant" target="_blank">last year set a target</a> that all packaging be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025 or earlier.
But critics say rather than set targets, the federal government must mandate the use of recycled plastic in packaging to ensure the waste problem is addressed.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298443/original/file-20191024-119433-97l2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> Fish swimming along a coral reef near a water bottle label and a plastic bag off the coast of the Red Sea resort town of Naama Bay, Egypt. Mike Nelson/EPA
<h2>Recycling campaigns done right</h2>
Companies such as Coca-Cola are embracing the concept of sustainability to some extent. But better still, other brands have sought to fix recycling systems themselves.
In February Unilever “paid” people in Buenos Aires, Argentina for their <a href="https://www.unilever.com/news/news-and-features/Feature-article/2019/how-were-helping-buenos-aires-residents-make-recycling-a-habit" target="_blank">household recyclables</a> with discount coupons redeemable against its products at selected retailers.
In the UK, Burger King last month announced it was scrapping plastic toys from kids’ meals and invited the public to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7lmk-V6p6Q" target="_blank">bring in old plastic toys</a> from any restaurant meal. The plastic will be remade into “interactive play opportunities” for families at their restaurants.
In Australia, superannuation fund Australian Ethical ran its latest campaign on <a href="http://www.adnews.com.au/campaigns/new-australian-ethical-campaign-uses-100-recyclable-billboards" target="_blank">100% recyclable billboard skins</a>.
Consumers do have a role to play in waste reduction, including by recycling or demanding that companies find alternatives to single-use plastics. But if companies want to respond meaningfully to the plastic crisis, they must accept ultimate responsibility for their packaging and work towards zero-waste.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123579/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sergio-brodsky-738470" target="_blank">Sergio Brodsky</a>, Sessional Lecturer, Marketing, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063" target="_blank">RMIT University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/stop-shaming-and-start-empowering-advertisers-must-rethink-their-plastic-waste-message-123579" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Stop shaming and start empowering: advertisers must rethink their plastic waste message

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This week Alastair sits down with Jo Garretty, Managing Director at Salt3 to talk traffic and waste management.

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urban.com.au

Weekly Podcast: Episode 17 - Jo Garretty from Salt3 discusses traffic and waste management

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PUF Ventures Australia has formed an alliance with Utilities Group, a private company which operates proprietary bioHubs which turn manure, sewage, crop and food processing waste into renewable energy and bioproducts. </div>
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<div>The Casino bioHub project is already in early stage planning.</div>
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Utilitas Group is working with ASX-listed DomaCom to raise the $4.3 million needed to develop the project.</div>
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<div>The bioHub will transform organic waste and waste water from the <a href="https://www.domacom.com.au/public-crowdfunding-campaigns/commercial-properties/casino-biohub/" target="_blank">Richmond Valley region</a> into energy, clean water and other valuable bio-products. </div>
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<div>PVA has plans to construct a one million-square-foot greenhouse operation, with large scale manufacturing, processing and office facilities for the cultivation, production and manufacture of medical cannabis and associated products near the town of Casino, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.  </div>
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Utilitas Group is developing a bioHub, near the same location which will transform organic waste and waste water from the Richmond Valley region into energy, clean water and other valuable bio-products. </div>
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<div>Through the alliance, PVA will have long term access to stable environmentally friendly energy, nutrients and reclaimed water generated by the Utilitas bioHub. </div>
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<div>“There are significant economic and environmental benefits to be gained through the alliance with Utilitas,” said Horsfall, CEO of PUF Ventures Australia.</div>
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<div>“The Utilitas bioHub in Casino, New South Wales, has been designed to create dispatchable renewable electricity, green natural gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), valuable nutrients and reclaimed water as part of a closed-loop resource recovery process. These are all critical inputs for a large greenhouse operation. “ </div>
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<div>“Together with Utilitas, we can create the world’s first closed-loop, resource recovery, medicinal cannabisfacility, utilising the huge local biomass from the agricultural and food processing industries to pioneer world-leading clean technologies.”  </div>
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<div>“I give high praise to the Richmond Valley Council for its proactive efforts in securing such a high value anchor tenant like PUF Ventures Australia to co-locate with the Casino bioHub,” said Fiona Waterhouse, CEO, Utilitas Group.  </div>
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<div>“Securing PUF Ventures to have local, affordable clean energy and nutrients to grow healthy plants andaffordable long-term price is a win for the region, community, and environment. It’s also going to create new, local employment, and reduce environmental impacts from waste and emissions.”  </div>
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<div>The long-term success of any licensed cannabis producer is the ability to leverage economies of scale in its grow operations and be a low-cost producer with a premium product. Those companies with state-of-the-art operations with long term access to affordable energy and nutrients, which are critical cost drivers, will be successful.  </div>
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<div>About Utilitas  Utilitas is on a mission to unleash the power of bioHubs to fuel industry, support networks andenergise communities by delivering 100MW of dispatchable, reliable, local electricity and other bioproducts from 100 bioHubs in 100 regional communities by 2025. </div>
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Utilitas originates, designs, builds and operates the bioHubs, contracting with large organic waste producers and energy consumers to treat their waste andsupply back energy (electricity, gas, fuel) and other valuable bioproducts at locked in long term prices.</div>
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PUF Ventures Australia PTY LTD and PUF Ventures Inc have formed a strategic partnership with the Richmond Valley Council, New South Wales, Australia, to construct a 1 million-square-foot greenhouse operation, with large scale manufacturing, processing and office facilities for the cultivation, production and manufacture of medical cannabis andassociated products in Australia. </div>
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PUF Ventures Inc. owns a majority interest in AAA Heidelberg Inc., a private Ontario company that is an advanced applicant for an ACMPR license from Health Canada.</div>
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<div>Through an exclusive joint venture agreement with Canopy Growth Corp, the Company will join CraftGrow, a collection of high-quality cannabis grown by a select and diverse set of producers, made available through the Tweed Main Street website.</div>
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<div>DomaCom is a <a href="https://www.domacom.com.au/public-crowdfunding-campaigns/commercial-properties/casino-biohub/" target="_blank">fractional property investment</a> platform.</div>
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Utilitas Group working with DomaCom to raise $4.3 million to develop Casino bioHub project 

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/82644/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
One of the byproducts of landfill is “landfill gas”, a mixture of mostly methane and carbon dioxide generated by decomposing organic material.
Methane is a particularly potent greenhouse gas, but it can be captured from landfill and used to generate clean electricity.
Methane capture is a valuable source of power but, more importantly, it can significantly reduce Australia’s methane emissions. However the opportunity to produce energy from waste is largely being squandered, as up to 80% of the potential methane in waste is not used. 
If more councils were prepared to invest in better facilities, Australians would benefit from less waste in landfill and more energy in our grids. Even the by-product from using state-of-art processing methods can be used as a bio-fertiliser.
And while these facilities are initially more expensive, Australians are generally very willing to recycle, compost and take advantage of community schemes to reduce waste. It’s reasonable to assume that a considerable percentage of our population would support updating landfill plants to reduce methane emissions. 
<h2>Recycling in Australia</h2>
Australia may have a bad rap when it comes to waste recycling, but there are plenty of positives.
Australians produce approximately 600 kilograms of domestic waste per person, per year – no more than most northern European countries, which set the benchmark in sustainable waste management. 
Looking at kerbside bins we, on average, recycle 30-35% of that waste, saving much of our paper, glass, aluminium and steel from landfill (which also saves and reduces emissions). 
Although the household recycling rate in Australia is less than the best-performing EU recycling rates of 40-45%, this is primarily due to a lack of access to (or awareness of) schemes to recycle e-waste and metals. Data therefore suggests that at the community level, there is a willingness to minimise and recycle waste.
Between 55% and 60% of kerbside waste sent to landfill in Australia is organic material. Over 65% of this organic fraction is food waste, similar to the make-up of the EU organic waste stream, comprised of 68% of food waste. 
Despite this large fraction, approximately half of the household organic we produce – mostly garden waste – is separately collected and disposed, again demonstrating high participation by the community in recycling when collection and disposal options are available. 
<h2>Turning waste into energy</h2>
Energy recovery from waste is the conversion of non-recyclable material into useable heat, electricity, or fuel. Solid inorganic waste can be converted to energy by combustion, but organic waste like kitchen and and garden refuse has too much moisture to be treated this way. 
Instead, when organic waste is sent to landfill it is broken down naturally by microorganisms. This process releases methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 
Around 130 landfills in Australia are capturing methane and using it to generate electricity. Based on installed power generation capacity and the amount of waste received, Australia’s largest landfills use 20-30% of the potential methane in waste for electricity generation. 
Ravenhall in Melbourne processes 1.4 million tonnes of waste per year, and proposes to generate 8.8 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2020. Roughly 461,000 tonnes of waste goes to Woodlawn in NSW, and in 2011 it generated 4MW of electrical power. Swanbank in Queensland receives 500,000 tonnes a year and generates 1.1MW. 
The remainder of the methane is flared due to poor gas quality or insufficient transmission infrastructure, is oxidised as it migrates towards the surface of the landfill, or simply escapes. The methane generating capacity of waste is also diminished because organics begin composting as soon as they reach landfill.
But there are more efficient ways to capture methane using specialised anaerobic digestion tanks. The process is simple: an anaerobic (oxygen free) tank is filled with organic waste, which is broken down by bacteria to produce biogas. This is similar to the natural process that occurs in landfill, but is much more controlled and efficient in a tank.
The biogas can be combusted to produce electricity and heat, or can be converted to pure biomethane to be used either in the mains gas grid, or as a renewable transport fuel. In contrast to landfills, 60-80% of the methane potential of waste is used to generate electricity in anaerobic digesters, with most of the remainder used to power waste handling and the digestion process. 
The nutrient-rich sludge that remains after anaerobic digestion, called digestate, is also a valuable biofertiliser. It can support food production, and further reduce greenhouse gases by decreasing our reliance on energy-intensive manufactured fertilisers. 
The use of food waste as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion is largely untapped in Australia but has huge potential. A site in Sydney’s geographic centre (Earth Power Technologies) and Richgro’s Jandakot facility near Perth are part of a handful that are converting food waste to energy using this technology.
<h2>The future of organic recycling</h2>
Local council recycling and waste infrastructure is typically not a priority election issue, except for those close to existing or proposed landfills. 
Ratepayers are generally not informed of the possibility of separately collecting food waste, either for industrial-scale composting or methane capture. We have the right to this information, with costs and benefits presented in the context of the costs we already pay for waste management, and relative to the environmental performance of landfill.
As an example, landfill operators often promote the number of homes they power by electricity generated from methane as a key measure of sustainability. But how does this compare to the electricity and heat that might be obtained from an anaerobic digester that processes the same waste? 
Given the choice, the Australian community may have an appetite to extend organic recycling beyond well-established garden waste composting. They only have to be asked.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/william-clarke-380521" target="_blank">William Clarke</a> is professor of waste management, The University of Queensland.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bernadette-mccabe-147872" target="_blank">Bernadette McCabe</a> is Associate Professor and Principal Scientist, University of Southern Queensland.
Both are authors for <a href="https://theconversation.com/au" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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