Plaza retailers are waste-wise

DANDENONG Plaza is successfully teaching its retailers good recycling habits and has just been recertified for the state’s Waste Wise Program for 2006 to 2008.
The Plaza’s parent company, GPT Group, in conjunction with Cleanaway at Dandenong Plaza Shopping Centre, has maintained waste recycling streams including compost, polystyrene, soft plastic, plastic coat hangers, fluoro tubes and co-mingled waste, cardboard and cooking oils.
The ongoing education of retailers in relation to the recycling streams available at Dandenong Plaza increased recycling by 5 per cent in 2006 over the previous year and successfully diverted 494 tonnes of waste from landfill, a key factor in receiving the recertification.
Alistair Hutson, operations manager for Dandenong Plaza, said staff found in 2004 that up to 25 per cent of its general waste was recyclable.
“Since that time, Dandenong Plaza has been committed to reducing this and has done so by adding additional waste streams and maintaining them through continual education of the retailers,” Mr Hutson said.
He said being a part of the Waste Wise initiative fitted into GPT Group’s corporate responsibility strategy to reduce waste and the overall consumption of energy and water.
Kiam Yoong, a Sustainability Victoria project manager, said the Waste Wise certification was a badge the Plaza should be proud of achieving.
“By becoming Waste Wise-certified, Dandenong Plaza will have an increased awareness of sustainability issues and will be making a significant contribution by implementing sustainable practices into its everyday activities.”
Mr Hutson said the cost of sending general waste to landfill continued to rise, and the implementation of a recycling program and ongoing education of retailers had minimised the Plaza’s cost of removing waste.
“By integrating sustainable principles into everyday operations and continual education of retailers, we can significantly reduce waste and minimise waste to land fill,” he said.
“We hope that our efforts to do the right thing will encourage others to take up the Waste Wise initiative.”