A feasibility study into the use of a mixture of waste streams in the City of Greater Bendigo, in the state of Victoria, Australia is to examine the business case for the introduction of Australia’s first multiple stream waste to energy facility.
The initiative will explore the possibility of using feedstock from kurbside waste collections, commercial waste and biowaste from the city’s poultry industry, and is being undertaken with the help of Masters students from the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Business & Economics.
Brian Gould, manager of the Economic Development Unit from the City of Greater Bendigo, explained that in a community dominated by the poultry industry, such a facility could all but remove the hazards and costs associated with biowaste disposal and ease the burden on the city’s landfill site - which is nearing capacity.
“This project couldn’t come at a better time for us. As we develop our strategy for waste related activity, the students will be contributing to what could be a first in Australian environmental waste management and we hope it could lead to further collaborations,” said Gould.
According to the university the project is part of its Faculty of Business & Economics Volunteer Business Practicum - a program that allows students to provide a genuine contribution to a business or community while gaining valuable work experience.
Program manager Sue Elston from the Faculty of Business and Economics Career Centre explained that it was a fantastic way for students to meet potential employers and gain confidence by being treated as a professional.
“By getting an opportunity to get hands on experience they realise that time passes very quickly in the business world, and that it’s not just about how much time they spend on a project, but as consultants, how effectively they work,” she said.
