Harbak Matters - some learnings from 2023

Harbak Matters is a 30-minute Zoom session that takes place on most Fridays. The topics range from recycling, grant funding, landfill diversion, circular economy, communication and marketing, commercial matters, and government regulation.

 In 2023, “Harbak Matters” had a wide variety of guests ranging from engineers to accountants, waste managers to circular economy experts, legal advisors to site supervisors, lecturers to executive officers of not-for-profits.

 Each session comprised three guests and the sessions are intentionally not recorded. Competing businesses are never invited to the same session to facilitate open and honest discussions between attendees and allow all of us to learn from each other.

Here are five key points in 2023

1. We are making progress, but the reality is that it’s too slow 

Many organisations in both the private and public sectors have made great progress recently in many aspects of waste/recycling/circular economy.   There are several new projects and services from a variety of waste streams that will have both short- and longer-term gains.  Having said that there is a general acceptance that the progress is slow due to a variety of reasons many of them being due to regulation, government policies and commercial viability.   We cannot expect the progress rate to be increased if those three items aren’t improved.  Merely producing another sustainability report and then ignoring it, through the procurement process would be regarded almost comical if it wasn’t often real.   It’s going to be long and slow (and often frustrating) journey.

2. The grant funding process needs a re-think

This recurring theme also existed in Harbak’s 2022 edition and is highly likely to be one of the top issues in 2024.   Many have said that it’s surprising that some programs that have very ambitious programs receive the cash whilst others that seem to only need a little help receive zero.   How is success measured?   Another quote was “If recycling was easy then everyone would be doing it”.

There was continual reference to funding programs that involved partnerships rather than grants.  In this way, the government provides the feedstock for the processing facility and the buy back of some of the offtake.  I make this point so many times in my posts.   When I approached government agencies about partnerships the common answer was “We are just not set up that way”.   Well, the market (and the environment) needs you to be.   It’s going to be a long and slow (and often frustrating) journey without such.

3 “The further you are away from commercial reality the more positive you are”

This was probably the comment of the year which was made by a person who is at the coalface of recycling and promoting the circular economy.  Whilst many disagree with that statement there will be just as many that agree with it.   The cold hard facts are that any new system that is developed must be commercially responsible and viable.  How can we expect a business to survive when they lose money? How can we expect a small local council to do the same without ongoing ratepayer support?

Far too often the commercial reality is ignored.  Some will argue that it should not be about the money however, as that same person says, “But KT, they are not the ones paying!”  Another great quote “Flag waving is cheap to do, implementation takes time and money”.   Cost of living is paramount for nearly every household so can we expect those in need to carry more burden?  The economics need to work.

4 It’s too complex rather than simple

A sustainability expert said recently “The system is too complex for the average person to understand” I agree and it’s even harder for business.    We have made the system full of regulations, rules guidelines, policies, levies, rebates, etc and that are regularly promoted by many organisations.   Can this be recycled? Can this be designed out?  Can this be composted?  Who will buy the offtake? So many great questions with many different answers.     Then there are frameworks, assessment methods etc and the list goes on.    Sadly, it can lead to greenwashing where organisations say that they are doing something by showing multi-coloured graphs but in reality, very little is being achieved. 

When it’s easy to follow, it’s easy to implement

5 Messaging

Following on from the earlier point our messaging is mixed.   It’s mixed in what waste goes in what bin and mixed about recycling and processing.  Further, the messaging from local government is mixed in that one day they are releasing a circular economy strategy but the next day their internal processes including procurement remain the same.   Furthermore, I have many organisations that want to be innovative but then tell a recycler/processor/designer that their suggestion is “too risky” and “has it been trialled elsewhere?”.  Having said that there are so many “innovators” that have little or no understanding of government procedures (such as procurement) that their chances of success are almost nil before the first meeting with government.  Nevertheless, the market is on the move!

6 Focussing on what really counts

Ok, there are six points.   A great comment from one of my clients “it amazes me that we tend to focus on small waste streams that have such low volume and there are hundreds of thousands of tonnes of organic waste that continue to end up in landfill”.  Many others agree.  Instead, we are focussed on streams that involve low diversion.  Many others suggested that urban areas are well suited for larger (volume) targets whilst regions need to be subsidised.    2030 is even closer now!

There were so many great points made and the value was created by learning from others from different backgrounds. Groupthink is dangerous, and listening is such an underrated skill.  A big thanks to all those who donated 30 minutes of their time and I hope you found it worthwhile

If you wish to participate in Harbak Matters and learn from others, please send me a message or call me on 0431 222 327.   

See you in 2024 (the years are certainly going faster)