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 Kincumber PS KISSS using Recycled Sewerage Water
SCRAP is pleased to announce that we are nearing completion of another first -
at Kincumber PS on the NSW Central Coast we have installed KISSS (Kapillary Irrigation Sub-Surface System) into the school field using supply from Gosford Council's recycling plant which converts sewerage water into recycled water. While recycled sewerage water has now been used for a number of years it will be the first time it has been used in such a way within a school. The NSW Government's Central Coast Water Fund has provided the money and SCRAP, working with its irrigation expert, Mark McCabe (H2O Irrigation) has installed the system to the school field, another grassed play area and with above ground pop-up sprinklers to the school's extensive forest area. Additional plantings of natives including she-oaks and lilli pillis will enhance the grounds and provide noise reduction from the busy Avoca Drive at the front of the school.
SCRAP has also planned for a working model of the system which will be built by Mark McCabe in association with the KISSS inventors, IWT Pty Ltd. The model will be demonstrated at workshops at the school during the rest of this year and eventually become the property of Gosford Council for public display. It will help to promote understanding of the importance of recycled water use, its safety and capacity for helping us to drought proof our valuable sporting and recreational facilities both in schools and the community, especially when combined with the invaluable Australian invention, KISSS which saves between 30% and 70% of water compared to above ground irrigation systems.
Photograph shows Mark McCabe (H2O Irrigation) and Dean Fomiatti (Nelson Agricultural) ploughing in the KISSS to the Kincumber PS playing field.
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SCRAPLog December 2010 - Scrap Tax |
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With the NSW state government moving towards a scrap tax for those of us who continue to send organics (especially food) to landfill we are moved to remind people of two solutions which could help solve this seemingly intractable problem while offering them free organic materials with which to grow some of their own food.
Worm farming and composting are the solutions and local, small scale action is best. Why? Because it means the materials are dealt with onsite at your home, school or workplace and the products (worm liquid, worm castings and compost itself) can be utilised immediately and constantly to fertilise your own foods.
How much space do you need? A family of four can worm farm most of its own fruit and vegie scraps in less than half a cubic metre or triple that space if you compost as well. Each week you will be producing around 2 litres of diluted worm juice; enough for a small backyard vegie plot of around 4 square metres which can supplement your food source up to 50% (with seasonal variability).
Every 3 months or so, once it is up and rolling (around 9 months from start up) you can be harvesting the bottom feeding tray for up to 20 litres of worm casting and baby worms for the garden to kick start the next season's crop.
How much? SCRAP's special on the three tiered Worm Cafe from Reln with 2000 of our best compost worms, a jute cover (for moisture and darkness) and a bag of dolomite to keep the farm moist will set you back just $140 (+ postage). See our Green Buys Catalogue to order. |
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Capital City Waste Services |
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Capital City Waste Services
SCRAP is pleased to announce that it has concluded an agreement to subcontract Capital City Waste Services for its members and customers.
Through SCRAP and Capital City you can now obtain:
1. A free waste assessment comprising an analysis of your existing services and a waste profile (a full waste audit can also be provided but a cost applies to this service).
2. An obligation free quote and service profile which will include options for reducing your waste to landfill and your waste bill by recycling more and where possible avoiding organic wastes going to landfill.
3. A comprehensive plan for ongoing general waste services while you implement better recycling for paper/card; commingled items like plastics, metals, glass and specific recycling services for more specialised items like batteries, etc.
4. The provision of only the correct amount of bin space for your waste streams, serviced at appropriate intervals.
5. A free education package for your staff/students to get the message through on your waste reduction system and the importance of it to your organisational culture.
SCRAP and Capital City do not guarantee to be the cheapest, but we are confident you will find the combination of competitive prices and excellent service brings about both economic and environmental savings.
With a price on carbon not far away and the international community announcing recently (UNEP, International Environmental Technology Centre, "Waste and Climate Change: Global Trends and Strategy Framework, 2010) that around 5% of greenhouse gas is caused directly by the waste we generate (and far more if indirect impacts are also considered) it is clear that our efforts to reduce waste in Australia have a long way to go. We may be one of the best recyclers in the world but our record on reducing the key element in greenhouse gas production in landfills, ie, organic materials, is still a major impediment. The Federal Government's recent National Waste Policy Consultation Document identified that over 60% of waste in landfills is organic and most of it could be worm farmed or composted to produce vital products for use in agriculture, land reclamation and for a host of other market opportunities.
SCRAP invites you to contact us for your free waste assessment and we can help you move towards zero waste from the start of 2011. |
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SCRAP's Lease
Effective from the 1st October, 2010 for a period of up to 10 years the Lease on the SCRAP Centre at Holsworthy HS has been signed off by our Chairman, Dave Bryant (Head Teacher TLSC Berkeley Vale) and Director, John Frew (Principal, Holsworthy HS). The formal acceptance at today's SCRAP Annual General Meeting will enable the finalisation of a lengthy process of negotiation with the NSW Department of Education. SCRAP's Company Secretary, Peter Carroll said today, " It is a proud moment for our non-profit company to be formally recognised for our environmental education work with schools for the past 20 years through this lease on NSW Department of Education land here at Holsworthy High School. We look forward with enthusiasm to continuing our work in the challenging times ahead as we come to grapple more seriously with the threat of climate change and the many impacts this will have in the education of the next generation." |
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Welcome to the July SCRAPLog - our occasional contribution through the SCRAP Website to the environmental debate and to update our own activities.
This month (24th and 25th) look out for us at the Mudgee Field Days where we will share the Reln stand to promote worms, worm farming and composting for waste reduction. At the same time we have been completing works at Norman Lindsay Gallery in Springwood where an underground, concrete tank will provide 68,000 litres of water for toilet flushing, gardening and fire fighting. Currently, a drought-proofing of the playing field at Tharawal PS is in progress, featuring the KISSS (Kapillary Sub-Surface System) for irrigation which saves up to 70% of water compared to surface irrigation. Unfortunately most of the funding for these terrific water saving measures is (excuse the pun) drying up and SCRAP is struggling to keep our fantastic Enviroplumbers (Glyn Lewis-Jones, Lance Luxford and Roger Bamber) working on these vital projects.
Across our desk came an article from Felicity Barringer of the New York Times (2.6.09) in which the links between tiny soot particles and premature death from cardiovascular diseases has been shown to be double the levels previously thought. The review by the Health Effects Institute and University of Ottawa showed that the highest levels of this type of pollution occurs in Los Angeles, Birmingham, Alabama, Atlanta, the Ohio River Valley and Pittsburgh. The sources are diesel engines, automobile tyres, coal fired power plants and oil refineries. People living near major industrial areas including ports and in low-lying suburbs of major cities carry the greatest risks according to the studies which extended over 18 years and gathered information from 350,000 people. Susceptibility to cardiovascular disease is often preceded by respiratory ailments which themselves are likely to result from the same pollution sources.
In Australia, we also suffer similar problems. The western suburbs of our major cities report very high rates of asthma while cardiovascular diseases and cancer rate among the highest killers of people in this lucky country.
Just another set of reasons why we need to plan now to stop burning fossil fuels and move into the cleaner, greener age of solar power. What immense savings are at hand if we can reduce the demands on the ever spiralling health budgets by restoring clean air to our polluted and usually poorer suburbs. While the Government ponders a massive rise in tobacco tax it would be well advised to contemplate the potential impacts of redirecting its many subsidies to coal and oil into building healthy, soot-free communities instead.
Below: The Solar Venti Cooling System at SCRAP - laying pipes in the ground and capturing cool air to pump into the building in summer (using a solar powered fan) means reduced air conditioning/evaporative cooling costs. The Solar Venti System also provides warm air in winter and hot water year round - see their website - www.ges.com.au
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