As a retail property owner and manager, waste is one of our largest indirect environmental impacts.
Our retailers generate large quantities of waste, largely though packaging materials and food waste. It is our responsibility to provide the right infrastructure, guidance and support to our retailers and consumers to ensure as much waste as possible can be recycled.
Our approach to waste management is directed by the waste hierarchy – essentially an order of preference for action to reduce and manage waste - and focuses on firstly encouraging waste avoidance and minimisation, and then on separating and recovering waste that is generated at the source to enable as much reuse and recycling as possible. All of our centres have waste management plans and annual recycling and resource recovery targets to increase recycling rates and minimise waste sent to landfill.
During FY18, we achieved an average waste diversion from landfill rate of 43% (36% in FY17) through improved source separation and recycling practices.
Some individual centres achieved diversion from landfill rates well above average, with Altona Gate achieving 72%, DFO South Wharf 69%, Chatswood Chase 67%, and Keilor 62%. Access our FY18 Performance Pack for asset level reporting.
Our waste management approach is achieving great results through its focus on supporting retailers and consumers to separate waste at the time it is generated and via targeting the most prevalent waste streams for recycling. During FY18, we increased the volume of recycled material by 22% compared to FY17. Our efforts primarily focused on diverting organic waste such as food scraps, leftovers and used coffee grounds from landfill, with a program that targeted food court and fresh food retailers. The program resulted in an increase in our organics recycling by over 3300 tonnes, equivalent of diverting approximately 370 truckloads of waste from landfill.
Waste disposal method (tonnes)
