FREMANTLE Ports has announced increased efforts to recycle waste from cruise ships.
According to FP, research showed waste from cruise ships visiting Fremantle had been going to deep burial with no recycling occurring.
But an initiative to bring together the various parties resulted in a better outcome.
Port environmental advisor Rebecca James said Fremantle Ports’ research found cruise ships visiting Fremantle had sophisticated waste separation systems but limited opportunities to offload material for recycling.
“To meet Australia’s strict biosecurity requirements, all separated recyclables were combined with other garbage when offloaded and deep buried in compliance with a biosecurity agreement with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources,” Ms James said.
“Fremantle Ports liaised with DAWR to find a recycling solution that would ensure biosecurity risks were managed, while allowing recyclables to be recycled and not end up in landfill in Western Australia.”
Fremantle Ports hosted a workshop in October 2018 along with representatives from DAWR, resource management company SUEZ, shipping agents and stevedores, to progress the initiative.
Ms James said all parties were keen to assist in finding a workable solution and an agreement was reached between the agencies.
“Under the new process, material segregated for recycling is inspected by DAWR officers to ensure that it is clean and all biological material has been removed,” she said.
“Since November 2018, SUEZ has been sending approved recyclables from some cruise ships offloading in Fremantle to recycling, rather than them ending up in landfill.”
She said other biosecurity waste would continue to go to deep burial.
