RESTAURANT tenants at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney’s Circular Quay will now have access to a newly installed waste disposal compactor.

The Port Authority of New South Wales say they are “crushing” waste management costs at the OPT with the new “state-of-the-art” compactor.

Port Authority of NSW’s asset manager, Benjamin Dayman, said the new compactor is designed to reduce waste volume, which decreases the frequency of waste collections, reducing related costs and carbon emissions over the long term.

“Since introducing we have slashed weekly waste collection pickups by almost 66% during peak times, from approximately 14 collections to just five waste pick-up collections per week” Mr Dayman said.

“This translates to an almost 50 percent reduction in waste operational costs at this facility and we expect in the future to see further cost savings to occur.”

Mr Dayman said the Port Authority worked closely with waste contractor Veolia to make the waste compactor a reality, demonstrating the authority’s innovation as well as commitment to sustainable practices.

The waste disposal initiative also involved close collaboration with Port Authority’s three restaurant tenancies, Cruise Bar, James Squire – The Squire’s Landing, and Quay, to improve waste management practices in a shared garbage room facility, according to Mr Dayman.

“It is wonderful to have the support of our tenants as they are helping to reduce their environmental impact.

“By sorting waste to reduce the instance of contamination, we can ensure recyclables like cardboard are disposed of more efficiently. it’s a triple win – better for the environment, better for business and better for the budget.”

The OPT is a public passenger terminal located in Sydney Harbour, servicing cruise ships and ocean liners.