NSW EPA Circular Economy - Expression of Interest Survey

NSW EPA enablers of a Circular Economy

We would like to hear from small to medium sized organisations across the Manufacturing, Recycling, Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants and Retail sectors, that have adopted or are using a proven technology or piece of equipment that aids in:

Waste avoidance (via efficiency, longevity, repair or refurbishment)
Separation and disassembly
Improved recycling and contamination reduction
Increased recycled content
Reuse
Circular economy manufacture

The following survey is designed for:
- Specialists in the circular economy sector OR
- Those who have successfully reduced waste to landfill across the retail, manfacturing, accommodation, cafes and restaurant and recycling sectors OR
- Those who have been invited to complete this survey by Edge Environment.

The NSW EPA has led the biggest commercial waste to landfill diversion program in Australia. The Bin Trim program provides rebates for businesses for equipment and technologies that result in waste avoidance, reduction, reuse and recycling. EPA provides 50% co-funding for recycling infrastructure for small to medium sized enterprises operating in NSW.

The last round of Bin Trim is currently being rolled out across NSW. In reviewing the Bin Trim program and looking towards the future, EPA have engaged sustainability consultancy, Edge Environment to conduct a program analysis and to research future options that will better enable a circular economy and result in a reduction in the linear waste to landfill model. A key focus of this research is identifying key technologies and equipment that is currently being used in Australia and has been proven to encourage businesses across the accommodation (café and restaurant), manufacturing, retail trade and recycling sector to move towards a circular economy model.

We are seeking new and innovative technologies that can expand this program to encompass the goals of the circular economy, promoting material efficiency, waste avoidance, dematerialisation and reuse.

Contact Edge Environment Sustainability Consultant, Lloyd Parker for further details - lloyd.parker@edgeenvironment.com.au

What do we mean by enablers? For the purpose of this survey, enablers are considered technology, equipment, training programs, funding or other measures that have resulted in a reduction of waste to landfill through either waste avoidance, waste reduction, repair, reuse or recycling.

Your business may be featured in a case study to demonstrate businesses moving to Circular Economy practices.

The survey is predominantly multiple choice or check box.

The estimated completion time is 3 minutes.

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* 1. If you would like to register your interest for future NSW EPA circular economy programs, please enter your details below. Please note that your details will be forwarded to staff within the NSW EPA and you will be notified when new waste reduction or circular economy programs are open.

Name

Company

Address

Address 2

City/Town

State/Province

ZIP/Postal Code

Email Address

Phone Number

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* 2. Which of the following sectors is the best fit for your organisation?

Retail

Accomodation

Cafes and restaurants

Manufacturing

Recycling

Government

Consulting

Research

I'm from an association

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Does your organisation use an enabler that has resulted in waste avoidance, reduction, reuse, repair or recycling?

Yes

Unsure

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* 4. If you answered "Yes" to Question 3, please list the type of "enabler" that your organisation uses

Infrastructure e.g. equipment

Technology e.g. RFID chips, software

Staff training programs

Policy

Change in procurement strategy

Collaboration with another organisation for waste reuse and repair

Other (please specify)

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* 5. In your experience, which technology or equipment type provides the greatest reduction in waste to landfill

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* 6. Which of the following options would provide your organisation with the greatest benefit to transition to a circular economy or reduce waste to landfill?

	Very high benefit	High benefit	Medium benefit	Low benefit	Very low benefit
Greater examples/case studies of businesses that have reduced waste to landfill	Greater examples/case studies of businesses that have reduced waste to landfill Very high benefit	Greater examples/case studies of businesses that have reduced waste to landfill High benefit	Greater examples/case studies of businesses that have reduced waste to landfill Medium benefit	Greater examples/case studies of businesses that have reduced waste to landfill Low benefit	Greater examples/case studies of businesses that have reduced waste to landfill Very low benefit
Greater incentives	Greater incentives Very high benefit	Greater incentives High benefit	Greater incentives Medium benefit	Greater incentives Low benefit	Greater incentives Very low benefit
Case studies of the business case for reducing waste to landfill	Case studies of the business case for reducing waste to landfill Very high benefit	Case studies of the business case for reducing waste to landfill High benefit	Case studies of the business case for reducing waste to landfill Medium benefit	Case studies of the business case for reducing waste to landfill Low benefit	Case studies of the business case for reducing waste to landfill Very low benefit
Support from industry	Support from industry Very high benefit	Support from industry High benefit	Support from industry Medium benefit	Support from industry Low benefit	Support from industry Very low benefit
Support from the government (non-financial)	Support from the government (non-financial) Very high benefit	Support from the government (non-financial) High benefit	Support from the government (non-financial) Medium benefit	Support from the government (non-financial) Low benefit	Support from the government (non-financial) Very low benefit
Policy or legislation requiring the organisation to act	Policy or legislation requiring the organisation to act Very high benefit	Policy or legislation requiring the organisation to act High benefit	Policy or legislation requiring the organisation to act Medium benefit	Policy or legislation requiring the organisation to act Low benefit	Policy or legislation requiring the organisation to act Very low benefit
Support from a network of organisations	Support from a network of organisations Very high benefit	Support from a network of organisations High benefit	Support from a network of organisations Medium benefit	Support from a network of organisations Low benefit	Support from a network of organisations Very low benefit
Greater networking and information sharing opportunities	Greater networking and information sharing opportunities Very high benefit	Greater networking and information sharing opportunities High benefit	Greater networking and information sharing opportunities Medium benefit	Greater networking and information sharing opportunities Low benefit	Greater networking and information sharing opportunities Very low benefit
Information - provided through websites, forums, meetings, hard copy etc	Information - provided through websites, forums, meetings, hard copy etc Very high benefit	Information - provided through websites, forums, meetings, hard copy etc High benefit	Information - provided through websites, forums, meetings, hard copy etc Medium benefit	Information - provided through websites, forums, meetings, hard copy etc Low benefit	Information - provided through websites, forums, meetings, hard copy etc Very low benefit
Support/demand from customers/clients	Support/demand from customers/clients Very high benefit	Support/demand from customers/clients High benefit	Support/demand from customers/clients Medium benefit	Support/demand from customers/clients Low benefit	Support/demand from customers/clients Very low benefit
Support/demand from suppliers e.g. changes to procurement	Support/demand from suppliers e.g. changes to procurement Very high benefit	Support/demand from suppliers e.g. changes to procurement High benefit	Support/demand from suppliers e.g. changes to procurement Medium benefit	Support/demand from suppliers e.g. changes to procurement Low benefit	Support/demand from suppliers e.g. changes to procurement Very low benefit

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* 7. Which of the following options would provide your organisation the greatest benefit to deliver on circular economy objectives ? e.g. waste avoidance, reuse, repair, reduction, recycling

	Very high benefit	High benefit	Medium benefit	Low benefit	Very low benefit
Invest in technology	Invest in technology Very high benefit	Invest in technology High benefit	Invest in technology Medium benefit	Invest in technology Low benefit	Invest in technology Very low benefit
Pressure suppliers to provide more sustainable options	Pressure suppliers to provide more sustainable options Very high benefit	Pressure suppliers to provide more sustainable options High benefit	Pressure suppliers to provide more sustainable options Medium benefit	Pressure suppliers to provide more sustainable options Low benefit	Pressure suppliers to provide more sustainable options Very low benefit
Promote past and current achievements through promotional activities	Promote past and current achievements through promotional activities Very high benefit	Promote past and current achievements through promotional activities High benefit	Promote past and current achievements through promotional activities Medium benefit	Promote past and current achievements through promotional activities Low benefit	Promote past and current achievements through promotional activities Very low benefit
Access government funding	Access government funding Very high benefit	Access government funding High benefit	Access government funding Medium benefit	Access government funding Low benefit	Access government funding Very low benefit
Join established networks to share information and gain support	Join established networks to share information and gain support Very high benefit	Join established networks to share information and gain support High benefit	Join established networks to share information and gain support Medium benefit	Join established networks to share information and gain support Low benefit	Join established networks to share information and gain support Very low benefit
Invest in equipment	Invest in equipment Very high benefit	Invest in equipment High benefit	Invest in equipment Medium benefit	Invest in equipment Low benefit	Invest in equipment Very low benefit
Internal marketing campaigns	Internal marketing campaigns Very high benefit	Internal marketing campaigns High benefit	Internal marketing campaigns Medium benefit	Internal marketing campaigns Low benefit	Internal marketing campaigns Very low benefit
Seek to influence the Board/owner/executive team	Seek to influence the Board/owner/executive team Very high benefit	Seek to influence the Board/owner/executive team High benefit	Seek to influence the Board/owner/executive team Medium benefit	Seek to influence the Board/owner/executive team Low benefit	Seek to influence the Board/owner/executive team Very low benefit
Conduct modelling to prove the economic benefits of reducing waste to landfill	Conduct modelling to prove the economic benefits of reducing waste to landfill Very high benefit	Conduct modelling to prove the economic benefits of reducing waste to landfill High benefit	Conduct modelling to prove the economic benefits of reducing waste to landfill Medium benefit	Conduct modelling to prove the economic benefits of reducing waste to landfill Low benefit	Conduct modelling to prove the economic benefits of reducing waste to landfill Very low benefit
Conduct audits to establish a baseline	Conduct audits to establish a baseline Very high benefit	Conduct audits to establish a baseline High benefit	Conduct audits to establish a baseline Medium benefit	Conduct audits to establish a baseline Low benefit	Conduct audits to establish a baseline Very low benefit
Adopt a operational waste management plan	Adopt a operational waste management plan Very high benefit	Adopt a operational waste management plan High benefit	Adopt a operational waste management plan Medium benefit	Adopt a operational waste management plan Low benefit	Adopt a operational waste management plan Very low benefit
Incorporate Circular economy principles into strategic documents, such as business plans, strategic plans, budgets etc	Incorporate Circular economy principles into strategic documents, such as business plans, strategic plans, budgets etc Very high benefit	Incorporate Circular economy principles into strategic documents, such as business plans, strategic plans, budgets etc High benefit	Incorporate Circular economy principles into strategic documents, such as business plans, strategic plans, budgets etc Medium benefit	Incorporate Circular economy principles into strategic documents, such as business plans, strategic plans, budgets etc Low benefit	Incorporate Circular economy principles into strategic documents, such as business plans, strategic plans, budgets etc Very low benefit

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* 8. Did your organisation receive financial support to reduce waste to landfill?

Yes

Unsure

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* 9. If you answered "Yes" to question 9, please state the program name and funding source for the funding that your organisation accessed.

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* 10. Would you be likely to access future grant funding programs in the future?

Yes

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* 11. How could future NSW EPA circular economy programs be better designed to encourage further uptake of CE and a reduction in waste to landfill?

An increase in funding allocation i.e. greater than 50% of costs

Shorter and more concise application forms

Greater support to establish or enable new and existing enabling organisations

Produce more case studies of local businesses across each sector

Rebates to fund leasing of equipment/technology etc

Funding of targeted and proven equipment

Funding of targeted and proven technology

Other (please specify)

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* 12. If you have participated in the NSW EPA Bin Trim program, to what degree were you satisfied with the outcome? i.e. new technology, processes etc

Highly satisfied

Satisfied

Neither satisfied or disatisfied

Dissatisfied

Highly dissatisfied

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* 13. If you work for an organisation in the accommodation, cafe or restaurant sector, what technology or equipment has provided you with the greatest transition towards a circular economy or a reduction in waste to landfill?

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* 14. If you work for an organisation in the manufacturing sector, what technology or equipment has provided you with the greatest transition towards a circular economy or a reduction in waste to landfill?

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* 15. If you work in the retail sector, what technology or equipment has provided you with the greatest transition towards a circular economy or a reduction in waste to landfill?

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* 16. If you work in the recycling sector, what technology or equipment has provided you with the greatest transition towards a circular economy or a reduction in waste to landfill?