Tim Silverwood on chalking one up for the environment

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Talking Heads

tim-1.jpgLast month Swellnet interviewed ex-shaper Nev Hyman about his current project, Nev House - low cost housing for developing countries made from recycled plastic. "It's actually a resource," said Nev about plastic. The problem, however, is that most plastic gets discarded and ends up in landfill or the ocean. Aside from small operations such as Nev's there's little reason for people to recycle plastic. Sure, the world would be better without unsightly and ecologically damaging pollution, but the single greatest motivator is missing - self interest.

Enter the NSW Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). Earlier this month, NSW Premier Mike Baird announced that his party would introduce a scheme similar to that which currently exists in South Australia. Those who've been lobbying for the CDS say it will kickstart the recycling industry thereby helping out people such as Nev Hyman.

The support to business cant be ignored, but for Tim Silverwood the real benefit of the CDS is that much of the litter that ends up in landfill or, even worse, in our ocean will now be diverted elsewhere. The fella who's spent the last seven years telling us to 'Take 3 for the sea' is delighted with the news.

Swellnet recently spoke to Tim about Take 3 and the implications of the NSW Container Deposit Scheme.

Swellnet: How long have you been involved in environmental causes?
Tim Silverwood: I grew up on a bushland property on the NSW Central Coast and developed an appreciation for the natural world and also an inclination to protect it. Through surfing I discovered the wonders of our oceans and the damage our human behaviour can have on fragile aquatic ecosystems. I studied conservation at university and started working in the not-for-profit sector, but my biggest call to arms was traveling in developing regions and witnessing devastating pollution first hand. By 2009 I’d seen enough and became determined to focus on reducing pollution and waste. I’ve been campaigning on these issues ever since.

How long have you had Take 3 going?
We launched Take 3 in late 2009. I’d been inspired by Rasta’s ‘Transparentsea’ voyage where he sailed the Hobie kayaks from Byron to Bondi, showing the documentary The Cove at locations en route. I made a speech at the Avoca Beach screening asking fellow surfers and locals to join me in beach clean ups. Through that event I was introduced to Amanda Marechal and Roberta Dixon-Valk who had the working concept for Take 3. I was immediately struck by the simplicity and how easily the Take 3 for the Sea message could be spread to every region.

What is the Take 3 message?
Take 3 asks everyone to simply take 3 pieces of rubbish with them when they leave the beach, waterway or…anywhere. We use this simple action as a way of engaging people in the huge problem of plastic pollution whilst encouraging broader solutions to prevent it. We deliver education programs in schools, surf clubs and communities across Australia as well as delivering campaigns online and through social media. You can check us out @take3forthesea.

Have you been involved in lobbying for the NSW Container Deposit Scheme (CDS)?
As soon as we started Take 3 we became involved in the campaign for a National CDS. It made common sense to broadly introduce the scheme that worked so effectively in reducing beverage related pollution in South Australia and dozens of jurisdictions globally. We joined the Boomerang Alliance, Australia’s peak NGO furthering waste, pollution and recycling reform that now has over 35 member organisations.

How long has it taken to get the NSW scheme across the line?
I naively thought it would only take a year to achieve success. How wrong I was! We’ve had dozens of politicians back the idea in the last couple of decades but every time it reached upper levels it was quashed by the might of the beverage industry. The industry groups, led by Coca Cola, used incredibly powerful lobbying techniques to dissuade politicians and parties from introducing the scheme. They essentially like it the way it is, at present they sell consumers the product and that’s the end of their responsibility.

Aside from some token investment in public place recycling bins and clean up efforts, the industry has nothing to do with the environmental and social impacts of their product. A CDS is a critical step forward as it extends the producers responsibility to an important role in minimising the environmental impact of used containers. It’s critical that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes like this are adopted across the planet to reduce the 8 million tonnes of plastic pollution that currently enters the oceans every year. That’s over 4 tonnes every 15 seconds.

What other benefits will a CDS bring?
With a CDS in NSW/ACT residents will essentially pay an additional 10 cents for each beverage container - excluding wine bottles and milk - and have the opportunity to have that refunded when they return the empty container to a collection point, depot or reverse vending machine [a machine that scans the container and issues a token]. Consumers will have the option of relinquishing the refund by placing empty containers in their home recycling bin or designated charity collection points, passing the 10 cents to either local government or a charity of your choice. Any containers left on the ground or placed in the wrong bin will likely be collected by the disadvantaged, homeless or entrepreneurial kids.

Not only will the CDS drastically reduce beverage related litter in the environment, and therefore our oceans, it will revolutionise recycling. Currently over 8 billion empty bottles, cans and containers end up in landfill or in the environment every year nationwide. With an effective CDS we will have twice as much material collected for recycling. It’s my hope that Australia will embrace innovation and develop effective methods to repurpose this waste and process quality goods from recycled content locally. Currently we ship vast amounts of our recycled waste internationally where we have no control over the social and environmental impacts of the recycling process. 

Is there a hope the CDS will go nationwide?
Definitely. Now that NSW has agreed to the scheme we have established a very important precedent for other states and countries to follow. ACT have essentially agreed to follow NSW and Queensland and Victoria are looking closely at it. It would be fantastic if QLD and VIC move quickly as introducing the scheme creates challenges around border regions where people can transport containers across states and undermine the scheme.

The most exciting thing about the scheme being introduced is that we’ve now proved that we have the community support and the political will to address the growing problems around waste, pollution and recycling. This campaign came down to a battle between the community and Coca Cola with politicians stuck in the middle monitoring the momentum. We swung the momentum in favour of the environment and our oceans and we won. It’s now imperative we use this case study to influence the rest of the nation and push for the next round of simple measures to reduce plastic pollution including: banning plastic bags, banning microbeads in personal care products and other important actions.

It’s our hope that people around the world are buoyed by this significant achievement and are mobilising to campaign for reforms in their region. This is particularly important in some developing regions where waste management is non-existent and pollution is dumped directly into the environment or burnt on a daily basis. We have a long way to go to solve this devastating problem.

For more information on the Boomerang Alliance click here
Then visit www.take3.org or www.instagram.com/take3forthesea

Comments

tonybarber's picture
tonybarber's picture
tonybarber Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 10:18am

Even take one as you walk back. Easy. CDS - about time. The challenge will be the islands.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 10:26am

This is fantastic and the sooner it becomes Australia-wide or rather worldwide the better.

Japan sorely needs a program like this, where most people here view the ocean as just one big giant tip.

They don't give a fuck though, they just blame it on the Chinese and Koreans.

spenda's picture
spenda's picture
spenda Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 11:26am

It's great to see this happening. I still don't get why it has taken so long given SA has been doing this for ages. As kids in NSW in the 80's we used to take cans and beer bottles in for a refund. We removed loads of waste from popular tourist spots over the years and scored ourselves pocket money in the process. It was win win in so many ways, and still is (for all but some big company executives).

tim foilat's picture
tim foilat's picture
tim foilat Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 11:35am

It's great having kids and poor people around to clean up after every everyone else :)

spenda's picture
spenda's picture
spenda Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 11:52am

touche :)

J1m's picture
J1m's picture
J1m Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 2:32pm

It's taken so long because of the difficulties in passing the legislation. As mentioned in the article the beverage industry has lobbied hard against the scheme across Australia. Simply another example of fat cats having influence over our politicians.

spenda's picture
spenda's picture
spenda Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 3:24pm

I am still not clear on why SA managed to achieve this years ago, they would have had legislation difficulties like every other state...?

tim foilat's picture
tim foilat's picture
tim foilat Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 11:34am

Best thing to happen to Mother Earth since I stopped picking up my dogs shit and putting it in plastic bags

sunhil's picture
sunhil's picture
sunhil Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 12:43pm

I was surprised to see 2 middle-aged people place 4 plastic bottles in the rubbish bin (that was sitting next to the recycle bin) last night......much education still required!!!
BTW..managed to transfer the ones I could reach:)

Legrope's picture
Legrope's picture
Legrope Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 1:54pm

Nice one Sunhil. Education is key. I used to do a 2 hour beach clean with my Landcruiser ute, 2 days a week on a 20km piece of pristine beach North of Perth on my own a few years back when I was crayfishing. The amount of plastic and glass bottles that I collected each time was sickening. My ute tray would be full each time. Whats worse is when you actually see these bogans in their lifted 4x4s throwing empty stubbies and ciggie butts out on these beaches while driving along! Ironic when they have "aussie pride tattoo's and stickers everywhere. WTF! Got into a few tussles with some of these when I have caught up to them and handed it back, only to see the same bottle thrown out the window again 500mtrs down the beach! Total fuckheads. WA needs this scheme desperately.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Tuesday, 24 May 2016 at 2:24pm

Cant believe they even stopped this years ago because when i was a kid thats how we made our pocket money,collecting bottles and getting the refund.......funny how everyone thinks its a new idea,bit like long hair and kombis all been done before....but its taken so long bringing this back in and i dont understand why.....?

spenda's picture
spenda's picture
spenda Wednesday, 25 May 2016 at 10:04am

Stu, this is going a little off topic, but since we are talking about environment issues, I often wonder about the environmental impact of jet pollution via long haul jet flights for surf trips. Can surfers really consider themselves environmentally aware if they regularly jump on a jet to indulge their passion for perfection when there are rideable waves at home. I do it too, but the question is in the back of my mind. Maybe there's some article potential there.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 25 May 2016 at 10:11am

Yeah, definitely a hot topic. Problem is when you say "can surfers really consider themselves environmentally aware", you're talking about a diverse cohort of people. The days of 'surfers' being a homogenous group with shared values and beliefs went out with single fins.