The Canberra Times

Battle against waste: The great container recycling competition of 2020

Gloves off: Chloe MacPherson from Icon Water (left) and Ayla Sorensen from Evoenergy.
Gloves off: Chloe MacPherson from Icon Water (left) and Ayla Sorensen from Evoenergy.

This is sponsored content for ACT Container Deposit Scheme.

Back in October Canberra's Icon Water threw down the gauntlet and challenged its fellow service provider Evoenergy to a competition.

The challenge? To see which one of these two ACT utility companies could recycle the most bottles and cans through the ACT Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) throughout the month of November and raise the highest amount for a charity of their choice.

The result of the friendly rivalry was almost 6500 containers recycled through the scheme and some valuable fundraising achieved.

Icon Water's Chloe MacPherson said the challenge fitted with each company's passion for sustainability and caring for the environment. "And we're always looking for opportunities to bring an element of fun to this space - there's nothing like creating some healthy competition from one utility to the next," she said.

Evoenergy accepted. "While we were keen for the chance to show them who's really capable of taking home the 2020 Recycling Champion title, we were also excited to see just how much waste we could reduce and money we could raise for a good cause," said Evoenergy's Ayla Sorensen.

"The ACT Container Deposit Scheme has already made a significant impact towards reducing the volume of waste to landfill in Canberra and we are happy to help spread the word in our community."

Both companies and their teams share the same values around recycling, sustainability and the environment.

"Modern living generates a whole lot of waste," said Ms Sorenson. "But there is an exciting, growing transition to a more circular model of resource management. We're mindful of this at Evoenergy and are always on the lookout for ways we can do our part to contribute to a sustainable future for all."

Ms MacPherson said Icon Water was passionate about "resource recovery, buying fit-for-purpose recycled products, acting to tackle climate change and protecting people and waterways from pollution".

"Recycling is something every one of us can do towards sustainability - all our actions add up," she said.

Recycling champions: Evoenergy's Ayla Sorensen and Tom Atkins at the Fyshwick:CDS recycling depot.
Recycling champions: Evoenergy's Ayla Sorensen and Tom Atkins at the Fyshwick:CDS recycling depot.

Icon Water launched into action to get their staff on board through their internal webpage, noticeboards and daily news email sharing information about the container recycling and the competition challenge.

"The competition aspect encouraged staff to participate because bragging rights with a fellow utility were at stake," Ms MacPherson said.

Evoenergy also planned their strategy carefully, involving their communications team in developing creative digital and physical posters and signs for their collection points.

"Getting out and about to set up the bins, maintain our posters and collect containers each week piqued the interest of many of our staff who wanted to join the effort," said Ms Sorenson.

"Our Supply Centre staff also helped secure cages for our main collection points and getting our huge handmade sign - made from an old curtain that we purchased from Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre - on our main gate that our crew drive through each morning."

Both companies were hugely motivated by the fundraising element of the competition because they were both directing the ACT CDS refunds to charities close to their hearts.

Evoenergy chose to donate to Movember. "Movember funds projects all over the world that directly address issues affecting men's health," Ms Sorenson said.

"Their concept is clever; moustaches work as an easy conversation starter, opening channels of communication that helps to fight harmful taboos and normalise health as a topic of conversation."

Icon Water's funds went to support a water charity. "Abundant Water is a locally-managed globally-focused water and sanitation charity that relies on donations to provide people in need with safe drinking water," said Ms MacPherson.

"Supporting Abundant Water lines up with our water industry commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals."

Waste warriors: Icon Water's Chloe MacPherson and Joel Edwards.
Waste warriors: Icon Water's Chloe MacPherson and Joel Edwards.

Both utilities were confident they had what it took to be victorious.

"Icon Water is already a giant recycling scheme, recovering around 60 per cent of our drinking water product through deposit into the sewers and cleaning it for release as environmental flows," Ms MacPherson said.

"Some of our staff are actively scouring green spaces on weekends [for containers]; that's the kind of commitment that brings success."

Meanwhile, Ms Sorenson said fundraising for Movember tied into the other initiatives Evoenergy is involved in so staff were ready and motivated to get on board and support the cause.

So who won? The results showed Icon Water returned an impressive 2857 containers, while Evoenergy came in ahead with a remarkable 3596 containers.

"But with all the profits from the 10c refunds going to charities, and all of the drink containers diverted from landfill and recycled, everyone is a winner," said Ms Sorenson.

This is sponsored content for ACT Container Deposit Scheme.