2005 Winners
Winners of the seventh Tasmanian Awards for Environmental Excellence were announced on Saturday, 14 May 2005 at the Environment Minister's Dinner. The Minister for Environment and Planning, the Hon Judy Jackson MHA, presented the awards at a formal dinner held at Wrest Point Hotel Casino in Hobart, Tasmania. The major award is the Minister’s Award that recognises the company or organisation making the most significant contribution to environmental management within Tasmania. The 2005 winner was Cadbury Schweppes.
Read about the Award Categories and Key Criteria.
Winners in each category are:
Summary of Award Winners
Clean Business Award
Winner - Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd – Maximum Recycling
Winner of the Minister's Environment Award
In 2004 the Cadbury Schweppes Claremont chocolate factory implemented cleaner production initiatives focusing on the tracking of solid waste and maximising reuse and recycling site wide.
Factory achievements in the 2004 calendar year:
- A solid waste recycling rate of 67.4% of all waste products
- Reduced total waste to landfill by 41.6% compared with 2003
- Reduced solid waste to landfill per tonne of production by 51 compared with 2003
This was against the waste pressure of an increase in production of almost 15% in 2004.
The site put in place a comprehensive system for tracking of wastes to enable focus on "Cleaner Production" and a future reduction of waste at source.
Recycling and waste initiatives have reduced costs by over $54,000 per annum.
Sponsored by:
Communications Award
Winner - Hobart City Council - ‘Cigarette Butt Litter Reduction Project for Hobart CBD’
To reduce the amount of cigarette butt litter ending up in the stormwater system and connecting waterways, Hobart City Council conducted a comprehensive litter prevention campaign and evaluation project in Hobart's CBD from March to October 2004.
A range of improvements were made in locations throughout Hobart's CBD including: installation of butt litter bins; increased butt litter clean up; removal of graffiti; maintenance and repair of furniture and other infrastructure; signage and introduction of windproof ashtrays. Education program elements included television and radio announcements, billboards, and free give-aways of personal ashtrays and posters.
In total, it is estimated that 120,000 butts were diverted from waterways as a result of project activities. As changes were progressively implemented the amount of butt litter decreased. The project provided insights and evidence of the impact of leading edge methods local government can use to implement sustainable cigarette butt litter prevention programs.
Sponsored by:
Community Award
Winner - Tasmanian Environment Centre Inc - ‘Tasmanian’s Environmental Home Expo and Sustainability Series’
In an effort to reduce the amount of cigarette butt litter ending up in the stormwater system and connecting waterways, Hobart City Council conducted a comprehensive litter prevention campaign and evaluation project in Hobart's CBD from March to October 2004.
A range of improvements were made in locations throughout Hobart's CBD including: installation of butt litter bins; increased butt litter clean up; removal of graffiti; maintenance and repair of furniture and other infrastructure; signage and introduction of windproof ashtrays. Education program elements included television and radio announcements, billboards, and free give-aways of personal ashtrays and posters.
In total, it is estimated that 120,000 butts were diverted from waterways as a result of project activities. As changes were progressively implemented the amount of butt litter decreased. The project provided insights and evidence of the impact of leading edge methods local government can use to implement sustainable cigarette butt litter prevention programs.
Sponsored by:
Business Environmental Responsibility and Leadership Award
Winner - Hydro Tasmania - ‘Wind Farm Environmental Management System’
In 1999 Hydro Tasmania, an organisation known more for its dam building activities in Tasmania, commenced planning and development of the Woolnorth Wind Farm. In taking on the project it made a commitment to use the same emerging standards of environmental excellence that it had developed for the management of its water power assets. In the space of three or four years Hydro Tasmania emerged as a national leader in the design of environmental management systems for wind farms. So highly regarded was its expertise that it was asked to write guidelines to set global environmental and social standards for wind farm developments.
Sponsored by:
Local Government Award
Winner - Hobart City Council - ‘Cigarette Butt Litter Reduction Project for Hobart CBD’
To reduce the amount of cigarette butt litter ending up in the stormwater system and connecting waterways, Hobart City Council conducted a comprehensive litter prevention campaign and evaluation project in Hobart's Central Business District (CBD) from March to October 2004.
A range of improvements were made in locations throughout Hobart's CBD including: installation of butt litter bins; increased butt litter clean up; removal of graffiti; maintenance and repair of furniture and other infrastructure; signage and introduction of windproof ashtrays. Education program elements included television and radio announcements, billboards, and free give-aways of personal ashtrays and posters.
In total, it is estimated that about 120,000 butts were diverted from waterways as a result of project activities. As changes were progressively implemented the amount of butt litter decreased. The project provided insights and evidence of the impact of leading edge methods local government can use to implement sustainable cigarette butt litter prevention programs.
Sponsored by:
Mining and Mineral Processing Award
Winner - Australian Bulk Minerals - ‘South Deposit Waste Rock Management Program’
The development Australian Bulk Minerals (ABM) waste rock disposal management program at the Savage River mine and in particular, the South Deposit, has led to a significant improvement in best practice environmental management (BPEM) for the disposal of pyritic waste rock. Prior to developing South Deposit pit, ABM’s waste rock disposal model/method was based on rock type, geochemical classification and quantities to be disposed of. This practice was relatively consistent with surface waste rock disposal practices used by the mining industry.
Mine planning and engineering techniques were also employed to determine the most economically viable disposal locations, which also could be used to remediate older acid generating (oxidising) waste rock dumps constructed by the former mine owner.
In developing the new disposal method, ABM has also developed and implemented training procedures, undertaken audits and provided for peer reviews during mining of South Deposit to ensure best practice methods were followed. Techniques for the construction of a water shedding cover and an alkaline cover over separate parts of B dump (an actively oxidising dump) were developed and implemented. These techniques further assist the Savage River Rehabilitation Project in rehabilitating past environmental legacies at the mine.
The system developed for Savage River is potentially transferable to other abandoned, existing or even new mine sites to remediate/prevent acid mine drainage being generated due to surface disposal of pyritic waste rock, especially in similar climatic conditions.
The program developed and implemented at Savage River has demonstrated that environmentally sustainable mining can be undertaken in conjunction with a rehabilitation program, in a pyritic environment. The outcome of this program is expected to lead to a substantial improvement in the water quality of Main Creek and return of biological life to the river.
Sponsored by:
Tasmanian Minerals Council Limited
Professor Harry Bloom Memorial Award
Winner - Perviz Marker
Perviz Marker has increased awareness and understanding of Little Penguins, especially in North West Tasmania, in the last five years. She coordinated a 70-kilometre coastal survey and documented the location and size of penguin colonies.
Perviz has developed guidelines for works in areas of Little Penguin habitat to ensure best practice management. She has informed Councils of penguin colonies in their area of management.
Perviz coordinates the Penguin Monitoring Group and continues to monitor Little Penguins and coordinate penguin counts. She works with Councils, Parks & Wildlife and the community to maintain the health and viability of colonies in North West Tasmania.
Sponsored by:
Sustainable Agriculture Award
Winner - Andrew Colvin and Family
Nosswick is a mixed grazing and irrigated agricultural property on duplex soils at Blackwood Creek against the Western Tiers southwest of Launceston. The 738 hectare property has undergone a rapid transformation over 8 years from a dryland sheep grazing venture of tenuous viability, with evident environmental issues, such as tree decline and stream erosion, to a highly productive mixed agricultural, grazing and tree cropping venture at the cutting edge of economic, social and environmental sustainability in rural Tasmania. Andrew Colvin is a classic early adopter of agricultural and environmental innovation who has acted as a key change agent within his local and State rural communities. Andrew's working partnership with his wife Edwina is based on an holistic approach to ensuring the economic, social and environmental viability of their mixed agricultural property. Detail within this application refers to Andrew as principal manager of 'Nosswick'. Implicit, however, in Andrew's management of this family farm is a commitment to inter-generational equity which makes nomination of all of the Colvin family particularly fitting.
Sponsored by:
Environmental Education and Training Award
Winner - Woodbridge School - Woodbridge School Sustainability Program - Nel Smit
The whole School Sustainability Program coordinated by Nel Smit at Woodbridge School is the first of its kind in Tasmania. The Program address the school as a system, implementing sustainable practices both through the curriculum and through environmentally sound operational practices, communicating the purposes of sustainability to all staff, students and the community. Day to day practical tasks focus on biodiversity, resource conservation, energy efficiency and waste reduction. The holistic approach involves practical problem solving and partnerships, working together with sound habits to create sustainable futures.
Sponsored by:
For Further Information:
Contact: Project Manager - Tasmanian Awards for Environmental Excellence
Environment Division, 7th Floor, 134 Macquarie Street
PO Box 1751
Hobart TAS 7001
Phone: 03 6233 3373
Fax: 03 6233 3800
Email: EnvironmentEnquiries@environment.tas.gov.au