We are a Byron Bay based recycling company (Northern Rivers NSW, Australia), and we have designed an innovative waste management solution that processes waste streams close to the source. Our system utilises a patented Recyclapod system that receives, separates and consolidates streams ready for processing, reducing costs and carbon emissions associated with waste transport. With a key focus on waste minimisation and diversion from landfill, RYW has developed systems for processing food waste, plastics, glass, waste timber, and cardboard into useful products for community use.

The Recyclapod is a small waste processing unit which allows for hand separation and cleaning of waste at the source. Traditionally, waste is deposited at a facility where it sits for some time, allowing food to rot and further contaminate the other contents of the rubbish. With the Recyclapod as the first point of call into the waste facility, all waste streams are cleaned and separated to maximise efficient recycling and minimise landfill. This simple process reduces costs to the community as waste streams become more efficient to separate and consolidate ready for processing. Individual waste streams are then processed by RYW at the Norfolk Wave Recycling Centre, or consolidated and exported for recycling by a third party. At its core technology the Recyclapod collects waste data by measuring waste stream weights, and is able to identify waste stream contamination from a source. Consolidated community waste data is acquired by the Recyclapod to help guide RYW and the community towards waste minimisation opportunities, and the reduction of waste being exported to landfill in Australia.

RYW’s founder, Luke McConell, operated large scale music events from 2005 - 2012 before beginning Research and Development in community waste management. From 2016 to 2020 Revolve Your World began managing the waste at the Byron Bay Beach Hotel. The "Beachie" is an iconic Australian Pub, with a 1500+ capacity that generates up to 2 tonnes of waste on the busiest days. Before partnering with RYW, the Beachie had a recycling rate of around 10%. RYW was engaged by General Manager Elke van Haandel in 2016 to introduce a Recyclapod system to improve the venue's recycling rates and solve the venues waste issues including odour, leachate and birds. RYW successfully operated the waste management at The Beachie for 4 years, achieving recycling rates of over 90%, day in and day out. This pilot was an opportunity to test RYW’s systems and evolve the Recyclapod, food waste processing system and RYW’s business systems. Elke left the Beach Hotel in 2020 to work with RYW.

A closed loop economy means that a system has identified and collected resources within a community and processed these resources into useful products for community use. For a ‘closed loop waste management economy’ to be successful, processes need to be initiated to ensure packaging waste entering into a community is able to be processed within the system we provide. At RYW we endeavour to understand and help manage incoming packaging supply chains and develop innovative systems to process the different materials that enter into the community. RYW works with the community/customer across all phases of the cycle from advising on purchasing products that align with our processing systems, to selling the recycled product back to the community.

We are open FIVE days a week CLOSED Thursday & Sunday ​ Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri 7am - 2pm ​ Saturdays 7am - 3pm This timetable may change occasionally depending on the needs of the community or due to Centre maintenance. We endeavour to update on our Socials before any timetable changes.

All commercial and residential waste streams, such as: Food and organic waste Glass General packaging waste streams which include cardboard, all plastics containers and wrap, aluminium cans, steel cans, aerosol cans etc. Sanitary waste Hazardous items such as batteries, sharps etc Textiles, and all other streams of household and commercial waste that are not bulky.

Bulky waste such as furniture – this will be managed via the reuse centre if reusable, or exported to landfill if at the end of its life Builders waste – this will continue to be managed by Council Green waste such as garden trimmings etc – managed by Council, these will be shredded and placed into the composting system Tyres Hazardsous items: waste oil, pesticides, car batteries etc

We have a temporary Reuse Area that is open to the community. Here we stock primarily clothing, books and small household items. The council will provide a shed for reuse items in the next 12 months for the proper management of all reusable items and materials.

The commercial drop-off area is located on the lower level of the shed and is intended for larger businesses. There are mega bins and crates for pre-sorted materials like aluminium, steel, cardboard and clean plastics. The Centre is set up to sort and consolidate streams at the commercial drop-off area for further processing and recycling. If you are coming in with irregular loads of bulk materials we appreciate prior notice so that we can be ready to help you. Please note that bulky items like whitegoods are still managed by Council - look for the signposted bulky waste area.

Absolutely! Our core Norfolk Wave staff are all Norfolk residents. We have a few team members that fly over occasionally from RYW to assist in maintenance or repairs. There are endless opportunities for our local staff to upskill and become confident in all aspects of operation within the facility.

At this stage we don’t offer a collection service but in time it is something that we would like to offer to the community, starting with businesses and eventually residents if there is enough interest.

By diverting most of Norfolk's household and commercial waste from landfill, and creating usable items from our waste, we have significantly reduced the carbon footprint of the island. Diverting all organic matter such as food waste from export and landfill we are directly reducing methane emissions (CH4). Most of RYW processes are run on electricity, which are offset by a large solar array on the roof of the Norfolk Wave Centre.

In the first month of operations, we diverted 72% of household and commercial waste from landfill. This gradually climbed to 76% as of April 2024. Our goal is to divert 80% of materials from landfill. We are able to accurately report our diversion rate to the community by using real-time data. This waste stream data allows for ongoing system improvement. Achieving our goal of 80% diversion relies heavily on the support of the community. We have an opportunity to drastically reduce the community's landfill costs, though it will take continued co-operation between the community and RYW.

Five streams: Food & Organic Material Glass Material Hazardous Material Sanitary Material Recyclapod Material (for Hand Sorting) Food & Organic Material All food scraps, compostable packaging, coffee grinds, bones, meat, fish, food-stained serviettes/paper towels, compostable nappies, hair. Glass Material All glass bottles, jars, vases, glasses. Windows and windscreens will continue to be managed by NIRC as part of the construction and demolition waste. Hazardous Material Products that contain harmful elements, including solvent-based paint, pesticides and other garden chemicals and their containers, motor oils, kerosene, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, batteries, and e-waste. Sanitary Material Anything that is soiled by human fluids, such as bandaids, tissues, feminine hygiene products, condoms, nappies, face masks, gloves, or paper towels used for cleaning purposes. This is also the location for things like vacuum dust that are unable to be recycled and also not welcome on the Recyclapod sort bench. Recyclapod Material Plastic containers (hard and soft), plastic wrap, aluminium, steel, paper, cardboard, and all packaging that is not glass. All other waste streams that are not either food, glass, hazardous or sanitary go into this waste stream for proper sorting.

The Recyclapod stream has been introduced to replace the 'general' waste stream. We are no longer sending our packaging to landfill. By putting your cleaned packaging into the Recyclapod stream, you are giving them another chance at life, as they will be turned into a resource for the community. Essentially, the Recyclapod stream consists of all the household and commercial waste that is not Glass, Food/Organics, Sanitary Waste or Hazardous Waste. The primary items found in this stream are plastics, cardboard, paper and aluminium, although this is also where many other items should be deposited, such as pens, textiles, pill packets etc. Over time, we aim to find a recycling solution for each smaller waste stream.

We recommend that your bin setup reflect the FIVE waste streams: Glass Food & Organics Sanitary Items Hazardous Items Recyclapod Items To minimise ants and other pests that are attracted to the substances inside the glass bottles, please rinse before putting into your bin for transport to the Norfolk Wave Centre. We suggest that you have a reliable food scraps / organics set-up at home that is reflective of your transport habits to the Norfolk Wave Centre. For example, if you only deposit your rubbish once a week, then we suggest you either freeze or refrigerate your food scraps (in a compostable bag) to slow down the decomposing of the organic matter (avoiding the smells!) until you are ready to venture to the Centre. Other options may include a larger (20L bin or so) sealable bin that you deposit your daily scraps into. We will not sort your sanitary items, so please place them sealed in the bag of your choice, and clearly separate this bag from the other waste streams. We do not want our workers on the Recyclapod bench to have to sort this waste stream. This stream will go to landfill. Hazardous items can be brought into the Centre in a bin of your choice. Please be mindful of items spilling and contaminating. The Recyclapod stream will most probably be the largest as it is inclusive of all packaging apart from glass, plus all other waste streams that are not food, hazardous or sanitary items. We would recommend the largest bin at home or your business be used for this waste stream. You do not need a plastic bin liner for this waste stream once the food contamination has been removed.

The short answer is yes. If you would like to keep sorting further into more waste streams this will help us to be more efficient at the sorting bench. We have tried to make it more simple for you at home so that you only have to bring in FIVE waste streams to the Centre, leaving the extra sorting of to us. If you feel that you can do the extra sorting PLUS deliver clean waste streams to the Centre, then we will accept your extra diligence gratefully. If you produce large quantities of a particular packaging weekly, we ask that you continue to sort it separately as you have been doing in the old system.

Food waste contaminates all other waste streams causing odours, vermin and risk in manually sorting procedures. Other material needs to be cleaned if food waste is mixed with it, which is labour intensive and time consuming. Cleaning out food waste is much easier if it is done before the food has had a chance to harden.

There are several ways to store food scraps at home to ensure that the home remains odour free. If you only make it to the Norfolk Wave Centre once a week, we recommend a bench-top caddy that you empty during the week into a larger bin that can be sealed. Many people also store their food scraps in compostable bags in the fridge or freezer until they are ready to deposit to the Norfolk Wave Centre.

We believe the outcome/reward of rinsing your food packaging is worth it for your own household and/or business. A short rinse in warm soapy water (we recommend using the water at the end of a dish load) means no odour, rodents, flies and vermin near your bins. It also means that the Norfolk community can reduce costs over time due to more efficient processing of the waste on the Recyclapod bench. If you bring your waste clean to the centre we can sort it quickly (and turn it into products), which means more cost-efficiency for the community.

We understand that the Norfolk community needs to be water-wise, particularly as most people operate on tank water. We have talked to several food businesses on Norfolk who have found that rinsing their packaging at the end of a 'dishes load' means that they can have clean waste streams plus save on water. On the occasion that you are unable to wash your organics out of your packaging, the Recyclapod bench has a reticulated water system that the workers can use to hand wash your packaging items. Please keep in mind however, that food is often harder to remove from packaging once it has become hardened, and also the longer it takes your rubbish to get cleaned on the sort bench, the more cost this incurs to the community.

The short answer is no. If you can ensure that all food scraps and sanitary waste have been removed from the Recyclapod (hand sorted) stream, then you essentially have a bin full of packaging and other 'clean' bits and pieces. There will be a bin washing station at the Centre for you to rinse out your bins if you require also. Please use a bin liner for your Sanitary Items and seal this bag before bringing it to the Centre.

If it is unsafe or impractical for you to separate these waste streams, we recommend that you separate this waste into a container and bring it into the Centre for proper processing by the staff.

The compost process can accept a small amount of newspaper and cardboard that has no plastic. All inks now are soy based in newspapers. We suggest no colour printed paper and only plain cardboard be mixed into the Food & Organics stream.

It will take much longer for the Norfolk Wave team to sort, which may significantly increase waste charges for the whole Norfolk community. If waste streams are delivered to the Centre uncontaminated, that is, in the 5 streams as requested, we have the opportunity to reduce waste costs, and charges. If a certain business or member of the community blatantly contaminates the waste streams on a continual basis, there will be a fine. This action is not meeting the community's recycling targets and risks increased costs being imposed on the rest of the Norfolk community.

We are developing a unique rewards system, plus, you can be proud that you have helped Norfolk achieve its circular economy goals. You are an excellent earthling and a community-minded consumer!

1. Compost Using industrial HotRot compost machines, the community's food and organic waste is turned into environmentally friendly and nutrient-rich compost to support Norfolk’s local food security. Compost can be purchased from the council at Customer Care. 2. RYW Carbon Our cardboard recycling uses a process called pyrolysis, in which we remove the moisture and filter other impurities from the cardboard. What’s left is a carbon product that we incorporate into the plastic recycling process. 3. Sand We supplement local building requirements (reducing the mining of our sand from Norfolk's beaches!) by creating quality sand from our glass waste. Crushed glass is ready for use once screened, and all plastic and paper labels have been removed from the particles. There are 5 different ‘grades’ available, from a fine sand to a coarse aggregate. 4. Concrete Aggregate We are able to process all hard and soft plastic on-island to create a recycled plastic concrete aggregate. With the addition of hydrated lime and carbon (from the cardboard), the Resin8 aggregate product is used to subsidise the use of crushed rock aggregate in concrete applications.

Pricing is competitive with other aggregate and sand available on island. For pricing please call our office on 24090.

Products are available to purchase form The Norfolk Wave Recycling Centre

Sales of outputs are part of RYW's revenue line. This revenue goes back into the system to offset the operations.

There is a common misconception that recycled glass sand exposes us to a high risk of silicosis. This is not the case at all. The development of silicosis in the lungs is associated with the inhalation of crystalline silica. Studies have shown that recycled glass sand is comprised of amorphous silica, with crystalline silica typically not exceeding 1%. This is significantly lower than when compared to natural and other manufactured sands. Correct PPE should still be used when handling recycled sand as inhalation can cause irritation. If you have any more concerns about the safety of our recycled glass sand, send us your email and we’ll happily forward you the SDS.

Absolutely! Many community members have used the larger grades of sand on their driveways. The results are fantastic.

If used inappropriately, the Resin8 aggregate could potentially release microplastics into the envrionemnt. Road base is considered an inappropriate use due to the high wear and tear of the surface. It is more appropriate in things like concrete slabs, building blocks and benchtops.

No. NIRC will still be responsible for all green waste and woodchip.

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Granulation Mixing Extrusion into concrete aggregate

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Crushing Screening into sand

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Baled Shredded Composted

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Baled Biochar - Carbon source for concrete aggregate Mixing Extrusion into concrete aggregate

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Composted

Compostable packaging can be included in your Food / Organics bin, as this waste stream can be processed through the HotRot composter. Over time, we will be assessing the island's supply of compostable packaging to ensure that it doesn't contain PFAS (chemicals that are harmful for soils). We will be working with local importers and suppliers to ensure all compostable packaging on to Norfolk is PFAS free.

The HotRot Composting Unit is used on Norfolk to transform our organic wastes into a nutrient-rich compost. Once the organic waste is placed into the HotRot via a bin tipper or feed hopper, it is mixed inside the unit under a uniform moisture and heat. Air is injected into the unit to ensure that the material is maintained in an aerobic state. Heat, moisture and carbon dioxide are extracted by a fan and passed through a bio filter. The HotRot does not produce methane. We have two HotRot composters on Norfolk that have the potential to break down large amounts of our organic waste on Norfolk (animal, cardboard, green waste, food waste) and transform them into a nutrient-dense compost that can be used by the community. We just need to ensure that we keep inorganics like plastics and plastic-lined cardboard out of the HotRot.

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Handed to NIRC for responsibility

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Option 1 – medical incinerator at hospital Option 2 - Baled Sent to landfill

Separation/decontamination from other waste streams Baled Sent to landfill

Polystyrene will be densified and recycled within the plastics system on island.

Compacted and recycled.

Ceramics will be processed through the community's new glass crusher, and will be screened to sand.

The Norfolk Wave Centre will accept kitty litter. Kitty litter is primarily made up of clay and other minerals, natural ingredients such as pine, wheat or corn, or synthetic crystallised silica, and of course cat faeces which are natural and compostable materials. You can bring this in separately to the centre, or you can include the kitty litter in with your food/organics bin, which will be deposited into the community's HotRot composting unit.

Sanitary Waste generally refers to anything that has bodily fluids attached that could pose a health risk if not handled properly. Disposable nappies, female hygiene products, condoms, face masks, ear buds, tissues that have been used to wipe noses or hands, dog poo in bags etc. If your rubbish has human or animal fluids/matter on it, it needs to go into the Sanitary Bin. We would also like vacuum bag contents to go into this stream. This stream should come into the Centre sealed in a bag, and it won't be opened. We really do not want these items on the Recyclapod sort bench, where our awesome workers will be hand sorting. This stream will be sent to landfill.

Bring to the Norfolk Wave centre for processing, export and recycling.

Collected at the Norfolk Wave Centre and exported to Australia for recycling.

NIRC will still be accepting white goods at a drop-off location at the Norfolk Wave Centre.

Bring to the Norfolk Wave Centre and cartridges will be processed, either on island, or will be exported and recycled through a third party processing facility.

Metals and plastics should be separated out as much as possible so that they can be recycled at the Norfolk Wave Centre.

NIRC will still be accepting tyres. If the tyres are small such as bicycle tyres, the Norfolk Wave Centre will accept at the new drop off area. Larger tyres such as car and truck tyres will be directed to the back of the facility for NIRC to accept. Tyres will then be shredded and exported if a use can not be found for them on island.

Can be brought to the Norfolk Wave Centre and will be exported and recycled through a third part processing facility.

Drop them to the Norfolk Wave Centre and we will assess for re-use. If not re-usable, they will be shredded and then granulated then blended into our plastics process to make a concrete aggregate product called Resin 8.

Bulk woody waste and garden waste will be managed by NIRC in line with the Argentine Ant program.

Sawdust from untreated timber waste can be composted. Treated pine sawdust waste will need to be considered builders waste and exported to landfill.

Wood chips as waste? If so bring to the Norfolk Wave Centre to be placed in the Green Waste Drop Off. It is NIRC's responsibility for the first stage.

The Norfolk Wave Centre will have an efficient document shredder. We can possibly arrange for times that the public can shred their own documents for security purposes.

Sharps container located at Drop Off Point under 'Hazardous' waste stream.

Bring to the Norfolk Wave Centre in a separate container and place in the ‘Bin Ya Butts’ containers.

Recyclapod stream for hand sorting

Food & Organics Bin. Bring to the Norfolk Wave Centre for composting or give to local farmers etc.

Wash well with warm soapy water and add to appropriate bin. Bring to the Norfolk Wave Centre for processing (see material type for type of processing).

Recyclapod stream for hand sorting.

Bamboo packaging & products can go into the Food & Organics waste stream.

If there is only organic material in the vacuum bag it can go into the Food/Organics bin. Chances are that a full vacuum bag will have inorganic waste in it, so we would like it to be put into the SANITARY stream. This Sanitary stream is to arrive sealed in a bag to the Centre and will likely be exported to landfill. We also don't want the vacuum dust to be spread out on the Recyclapod hand sorting bench.

We recommend you take the tea bag tag off and put this into the Recyclapod stream, and put the tea bag (and tea leaves) in the Food/Organics stream. If you are certain that the tag is made of paper only (several companies advertise this, particularly organic brands) then the whole thing can go in the Food Stream. We do not want any plastic from the tags dispersing microplastics into the compost.

All Tetra Packs will be exported to landfill in the first phase, though we are presently looking into the best recycling option either on-island or in Australia. At home, please take the lid off, rinse the carton, and place both the lid and the carton in the Recyclapod stream. We can recycle the lids on-island into concrete aggregate, or save them up for Lids4Kids.

Five years under the current term.

Fees are currently calculated and charged within the Council rate system. There will be no additional fees at the Norfolk Wave Centre.

NIRC was granted $3.2M from the Commonwealth government, part of which has been spent on equipment for waste stream processing on Norfolk Island.

• Recyclapods – separation, data acquisition and reporting, waste stream consolidation • Plastics processing system – Approx 30% of system purchased by NIRC, the rest funded by RYW to process plastic waste into a concrete aggregate • Glass processing system – process glass into sand • Biochar unit – process waste timber and plastic lined cardboard into a carbon product for farming and for use in the plastics processing

The sales of concrete aggregate and other products made from waste material on Norfolk are part of Revolve Your World's revenue line. Other RYW revenue includes a 'per kilo' rate on waste material that the Recyclapod and processing equipment processes on a daily basis. It is important to note that the current cost to export waste to landfill in SE QLD is more than $3.30 per kilo. RYW's per kilo rate is $1.95. This is variable and an agreed start up figure based on our costing if the community provides clean streams. If we can keep the operational costs as minimal as possible then the per kilo rate can come down. This also works the opposite way where it will go up if material is continually brought in contaminated, as we need to cover the costs to decontaminate and clean the material. The sales of outputs are just one part of the equation. In order to reduce the waste management levy, RYW and the community need to work together to make the system as efficient as possible.

Revolve Your World and NIRC will negotiate terms for an extension of contract or will develop a new contract under new terms.

The number one thing that you can do as a Norfolk Island community member or visitor, is to avoid contaminating the recyclable waste streams with food waste. Food and other organic waste contaminates these waste streams and makes them difficult to process and recycle. By reducing cross contamination of waste streams from one waste stream to another, it allows for efficient and safe processing within the Recyclapod system at the Norfolk Wave Recycling Centre, helping to keep the Norfolk Island waste management costs to a minimum. The previous waste system was unsustainable, with freight and landfill costs increasing year on year. This change will disrupt this cost trajectory and allow the Norfolk community to feel empowered and take ownership of their waste. It is your waste, and you have the opportunity to develop products for your community from the waste you produce, thereby turning an expense into a community investment. Change is hard, we get it, we are working hard to minimise any disruption and to simplify the process for the consumer, so we ask for your patience and your support while we transition to the new system. Other ways we will be asking you to support the change are through conscious purchasing, shopping locally where possible, minimising your imports and minimising your waste.

Of course! We designed and built this concept and processes for you. All new ideas for improvement are welcome. Please let us know how we can improve our systems in order to serve you better, or any ideas you may have on how to better manage waste within your community. RYW and the Norfolk Wave team are here to listen and to serve.