I am delighted to provide a message of support again for the Keep Australia Beautiful Awards. Tasmania is a unique place in the world and one thing that makes it exceptional is the spirit of the Tasmanian people. Tasmanians continue to be inspired by the Keep Australia Beautiful Awards, which are now in their thirty-first year in this state.
That’s thirty one years of Tasmanians, as individual and in groups, making a determined commitment to protect and enhance the superb place in which we live. Tasmanians love our island and have strong values about how they want to see its natural and built environments sustained into the future. They also have a 'can-do' attitude, as they know that it takes persistent and practical action to keep Tasmania beautiful.
Many Tasmanians have taken part in take Tidy Towns Awards and Sustainable Cities programs. They‘ve looked after our stunning beaches under the Clean Beaches Awards. Students and teachers have worked tirelessly together to improve schools and school yards, as well as local communities. They’re the reason that countless school environment programs and initiatives have been entered in the Schools Environment Awards.
This year, Keep Australia Beautiful Tasmania will partner with the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Tasmania (AuSSI-Tas) and the Alcorso Foundation to recognise schools that are making great progress toward sustainability.
Keep Australia Beautiful Tasmania continues to help Tasmanians look after our island into the future and I applaud them for the important role they continue to play.
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners for 2010, and I look forward to seeing these awards grow and prosper for decades to come.
David Bartlett MP
Premier
The Packaging Stewardship Forum was established in May 2006 as a forum of the Australian Food and Grocery Council. The Forum aims to significantly increase government, industry and community understanding of resource recovery and litter management through the delivery of projects throughout Australia, either directly or in partnership with others. Its focus is on providing cost-effective resource recovery and litter reduction solutions that deliver real and measurable outcomes.
The Forum’s highly successful Do The Right Thing anti-litter campaign has proven to be the strongest litter prevention message since it was implemented, leading to a 70% reduction in litter in NSW between 1979 and 1990. Today Do The Right Thing is stronger than ever, with more than 80% of people recognising that Do The Right Thing means put your waste in the bin. Throughout Australia more than 180 towns and cities are taking the Do The Right Thing message to their communities. The Forum is also a major sponsor of Keep Australia Beautiful nationally, sponsoring Tidy Towns and Sustainable Communities Awards in every state during 2007-08. To find out more about the Packaging Stewardship Forum see: www.afgc.org.au/psf
Replas was formed in March 2001, when two of Australia’s leaders in recycled plastic products amalgamated. Since 1991, Australian Recycling Technologies utilised plastic materials predominately collected from households, whilst Repeat Plastics had its major expertise in post-industrial waste. Together they forged a company with unique expertise, products and manufacturing capabilities.
This new company developed world leading technologies to reprocesses Australia’s waste into robust recycled-plastic products for outdoor and infrastructure industries. These products offer an alternative to the unnecessary use of virgin materials and provide long-lasting advantages to customers.
Replas now produces over 200 robust, high quality products. In creating these environmentally-friendly and sustainable products the company is not only reducing the amount of plastic going to landfill, but also helping to save natural resources.
Increased demand led the company to form a network of distributors throughout Australia. In 2010, as a result of the growth in product range and manufacturing The Replas Resource Centre Pty Ltd (RRC) was established. The RRC will ensure consistent quality of service and product delivery.
Recycled plastic is resistant to termites, microorganisms and moisture, and will never split, rot, crack or need painting. With a range including outdoor furniture, bollards, signs and decking, Replas strongly believes it is helping to create a better environment for the future.
Replas Tasmania has a showroom at 223 Harrington Street, Hobart and are available to assist in design, planning and utilisation of Replas recycled plastic products.