I visited the SKM Recycling facility at Derwent Park yesterday afternoon, after earlier visiting it on 16 August. The photos above and below are from yesterday.

"In the ten days since I first visited SKM Recycling at Derwent Park the only thing that has changed is the stockpile of recyclables, mainly plastic containers, has grown larger. It is hard to imagine that the stockpile can be expanded further without causing an unacceptable fire hazard or having piles fall over, threatening workers.”

"The Tasmanian councils who have contracts with SKM need to inform their rate-payers immediately as to how many days or weeks until the SKM stops receiving recyclables at Derwent Park and what will happen then?”

"SKM receivers Korda Mentha has admitted there are massive stockpiles at SKM facilities in Melbourne and media reports estimate the total of all stockpiles to be 70,000 tones. The TCT believes these date back to last year and contain Tasmanian recyclables, in particular plastics.”

"Can Tasmanian councils inform rate-payers why their plastics have not been recycled since last year and why they have been paying a recycling fee for having plastics stockpiled??

"It is also notable that the stockpile at SKM is mainly plastic containers but also includes a lot of paper, card board, aluminium cans and even milk cartons."

Peter McGlone
Director
Tasmanian Conservation Trust
0406 380 545