Burwood Brickworks residents saving tonnes of greenhouse gases

Australia-first SoilFood™ system diverting food waste from landfill

• Food waste becomes fertiliser through waste re-purposing
• Eco Guardians system also in use at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
• New sustainable technology solution in high demand among residents

SYDNEY, 10 September 2021

Sustainability-minded residents at Burwood Brickworks have saved more than two tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from landfill thanks to an Australia-first apartment food waste system.

Frasers Property Australia has partnered with leading environmental solutions company Eco Guardians on the initiative, which enables residents to not just recycle their food waste but to re-purpose it as fertiliser for use throughout the new green community.

As part of the initiative, a SoilFood™ system has been installed in the basement of the Garden Apartments building that manages food waste on site in an environmental, safe and user-friendly way.

The system, which is also in use to reduce food waste at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, sees residents put their foodstuffs into the SoilFood™ system which then shreds, heats, dehydrates and deodorises the waste, reducing its original volume by eighty percent. From there it can be utilised as a soil additive for the community’s gardens.

In just its first four months of operation at Burwood Brickworks, more than 1.1 tonnes of food waste has been processed, creating more than 227 kilograms of SoilFood™ that have been used on the site and 911 litres of water, but perhaps most importantly saving over 2.3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from landfill. This is based on Australian Government National Greenhouse Account Factors[1]. It’s a complex calculation but a simple rationale, to lower the carbon footprint of the masterplanned community.

It's been a hit with the environment and also with residents, with the system being used more than 1000 times since it was commissioned.

One of those residents is Sharon Foster, who says she loves the new system and that it’s good to see the focus on sustainability.”

“I love that it’s making a commitment to the environment and trying to do the right thing by everybody,” Sharon says.

“It’s super easy to use and we get fertiliser that we can use on our own plants as well as what’s being used in the surrounding areas.

“Looking at the stats we get sent from the building manager, it’s obviously being adopted by lots of residents, which is good, and it’s a really positive thing to get an update each month on how much has been used – it's just a really positive message,” she says.

Sarah Bloom, General Manager Development Victoria, Frasers Property Australia, says 60 of the 267 apartments were already loaded onto the system and she expects many more over the coming weeks.

"It's been wonderful to see so many of our new Burwood Brickworks residents using the SoilFood™ system, and so many more asking when they can get access,” Ms Bloom says.

"Boasting the world’s most sustainable shopping centre, Burwood Brickworks is synonymous with sustainability and this is just another way Frasers Property is showing how serious it takes its responsibility not only to provide our residents with the most superb living spaces but to reduce the impact on the planet from those living spaces," says Ms Bloom.

Phillip Spring, Eco Guardians Director, says he is delighted to be in partnership with Frasers Property and that every resident he has spoken to is onboard the sustainability bus.

“It is exciting to see developers like Frasers Property leading the way in sustainability and walking the walk in dealing with matters such as food waste,” Mr Spring says.

“They understand their customers and this is reflected in the feedback we have had from residents.

“Overwhelmingly, we have had genuine interest from the residents, who, like us, want to make a positive change for the environment. The fact that it is so simple to use and gives feedback on the benefits right down to apartment level helps the residents immediately understand the impact that they can make every day,” he says.

"Frasers Property achievement in securing Petal certification in the Living Building Challenge for the Retail part of the development resonates with Eco Guardians long-held view of Sustainability by Design,” says Mr Spring.

Burwood Brickworks is located 19km east of Melbourne’s CBD. The vibrant new community offers a mix of housing options and plenty of open space, along with a shopping centre officially recognised as the world’s most sustainable retail development, having achieved Living Building Challenge™ Petal Certification.

Interested buyers can visit the Burwood Brickworks sales office, located at 78 Middleborough Road, Burwood East from noon to 5pm, seven days. Phone 13 38 38 or visit burwoodbrickworks.com.au for more information.