Search Results for 'construction waste'

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Isabella,

There’s already an existing thread that answers this question: https://ewbchallenge.org/forums/search/construction+waste/

Regards,
Jean

[Isabella KhouryParticipant]

Also, what are some reasons for the large amounts of construction waste on the island? Are there any resources you can point me to for this?

• This reply was modified 2 months, 3 weeks ago by Isabella Khoury.

Hi,
I was just wondering where the images of the construction waste in Saibai from the Waste Management Gallery are located? Are they located inside or outside the landfills / waste areas or are they scattered throughout Saibai? Thank you in advance!

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Kate,

Sorry it took me a while to get back to you. I’ve outlined my answers and recommended readings:

1. Under TSIRC Publications in our Resources Page, check the TSIRC Annual Report (2022 – 2023), which describes the Council’s financial performance and includes a breakdown of where their money comes from.

2. If this is related to waste management, please look at TSIRC (2024) ‘Priority Area Two — Local waste management strategy’ in our recommended readings at the end of Design Area 1 — Waste management design brief.

3. Our design brief described that solid wastes on the island typically arise and can be defined from three streams: domestic and municipal, commercial and industrial waste, and construction and demolition. It’s important to distinguish which can be shipped and which can managed via their landfill. Please check DAFF (2024) ‘Moving goods to, from and within Torres Strait’ under TSIRC Publications in our Resources Page to understand the movement of goods from the Torres Strait under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

4. You can find our response to a similar question on this thread.

5. Yes, waste management facilities are part of TSIRC’s operations. The Torres Strait Island Regional Council Deputation Pictogram provides more information about their workforce.

I hope this helps!

Regards,
Jean

• This reply was modified 2 months, 3 weeks ago by Jean Aquinde.

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Madison,

That is a great initiative! There might be more construction materials for which we still need to take photos, but you may assume all kinds of construction materials were left behind on the island, as it’s costly to transport them back and because of the island’s strict biosecurity regulations.

We are unsure of the main reasons why they were never reused or repurposed (even if some look in great condition), but we know that community members are allowed to reuse them.

According to this Fact Sheet – Commercial and Construction Waste Restrictions, “Approval for gifting materials to community members or TSIRC will be assessed on a case-by-case basis only. Gifting of materials must be approved by Councils CEO or delegate. To apply for approval, contact the relevant TSIRC Divisional Engineering Officer staff on-island. They will provide the information to the CEO or delegate. The CEO or delegate will assess the situation and deny or approve with conditions.”

I hope that answers your questions!

Regards,
Jean

• This reply was modified 6 months, 1 week ago by Jean Aquinde.
• This reply was modified 6 months, 1 week ago by Jean Aquinde.

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Vansh,

According to this fact sheet from TSIRC – Commercial and Construction Waste Restrictions: “waste storage container can be put on to the service barge for removal“.

The wastes being sent off the islands undergo a biosecurity inspection prior to disposal in mainland Australia.

I hope that helps.

Regards,
Jean

• This reply was modified 6 months, 1 week ago by Jean Aquinde.

Hello,

I’d like to reuse construction material on the island to build my design. I can see through the pictures that there are corrugated iron, steel bars, wood, concrete blocks etc. Is there any other available material not able to be seen in the pictures and walkthroughs, and is there any reasons that the material is not currently being used for construction (such as chemical risks or degradation)?
Thank you!

[Sai Rupa DevKeymaster]

Hi Ameen

Hello,

Thank you for your inquiry about Saibai Island and its plastic waste situation. I understand your concern about the limited information available and your desire to minimize plastic waste effectively. Let’s address your questions while considering the interconnected nature of the island’s challenges and opportunities:

1. Land Accessibility and Construction: Saibai Island, with its low-lying terrain and limited infrastructure, presents challenges and opportunities for construction. While the island is approximately 1 meter above sea level, there’s potential for further development. However, it’s crucial to examine the Infrastructure section of the design brief, which outlines these challenges and opportunities in detail. Take advantage of the interactives and drone footage to gain a comprehensive understanding of the island’s layout and potential areas for development.

2. Transportation and Waste Management: Transportation on Saibai Island mainly relies on cars and walking, with waste often moved by trucks. Maintenance of vehicles can be challenging due to the island’s remote location and the expense of fuel, as highlighted in the Energy section of the design brief. By exploring these resources, you can gain insights into transportation dynamics and associated waste management practices.

3. Educational Campaigns on Plastic Waste: While there’s existing awareness regarding waste on Saibai Island, initiating an educational campaign could further contribute to minimizing plastic waste. It’s crucial to approach such initiatives innovatively and respectfully, ensuring the narrative promotes awareness without disrespecting the people or Country. Explore documents from TSRA and TSIRC to understand existing initiatives and potential collaboration opportunities.

I encourage you to explore the design brief comprehensively, considering all interconnected aspects of Saibai Island’s challenges and opportunities. Each section in the brief has an additional resources section with at least 5 resources per section. We have provided a total of over 30 resources and just added more resources on to the website. Take a look at what’s appropriate to your project and let us know if you have more questions.

Cheers,
Sai

• This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by Jean Aquinde. Reason: spelling

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Peter,

Please refer to my answer to Shaun regarding more details on the marine infrastructure. According to this publication: Construction Work in Remote Islands in North Queensland Challenges and Solutions, the required materials for the Saibai Sea Wall and Bund Wall Project could not be supplied locally. Suppliers from Cairns needed to be engaged.

Due to the island’s remoteness, lack of local manufacturing capacity and resources, this is more likely a similar case when the pier was first constructed. I would say it’s generally safe to assume that construction materials are transported into the island from various sources in mainland Australia and are subject to Commercial and Construction Waste Restrictions.

On TSIRC’s website, Priority Area One – Marine infrastructure and equitable access, it explicitly says that ‘Poruma, Saibai, Masig, Boigu and Erub each require dredging on the marine access channel for barges and pocket dredging to facilitate barge and essential freight provision at approximately $26M for all five communities.’ Note that the other islands mentioned are also rated as ‘severe’, and that trend may be worth investigating.

According to this TSIRC document, the berthing dolphins and jetty at Saibai are damaged. In the risk rating’s definition, severe means ‘less than 3 years useful life left’. Saibai Island’s marine infrastructure may aesthetically look ‘okay’ in photos because it’s still technically functional, but given the risk rating, expect that the the structural features will likely reach its end of life in a year or so.

I agree with your assessment regarding the seawall. While the seawall is part of the marine infrastructure, its risk rating is likely different from the rest because of its recent reconstruction. Despite the reconstruction of the seawall, it’s important to remember that the village by default is highly susceptible to coastal flooding during high tides and storm surges.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Jean

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by Jean Aquinde.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by Jean Aquinde.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by Jean Aquinde.

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Harry,

From my quick search, I found these resources that might help you research further. It doesn’t say ‘tightly lidded bins’ explicitly but it covers the requirements when selecting receptacles:

Moving goods to, from and within Torres Strait
Biosecurity requirements for removing commercial and construction waste from Torres Strait

Regards,
Jean

• This reply was modified 8 months ago by Jean Aquinde.

I hope this message finds you well. I am currently considering a community development initiative that I believe could benefit our local villagers immensely. The idea is to construct a communal underground root cellar adjacent to the community centre. This facility would provide a shared space for residents to store perishable items, potentially helping with food security and decreasing food waste.

However, before we proceed with this plan, I have concerns regarding the soil conditions in the village. I’ve observed that during the wet seasons, the challenges faced in rice cultivation are quite significant, leading me to believe that the soil conditions might not be optimal for an underground construction like a root cellar.

Given your expertise and familiarity with the area, I wanted to reach out and seek your insights on a few specific questions:

Can you provide more detailed information on the soil conditions in the village, especially during the wet seasons?

Are there instances where flooding has reached the homes of villagers during particularly heavy rains?

Could you also inform me about the proximity of the mountain to the village?
mountain cellar would be the best , but i am not sure how long would villagers take to go to the nearest mountain.

Your feedback will be instrumental in determining the feasibility of this project and ensuring the safety and longevity of the proposed root cellar. I genuinely believe that this facility could be a valuable asset to our community, and your guidance will be pivotal in making it a reality.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Daniel,

Waste rocks from a mining operation are a potential building material if identified as fit for construction (i.e. will not pose health risks). Unfortunately, we don’t have any information about the mining company’s willingness to supply it to the local community or their waste management strategy.

Have you considered other local materials that you may use?

Regards,
Jean

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Carlie,

In the Interactives, we mentioned that Yirrganydyi Rangers conduct frequent maintenance on Dungarra, including weed, leaves, rubbish clearing, and trimming overgrown vegetation. Look for the walking track (green icon) on the Dunggara site, and you can read more details there.

The term ‘problematic area’ is subjective as not all sites are operational, which means some may require a more comprehensive waste management plan during construction and operation. To help you decide the area you want to work on, hover over different potential sites in the Interactives and read each area’s current and proposed future uses.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Jean

[Jean AquindeKeymaster]

Hi Kyle,

It’s great that you are exploring alternative materials. We’ve just updated our Resources page where you can find the cost of building materials like brick and cement bags in Cambodian Riel.

Waste rocks from a mining operation are a potential building material if identified as fit for construction (i.e. will not pose health risks). Unfortunately, we don’t have any information about the mining company’s willingness to supply it to the local community or their waste management strategy.

Aside from the identified design considerations, keep in mind the existing skills of the locals in your building material selection.

We’ve also observed locals wearing sandals/flip-flops in most photos and videos. I found this helpful resource as to why that’s their preference.

Regards,
Jean

• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by Jean Aquinde.

[Rachel AlfordKeymaster]

Hi Bilal,

Thanks for your questions, it’s clear to see you’re doing your research! I’ve answered your questions below:

Q: We are just seeking some clarification on why current methods are deemed in appropriate. For example sea cages are a current method used in hinchinbrook and is a method of aquaculture with a high yield. In conjunction with strong currents and certain chemicals the waste can biodegrade safely with a low impact on the environment. Is this considered inappropriate due to the lack of strong currents in the region? Or is it due to the impact on the local community as they might not like an aquaculture business on the coastline? There are successful aquaculture ventures that circumvent this issue by operating around 6km out to sea however we assume this is inappropriate due to the operational costs of being so far from shore.
A: Great research, it’s obvious that you’ve sought to understand the Yirrganydji context! As you go through your project for the EWB Challenge, you will come up with various solutions which you will have to narrow down through a set of criteria. Things like suitability for ocean currents, operational cost, low environmental impact etc may be part of your selection criteria to determine whether your proposed solution will be appropriate. Ultimately your research and understanding of the context (which I can see here!) will enable your team to make informed decisions about which solutions are appropriate, and move forward with a particular design for your final proposal. You are also able to make suggestions in your report as to how your design could be deployed which might make it more appropriate, for example with the cage aquaculture example you’ve provided, if this was to be your final design proposal you can suggest it be deployed close to shore to reduce operational costs. One final thing for you to keep in mind about what would be considered an appropriate design proposal for Dawul Wuru, is that Dawul Wuru have expressed a desire to incorporate traditional aquaculture processes as a way of maintaining culture with future generations. 

Q: Is there the option to lower the yield and instead incorporate community events and tourism which would greatly reduce the environmental impact and granting many other benefits?
A: Great question, and again this will be up to your team to decide. As I imagine you’re finding out, when looking at different project options there are often competing priorities and options. Based on the brief, what you know about Dawul Wuru and what you know about Yirrganydji Country, you and your team will need to weigh up the respective benefits and drawbacks of each option and make justifications for your choice. This previous question on the forum might help you in thinking about balancing different options.

Q: Current information on Mars stars indicates success in growth of coral further out to sea in areas that have coral debris. In terms of the repurposing of Mars stars is this with the idea of having aquaculture further out to sea or is it for coastal areas?
A: Once again, this will be up to your team to decide! Based on what you know about Mars Stars, how they work and the context of Yirrganydji Sea Country, you can make recommendations about the best way for these to be repurposed and used in aquaculture ventures (if this is a project proposal route you go down ultimately). As mentioned in the answer above, there will be pros and cons to each approach and balancing these will ultimately up to your team to decide on as you go through your design process. 

Q: Will this aquaculture venture be run by Dawul wuru or is the goal to provide the foundations for an aquaculture business that is run by members of the yrrganydji community?
A: Great question. The idea would be that it would sit under the organisation of Dawul Wuru, but would be operated by members of the Yirrganydji community, which is the same as how their other programs operate currently – you can learn more about them on Dawul Wuru’s website.

Q: Is there the option of a small jetty/pontoon and gangway to be constructed? There was interest in a boat ramp but has Dawul wuru expressed any interest or disinterest with this idea?
A: The construction of a small jetty or pontoon could be difficult due to land ownership reasons – Dawul Wuru currently does not own any land and therefore would need permission to construct a jetty or pontoon on either the land they are leasing or wherever the construction is proposed. That’s not to say it’s impossible, but this information should be considered and incorporated into your design and final report if this was to be included in your proposal.

Ultimately, it sounds like you and your team have been doing some great research and have a lot of information about Dawul Wuru, Yirrganydji Country and existing aquaculture practices which is a great foundation for screening potential project ideas!

I hope this information helps, please reach out if you have any further questions.
Rachel