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Recycle Centre contributes to the 2022 Mayoral scholarships
February 2022.
Last week GM Gerard McClafferty attended the 2022 Mayoral Academic Scholarships Awards ceremony to co-present this years scholarship recipients, Felicity Webb and Jessica McDonald, with $2000 contributions from the Recycling Centre.
Each year Port Stephens Council partners with businesses, such as Salamander Recycling Centre, to support the next generation of local leaders and industry professionals as they begin their tertiary studies.
“A scholarship can make a big difference to a student starting their academic journey – to buy essentials like textbooks, a laptop or covering the cost of student accommodation,” Mayor Palmer said.
“These scholarships wouldn’t be possible without the investment made by local businesses, so I want to thank each and every one of them for supporting the future leaders of Port Stephens,” he said.
“Along with providing a financial boost, business sponsors and students have the opportunity to connect and grow their professional networks, which I’m sure will be an invaluable experience for both.”
Jessica McDonald is studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Advanced) and Felicity Webb is studying Bachelor of Nursing, at the University of Newcastle
You can read more about this years scholarships ceremony by clicking here.
Salamander Bay Recycling manager Gerard McClafferty with 2022 Mayoral scholarship recipients Jessica McDonald (left) and Felicity Webb (right).
Salamander Bay Recycling manager Gerard McClafferty with Men of League president Chris Kelly and committee members.
Recycle centre still giving through pandemic,
February 2022.
While the centre has been impacted by the pandemic – the retail shop had to be temporarily closed for a period – it continues to ensure that a significant portion of its revenue is reinvested into the community through financial donations.
“We have very strong ties to the community and work tirelessly on engagement and assistance initiatives, whilst promoting environmental leadership and responsibility in recycling,” said general manager Gerrard McClafferty.
“But our ongoing community initiatives can only be achieved because the people and visitors of Port Stephens have remained loyal and continued to use our services.
“Each year we hand out approximately $50,000 in grants to charities, schools and community organisations for projects that benefit the community.”
Last week the recycling centre presented a cheque for $3000 to the Port Stephens chapter of the Men of League Foundation, the charitable arm of the rugby league fraternity which provides assistance and care to address health, social and wellbeing issues.
You can read the full article in the Port Stephens Examiner by clicking here.
Official Opening of the Drive-Thru facility,
December 2021.
The brand new Drive-Thru facility at Salamander Bay Recycling was officially opened by Port Stephens Councillor, Glen Dunkley on Monday the 13th of December 2021.
The recycling centre’s Gerrard McClafferty with Sarah Cochrane and Simon Mitchell planting koala feed trees.
Koala feed tree planting at Salamander Bay recycle centre,
October 2021.
The importance of providing feed trees for koalas in their natural habitat has become a popular activity for many Port Stephens community groups and the latest to heed the call is the Salamander Bay Recycling.
The recycling centre, in cooperation with hunter Land Management, last Friday planted 20 Eucalyptus Robusta koala habitat feed trees, which were generously donated by the Murrook Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
Assisting centre staff planting the trees were Sarah Cochrane and Simon Mitchell from Hunter Land Management
Salamander Bay Recycling general manager Gerard McClafferty said that the centre has been very conscious of the need for maintaining the Port’s precious environment.
“The replanting project adjacent to the centre in Salamander Bay will offset the recent removal of an ageing swamp mahogany from the site and will help ensure that the local koala population is sustained well into the future,” Mr McClafferty said.
“I want to particularly thank the Worimi for their generosity and Hunter Land for their support.”
The diseased tree was taken down to make way for the construction of a new drive-through facility at the centre, which is currently under development and when completed will provide a much greater level of protection from inclement weather for those who visit the drop off area.
Plastic Free Port Stephens And Salamander Bay Recycling Give Opportunity To Recycle More With Terracycle,
June 2021.
The placement of the Terracycle Boxes at the centre is a joint initiative between Salamander Bay Recycling and Plastic Free Port Stephens.
At the moment the centre hosts a range of boxes where you can recycle specific items such as latex gloves, surgical face masks, PPE, fabric, single use plastic bags and even makeup and beauty product packaging and there’s a special box for Colgate packaging.
The boxes are part of the worldwide Terracycle program and some of the boxes, like the Colgate one, are sponsored by brands and businesses.
Terracycle collects post-consumer waste from your key target consumers.
Alicia Cameron of Plastic Free Port Stephens explained that much of the recycled packaging collected goes back into creating more packaging, removing the need for more raw materials.
Plastic Free Port Stephens consulted with the community to determine which Terracycle Bins were most needed and hopes to see venues in other parts of the LGA host the Terracycle boxes.
To deposit your recyclables in the boxes simply clean out any product and drop in the box.
Alicia Cameron told News Of The Area, “Recycling is part of that circular economy, rather than just throwing it out, support the technology of being able to recycle these types of things.”
She is also hoping for industry groups to get together to collect and use the boxes, for example dentists who use multiple gloves per patient.
Businesses that use a lot of PPE could also get on board and become a part of the program that removes these items from landfill.
Providing the Terracycle boxes comes at a cost for Plastic Free Port Stephens.
“Ultimately we’d like to get industry together to share the cost of a box,” she said.
Alicia Cameron of Plastic Free Port Stephens explained that much of the recycled packaging collected goes back into creating more packaging, removing the need for more raw materials.
Outback trip to Cameron’s Corner in north western NSW,
May 2021.
