We operate two Material Recovery Facilities (MRF), one in Young and one in Cootamundra. Both are social Enterprises that employ people with a disability who have employment as one of their goals in their NDIS Plan.
The Recycling Plants (MRF) process materials collected from shire kerbside collections, commercial collections and materials dropped off at the plants. In all we process around 5,000 tonnes of material per year much of which is hand sorted.
Our employee’s with a disability come from Cootamundra, Young, Temora and Harden with many accessing work via Elouera Transport Services. All employees are trained in the various aspects of recycling including, sorting, using the press, forklift operation and serving customers in the revolve area and the gate.
The plants at both Young and Cootamundra use much the same technologies. Comingled materials are dropped into hoppers that feed this material up a bouncing belt. This is a sloped conveyor that vibrates and the material is dropped in the centre of the belt, the paper and cardboard travels to the top of the belt and the heavier cans bottles and plastics roll down to the bottom.
The top paper and cardboard materials are then run along a belt so exceptions can be removed such as plastic bags etc this then is fed into the cardboard press. The lower materials are sent along a sorting belt where employees select the items they are sorting for the day dropping them down chutes to cages ready for processing.
This simple process allows us to recover over 90% of the recyclables we receive.
A Social Enterprise is a business that supports the community with all benefits returning to that community. The Elouera Association Ltd is a Not for Profit organisation and all profits from our recycling operations go back into new equipment or facilities at the site or other equally important Elouera Association Ltd operations.
Materials processed in Young and Cootamundra come from many towns. In Young we process Young, Harden and Boorowa and in Cootamundra we process Cootamundra, Gundagai, Junee and Coolamons loads. This reduces the cost of waste disposal to the Shire and the savings ensure Shire rates are kept to a minimum.
We also collect many of the return and earn bottles and can claim from that scheme. If you want to make a donation to Elouera Association Ltd why not place your drink bottles in your recycling bin each week.
What can be Recycled
Residents in our collection area can recycle a large range of materials. This reduces the cost of waste disposal to the Shire and the savings ensure Shire rates are kept to a minimum.
You can recycle:-
| Glass Bottles | Aluminium Cans |
| Plastic Drink Bottles | Milk Bottles (Plastic) |
| Glass Jars | Tin Cans |
| Paper | Cardboard |
| Plastic Shopping Bags | Scrap Steel (Dropped at depot only) |
Glass Bottles | Aluminium Cans |
Plastic Drink Bottles | Milk Bottles (Plastic) |
Glass Jars | Tin Cans |
Paper | Cardboard |
Plastic Containers | Scrap Steel (Dropped at depot only) |
Our employee’s with a disability come from Cootamundra, Young, Temora Junee and Harden with many accessing work via Elouera Transport. All employees are trained in the various aspects of recycling including, sorting, using the press, forklift operation and the collection of materials from commercial customers.
Employees with a disability are employed on a productivity based wage. This means they can work to their ability and be paid the percentage of the award they can achieve. So if someone can only preform half the required tasks at a slower rate, that’s OK, we calculate a wage based on that outcome. There is no pressure on you to do more than your capable or comfortable to do. This is a similar process to the Supported Wage Provision found in every award in Australia.
Employees are supported by Disability Support Officers at the site who train guide and counsel them through their various challenges and towards their goals.
As mentioned your support costs are covered by the NDIS, we can review your current plan to see if you have funding or assist you to have a change of circumstances review and have employment added to your plans goals.
Learn more about Elouera Recycling
Please contact our Operations Manager Shona Neale on 02 6942 2064 or email her on shona@elouera-association.com.
We can arrange a time for you and your support person if you like, to meet with us, discuss employment options and view our various job opportunities. We can even arrange trial days for you to give it a go.
