CAMPAIGN BLACKPHONE HOTLINE

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We regret to advise the virus affecting servers (which is preventing our emails being delivered to polytank industry recipients) has flown across the ether and infected Blogger. This has affected our input and we are only able to post one digit per week. Sorry bout that.

Polly F Leen (Miss)
Secretary
APTCIG

ADMIRING SUPPORTER GO DON

To: APTCIG members
From: APTCIG HQ
Re: Admiring supporter go don

An admiring supporter has just written in with this ditty about our don. Had to rush it out to you.

A gardener don matthews I'm told
In a campaign decidely bold
Did gather together his birds of a feather
And knocked our polytankers out cold

So I'm told.

("admiring supporter" - go don)


Polly F Leen (Miss)
Secretary
APTCIG

WE ARE CALLING FOR

AUSTRALIAN POLY TANK CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS GROUP

We are calling for:

1. The polytank industry to publically acknowledge that UV-degraded (spent) poly tanks cannot be recycled.

2. The polytank industry to publically acknowledge that when they have been saying "Can poly tanks be recycled? Yes, they can be completely recycled" they were only referring to non-UV degraded polyethylene.

3. The setting up of a non-biased website to explain about the various types of tanks available and their pros and cons.


APTCIG
looking for the most positive
and least painful way forward

WE'RE AIMING FOR TRANSPARENCY

AUSTRALIAN POLY TANK CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS GROUP

We're aiming for transparency

- and we shoot from the hip

The polytank industry has thrown up a smokescreen aroung the recycling of millions of tanks they are planning to put into the environment which can't be recycled.

Tanks are already breaking down many well before their warranty even expires. Our Australian sun is harsher than anticipated. Do they want to talk about it? No. All they want to do is bury their head in the sand and hope the problem goes away. It won't. And neither will we.

Reln Plastics

Manufacturer
Ingleburn, NSW

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from Don Matthews to sales@reln.com.au Nov 5, 2008
Recycling spent poly tank mailed-by gmail.com

Dear Reln Plastics,

I have been reading with interest about your new poly rainwater tank.
Can you tell me whether at the end of its life when it is fully degraded by UV if it can be recycled or not ? I would like to think I was doing the right thing by the environment in buying a poly tank.

Thanks for your help
Don Matthews
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from Kristy Pilsworth to Don Matthews Nov 7, 2008
RE: Recycling spent poly tank

Hi Don

Thank you for your enquiry. Yes, the tank can still be recycled when fully degraded by UV.

Regards,
Kristy Pilsworth Customer Service Officer
14B Williamson Road, Ingleburn N.S.W. 2565
P: 1300 137 356 F: 1300 137 358
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from Don Matthews to Kristy Pilsworth Nov 10, 2008
Re: Recycling spent poly tank mailed-by gmail.com

Dear Kristy,

It is interesting you say UV degraded tanks can be recycled. I have just had information from another source which says they can't be ???

Are you sure your information is correct ?

I would like to look into this further. Could you direct me to the person who told you this or the source of your information so that I can ask a few more questions.

Thanks,
Don
----------------------------------------------------
from Owen Luke
to donmatthews7@gmail.com
cc Kristy
date Nov 13, 2008
FW: Recycling spent poly tank

Hi Don,

Please feel free to give me a call. 9605-9999

Kind Regards,
Owen Luke
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from Don Matthews to Owen Luke Nov 13, 2008
Re: FW: Recycling spent poly tank mailed-by gmail.com

Hi Owen,

Are you able to fill me in via email?

Don
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from Owen Luke to Don Matthews
Nov 14, 2008 RE: FW: Recycling spent poly tank

Hi Don,

It’s easier to talk about this as the subject is highly technical and I can then get a better understanding of your concerns. Either give me a call (9605-9999) or send me your phone number and I’ll call you.


Kind Regards,
Owen
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from Don Matthews to Owen Luke Nov 17, 2008
Re: FW: Recycling spent poly tank mailed-by gmail.com

Hi Owen,

I sort of know what's going on. I have a chemistry degree and taught the subject (including the chemistry of plastics) for many years.

I think the issue could be sorted out with answers to the following questions:


(QUESTION 1)
Sunlight eventually breaks down plastic making it brittle and lose all its strength. The long-chain polymer molecules which allow plastic to be moulded and give it its strength and rigidity are ruptured by UV light. No amount of added UV stabilizers will prevent the chemical degradation process from occurring. Essentially the plastic disintegrates and loses all its properties. As a result I do not see how it is possible to then remould it into other products. Is the correct?

(QUESTION 2)
Would I be correct in saying that polyethylene plastic currently being recycled is only clean plastic such as factory scraps, seconds etc and not fully UV degraded (spent) plastic ?

(QUESTION 3)
If I am not correct (and I am more than happy to be put right on this) and fully UV degraded plastic is actually being remoulded what evidence is there to support this? What process is being used and what products is the spent plastic being turned into?


If you are able to provide any answers it would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Don
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from Don Matthews <donmatthews7@gmail.com>to sales@reln.com.au
Mar 5, 2009 subject Reln MD details request mailed-bygmail.com

Hi Kristy,

Do you have the name and email address of Reln's Managing Director?

Thanks
Don Matthews
--------------------------------------------
from Sales <sales@reln.com.au> to Don Matthews <donmatthews7@gmail.com>
Mar 5, 2009 RE: Reln MD details request

Hi Don

The Managing directors name is Nigel Nattrass. His email is nigelnattrass@reln.com.au

Regards, Kristy Pilsworth
Customer Service Officer
14 Williamson Road, Ingleburn N.S.W.
2565P: 1300 137 356 F: 1300 137 358 E: sales@reln.com.au W: www.reln.com.au
-------------------------------------------
from Don Matthews <donmatthews7@gmail.com> to nigelnattrass@reln.com.au
bcc Owen Luke <owenluke@reln.com.au>,Sales <sales@reln.com.au>
Tue, Mar 24, 2009 subject Recycling UV degraded poly tankmailed-bygmail.com

To: Nigel Nattrass Managing Director Reln Plastics

Dear Nigel,

There is an opinion going around that UV-degraded poly tanks cannot be recycled. That sunlight breaks the plastic down until it becomes brittle, falls apart and loses all the properties which enable it to be remoulded and recycled. As Managing Director of Reln Plastics I would be interested in your view on this. If degraded plastic cannot be recycled I see a potential environmental problem ahead when millions of degraded tanks will need disposing of at the end of their life.

Regards
Don Mattthews
---------------------------------------------
fromDon Matthews <donmatthews7@gmail.com>tonigelnattrass@reln.com.au
Apr 1, 2009 Re: Recycling UV degraded poly tank mailed-bygmail.com

Nigel

Do you have a response for me?

Don
------------------------------------
from Don Matthews <donmatthews7@gmail.com>tonigelnattrass@reln.com.au
Apr 6, 2009 at 10:48 Re: Recycling UV degraded poly tank mailed-bygmail.com

Nigel,

I am still waiting .

Don Matthews
--------------------------------

James Porteous ECOS magazine

Managing Editor
ECOS: Australia's magazine on sustainability
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from Don Matthews
to ecos@csiro.au
Oct 29, 2008
Environmental concerns re spent poly tanks
mailed-by gmail.com

To: James Porteous (editor EOS)
From: Don Matthews (gardener)


Dear James,

I would like to try and arouse your interest in a potential environmental problem which is beginning to bother me..

It concerns the rapidly increasing number of plastic poly tanks being added to the environment and the issue of their disposal at the end of their working life. Personally, I feel we should be trying to reduce the amount of plastic entering the environment not increasing it. As this is not likely to change in the foreseeable future we must ensure that what poly tanks are added can be recycled at the end of their working life, yes?

Ask anyone in the business of manufacturing or selling poly tanks and they will tell you without fail they can be recycled. The industry's ARMA (Association of Rotatational Moulders Australasia) website www.watertanks.org.au says " Can poly tanks be recycled? Yes, they can be completely recycled". Most Australians would accept this as being correct and so feel environmentally comfortable about purchasing a poly tank. Unfortunately, this appears to be far from the truth. I believe the industry have no idea how UV-degraded (spent) tanks are going to be recycled.

Over the past months I have been directing questions to various sections of the industry to find out what they would tell an environmentally concerned member of the public about recycling spent poly tanks. The results have been interesting and have all been documented on the weblog http://thegreataustralianpolytankdebate.blogspot.com . I then followed this up with further questions and asked for evidence to back up their claims. The result? - one big deafening silence. Their recycling claims appear to be simply marketing tools to take advantage of the current water crisis and make us all feel environmentally comfortable with poly tanks.

For the moment I am just asking questions and recording results on the weblog. Next year I would like to see a national awareness campaign launched to raise this issue with the Australian public. It needs to be brought out into the open for discussion and debate. The industry is just burying their head in the sand and while no-one asks questions they will continue to sell their tanks and perpetrate what I believe is misleading information about recycling.. In the not-too-distant-future millions of spent tanks will be lying around. If the recycling issue is not resolved I can see us heading for a major environmental pollution problem.

I am looking for people to join an environmental action group APTCIG (Australian Poly Tank Concerned Individuals Group) to take the matter further. The industry, ARMA and its CEO Leisa Donlan will not take any notice of one individual calling for the issue to be addressed and misleading statements to be removed from industry websites.

If you are new to the weblog http://thegreataustralianpolytankdebate.blogspot.com start at the first post in July "The journey begins". This will explain how it all started, then work your way up the posts and discover the positive efforts being made by the industry to fulfill ARMA's statement "Can poly tanks be recycled? Yes, they can be completely recycled".

Feel free to pass this email on to anyone you feel may be interested in being put on a mailing list for updates on progress.


Regards,

Don Matthews


"You are on the money. Congratulations - and how can I help?" (Don Burke)

-----------------------------------------------------

"James.Porteous@csiro.au"
to me
Oct 29

Hello Don,

Thanks for your email, and congratulations on your working through of this issue to do with poly tanks. Thanks also for alerting me to it.

Based on your correspondence here (and pending more investigation and a right of reply from the tank 'recyclers' themselves), I think it very important that this be raised as a matter of integrity - and a clear illustration that, despite seeming stated intentions, there are still clear (premeditated?) mistakes being made where environmental responsibilities are being agreed on. If your evidence holds true, it also shows up a gaping hole in Federal and state government processes for assessing the environmental suitability of product classes, and of assess the onus on manufactures to take responsibility for their end of life circumstances. It is no doubt quite easy to calculate the sorts of plastic volumes we are talking about here.

I would be very happy to give you the opportunity to write this up in Ecos, to support your cause, and to provide a platform for national further elucidation about this issue. We could aim for the Feb-March issue (copy due in December). You would be paid for your work. How does that sound?

Regards,

James.

Managing Editor
ECOS: Australia's magazine on sustainability
www.publish.csiro.au/ecos
PO Box 1139 Collingwood VIC 3066
Ph +61 (0)3 9662 7604 Fax +61 (0)3 9866 7600

----------------------------------------------

Don Matthews
to James.Porteous

Hello James,

Thankyou for your reply. You have certainly given me something to think about now! I have been happily plodding away by myself emailing the industry from my comfortable little cocoon. Now you have given me the opportunity to go public and do what I really want to see happen. It's the next big jump and certainly what APTCIG is looking for. Yes, you will probably have some copy in December (when is deadline?) but I will have to adjust to this......

Cheers

Don

APTCIG
Australian Poly Tank Concerned Individuals Group

-----------------------------------------------

from "James.Porteous@csiro.au"
to donmatthews7@gmail.com
Nov 5, 2008 4:07 PM
RE: Reply from Simon Gough Gough Plastics
signed-by csiro.au mailed-by csiro.au

Thanks Don.

Best of luck with the continuing investigations - I think with this type of enquiry you'll need to use a fair degree of diplomacy given the types of questions involved.

I would prefer not to be copied in on all the developments if you don't mind - I have enough coming in as it is. It would be best if you can run the investigations under your campaign, and then get back to me at the end once you have the picture painted. At that point we can then work out what to cover in the article.

By all means get in touch if I can be of help with anything specific to do with communications.

Thanks, and, again best of luck with it.

James Porteous

Managing Editor

ECOS: Australia's magazine on sustainability

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Following information received
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From: Louise Berecic [mailto:louise@polarity.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 5 November 2008 4:33 PM
Subject: Nylex water tank media release


Please find attached media materials which may be of interest to you and your readers. With regulations being introduced at all levels of government and across peak industry bodies, it is important to ensure manufacturers of water tanks comply with local and international standards and do not give false impressions.



Nylex is one of the first in Australia to be granted two internationally recognised standards, tangible evidence of their commitment to quality, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.



Please contact myself, Anna Shortt or Erica Plompen on the number below for further information.



Kind regards,

Louise Berecic.

Office Manager

Polarity Consultants

45 Dove Street

Richmond, VIC 3121

Tel: 03 9429 7166

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Download the original attachment

For Immediate release 6 November 2008
NYLEX TANKS AMONG WORLD’S BEST


Nylex sites manufacturing polyethylene water storage tanks are one of the first in Australia to have been granted two individual globally-recognised standards, testimony to Nylex’s commitment to meet and maintain world standards for quality, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.


The Type Test certification to AS/NZS 4766:2006 – Polyethylene storage tanks for water and chemicals, and accreditation to the ISO9001:2000 – Quality management systems requirements standard were issued for Nylex sites in Pakenham, Seaford, Ingleburn, Crestmead and Bundaberg.


Mr Stephen Perry, Business Development Manager for Nylex VIC said the accreditation was tangible proof that their tanks met world best standards and not just an arbitrary claim.


“Consumers should look for the relevant licence number on the tank, that is issued when the tank of their choice has undergone the rigorous testing process and achieved the global industry benchmark,” Mr Perry said.


“Nylex wanted to provide this assurance for its consumers given the renewed focus on the increasing role of water tanks in water conservation, evidenced by recent political and environmental debates.


“Storing water and other chemicals needs to be done in a conscientious manner and this accreditation will give architects and designers, builders and developers and plumbers the confidence to use our products easily, safely and for the long term.


“In addition, they are ideal for anyone anticipating potential policy changes by government and local councils who may decide to include the standards as part of any rebate scheme.”


Achieving the internationally-recognised standards requires great fortitude and commitment by companies who undergo the rigorous testing procedures.


“Accreditation means that we have had our products tested to provide the surety of a reliable and dependable final product,” Mr Perry said.


“That includes the initial design of size, wall and floor thicknesses and holding capacity to confirm structural soundness right through to the quality of materials and fittings used.


“They have also been tested to ensure they are suitable for their intended purposes by looking at the workmanship employed to ensure our products are free of any faults and down to whether they have used the appropriate materials.”


Nylex polyethylene water storages are UV stabilised to provide maximum protection against harmful UV rays and excludes sunlight to prevent algae growth.


Nylex maintains the quality of its products by testing each and every tank it manufactures.


“Every tank is verified using ultrasonic measurements to ensure we continue to meet the standards set out in our licence,” Mr Perry said.


“We take a sample out, keep it, refrigerate it and then impact test it at negative 40 degrees to ensure excellent strength and superior crack resistance.”

-end copy-


For further information:

Anneliese Shortt

Polarity Consultants

anna@polarity.com.au

03 9429 7166


Photo caption: Nylex water tanks are among the world’s best with the recent granting of two internationally recognised accreditation standards.

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