PIPE Networks Green initiative

PIPE in Brisbane goes fully recycled...

2007-05-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

The Team at PIPE Green have started phase 1 of it's planned recycling program at PIPE by introducing recycling bins on both levels 17 and 9 of it's offices in 127 Creek Street. Since the early days, PIPE has always had secure document destruction bins but every other bit of rubbish (other than cardboard boxes) has gone in general waste until now.

With the introduction of 240L general recycling bins (see above) AND white paper recycling bins (see below), PIPE now can recycle all recyclable waste rather than having it go into landfill. With some help from Veolia, we organised recycling bins for all general recyclables like glass bottles, plastics, newspapers and milk cartons and white paper bins for printer paper that doesn't need secure destruction. So far the recycling bins are being used quite well as most people recycle at home so doing it at work comes naturally.

With the exception of the odd mandarine peel or plastic shopping bag, the staff of PIPE are doing a really great job of reducing waste and recycling more.

Business Clean Up Australia Day 2007 - PIPE REALLY CLEANED UP!

2007-03-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

...for the first time, PIPE Networks as a company participated in Business Clean Up Australia Day this year! PIPE had a large contingent of keen-to-get-dirty volunteers who gave up their air-conditioned, latte sipping office jobs to pickup all sorts of rubbish from along the River in Brisbane and Balmoral Beach in Sydney. PIPE became involved through the efforts of Kym McNamara who was instrumental in getting our PIPE Green initiative started in January this year. Kym (with some help) organised both the events and they turned out to be a great success

The Brisbane Green Team gearing up for a 'big one'

The PIPE 'Green Team' in Brisbane were allocated a massive clean up area from the Thornton Street Ferry stop to the Riverside Expressway along the Brisbane River. You'd think that with all of the parkland along there that it would be a nice clean spot to spend an afternoon but NOOO...

It'll wash off... right?

As you can see from the photos, there was a lot of rubbish from the gardens, water's edge, pathways and from below the mangrove boardwalks. All in all, 12 full bags as well as a shopping trolley full of random bits of rubbish were collected!

What is that smell???

Of note in Brisbane, 5 pairs of old trousers, 4 condoms & numerous condom packets, lots of juice bottles with bits of garden hose attached, a shopping trolley that was too far from home and a dish drainer that was made into dodgy crab pot were recovered. As well as a lucky find of a $10 note for Tony! Retirement or a few beers mate?

Nice crab pot Tony!

In Sydney, the team cleaned up a huge area of beautiful Balmoral Beach, collecting quite a few (15 apparently!) bags of rubbish. Lots of '40' shaped sparklers were found all over the place as well as some interesting clear packets... The day was finished off with a steak at the Oaks Hotel - nice!

The Sydney Green Team ready to go...

The Sydney Green Team hard at work...

Good job Lads!

The day (in Brisbane) ended with pizza, subway and some nasty chocolate fudge slices, up at the Kangaroo Point rotunda, with the team catching the ferry back to the office. We were all sun hardened and some of us a little dirty!

Hmm... Pizza, Subway & Coke....

Big thank you to Kym for organising the day and for those who helped her put it together. Also to Bevan and Steve for allowing so many of us to be away from work to make our respective cities just a little bit cleaner. Finally, to those who let their office coffee's go cold to come and help:

In Brisbane: Sarah, Amanda, Tony, Dave C, Jai, Matt McD (aka Donut), Graham E, Graham C, Andy P, Raj, Kym and Sam.
In Sydney: Piers, Jeremy, Andre, Bob and Chris B.

Great effort everyone - let's all get behind our next office project; RECYCLING!

2007-01-30T13:33:00.000-08:00

PIPE Networks supports local Cricket Clubs, by supplying recycled water to keep the cricket oval in Port Melbourne green.

….to date a cost of $108,477 has been spent on the removal of water from our network manholes in the city of Melbourne and surrounding area’s. PIPE Networks have made a commitment to recycle the water removed from all manholes and cable chambers to benefit the surrounding community through a number of different strategies. The first of which saw this “waste” water taken to a water treatment plant and then pumped to a nearby cricket oval in the Melbourne for irrigation.

The company that operates the recycling facility has entered into an agreement with the City of Port Philip which is supported by its Premier, to supply treated recycled water to 3 nearby cricket ovals at no charge. PIPE Networks recognised this as a great opportunity to become involved in an innovative form of recycling, and get behind another company trying to make a difference.

PIPE Networks provides funding, on a per litre basis to have the waste water pumped, treated and dispersed from our manholes.

Process:
The initial step when the truck arrives at the treatment plant is to test the water for impurities, a simple Na Cl (salt) test is used to identify whether the water contains any salt. Unfortunately if it does, the water is immediately pumped into the sewer system and cannot be used. If the water contains other impurities there is an approved EPA method for disposing of the water.

The water pumped from PIPE’s network manholes is non toxic and appears visibly clear, but it may still contain impurities. To ensure that the water is clean and free from impurities the water is re-tested according to EPA Standards, through a refined chemical process using aluminium sulphate, chlorine and lime to obtain the correct PH balance and ensure it is acceptable to use.

The qualified water is then stored in large tanks that have a maximum capacity of 22,700 litres. The irrigation system from the cricket oval is then plumbed to the storage tanks via a pump. The City of Port Philip can electronically activate the switch housed at the treatment plant, which is on a timer, and this in turn waters the cricket ovals on a daily basis.

An average of one million litres of water each month is used to irrigate the 3 ovals but this month due to the severe weather conditions, about 1.6million litres of water was used.

Thanks to PIPE Networks, community cricket lives on….