Be proud of your waste with Lune
The announcement of Integra Systems’ partnership with Dutch manufacturer Brink Industrial in December 2020 was a momentous step for our business on a number of levels. As well as boosting business development and new opportunities for Australian and Dutch co-manufacturing, it has provided a platform for us to demonstrate our commitment to the development and growth of the circular economy as a fundamental design principle in manufacturing in Australia.
Furthermore, it has seen us make a positive example of waste and demonstrate how waste shouldn’t be about smelly bins that sit neglected in the corner. We’re ushering in the next generation of waste instead; one that is something to be proud of, as exemplified through our Lune Collection, which is a result of our first steps into digital licensing with Brink Industrial in the Netherlands.
Why is Lune important? Because the range represents the ultimate in circularity-designed bins that offer several options for separating waste at the source. Not only that, but the products are designed with the principles of a circular economy and cradle to cradle approach - reduce, reuse, re-furbish, re-purpose or re-deploy, are simple and hygienic to handle, and they look like a slick piece of contemporary furniture rather than the traditional perception of a run-of-the-mill rubbish bin.
So, first, circularity – what does this all mean? Let’s look at the concept that sits at the heart of Lune and informs our ethos at Integra.
A brief introduction to circularity
The primary aim of circularity is to create a greener, more sustainable future by drastically reducing waste. In order to do this, circularity relies on establishing what’s called ‘The Circular Economy’.
In essence, a circular economy aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible and then, at the end of their operating life, find ways to recover and regenerate those products and materials. At the heart of circular economies are three main principles:
Design out waste and pollution;
Keep products and materials in use; and
Regenerate natural systems.
As designers and manufacturers, Integra adheres to circularity and the circular economy through a concept called design circularity (also known as circularity by design).
Speaking at the announcement of the Brink/Integra partnership, Dai Forterre, former Senior Policy Officer for Economic Affairs with the Netherlands Embassy in Canberra, explained that, while developing business opportunities for Dutch manufacturers in overseas markets is a prime focus of his responsibilities, an equally important part is identifying companies that share his and the Embassy’s vision for creating sustainable ways of doing business.
“Sustainability is an important part of [the Dutch government’s] economic as well as our foreign policy, more broadly,” remarked Dai. “I spend my time not just in what you would call economic diplomacy but what I call ‘green diplomacy’ and that’s where this really important collaboration meets – it’s a balance between economic innovation and development, and the adoption of sustainability ideas. Circularity has been an important agenda point, so it’s really wonderful for us to see entrepreneurs taking up the mantle and using it to drive innovative business models.”
This is how Lune’s waste separation collection found its way into the Australian market.
Circularity, Lune and Integra
In Australia, despite widespread awareness of the importance of recycling we produce around 76 million tonnes of waste every year. Of that figure, 22.6 million tonnes end up in landfill, with roughly half of that making it to recycling.
Even though, as a nation, we’re committed to recycling, there are still some misconceptions about what can, and what can’t be, recycled. Even with our best intentions, many products like disposable hot drink cups, coffee capsules, plastic packaging, certain types of food containers and shredded document paper invariably end up in landfill because they haven’t been binned properly when thrown away.
The Lune waste separation bins fit the circularity model in many ways. Firstly, they’re made from recycled materials where possible, helping to ensure that waste is designed out, and existing products and materials are kept in use. Their modular design makes them easy to construct or disassemble, and there is a range of replacement lids and inserts (again, made from 100 percent recycled materials wherever possible), which can be ordered as needed.
The primary function of these bins is to separate waste at the source by splitting goods into collection streams and honouring the circularity principle of regenerating natural systems by increasing the amount of waste products that make it into recycling chains.
Collection streams include general waste for landfill, organic waste, general recycling (glass, cans, formed plastic), paper recycling (secure document destruction, for example), and disposable hot drink cups, which can only be recycled by a specialised process (single use hot drink cups end up as landfill if included with ‘general’ recycling).
By splitting the waste into these designated streams, it ultimately makes it easier to reduce waste by ensuring as many products and materials as possible are kept in use (yes, and your organisation can be proud of its waste!).
Lune’s Split bins are available in three different design inspirations capable of accommodating between two and five streams. The Paxa and Lido models then build on these separation densities with individual bins of between 23 litres through to 90 litres for up to five waste streams. Then there’s the Amega bin, which is the largest of the collection for the most heavy-duty of requirements.
Regardless of the bin type, all Lune waste separation systems can be easily upgraded, refurbished and repaired to maximise their lifespan and help businesses, regardless of their size, become better at reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.
To complement the Lune Waste Separation Bins, many of the products Integra produces (like our Lune Hand Sanitiser Stations) are designed in modular or kit form for flat-packed transportation. Kits can be assembled and disassembled on-site. This reduces transportation costs and waste due to inefficient use of haulage space, which subsequently results in reduced carbon emissions.
In conclusion
If you’ve read this article, it goes without saying: contributing to a more sustainable future is a priority at Integra Systems, and you too.
Our partnership and licensing agreement with Brink means that we can play an important role in creating a greener future, and also lead the way in encouraging more manufacturers in Australia to embrace circularity and reduce the amount of waste we produce as a nation to drive down emissions.
We’re very proud of our waste and the relationship we’ve struck up with Brink to bring future-focused waste separation systems, such as Lune, to the broader Australian market. We invite you to join us in this movement.
Want to know more about circularity? Read our summary.
Read our interview with Consul-General Frank van Beuningen and Dai Forterre from the Netherlands Consular Mission.