Veolia Announces Partnership With Marinas Industry Association of Australia

SYDNEY, Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Veolia Environmental Services, Australia (Veolia) has recently announced an exciting partnership with the Marinas Industries Association of Australia (MIAA); the peak industry body for marina owners and operators of berthing, mooring, storage and slipway/workshop facilities connected to sailing, cruising and general boating. The partnership will see Veolia support the Clean Marina Program and work with marinas on improving waste and recycling practices.

The Clean Marina Program is an international voluntary accreditation system for marinas, yacht clubs, boat clubs, slips, boatyards and associated industry operators. The Clean Marina Program has been developed to support marine industries in their endeavours to protect our coastal and inland waterways. Veolia will therefore work closely with the MIAA to deliver better waste and recycling services for marinas.

With impending warmer weather, the utilisation of marinas will peak during the summer months, so this timely announcement will look to assist marinas to minimise their environmental impact and engage with all parties who utilise marinas and their surrounds. With almost one million recreational watercraft being used throughout Australia, marinas are visited each and every day by large number of people.

A recent research study commissioned by the MIAA and conducted by the Recreational Marine Research Centre (RMRC) at Michigan State University, highlighted the significance of Australian marinas as economic and employment hubs within their communities. The report estimated that the total direct economic value of Australian marinas was $1.16 billion or $3.6 million per marina.

A major component of the Clean Marinas Program is to ensure that all users of marinas are aware of the impacts of incorrect disposal of waste and recyclable materials on not only aquatic life, but surrounding ecosystems. As such, Veolia will be working with the MIAA on delivering education and training for the various marina users on the correct waste disposal, and how to identify different waste streams to ensure they can be correctly discarded using the relevant bins/receptacles.

Veolia will also work on encouraging all marina users to maximise the amount of recycling they undertake, to further reduce environmental impacts.

"Marinas are integral in how people utilise Australia's most iconic and beautiful waterways. Partnering with the Clean Marinas program is therefore an exciting opportunity for Veolia to help improve the waste management and recycling behaviours of all marina users. The formal launch of this exciting partnership between Veolia and MIAA for the Clean Marinas program will occur at the Georges River Estuary Open Day on Saturday 29th October." Renee Fry, National Marketing and Communications Manager - Veolia Environmental Services, Australia

About Veolia: Veolia Environmental Services is Australia's environmental services leader in all facets of waste disposal, e-waste and recycling and resource recovery, as well as industrial services such as Industrial Cleaning and Facilities Management. Veolia has over 30 years industry experience in implementing effective, innovative and sustainable Waste Management and Industrial Services solutions.

http://www.VeoliaES.com.au/

SOURCE Veolia Environmental Services, Australia