The Star Dam site.
Innovation (and Opportunity)
Calleja Group embrace innovation in operations, service delivery and infrastructure. Over the past 50 years, Calleja Group has developed a competitive research and innovation ecosystem which has enabled some of the team’s innovative ideas and businesses to succeed.
We invest in the Group’s research and innovation resources, and in translating outcomes into commercial opportunities. This will help grow our key capabilities and create new jobs, preparing us to tackle the big challenges of the future.
Star Dam Rehabilitation
The Calleja Group is starting the rehabilitation of its Star Dam site, which will kickstart the renewal of Parwan Creek – up to 20 years ahead of schedule.
By investing in the rehabilitation of the disused quarry and mine MBC will restore the site to its natural form and create a major habitat for the endangered growling grass frog.
COLDRY and MATMOR technology
With the coal mine continuing to produce coal for a range of fertilisers and soil conditioners, the Calleja Group has worked for more than two decades to develop two patented technologies, COLDry and MATMOR, to enhance the use of brown coal as a fuel and as a reductant to produce steel.
To assist this complex process, Calleja constructed two pilot manufacturing plants at JBD in 2003, with the objective to develop the technologies for future commercialisation. Once proven, the patents were sold to Environmental Clean Technologies Ltd (ECT), a Melbourne listed company. ECT now operates the pilot plants at JBD.
Landfill Gas
MBC has a series of wells installed in the closed cells, as well as a flare to destroy the LFG captured in the wells to create Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) with one ACCU equating to one tonne of carbon destroyed.
The rights to the landfill gas (LFG) currently being created by decomposing waste in the closed cells at MBC is owned by a third party who will continue to install well to create LFG from future cells.
Landfill Gas Collection. Click Image for larger view
Landfill Gas Flare at Maddingley Brown Coal.
A circular economy - the future of waste management in Victoria
Population growth, sustainability, climate change, the changes to Victorian waste recycling markets and the advent of new technologies all contribute to a changing waste management landscape.
The Calleja Group understands the challenges facing business and communities and we continue to investigate innovative circular economy initiatives that will divert more waste from landfill and recover more valuable resources from waste received.
Click to enlarge.
Case Study
Australian Bio Fert
Through investment in the ABF, the Calleja Group has supported ABF for the past three years to establish the pilot plant in Maddingley at JBD Industrial Park, which was used for product development and demonstration of its processing and environmental capabilities to the Environment Protection Authority.
Australian Bio Fert (ABF) developed a series of biological fertiliser formulations to meet the growing demand within the agricultural sector to transition from traditional chemical fertilisers, as well as diverting poultry waste from landfill.
Successful independent trials have confirmed ABF deliver similar nutrient levels to plants as more traditional chemical fertilisers, whilst improving soil structure to enable more sustainable farming practises.
In December 2021, chemical giant Incitec Pivot bought a majority share in ABF and will be constructing a new processing plant at Lethbridge, Victoria.