To Burn or Not To Burn
There's a new push in Australia to build incinerators to burn our waste. Is this the way to go? Those clever Swedes think so. Foreign Correspondent sends War on Waste's Craig Reucassel to Sweden to investigate.
As Australia grapples with growing piles of waste, the idea of burning it is getting some heavyweight backers, the federal energy minister among them.
So will incineration work? Can it be clean? Is it cost-effective?
And if we invest in this technology at a time when China has stopped taking a lot of our recyclables, will this mean our recyclables end up being burnt?
Sweden is held up as a leader in managing waste. And as one of the world's biggest innovators, it's also one of the biggest incinerators.
So War on Waste's Craig Reucassel goes to Sweden to see if it holds the solution to Australia's waste crisis.
The Swedes only landfill one per cent of their waste and their government goes so far as to claim a phenomenal 99 per cent recycling rate. In many places, their food waste is collected and made into bio-fuel for their Volvos.
In the capital Stockholm, each time their kerbside wheelie bins are emptied, a sensor beeps and the household gets billed. So if they put their bins out less, they pay less. "We save money just by sorting our garbage," says resident Sara Jarnhed.
But the centrepiece of Sweden's waste management strategy is its chain of 34 vast waste furnaces that turn waste into energy for power and heating.
Sweden even makes about $100 million a year from importing waste, burning thousands of tonnes from Britain and other countries who don't know what else to do with it – and pay Sweden to get rid of it.
Problem solved? Not so fast. As Australia considers whether to go down the incineration road, Craig Reucassel follows the waste trail in Sweden to discover that we do have plenty to learn from Sweden's experience - but not all of it is good.
Presenter - Craig Reucassel
Producer - Deborah Richards
Camera - Mathew Marsic
Editor - Nikki Stevens
Executive Producer - Marianne Leitch
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
America's Got Talent
With the talent search open to acts of all ages, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying for their chance to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.
Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service
Restaurateurs who are looking for a quick fix or social media glow-up are in for the surprise of their lives when famed culinary titan Gordon Ramsay trades his signature chef knives for a state-of-the-art surveillance vehicle and cutting-edge spyware in FOX's all-new unscripted series, Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service. In a Gordon Ramsay series first, Chef Ramsay will venture into struggling restaurants under the cover of night. With the help of a secret source on the inside, he'll gather raw, unfiltered evidence and get a 360-degree view of the major issues facing each restaurant. This insider will not only remain a secret to the staff, but will also help Ramsay infiltrate the restaurant after-hours for a dramatic nighttime black light kitchen investigation that reveals more filth and grossness than ever before. By the time Ramsay reveals his identity, it will be too late for staff to cover up their culinary crimes. Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service will be his toughest assignment yet as he takes drastic measures to transform not only the restaurant but also the staff, because Gordon knows he can upgrade the menu and renovate the restaurant, but the most important change has to come from the people. Are the restaurant and staff willing to accept Gordon's mission, or are they too far gone to be saved?
LEGO Masters
Based on the hit British reality-competition series of the same name, LEGO Masters brings imagination, design and creativity to life when teams of LEGO enthusiasts go head-to-head, with infinite possibilities and an unlimited supply of LEGO bricks. Teams of two will compete against each other in ambitious brick-building challenges to be crowned the country's most talented amateur LEGO builders. In each episode, the competing pairs who most impress the judges will progress to the next round, until the finale, during which the top teams will face off for a cash prize, the ultimate LEGO trophy and the grand title of LEGO Masters.
The Red King
Smart, capable and by the book Grace Narayan was flying high as an inner-city police sergeant before being forced into a 'punishment posting' on the small, antiquated island of St. Jory. Confronted by the forgotten and unsolved case of missing teenage boy Cai, Grace quickly discovers that she must overcome scarce evidence, extraordinary local characters, and the island's strange cult history to uncover the truth. The Red King is a character-driven mystery-thriller, that combines the powerful story of a knotty police investigation with chilling, atmospheric folk-horror through the island's eerie past devotion to a pagan God called the Red King and the cult of the True Way.