Future-ready Organics

CEMAC technologies' integrated systems are designed to future-proof processing assets as the organics economy evolves, enabling operators to consistently produce quality, market-ready outputs.

Australia’s rapidly growing organics processing sector is navigating a challenging and dynamic environment.

With FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) mandates driving change, councils and industry operators are under pressure to adopt smarter, more resilient systems.

However, persistent issues such as contamination and inconsistent feedstock quality continue to impact product standards and facility efficiency.

In response, CEMAC technologies is leading the way with integrated, future-ready solutions that support the entire process, from material handling to the production of high-quality compost or digestate.

Eric Paulsen, Managing Director for CEMAC technologies says, being an active member and sponsor of the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA), ensures CEMAC’s solutions are not only technically advanced, but also aligned with the real-world needs of Australian processors.

Meeting industry pressures 

CEMAC technologies boasts two decades of engineering experience and proven technologies for the circular economy, specialising in resource-recovery, plant engineering and equipment design.

Eric says CEMAC understands that operators need solutions that are not just off-the-shelf, but tailored, adaptive, and scalable.

“What makes CEMAC technologies unique is not just the highly automated technology solutions it supplies, but the way those machines are integrated into a processing plant to cater for individual customer needs,” he says.

By drawing on trusted global partners, CEMAC technologies designs plants where each stage supports the next to deliver consistent outputs that meet Australia’s rising standards for organics processing. When raw FOGO material arrives from kerbside collections, it often presents significant variability. Some loads can be dominated by bulky garden waste, others dense with food scraps and contamination.

CEMAC technologies addresses this challenge with Westeria’s advanced dosing solutions, including the Tumble Back Conveyor and DiscSpreader. These systems ensure even, consistent distribution of material across a processing line, preventing overload on downstream equipment and optimising overall plant performance.

The DiscSpreader can be integrated with artificial-intelligence (AI)-driven technology to maintain consistent material distribution across individual machines, enhancing efficiency of the decontamination process.

After initial screening, the first stage of cleaning is carried out using Westeria’s AirBasic or stationary AirStar Windsifter. These machines use strong blasts of air to separate light waste such as plastic and paper from heavier organic materials. Setting can be easily adjusted by hand or automated.

AirBasic Mobile Windsifter from trial to installation at BioMix Shepparton, VIC.

“By removing these troublesome items early, the Windsifter not only reduces downstream contamination but also improves the performance and efficiency of subsequent machinery,” says Eric.

As material progresses through the system, initial contaminants are quickly addressed including ferrous and non-ferrous metals. These not only compromise product quality but also pose a risk to downstream equipment. CEMAC technologies integrates overbelt magnets and eddy current separators manufactured by Wagner Magnete to extract metal contaminants such as nails, cans, and stray aluminium fragments.

In loads with higher contamination levels, complex materials such as plastics, glass, and multilayer packaging may bypass early separation stages. This is where advanced deep learning sorting technology by TOMRA proves invaluable.

By combining AI-powered pattern recognition with cutting-edge NIR, X-ray, and visual camera systems, TOMRA’s units can accurately identify and remove a wide range of contaminants, far beyond what manual sorting can achieve.

This advanced step significantly enhances the purity of the organic stream, enabling facilities to consistently meet the strict contamination thresholds set by councils and regulatory bodies.

With contaminants removed, the organic fraction is ready for conditioning. At this stage, a BioGrinder by BHS Sonthofen, engineered specifically for biological waste, takes over.

Unlike traditional shredders, the BioGrinder ruptures cell structures and homogenises the material, optimising it for rapid microbial activity. This significantly shortens composting times or boosts biogas yields in anaerobic digestion processes, delivering measurable efficiency gains for operators.

The final stage focuses on product refinement. Spaleck’s 3D Combi screening technology is purpose-built to handle wet, sticky materials that often challenge conventional screening systems. By precisely separating fines from overs, it ensures a consistent particle size and captures any remaining contaminants before the material exits the facility. Eric says the result is a clean, high-quality compost or digestate that meets market and regulatory expectations.

From feed to finished product, each component in the process plays its role. By offering a single contract and point of responsibility, CEMAC technologies reduces risks and simplifies project delivery. Eric says that as the nation gears up to meet its FOGO targets, facilities that can handle contamination, scale swiftly, and deliver high-quality outputs will drive industry success.

John McKew, AORA National Executive Officer, says CEMAC's systems will make a difference in the industry. "It is exciting to see this start to become commercially available sooner than anticipated."

Article published in Waste Management Review, October, 2025.