INVESTA Sustainability Report 2007

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Pollution and Waste Investment & Asset Management

Our portfolio diverted more than 60% of commercial and industrial waste from landfill to recycling throughout the year, up from 57.8% at March 2006. Our target was to divert more than 50% of waste generated in commercial buildings from landfill to recycling on a day-to-day basis.

	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
Waste diversion (%)	na	na	57.8	60.9
Improvement (2006/07): 5.4%

Communication with Tenants

Effective waste management and recycling within commercial property requires communication and education supported by a system that works. The key stakeholders to an effective waste management system are those that use it day in and day out. For us, this means being in regular communication with our tenants, cleaners and waste contractors. This was exemplified by 'Project 90' which was run by CBD Environmental, our waste services contractor at 1 Market Street, Sydney. The program was aimed at educating tenants in how waste is managed, and accelerated waste performance to consistently achieve over 80% diversion. The education days involved give-aways and information sessions held in the main foyer of the building.

Construction and Demolition Waste

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, construction and demolition waste is responsible for 30-40% of all waste generated in Australia. In the existing office sector, this waste is predominantly generated through the refurbishment cycle of new leases. Investa's project management division now reports all Construction and Demolition Waste generated through our major refurbishments. All major contractors are required to provide waste management plans for all works with a demolition component and subsequently report against this plan providing evidence to support actual waste or recycling figures.

Cardboard and Paper Recycling

With reliable cardboard and paper recycling data not being available prior to September 2005, a full year on year comparison was not available for this report. For the period of September to March, however, our paper and cardboard recycling has shown a 114% increase (1,010 tonnes Sept 2006 to Mar 2007 versus 467 tonnes Sept 2005 to Mar 2006). Over the full reporting period (Apr 2006 to Mar 2007), a total of 1,686 tonnes of cardboard and paper was recycled (including secure document destruction).

Secure Document Destruction

Secure document destruction is typically a separate waste stream to normal paper recycling. The process normally requires the pick up of locked wheelie bins which are transferred (typically on the back of a truck) to a secure document destruction facility and then on to landfill.

Galloway Environmental introduced onsite secure document destruction to Australia with the purchase of a new truck in 2006 and Investa was among the first to promote the service to tenants. The trucks are driven by licensed security guards, and documents are destroyed onsite in front of the company representative before being diverted to high grade waste paper recycling. This saves time for the companies, offers greater peace of mind that documents are destroyed, and limits 'down cycling'.

Over the period, a total of 297 tonnes of secure documentation was recycled in this manner. Previous waste statistics excluded secure waste because it is processed under contracts administered by tenants directly. This is still the case with many buildings.

Commingled Recycling

Commingled recycling allows all dry recyclable waste (except paper) to be placed in the same bin. The waste is then separated at a Materials Recovery Facility. The transfer of part of the waste separation responsibility from the tenant to our contractors assists tenants and delivers a better result. Commingled recycling is an important part of our waste management system making up 27% of all waste diverted from landfill over the reporting period. Over the period, a total of 983 tonnes of commingled waste was diverted from landfill.

Hazardous Substances

There were no significant infringements or fines issued in relation to hazardous substances or waste from properties owned or managed by Investa's Investment and Asset Management divisions in the reporting period.

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