Valoriza has been named a finalist for the Operational Excellence Award at the 2026 Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards, recognising the ongoing transformation of our operations in Dandenong, Victoria.
The Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector, recognising the organisations, projects and people helping to drive the industry forward. This year’s winners will be announced at a gala event in Melbourne on 29 October.
Valoriza joins an impressive field of Operational Excellence finalists comprising Frankston City Council, KingKira Group, NT Waste Away, OLEOLOGY and Woolworths Group.
For Valoriza’s Country Head, Michael Allaway, being recognised alongside some of the industry’s progressive organisations is particularly meaningful for a business still establishing its presence in the Victorian market.
“Valoriza is a relatively new name in the Australian organics recovery sector, so to be recognised alongside organisations of this calibre is something our whole team can be proud of,” he says.
“We have the agility and focus of a smaller local business, backed by more than 40 years of international waste management experience through our Spanish parent company, Valoriza Servicios Medioambientales. That combination allows us flexibility to reshape and challenge established approaches, and draw on deep technical and operational expertise when we need it.”
Building operational excellence from the ground up
Valoriza’s award submission focuses on the transformation of our Dandenong facility from a more traditional waste processing operation into an integrated circular manufacturing model that connects communities, collection and processing with local end markets.
Continuous optimisation has taken place across the operation – including contamination management, safety integration, production planning, preventative maintenance, asset reliability, quality assurance, environmental compliance and product consistency.
As of May 2026, the Dandenong facility had processed more than 629,500 tonnes of FOGO and manufactured 229,000 tonnes of soil conditioner. Plant availability has increased from below 60 per cent to around 90 per cent, while approximately 800 tonnes of soil conditioner is now distributed into local regions each week. Valoriza has also invested more than $2 million in asset maintenance and lifecycle programs over the previous 18 months.
Just as importantly, operational excellence extends beyond what happens inside the facility. Valoriza works closely with six council partners across Melbourne’s south-east, as well as food waste generators, collectors, market gardeners, horticultural businesses, landscapers and soil resellers. These partnerships help build local demand for recovered organic products while strengthening the connection between the community’s FOGO recycling efforts and the productive reuse of the material.
“Operational excellence for us is about continually looking at how we can operate more safely, reliably and efficiently, while creating better outcomes for our customers and the communities we serve,” Michael says.
“This nomination is recognition of the work our people put into that every day. Whatever happens on awards night, we’re proud to be part of such a strong field and wish all the other finalists the very best of luck.”
Valoriza’s focus remains on continuing to optimise its Dandenong operations and demonstrating what how the recovery of organic waste can shape and deliver circular economy outcomes – from the ground up.
