I'm John Forfar, I am passionate about how technology can solve the world’s environmental problems.
For my whole life I have been fascinated with technology and how it can change the world for the better. I’ve had a 15+ year career in technology spanning across telecommunications, the military and mining industries, I especially loved serving Australia by working in the Defence Force.
However, after having a daughter and deploying away to Afghanistan for 8 months I knew I had go find another purpose to fight for, one that was closer to home.
It was then I found ABC’s War On Waste, which truly showed how big the waste problem is in Australia, where recycled materials were getting dumped in landfill or shipped offshore for unsustainable processing. Inspired by how technology has brought amazing efficiencies to mining, I started thinking, is there a better way to use technology to improve the world that my kids would live in...?
Our Problem
West Australians produce the most amount of waste per person in Australia, the 4th highest in the world! The problem is only getting worse, with waste generation growing 5x faster than population growth!
In an ideal world, the products we consume would be 100% recycled, but we all know that is not the truth. They get picked up from our house and people think, it’s not a problem now, I’ve put it in the right bin. But the truth is, where our waste goes is not that transparent. We lack meaningful data.The issue of transparency was highlighted in ABC’s Craig Reucassel War On Waste documentary (Series 1 Episode 2) when he put GPS trackers in supermarket plastic bag recycling bins, he found some batches getting dumped into landfill and others getting sent offshore.
A recent shocking UN-funded case study, shows the value transparency can bring, when 35 pieces of E-Waste (computers, TV’s, phones) are GPS-tracked after being placed in Government accredited collection bins.
The industry majority did the right thing, however one LCD monitor ended up being shipped offshore, then re-exported to Thailand, eventually getting burnt in a pile of circuit boards billowing toxic smoke over mango and rice fields.
One other LCD monitor also made its way to a crude Thailand chemical and smelter plant, that extracts the gold and copper generating onsite sludge pond found to be contaminating local groundwater. Exporting offshore is to developing countries is illegal (from EU), because of the lax enforcement to prevent environmental pollution and is dangerous to people's health.
The point is, we have no verifiable data on all waste streams, so how can we make sure it goes to the right place to get recycled? It’s time to do the right thing!
Our Solution
We will track the War on Waste!
Tradr is building a waste tracking platform that will provide transparency to the waste industry. We are building a platform that talks to sensors and scanners that can be deployed in many areas, from local council household bins through to tracking hazardous waste logistics.
Think of it as real-time sensor-based auditing with 100% data integrity. Our solution will use enterprise grade technology to ensure easy risk-free implementation so that any business that wants to become a beacon for transparency can readily do so.
Once we start working with manufacturers, our mobile app will let consumers see what materials their sustainable products are sourced from, so you too can help ‘close the loops’ for the circular economy!
We at Tradr are truly excited to go on this journey, but tracking waste is only the start...
Our Vision
Bringing transparency to the waste industry is only the first step in our vision. Once the data is unlocked, the Tradr platform can become a catalyst for change in how we think about consumption and production. We will collaborate with manufacturers to make products sourced from recycled materials and make sure people can get them easily via our Tradr marketplace. We want to make it easy, convenient and 100% verifiable for businesses and consumers to buy, reuse and recycle sustainably and actually know they’re keeping the environment clean for future generations.
Our First Partner - Total Green Recycling
Tradr is proud to be partnered with Total Green Recycling, who take great pride to ensure end of life computers and mobile phones (E-Waste) gets wiped, refurbished for reuse, and ultimately recycled back into raw materials. They passed the UN-funded case study mentioned above with flying colours, with 3 GPS-pieces of E-Waste being processed sustainably!
Contribute to our campaign and help get MacBook Pros and iPads to charities in need!
We Need Your Help
We can’t do this on our own! Every contribution you make helps get our waste tracking platform off the ground!
By supporting our campaign you will be part of something big. You will be supporting a startup who has committed to track the “War On Waste” using technology to bring environmental change.
You can support our mission by buying Tradr stickers, hats, shirts, along with re-useable green bags & coffee cups. Larger donation help get refurbished Macbooks & iPads to charities in need !
Will you join our #WarOnWaste ?
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Thanks for helping us Track the War on Waste!
Our Donor Rewards
Tradr Shopping Bag
Tradr Reusable Coffee Cup
Tradr Cap made from recycled earth friendly materials
Tradr shirt made from recycled earth friendly materials