Organics processing facility
FOGO and organics processing: the next chapter.
Project overview
The huge success of the weekly FOGO bin collection and composting service has contributed to processing more than 60,000 tonnes of garden and kitchen waste at the Merimbula Organics Processing Facility since opening in 2016.
With the FOGO collection service quadrupling in volume over the last five years, and projected to grow further, limited space to expand at the Merimbula site has meant we are now required to find a new home – and a new operator – for the shire’s organics processing service.
In 2021 an organics processing options analysis identified a preferred new site at the Central Waste Facility in Wolumla.
Councillors resolved in February 2021 to move organics processing to the Central Waste Facility, and to gauge private sector interest in the processing of our organics. Councillors further resolved in September 2022 on a procurement pathway to engage a contractor to design, construct, operate and maintain the facility.
Following an Expression of Interest released in January 2023, three organisations with extensive organics processing experience were selected to tender to construct and operate a 15,000 tonne per annum facility at the Central Waste Facility, taking into account community expectations, alignment with our Community Strategic Plan, service delivery and operational costs.
In late October 2023, SOILCO Pty Ltd was awarded a $24.8 million contract to design, construct, operate and maintain the facility. The facility will use covered aerated static pile technology (CASP) which is a large improvement on the current technology used at the existing facility. CASP is a widely accepted technology for processing organics and is perfectly suited to a facility of this size.
Once FOGO and garden organics are received at the facility, it will be shredded, contaminants removed and placed into concrete bays for several weeks. These bays have membrane covers which reduce odour and leachate generation.
The contract with SOILCO involves initial design and once the development is approved, construction of the facility and an initial ten-year contract to operate and maintain the facility.
SOILCO have extensive experience in processing organics in NSW and have facilities in Wogamia, Kembla Grange and Tweed Heads with a large western Sydney development in the planning stages. Further information about SOILCO can be found on their website SOILCO
Funding
The funding for this project will be provided by Bega Valley Shire Council and the Bushfire Recovery Program for Council Landfills. All rateable assessments in the Bega Valley Shire pay a Waste Management Charge to cover the cost of waste management services including: operation and maintenance of transfer stations and landfills, delivery of waste minimisation programs, and rehabilitation of legacy landfill sites.
Council’s Waste Strategy Recycling our Future focusses on various waste management strategies aimed at diverting waste from landfill through waste minimisation and resource recovery. In February 2021, Council made a commitment to achieving the initiatives of the strategy, by resolving to upgrade existing waste transfer stations and invest in resource recovery and waste processing infrastructure.
Aside from site upgrades, a 30-year financial model for waste services also identifies the cost for remediation of more than 20 legacy landfill sites, and an expansion of the existing kerbside collection service to rural landholdings. Gradual increases to waste charges are a reflection of rising costs and our community’s ambition to provide a sustainable future for waste services. However this project is not expected to require any additional charges to ratepayers over and above their current contributions.
Connection to Council's Community Strategic Plan
This project is connected to numerous outcomes in Council’s Community Strategic Plan. These include: Sustainable long-term service delivery, innovative approach to waste management, minimise waste to landfill, increase recycling and resource recovery, environmental protection, minimise public place litter.
Learn more about our
Contact:
Kimberley Rushbrook
Waste Project Manager
Bega Valley Shire Council
Email: waste@begavalley.nsw.gov.au
Timeline of works
Frequently Asked Questions
Waste Management: looking forward
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Bega NSW 2550 -
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