Organics Processing Facility Environmental Impact Statement

A draft render of the proposed new Organics Processing Facility

Project Summary/background

Organics Processing Facility

Bega Valley Shire Council is planning a new Organics Processing Facility (OPF) at the Central Waste Facility (CWF) in Wolumla. SOILCO were selected through a competitive procurement process and will be constructing and operating the facility, comprised of a covered receival and processing building, covered composting bays, maturation & storage areas, and leachate management system.

The OPF will initially utilise a covered aerated static pile (or CASP) process to compost up to 15,000 tonnes per annum of FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) with approvals for a planned expansion of up to 30,000 tonnes per annum in the future. It will utilise fully electrical processing equipment which will be powered by rooftop solar.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being prepared for the OPF. This is a requirement to ensure that all environmental, social and economic impacts associated with the facility are reviewed, considered, and appropriately managed during construction and operations. Some of the impacts reviewed include noise, air quality and odour, surrounding land uses, bushfire risks, and traffic impacts.

These studies are conducted by independent specialists and are reviewed and approved by the NSW Environmental Protection Agency and Regional Planning Panel before works can begin. The EIS, which includes the detailed results of all independent studies, will be made available upon finalisation and during public exhibition.

The OPF is part of Council’s ongoing improvements and upgrades at the CWF which are outlined within the site’s Masterplan.

Bega Central Waste Facility (CWF) Masterplan

The CWF Masterplan sets the long-term direction for the activities, infrastructure and services provided at the CWF. The draft Masterplan has identified a number of opportunities that can improve the CWF and ensure the site is sustainable in the longer term.

These opportunities include expanding the landfill towards the north of the site to provide long-term capacity and security for the community’s waste disposal needs. Extensive geotechnical and hydrogeological investigations have been undertaken to ensure that any future landfilling prevents or minimises environmental and social impacts.

As with the OPF, an EIS is being prepared to expand landfill operations, ensuring that the potential impacts of the planned activities and future upgrades are minimised and managed appropriately. The EIS, which includes the detailed results of all independent studies, will be made available upon finalisation and during public exhibition.

Additional opportunities that the CWF Masterplan identifies include a new office building and education centre which will improve Council’s waste education programs, promote resource recovery and help reduce waste going to landfill. The Masterplan also proposes additional vegetation plantings for visual screening, biodiversity protection measures and erosion management controls.

It is envisaged that the CWF will become a centralised hub for resource recovery and contribute to the circular economy by facilitating stockpiling, sorting, and processing of a variety of materials including construction and demolition (C&D) inert waste, steel and commingled recyclables. Longer term, the CWF has identified areas for circular economy activities such as microfactories that can manufacture new products from what was typically waste materials.

Lastly, the access roads, weighbridge, security system and fencing require upgrades to ensure safety, efficiency and longevity.

Purpose

OPF

The kerbside FOGO rollout in 2018 has been a huge success, and is now being collected from around 12,500 properties, however the Merimbula Organics Processing Facility has reached its capacity. To expand FOGO collections further, Council requires a dedicated OPF with improved performance and greater capacity to account for future growth within the region.

CWF Masterplan

The current landfill location is reaching capacity, with only one more cell currently approved for construction (providing a further 9 years of landfill life). Therefore, to support Council's long term disposal requirements, preparations need to be made for future landfill storage. Planning for future landfill operations at the CWF requires significant investigation due to complex geology/hydrogeology present at the site.

Additionally, as Council aims to transition towards a circular economy, increased resource recovery and reduction in the amount of waste going to landfill is important to support the goals outlined in the Council's Waste Strategy: Recycling the future.

To support these goals of waste reduction and resource recovery, the CWF Masterplan includes processing of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and the creation of efficiencies through improved stockpiling and sorting on site. Similarly, improving waste education is vital/crucial to reduce waste before it arrives at a waste facility, which can be achieved through an education facility located with a permanent office building. Longer term, the CWF has identified areas for circular economy activities such as microfactories that can manufacture new products from what was typically waste materials.

The planned upgrades will improve the performance and services at the CWF with required upgrades to service roads, an outgoing weighbridge, a leachate treatment plant, and vegetation management.

Funding

The funding for this project will be provided by Bega Valley Shire Council and the Bushfire Recovery Program for Council Landfills. 

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 including at the Merimbula Organics Facility and the CWF.

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.