Once built, the facility is set to process 15,000 tonnes of waste each year. Image: Bega Valley Shire Council.
A new waste management plant in southern NSW is a step closer after a NSW planning body gave it the green light.
In late April, the NSW Southern Regional Planning Panel unanimously approved a development application (DA) for a new Organics Processing Facility (OPF) near Wolumla, on the site of the Central Waste Facility (CWF).
According to its statement of reasons, the panel found the project was in the public interest.
“The proposal is unlikely to result in any unacceptable amenity, environmental or land use safety impacts, subject to the imposition of the conditions of consent,” it says.
BVSC acting waste and recycling services manager Tim Cook said the approval represented a major step up in the council’s waste management capacity.
“Our current Merimbula facility is limited to processing 5000 tonnes each year … A new processing plant at our Central Waste Facility in Wolumla will help us keep up with our community’s strong uptake of FOGO and send less organic waste to landfill.”
In June 2023, the council announced that the amount of organic waste being collected through Bega Valley Shire Council’s (BVSC) Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) program meant a new plant was needed.
Mr Cook said the NSW Environment Protection Authority ruled the existing facility couldn’t be expanded at that site.
“Residents are already doing the right thing at home and this will help us make the most of it by turning organic waste into something useful and supporting a more sustainable local economy,” he said.
According to documents lodged with the planning panel, council has been operating the CWF since 2013.
It will now be subdivided, with the newly-created Lot 403 to house the new FOGO-focused facility.
“The [existing Merimbula] site has spatial constraints and leachate management limitations preventing the expansion of the facility, impacting its long-term operational viability,” the council assessment report states.
“As a result, the proposed OPF development on the CWF site is intended to replace this facility.”
Covered aerated static pile technology (CASP) will be used, which will see waste sorted and placed into bays to be processed.
“The product being produced at the Merimbula OPF has high levels of contamination and decomposed granite from the pad where processing occurs,” according to the assessment report.
“The technological improvements resulting from the CWF OPF development will generate a compost product more suitable for reuse on local farms, household gardens and public spaces.”
Once built, it’s expected to process 15,000 tonnes per annum of FOGO waste into compost through the first stage of the development.
In Stage 2, this will be expanded to up to 30,000 tonnes.
There will be no change to residents’ kerbside waste services, with the new facility designed to support existing FOGO collections.
In May, council’s waste services manager Alan Gundrill told Region the council had applied for a temporary exemption to the statewide FOGO mandates for local businesses until the new facility was operational.
Region understands the NSW EPA is yet to decide on the application.
In 2023, Bega Council awarded an almost $25 million contract to SOILCO Pty Ltd for the design, construction and operation of the OPF.
The company will operate the facility through the initial 10-year contract, which also comes with opportunities for two five-year extensions.
SOILCO’s CEO Alex Hatherly celebrated the approval.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Bega Valley Shire Council to deliver this new composting facility at Wolumla,” he said.
“It’s an important investment in the region’s circular economy, and we’re proud to provide infrastructure that can grow alongside the community.”
Construction is set to start in the coming months, with the facility expected to be operational by September 2027.
