SEQ super recycling centre key to City Deal

A waste and recycling super centre is on the cards for southeast Queensland, with the Federal Government keen to invest. But which SEQ city is being considered to host the facility?

THE southeast Queensland City Deal will be used to secure a recycling super centre for the region, with Ipswich being talked about as one of the preferred destinations.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has raised the matter with the SEQ Council of Mayors directly, at a recent meeting with them.

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He has made it clear that as well as the Olympics and busting road congestion, an advance recycling and waste facility is key to the deal.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson says specific locations for a regional waste super centre have not been discussed with Scott Morrison yet. Picture: Patrick Woods

SEQ Mayors insist a plan to deal with waste and recycling for the entire southeast region is still in embryonic stages.

It is understood money could be set aside in the Federal budget if a plan can be worked up in time.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson, who is a director of the Council of Mayors, said no specific destinations had been discussed.

But it is understood the Federal Government is eyeing off Ipswich as one of several locations under consideration, as the western corridor has room for a large facility and industrial areas zoned.

The ideal precinct would include an organics facility to turn compost into energy, turn tyres into diesel, as well as plastic recycling, sorting facilities for yellow wheelie bins and potential container deposit scheme equipment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison met with the SEQ Council of Mayors in on September 18, amid discussions on the City Deal and Olympics.

The Council of Mayors says it is considering a regional approach to waste management.

It says there is currently no committed funding for the delivery of this plan, but it could be considered as part of the SEQ City Deal negotiations.

The City Deal is a 20-year plan agreed to between the three tiers of government.

Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction Trevor Evans said he would encourage councils to think about regional solutions to growing landfill and recycling issues.

Federal Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction Trevor Evans wants councils to think about their part in waste management. Picture: Simon Stanbury

“As the government works to finalise our bans on exporting waste around the region, what we need to see if new infrastructure, especially infrastructure which can help sort and process plastics and turn it into new products,” he said.

Mr Morrison committed to a ban on exporting recycling waste including mixed plastics, paper, whole tyres and unprocessed glass, in a staged process beginning January 1.

Speaking at the National Plastics Summit yesterday, Mr Morrison said he was willing to fund the upgrades to waste facilities in partnership with state governments and private enterprise.