Coffs Council and Biomass Solutions differ on EPA levy removal
Echoing Shaggy’s mega hit ‘It Wasn’t Me’ each organisation has released a statement claiming the other should take responsibility for mounting waste problems.
Coffs Harbour
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21 years after Shaggy immortalised the phrase ‘It wasn’t me’, waste company Biomass Solutions and Coffs Harbour City Council are channelling the reggae sensation with a pair of duelling statements.
Both parties have issued statements in which they say the other is responsible after the removal of a waste levy exemption for mixed waste organic outputs (MWOO), announced by the Environmental Protection Authority on Monday.
Council is currently paying about $70,000 a week to transport the MWOO waste to Tamworth from the Englands Road facility managed by Biomass Solutions, and the removal of the levy means it will pay an extra $85 per tonne.
The situation arose in 2018 after the EPA ruled the MWOO organic product produced by processing red-bin waste was unsafe and could no longer be re-used, prompting the 300 km workaround.
“Coffs Harbour City Council has responsibility for all transport and disposal costs associated with MWOO from the Biomass Solutions facility,” a spokesperson for Biomass Solutions said.
“The decision of the EPA to levy a charge on the MWOO from the Biomass Solutions facility is a matter between Council and the EPA.”
However, a spokesperson for Council highlighted the comments from EPA CEO Tracey Mackey who said the reason the levy exemption was being withdrawn was because Biomass Solutions had “not demonstrated sufficient progress or intent to transition to more sustainable resource recovery outcomes”.
Biomass Solutions did not address Ms Mackie’s comments in its statement.
“This is a direct comment about Biomass, not the Coffs Harbour community or Council,” a Council spokesperson said.
“Council will be requesting that Biomass take appropriate steps to address the stated concerns of the EPA.
“Any further questions about the EPA‘s decision should be directed to Biomass and the regulator EPA.”
Meanwhile, the EPA has shed more light on its decision, with a spokesperson saying they made it clear to all alternate waste treatment operators, including Biomass Solutions, the levy exemption was contingent on them being able to demonstrate a transition to more sustainable resource recovery outcomes.
The spokesperson said all operators except Biomass Solutions were able to provide details on plans and progress to transition to those more sustainable outcomes, adding Biomass Solutions was also the only operator not to participate in a NSW Government alternative waste treatment scheme.
“This included development of pathways to improve resource recovery from MWOO streams, with additional infrastructure and additional committed investment, and engagement with community and other key stakeholders aimed at driving better resource recovery through separated organics at the kerbside.”
“All operators, except for Biomass, had applied for and received grants as part of the NSW Government’s $24 million alternative waste treatment transition package announced by the NSW Government in March 2020 to help affected local councils and industry operators develop and implement more sustainable organic waste management in their local area.”
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