Coffs Harbour City Council to pay more to truck rubbish to Tamworth after EPA move
Cost of trucking rubbish 300 km away set to rise as EPA singles out Coffs Harbour on eve of national waste conference
Coffs Harbour
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The cost of trucking waste across the state will rise after Coffs Harbour tip lost a key levy exemption – a day before the city hosts a national conference on waste management.
On Monday the Environmental Protection Authority issued a statement announcing it was extending a levy exemption on certain waste at four NSW waste facilities, with Coffs Harbour the exception.
The levy exemption on mixed waste organic outputs (MWOO) was introduced to help facilities transition to other sustainable resource recovery after the method, which converts red bin waste into reusable organic matter, was deemed too risky in 2018.
EPA CEO Tracy Mackey said the extension will waive the waste levy on MWOO for another year, however, the Biomass Solutions-run facility in Coffs Harbour was not included.
“This additional 12-month extension was based on these sites being able to demonstrate that they are transitioning to more sustainable resource recovery outcomes,” she said.
“It is great to see these four operators are adopting new practices.
“Unlike the other facilities that have been approved for the purposes of the MWOO levy exemption, Biomass has not demonstrated sufficient progress or intent to transition to more sustainable resource recovery outcomes, which are necessary to achieving a positive long-term environmental outcome.”
Biomass Solutions have indicated they will be releasing a statement responding to the developments on Wednesday.
The revelation comes just as the Waste 2021 conference, the leading conference for the waste management industry in Australia, begins at Opal Cove resort.
The conference historically attracts hundreds of people involved in the industry from around Australia and this year will operate as an in-person and virtual event after the pandemic forced its cancellation in 2020.
Waste management in Coffs Harbour continues to be a vexed issue as the costs associated with transporting rubbish 300 km away continue to balloon.
Currently Coffs Harbour City Council is paying about $70,000 a week to truck waste from its Englands Road facility to Tamworth and is at odds with Biomass Solutions over the terms of their 22-year contract.
Council contracted Biomass Solutions to build and operate the Alternate Waste Treatment plant at Englands Road in 2005, however, since MWOO was deemed unsafe it has been footing the bill for transport and disposal of red bin waste.
The facility itself is also filling fast and the length of time before it reaches capacity is dependent on the amount of rubbish which can be diverted elsewhere, though CHCC has indicated that could be some years away.
The EPA, Biomass Solutions and Coffs Harbour City Council have been contacted for further comment and their responses will be published in due course.
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