WASTE CRISIS: Council facing costs of over $3m a year

MP Gurmesh Singh has responded to Cr Sally Townley’s concerns.

RECENTLY the Advocate revealed Coffs Harbour City Council is facing costs of up to $68,000 a week to continue trucking and disposing of waste in Tamworth after a scheme to use rubbish from red bins was deemed unsafe.

In 2005 Coffs Harbour City Council (operating also on behalf of Nambucca Valley and Bellingen Shire Councils) entered into a 22-year contract with Biomass Solutions to build and operate an Alternate Waste Treatment plant at Englands Road.

But in late 2018 the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) stepped in and declared the fertiliser (known as MWOO or Mixed Waste Organic Output) being produced using the red waste was not safe.

FULL STORY: Coffs is drowning in waste

Initially the NSW Government stepped in with a 'Phase 1' package to cover these costs but this has been gradually phased out and as of May 1 Council is looking at footing the entire bill - a whopping $270,000 a month.

Coffs Harbour City Councillor Sally Townley says this withdrawal of support is ​grossly unfair, given the Biomass/Council scheme was predicated on the strong urging and policy directives of the NSW Government.

 

Dr Townley has also accused the State Government of profiting from the situation as they continue to charge Section 88 Landfill Levy charges.

Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh has responded to these concerns saying that while the EPA no longer subsidises the transportation and other landfilling costs such as gate fees; the Waste Levy is not applied to the disposal of MWOO material.

Mr Singh says there is ample funding available to help support Council with waste management.

"On March 3, the Minister approved the phase two transition package for MWOO and wrote to affected stakeholders announcing the $24 million investment to support local councils and the alternative waste transfer industry to improve kerbside separation of food and garden waste and promote other better uses of waste," Mr Singh said.

"The Minister also communicated that waste levy exemptions would be available for MWOO produced at facilities run by operators who demonstrate they are transitioning to sustainable resource recovery outcomes over the next two years."

Mr Singh says the Phase 2 ($24 million) Alternative Waste Treatment package includes:

- $6.26 million research and development grants

- $5 million - Local Council Transition grants

- $12.5 million - Organics Collections program grants

- $0.24 million Greenlight organics research projects.

"Coffs Harbour City Council is eligible to apply for the $5 million Local Council Transition Grant and the $12.5 million Organics Collections program grants," Mr Singh said.

"The EPA has recently met with Coffs Harbour Council officials on a number of occasions to discuss the transitional arrangements for the disposal of MWOO and their eligibility for the grants programs."

The grants opened for application on Thursday (May 21).

In relation to claims the State Government is profiting from the community by charging the Section 88 Landfill Levy, Mr Singh had this to say:

"About one third of the waste levy funds environmental programs such as the $802 million nine year Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, the largest waste and recycling funding program in Australia. The remaining two thirds goes into funding essential government services including schools, hospitals and roads."

With the Englands Rd landfill almost nearing its use by date (almost full) Dr Townley is also calling on Mr Singh to work with Council to establish a new facility.

"The responsibility of finding and developing a new tip location is a Council responsibility. I am happy to work with council to help wade through the red and green tape to get the site up and running," Mr Singh said.