Blacktown: Council flags odour, noise concerns over plans to recycle 300k tonnes of organic food waste

Plans to use a western Sydney waste facility to begin recycling 300,000 tonnes of food waste from streetside collection bins have sparked concerns over noise, dust and ‘odours’.

Noise, dust and “odour” impacts are among concerns raised over plans to use a western Sydney waste facility to begin recycling thousands of tonnes of organic food waste from the streetside collection bins.

Blacktown Council has called for more details on a $6.6m plan for a 36 per cent increase in the amount of waste that can be handled at the Eastern Creek Composting Facility.

The waste facility currently accepts 220,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per year but wants to begin processing up to 300,000 tonnes of separated food organics and garden organics per year.

The plans come as the NSW Government plans to have food organic waste bins rolled out to every household in NSW by 2030 to meet the state’s waste recycling goals.

But Blacktown Council has raised concerns over the potential impacts from the waste recycling increase and has called for increased measures to minimise odour, noise and dust on adjoining properties.

Aerial view of the waste facility.

It also has concerns over “insufficient information” regarding parking and traffic implications.

In a statement, a spokesman for Cleanaway – which owns the facility – said the facility played an “imperative role” in reaching the NSW Government’s landfill diversion targets.

“To assess odour, dust and noise Cleanaway uses independent technical experts to carry out the assessments and provide the technical reports,” the spokesman said.

“When the transition is complete there will be no increases in odour, dust or noise.”

The current waste facility in Sydney’s west.

Plans show organic waste would be processed at the site to produce a commercial compost product for use in agricultural land application.

If plans are approved, the facility would be able to operate between 4am to 4pm with around 300 inbound and outbound truck movements per day.

Cleanaway estimates the facility will provide an annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to around 132,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

“The proposed modification will support (the government’s) landfill diversion policies by establishing a ‘best practice’ FOGO processing facility, thereby reducing the amount of FOGO that is sent to landfill,” the plans stated.

The plans are currently being considered by the NSW Government as part of a state significant infrastructure proposal.