Australian cities form recycling consortium

Three governmental councils in the Australian state of Queensland say they have joined forces to “deliver a regional recycling facility that could start construction next year and divert tons of waste from landfill.”

The cities of Logan, Ipswich and Redland City say the AU$1.8 billion ($1.34 billion) South East Queensland (SEQ) project “will support a raft of waste reform and infrastructure, with the potential for projects to include an innovative plan [to] build a regional material recovery facility (MRF).”

The proposed MRF is carrying an estimated price tag of AU$30 million ($22.4 million) and might be designed to handle up to 60,000 metric tons of recyclables annually.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding says the signing of what is being called the SEQ City Deal demonstrates a collaborative approach to waste reduction, providing the alliance added confidence in its recent decision to progress to a formal tender for the regional facility.

“The ink may be barely dry on the SEQ City Deal, but there is no time to ‘waste,’ so we are moving ahead with our plans for a regional recycling facility we know will deliver real benefits for our communities,” says Harding.

She continues, “This is a positive initiative to give our councils greater control in recycling. With new technology and improved processes, our communities can play a leading role in diverting more waste away from landfill. The community, and in particular our younger residents, will be able to see first-hand how the items in their yellow recycling bins are sorted and processed through the facility’s innovative education room and viewing platform.”

Logan Mayor Darren Power says, “Building our own MRF will mean recyclables can be processed and sorted in Logan. They will then be made available to local businesses in the region and will take us closer to the zero waste future we all aspire to. Not only are there environmental benefits but there will be potential cost savings over the long term [that] will benefit ratepayers.”

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams adds, “The SEQ City Deal includes $105 million for regional waste projects and initiatives, providing the perfect opportunity to deliver this innovative and modern facility.”

Currently, all three councils, which represent more than 700,000 residents, are transferring recyclables for sorting to a contractor based in the Port of Brisbane some 30 kilometers (19 miles) away.

The proposed regional MRF, to be situated in the Browns Plains Waste and Recycling Facility in Logan, will sort recycled material collected in yellow lid recycling bins.

The Browns Plains site was chosen “because of its size, central location to all councils, proximity to existing infrastructure, and appropriately zoned land ready to accommodate this type of facility,” states the alliance.