2018-10-18 Ordinary Meeting Agenda

ORDINARY MEETING AGENDA                                                                          18 OCTOBER 2018



2                      PROPOSED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING - ORGANIC WASTE PROCESSING
Documnt infor mation




Author                             Manager Waste and Environmental Health, Wayne Schafer
                                   Community Services Department

Index                              ECM/ Subject/ Unitywater & Subject/ Waste Management

Attachments                        Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Manager Waste and Environmental Health to the Ordinary
Meeting dated 18 October 2018 and agree in principle to:
A.                     Investigate the feasibility of developing an organic waste processing facility within our region
                       in partnership with Unitywater, Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Moreton Bay Regional
                       Council; and
B.                     Commit to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner with the Sunshine Coast
                       Regional Council, Moreton Bay Regional Council and Unitywater to undertake a feasibility
                       study into developing an organic waste processing facility, subject to the signing of the MOU
                       by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).



REPORT
1.                     Background

The Acting CEO and the Manager Waste and Environmental Health attended a meeting on 10
October 2018 with officers from Unitywater, Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Moreton Bay
Regional Council to discuss the feasibility of developing an advanced waste treatment facility within
the region to process organic waste, potentially being funded through Queensland Government
grant funds (generated via the future waste levy).

The attendees at the meeting saw merit in the proposal and agreed that the best way forward was
through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to confirm the commitment of all
parties and to proceed with investigations.

2.                     Preliminary research by Unitywater
Unitywater incurs significant energy costs associated with the processing of sewage and sludge at
its wastewater treatment plants. Preliminary investigations undertaken by Unitywater indicate that
a facility to process organic waste (food and green waste) could generate potential benefits for
Unitywater and its participating local governments. These benefits include:
 Generating methane from anaerobic digestion of organic waste to power the operational costs
    of processing sewage (resulting in potential ongoing savings in energy costs);
 Diverting organic waste from disposal to landfill saving landfill airspace;
 Reducing the participating local government’s waste levy contributions to the Queensland
    Government through a reduction of commercial organic waste to landfill; and
 Generating a potential commercially saleable commodity (compost) to generate a revenue
    stream to offset direct operating costs.

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