Council to call for EOIs for Alternative Waste Technology Facility
Published on 25 July 2018
From turning waste into fuel for power plants to breaking it down into ingredients to make re-useable products, Rockhampton Regional Council is calling for Expressions of Interest for Alternative Waste Technology.
Councillors yesterday resolved to open an EOI process looking at options for an AWT Facility to be established in the region and Mayor Margaret Strelow said it really was about maximising our opportunities under the new waste strategy.
“With the changing landscape in waste both nationally and globally, we need to find ways to be smarter with our waste so it becomes a usable resource rather than just more landfill,” Mayor Strelow said.
“This EOI is about gauging the market and seeing what interest and ideas there are to turn some of those waste items into things like fuel or ingredients for other products, much like how the Material Recovery Facility already crushes glass for use in construction projects.
“Our recent budget, with the creation of the Sustainable Rockhampton Investment Fund has set the stage for us to partner in projects that are a win win for our budget and our environment,” Mayor Strelow said.
Waste Committee Chair Councillor Neil Fisher said the EOI is the next step in Council’s commitment to managing waste responsibly going forward.
“We know there’s opportunities in this space and we hope everyone from small operators to larger companies comes to us with viable options we can pursue,” Cr Fisher said.
“The reality is that the sector is changing and we need to adapt and change with it in order to keep giving our residents value for money when it comes to waste.
“Council has always been local government leader in waste management and we’re now taking our waste and recycling program into a new future where alternate waste applications not only have to be viable but have to reduce the amount going into our landfill.
“The benefits these kinds of projects have on our environment are phenomenal and it’s going to be exciting to see what opportunities may come as a result.”
The EOI will be released in coming weeks.