Resource Recovery Group Update
We have continued to focus on emerging technologies for the recycling of waste and for the production of energy from these resources. There is so much happening in Australia and around the world to assist in making the planet healthier and saving money for businesses, and local and national authorities at the same time.
Unfortunately, the Southern Downs Regional Council has not responded to any of the ideas and initiatives that we have put forward to them. However, our meetings with Council staff continue to be productive and we have achieved a good working relationship.
The following are notes taken from the recent meeting with Council Officers Scott Riley (Director Planning and Environmental Services), Nicole Collett (Manager Environmental Services) and Sandy Hunter (Sustainability and Environment Officer).
A brief rundown of the meeting with the council from Thursday 26th October:
Council has approved a Paint Back Scheme for up to 20 litres at no cost to the public. This will commence soon.
A mattress recycling scheme has also been approved as a pilot scheme for $15 per mattress to recover the components. (I believe council also brought in a de-gas fee for old fridges of around $12 per unit, though this was not discussed).
Small batteries of all types, from button batteries right up to D sized and power tool batteries are now accepted at the Stanthorpe Transfer station
Cables are accepted as e-waste and are actually quite valuable due to the amount of copper contained. If you are like me, you have a drawer full of cables, so this is welcome news.
Solar panels were discussed. Scott Riley pointed out that within the next decade, there will be a huge number of them coming off roofs as they get replaced and that Stanthorpe, particularly the industrial estate, is ideally located to be the site for a recycling industry. This is a little seed of an idea that we can research and discuss further.
The Darling Downs and South West Regional Waste Plan has been completed and is due out in December for public access. Nicole said there will be a link on the SDRC website. The plan is a roadmap, which is not binding, but provides a way forward. We should see what is in it and discuss.
Scott Riley did mention an interesting idea of moving waste around the region, using the existing train lines. This would keep trucks off the road. I thought this sounded pretty interesting.
Council has already had a field day at the Toowoomba landfill to look at the capped methane capture site. Sadly, they didn't invite GBSAN to join them.
Other updates
We are still pushing for a regular collection of hazardous chemicals so that they don’t end up in land-fill or just being tipped down the drain and will continue to try for some response to our research on the collection and processing of organic waste as well as agricultural plastic and for a more sustainable forward plan for all waste.
The Toowoomba Council has recently opened a capped landfill facility which allows them to create electricity from methane and save $600,000 per annum on their power bill and to attract $150,000 per annum from carbon credits.
The Goondiwindi Shire has announced a new Hydrogen Capture Project.
Time for the Southern Downs Regional Council to wake up and start to save its ratepayers money rather than to persist with old-fashioned technologies which will end up costing us all much more!!