Councillors take on Alternative Waste Technology

Seven Sunshine Coast Councillors were today tasked with assessing the best Alternative Waste Technology for the Sunshine Coast.

Councillors Keryn Jones, Debbie Blumel, Lew Brennan, Russell Green, Tim Dwyer, Christian Dickson and Bob Abbot will participate in the Alternative Waste Treatment Working Group.

Environment Portfolio Councillor Keryn Jones said the group will review research that council has already commissioned on the potential models for alternative waste treatment and provide council with a short list of preferred options for the type of technology, and the number of bins, by July 2012.

"This is about getting the best outcome for the environment and ratepayers as we strive to make the Sunshine Coast the most sustainable region in Australia," Cr Jones said.

"This is a very complex issue and a lot of work has been done over the past three years to assess the social impacts, environmental benefits, economic development opportunities and the indicative cost to ratepayers.

"Based on the information we’ve gathered, the working group will prepare a business case and implementation plan which compares the different options, and will go to council by July.

"That will include a whole of life financial evaluation and triple bottom line assessment to assist council to make its decision.

"We are at the pointy end of the process now and it is important that a decision is made by July so that we can get the best prices and outcomes for the next collection contract."

Household kerbside waste accounts for about half of all the waste in the region's landfills, and provides council with the single greatest opportunity to achieve waste diversion.

The options to be considered include:

• The consideration of two or three-bin options; and
• Technologies for composting and energy production.

Any facility is expected to be established at Sustainability Park which adjoins Corbould Industrial Park.

Council's existing collection contracts end in June 2014 and a new request for tender will need to be issued by November 2012.