The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has launched a plan to support innovative ways of managing waste, drive investment into the bush and provide certainty for communities.
Minister for Energy and Environment, Matt Kean said the EPA’s Energy from Waste Infrastructure Plan was the final piece of the waste management puzzle and built on the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s (DPIE) NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy and Plastics Action Plan released earlier this year.
Mr Kean said the Infrastructure Plan also built on the EPA’s updated Energy from Waste Policy Statement which was informed by advice from the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer and set the most rigorous air quality and environmental controls for energy from waste projects in the world.
“This is about getting the balance right between supporting investment in NSW, driving a circular economy and reducing carbon emissions, while also respecting the concerns of local communities,” Mr Kean said.
“The Plan ensures new thermal waste to energy projects are co-located with transport links and complimentary industries, and kept away from high density residential areas,” he said.
“It also allows proposals which involve existing industrial facilities switching to more environmentally friendly waste-derived fuels.”
Mr Kean said that, under the Plan, operators of energy from waste projects would be required to make emissions data available to the community online in real time to boost transparency and community confidence.
Minister Responsible for Resources, John Barilaro said the Plan made it clear where new thermal waste to energy facilities could or could not proceed and identified the West Lithgow Precinct, Parkes Special Activation Precinct, Richmond Valley Regional Jobs Precinct and Southern Goulburn-Mulwaree Precinct as priority locations to host the operations.
The EPA’s 11-page Infrastructure Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.
