The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is calling for feedback on new draft rules to ensure that energy from waste projects meets and exceeds international best practice air quality standards.
Minister for Energy and Environment, Matt Kean said the EPA’s draft NSW Energy from Waste policy statement had been revised and bolstered to align with recommendations from the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer.
“My expectation, and our communities’ expectation is that we have the strictest air quality standards for energy from waste projects, to protect human health and protect our environment,” Mr Kean said.
“The Draft Policy tightens restrictions on emissions including hydrogen fluoride, mercury, cadmium, thallium and heavy metals, to ensure that they meet and where possible beat current world leading jurisdictions,” he said.
Mr Kean said the Draft Policy included the implementation of ongoing reporting requirements for operators of energy from waste facilities and would require real-time emissions data to be made publicly available online to boost community confidence and transparency.
The Minister said people could have their say on the Draft Policy until 30 April.
The EPA said its Draft Policy Statement set out the overarching framework and criteria that applied to facilities in NSW which proposed to thermally treat waste or waste-derived materials for the recovery of energy.
The EPA’s 10-page Draft Policy Statement, including information on how to have a say, can be accessed at this PS News link.
