PROPOSED ENERGY FROM WASTE FACILITY

None. While a detailed investigation will be undertaken to ensure there are no impacts to human health, modern energy from waste facilities are built to strict emission standards.

State based policy such as the NSW Energy from Waste Policy and QLD Energy from Waste Policy aim to ensure proposals like ours result in minimal risk of harm to human health and the environment. The Policies require energy from waste facilities to demonstrate they will be using current international best practice techniques.

A detailed greenhouse gas assessment will be undertaken as part of the environmental assessment process, however, a preliminary assessment indicates a 380,000 tonne plant would result in a net reduction in Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by:

• displacing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from coal-fired electrical generation (equivalent to the 30 MW generated by the facility) – estimated to be 228,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent
• avoiding methane emissions that would have arisen if 380,000 tonnes per year of waste treated in the facility were instead placed in landfill - estimated to be 585,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

The emissions generated by combustion of 380,000 tonnes per year of waste (estimated to be 240,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent) would offset these savings. There would also be emissions from vehicles used to transport the waste to the plant (estimated to be 4,600 tonnes of CO2).

These approximate figures suggest the proposal has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 568,400 tonnes per year. Depending upon the assumptions made, this is equivalent to taking 123,000 cars off the road.

The design and height of the stack will be developed by HZI and Jerrara Power during the preparation of the EIS. The stack will emit carbon dioxide and steam and its plume will not be visible except as “heat haze”.

Modern energy from waste facilities have sophisticated emission control systems. The emission control systems are designed to remove the dioxins and furans, and other halogenated plastics combustion by products.

The gases released from the waste in the facility will be mixed with secondary air and recirculated flue gases above the grate. This assures complete combustion and minimises carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. This assures complete combustion and minimises carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions.

Flue gases are then cleaned to the strictest standards and are continuously monitored before they are released at the stacks as water vapour (steam) and carbon dioxide. The air cleaning processes proposed for our facility include technologies called Wet-Scrubber and Semi-Dry. 

State Government approval processes asses the emissions from any EfW facility for human health impacts. For example, the NSW EPA will assess the predicted emissions from a facility against the Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2010 and the European requirements under the Industrial Emissions Directive.

Yes. Emissions of particulate matter are controlled through a baghouse and would be continuously monitored to ensure compliance with state and federal standards. Data from our air quality monitoring locations will be available on our website and other locations in accordance with any EPA requirements.

Air monitoring equipment will be installed in accordance with the development consent, if approved, and the Environmental Protection Licence.

Data from our air quality monitoring locations will be available in real-time on our website and other locations in accordance with any EPA requirements.

The emissions modelling, which will be undertaken during development of the EIS, will consider the various atmospheric conditions prevailing on and around the site in accordance to the regulation applicable to such modelling.

The facility will have a comprehensive set of operating controls covering all possible scenarios. In case of operating malfunction that would negatively impact emissions, the operating parameters of the facility will be adjusted to ensure compliance with the emission criteria. The ultimate control would be the shut down of the facility.

The facility will have a comprehensive set of operating controls covering all possible scenarios. In case of operating malfunction that would negatively impact emissions the operating parameters of the plant will be adjusted to ensure compliance with the emission criteria. The ultimate control would be the shut down of the plant.

The law gives power to the regulator to impose penalties and/or restrictive measures if operations are not compliant with the development consent and the EPL.

No. While the waste we transport to the facility for processing does smell, our trucks are fully enclosed to keep odours locked inside. The trucks will be driven inside the tipping hall to tip the waste into a bunker ready for processing. This tipping hall is kept under negative pressure which causes air to be drawn in from outside and prevent bad smells from escaping.

At no point will there be waste stored outside.

The facility will have lighting to ensure the safety of operators and the security of the facility at night. The lighting will be designed to ensure any light spill is minimal and does not illuminate beyond what is necessary.

The design and height of the facility including the stack will be developed by HZI and Jerrara Power during the preparation of the EIS. The layout of the site will in part determined by what will be visible from the road and other vantage points.

As part of the environmental assessment process, we need to consider how the facility would impact on the visual amenity of our neighbours. This includes assessing what can be seen from the road and what our neighbours would be able to see from their homes. This would inform the design and help determine what landscaping is required at the site. 

Construction and operation of the facility is likely to generate increased noise close to the proposal site. These impacts would be associated with noise associated with the plant and equipment.

A noise impact assessment for the construction and operation of the facility will be undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment.

Strategies will be developed for managing construction and operational noise and vibration. Any anticipated noise impacts during construction or operation will be communicated to the community.

The water source will be site specific and subject to engineering investigation. 

At this stage we have no plans to sink any bores as part of our proposal.

While we process waste at the site, it is not a landfill. All waste will be stored and processed inside the facility which means the need for site rehabilitation will be limited to the facility's footprint.

At the end of its operating and useful life the facility could be repurposed, if possible and permitted to do so, or it will be decommissioned and deconstructed.

Jerrara Power will bear the full cost of decommissioning and deconstruction.