An advanced organic waste recycling facility, launched in February this year at the Roma Landfill, is already creating major savings for the region.
The new $750,000 facility was designed, constructed and fully funded by NuGrow – Queensland’s largest organic waste recycler – with their team now managing the day-to-day operations.
It recycles 100 per cent of the green waste collected by the Maranoa Regional Council at no cost to the Council or ratepayers, which previously went to standard landfill.
By combining green waste and other organic wastes created by some of the region’s largest industries, NuGrow transforms these once useless waste streams into high-grade compost and other beneficial products such as premium soil.
NuGrow Director Roy Wilson said the project created a positive step-change for the Council by helping it manage the region’s organic wastes in a way that created long-term community benefits.
“Organic waste has far more potential than simply sending it to landfill common practices like mulching green waste,” Roy said.
“We convert these wastes into a compost that’s ready for the Council to use for community rehabilitation programs whenever it’s needed – again at no cost to the Council or ratepayers,” he said.
“In the first six months alone, we have helped the region divert more than 100,000 tonnes of green and liquid organic waste from landfill. Over the next year, we expect that to potentially increase to 1.39 million tonnes.
“That’s a dramatic result that means the community saves money and enjoys positive environmental outcomes by turning what was once seen as just waste into a high quality, beneficial product.”
NuGrow ensures that 100 per cent of the waste they process is given a new lease on life, helping the region meet its waste reduction targets.
The resulting compost, soils and other products are used to support land rejuvenation and rehabilitation throughout Queensland by improving the quality of the soil.
Added benefits from the facility include reducing the cost and impact of transporting wastes from nearby CSG projects, due to its close proximity to CSG operations as well as eliminating the need to burn sawdust generated by nearby saw mills.
While developing the facility, the NuGrow team also created a new landfill cell for the Council, saving the region a further $250,000 in construction costs and supporting future regional growth.
The NuGrow organic waste recycling facility positions Roma as one of Queensland’s leading organic waste recycling regions.