As Queensland’s largest organic waste recycler and compost manufacturer, NuGrow takes its responsibilities to the community and the environment very seriously.
We recognise Ipswich residents’ concerns about the impact of unpleasant odours around the Swanbank Industrial Area (SIA) and we have been active in trying to resolve this problem.
It is important to note that both Ipswich City Council and the State Government approved the location of NuGrow’s facilities, and that we have always been perturbed by Council’s subsequent approval of housing development so close to the SIA.
With nine waste management operations now operating in SIA, the challenge of identifying the sources of odours and containing them is complex. NuGrow calls on all SIA operators and the Council and State Government, to work together to find the most effective solution to this problem.
For its part, NuGrow would like to enclose its composting operation and lodged the necessary environmental and planning approval applications in 2022 to begin this work. These applications were refused by the Department of Environment and Science and Council respectively, and are now under appeal.
NuGrow is also preparing to submit an application for funding from the Queensland Government’s Recycling and Jobs Fund to enhance our facilities, which we hope will be supported by the State Government and Council.
Conscious that residents continue to be affected, NuGrow also wrote to Environment Minister Leanne Linard and Mayor Teresa Harding on 15 November 2023, requesting a joint meeting to discuss how NuGrow can help the Council and the State Government to resolve the issues. We are yet to receive a response.
While NuGrow waits for the necessary approvals to upgrade our facility, we continue to implement practical measures to mitigate odour and encourage other operators within the SIA to do the same.
See our joint letter to Minister Linard and Mayor Harding and our solutions to fixing odour in the SIA – Link