By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Greater Dandenong Council report has recommended not signing up to a joint-council consortium’s waste-to-energy plant in the South East subject to further information.
The report has cast doubt on the South East Metropolitan Advanced Waste Processing Pty Ltd project, set up to address rising costs of landfill and a looming landfill shortage.
It binds member councils to supplying a minimum waste tonnage over 25 years.
Greater Dandenong councillors are set to vote on whether to sign the contract on 26 April.
Among a raft of concerns, the report recommends that the council should first seek assurance that the facility will not be located in Greater Dandenong.
“In the event that the preferred site is abandoned and if the next preferred site is located within the Greater Dandenong City Council’s municipal area, this Council will withdraw from the procurement process.”
In 2021, approval was granted for a waste-to-energy plant in Ordish Road, Dandenong South, despite Greater Dandenong Council’s opposition.
The SEMAWP’s “preferred site” in the South East has yet to be announced.
The report also raised concerns about “significant matters” that had not yet been fully answered.
Such as financial risk, gate fee costs, minimum waste tonnage requirements and the impact on recycling and waste-minimising efforts.
“Without the clarification of these matters as outlined in the report, the risk to council to continue at this stage is too high.
“It is therefore appropriate that Council advise that at this time it unable to commit, until those matters of concern are resolved.”
Mayor Jim Memeti said he would not support the facility if located in Greater Dandenong, though “I don’t have a problem with waste-to-energy”.
He said the 25-year contract was “one of the biggest decisions the council will make”.
“It’s raised a lot of alarm bells. There’s a lot of concerns, a lot of questions. I’m not happy to proceed at the moment.”
Councillor Rhonda Garad said member councils might be exposed to “serious” financial risk if the project fell over. Or exposed to penalties if they couldn’t supply the minimum waste tonnage.
“It flies in the face of where our waste policies are heading.
“We may be paying for a technology we won’t be using – exactly like a desal plant.
“I’m extremely concerned about the health and environmental harms.
“Even if it’s not in Dandenong, the council is on the record of not supporting waste-to-energy technology. It would be hypocritical to support it.”
Just seven of 15 SEMAWP shareholder councils have committed to the contract.
Frankston and Greater Dandenong are set to vote on whether to sign up on 26 April.
Mornington Peninsula Shire has deferred its decision for three months, and Boroondara, Glen Eira, Monash, Manningham and Stonnington have withdrawn.
“If a majority of Councils choose to not commit to the project, the project is unlikely to proceed,” the report stated.
However, elsewhere in the report, it states that the project depends on a minimum waste supply rather than a quota of member councils.
According to the council, the nearest landfill in Hampton Park may close as early as 2025.
The risk of not signing onto the contract is that the council would not be able to send its waste to the facility or would be charged a more expensive gate free.
The advanced waste technology has yet to be finalised but is thought to involve a waste-to-energy incinerator. A successful tenderer has yet to be chosen.
Each tonne diverted from landfill to a waste-to-energy plant is said to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 0.4 tonnes and generate 0.6 MegaWatt hours of electricity.
