Maranoa Regional Council has been working to research and develop a Waste Management Strategy to review the region’s current waste disposal practices and make plans for the next 20 years.

Under the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011, Council is required to develop a waste strategy, which provides vision for future waste management practices whilst setting a range of goals and actions for implementation to improve waste management.

This plan will assist the Maranoa community to make the transition from 2014 to 2024 to a more sustainable waste management approach consistent with the region’s development profile.

Following initial feedback in 2013 from residents with regards to waste in the region, a draft document incorporating a number of recommendations for Maranoa’s waste management was developed.

The Maranoa Waste Management Strategy is funded by Australia Pacific LNG operated by Origin.

Key Recommendations

  • Centralising waste management, making the Roma refuse facility the region’s hub
  • Upgrading regional refuse facilities to transfer stations
  • Introduction of a two bin system (one for general waste and one for recycling) in Roma by end of 2016
  • Reinstatement of the ‘tip shop’ at the Roma refuse facility
  • Composting – continuation of the green waste diversion currently being undertaken at the Roma refuse facility
  • Investigate and introduce new technologies such as a pit burner, glass crusher and construction and demolition waste sorting at the Roma refuse facility.
  • Introduction of regional drop-off recycling points at existing waste facilities

One of the main aims of the strategy is to decrease the amount of material being sent to landfill that could be reused or recycled through the key recommendations mentioned above.

Whilst there are initial capital outlay costs, upgrading existing refuse facilities (landfills) to transfer stations will enable Council to manage waste facilities more effectively and efficiently.  Waste will be landfilled in one central location which means operational costs (and associated environmental impacts) will be reduced over time.

Timeline

Whilst the strategy covers a 20 year period (with a review conducted every three years), the following key infrastructure requirements of the strategy are proposed to be implemented over the next five years:

Year Proposed Project Location
2015-2016 Establish a transfer station Roma
Investigate pit burner acquisition
Upgrade existing refuse facility to transfer station Jackson
Wallumbilla
2016-2017 Introduction of household recycling (two bin system) Roma
Establish a materials recovery facility for delivery of a limited range of household recyclable materials
Reinstatement of the ‘tip shop’
Establish construction and demolition waste sorting facility
2016-2017 Investigate glass crusher acquisition Roma
Upgrade existing refuse facility to transfer station Amby
Mitchell
Yuleba
2017-2018 Upgrade existing refuse facility to transfer station Mungallala
Surat
2019-2020 Upgrade existing refuse facility to transfer station Injune
Muckadilla

 

For further information, download the draft Waste Management Strategy.

Feedback

Feedback for the draft strategy closed on 6 July 2015.  Your submissions are being collated and will be formally reviewed by Council prior to adoption of the final Waste Management Strategy.

Further community consultation will be held with each community before the proposed changes to be implemented.

For more information, please contact Council’s waste team on 1300 007 662.