Ipswich City Council has approved changes which will see waste treatment company Remondis move composting operations from outdoors to indoors at its Swanbank site.
Planning, Development and Heritage Committee Chairperson Cr David Morrison said the modification would be significant as residential housing increased in nearby suburbs.
“This amendment will result in the composting process now being undertaken predominately within an enclosed facility, which will allow greater control of odour and noise impacts through technical and operational methods,” he said.
“On the basis that the applicant has provided reporting to demonstrate no impacts on any residences within proximity to the site, the proposed relocation of the composting operation is supported and it is recommended that the existing approval be amended accordingly.”
Cr Morrison said composting would be relocated from an uncovered area of land on which it was originally approved into an existing storage shed and area previously constructed on the property.
An air and noise report and odour report from Remondis indicated no impact on nearby residents (up to 1.2km away) as a result of the relocation.
The company had also requested council approval for it to transport the indoor-composted material from the site for delivery to third party users. Council agreed but ruled out any retail or domestic sale of any waste product from the site.
“The proposed re-use of the product in this manner does not cause additional traffic generation that is significantly over and above the existing traffic generation for the Remondis facility as a whole, nor does it increase the intensity of the proposed operations,” Cr Morrison said.
Division 3 Councillor and Conservation and Environment Committee Chairperson Cr Kerry Silver said this 21st century technology could result in gases being harnessed and future generation of electricity.
“It will reduce impacts on the community and encourage them (Remondis) and others to be innovative in their own industry,” she said.