EPA VIC to consider waste to energy plant

A large-scale waste to energy plant could be on the way for Victoria, as manufacturing company Australian Paper has lodged a works approval application with Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria.

The facility is proposed to be co-located within the boundaries of the Australian Paper site in Maryvale, Latrobe Valley.

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Australian Paper propose the facility would accept and use an estimated 650,000 tonnes a year of municipal solid waste and commercial and industrial waste from the Melbourne and Gippsland regions. Waste will be collected from the existing waste collection network and transferred to the site via road and rail.

The proposed plant would generate both steam and electricity which can be used in the papermill to power its operations or exported to the grid. The plant would replace two existing gas-fired boilers and produce around 30 megawatts electric and 150 tonnes per hour of steam.

EPA Executive Director Assessments Tim Eaton said the application is the first in Victora for a large-scale energy from waste plant using municipal solid waste.

“EPA invites the community and interested parties to review the application and make submissions which will be considered in EPA’s assessment of the application,” he said.

“EPA’s assessment of the application will consider issues such as use of best practice technology, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, waste fuel composition, compliance with waste hierarchy, environmental management and potential risks to human health and the environment including emissions to air, noise, disposal of fly ash, the wastewater treatment system, and operational contingencies.”

Members of the community have until 27 June to lodge submissions to the EPA.

The application and a summary of it can be found here.

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