The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Veolia Advanced Energy Recovery Centre (ARC) will be go on public exhibition from October 26 to December 6.
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The ARC, proposed to be located at Veolia's existing Woodlawn Eco Precinct, will divert 380,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste from landfill every year and turn it to energy, using power production technology.
This solution will generate enough electricity to power 40,000 homes per year, as well as recycle and recover 20 per cent of the waste outputs that would otherwise be lost to landfill.
It's a technology recognised by the federal and NSW Governments as more sustainable than landfilling, and is already safely being used in developed countries around the world. It works by drying and combusting waste with air in a controlled setting, then uses the heat produced to boil water into steam to drive a turbine, which generates electricity.
The proposed facility would inject over $600million of investment - including the generation of 300 jobs during construction and 40 additional operational roles at the site. Veolia intends to build the ARC within its existing waste and traffic approvals for its operations at the Woodlawn Eco Precinct.
"We're passionate about delivering environmental solutions that bring positive change to the community," ARC project director Kathryn Whitfield said.
"This proposed development would bring significant economic prosperity to the area, help to prevent climate change, and propel a new era for sustainable waste management in Australia."
"If approved it will create new jobs for engineers, mechanics and technicians, help to recover and preserve valuable resources, and support ecological transformation by rebalancing human impact on the environment."
Veolia said it had undertaken a series of health, environmental and economic studies in preparation for the exhibition.
The results of those studies will be available for review and comment by the public through the exhibition period.
As part of a public exhibition, Veolia will host a series of events to inform the community of EIS results and answer any questions they have.
"We are holding a series of events right around the region so that we can reach as many people as possible. Now is the time for people to hear the facts from qualified and independent experts, and to have their say by making a submission to the Department of Planning and Environment.
"We are confident that our proposal will bring significant environmental and economic benefits for people living and working locally, and we look forward to showcasing the evidence to support this," Ms Whitfield said.
During public exhibition the community can formally submit their views on the proposal to the Department of Planning and Environment. The ARC will be classified as a State Significant Development and if approved the project will take up to three years to commission.
To learn more about the proposal and learn more about Veolia's public exhibition of the ARC, visit veolia.com/anz/TheArc.
