Waste management company, Cleanaway held several information sessions in Beaudesert regarding a proposed $700 million Energy from Waste (EfW) facility at Bromelton.
The facility would generate electricity from non-recyclable waste diverted from landfill.
Cleanaway’s web site states that the proposed technology has been successfully used in cities across Europe, North America, Japan and many other countries and has continually improved over decades.
The Bromelton Energy and Resource Centre (BERC) proposed site is a 62 hectare parcel of land within the Bromelton State Development Area (SDA).
This location is part of a Special Industry Precinct for difficult to locate industry.
Cleanaway will be seeking approval for this project and expects to be consulting with the community and key stakeholders about the proposal later in 2023.
Beaudesert Chamber of Commerce President, John Powell, welcomed the proposed facility, saying it would be the best thing to happen to Beaudesert in a very long time.
“It will provide jobs and industry and would be great for the town,” he said.
“But it has to be done properly – we need infrastructure to support it – especially roads and water,” said John.
The facility will provide 800 jobs during the three year construction phase and 50 jobs for skilled workers once the BERC is opened.
Local resident Cathy Mitchell said most of her concerns were addressed at the information session.
“They were really good. I’d like to see more emphasis on preventing waste rather than dealing with it, but that isn’t their job,” she said.
It is estimated the BERC will result in a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 50,000 petrol-powered cars off the roads.
This reduction is achieved by the avoidance of methane that would have been generated from equivalent waste sent to landfill.
Methane has substantially more global warming potential than carbon dioxide, so reducing methane has a significant environmental benefit.
The project is currently in the community engagement phase, with planning applications, public consultation and the establishment of a Community Reference Group to occur in 2024.
If approved, construction is estimated to commence in 2025.
For more information visit https://www.cleanaway.com.au/location/bromelton-energy-and-resource-centre/
