Council to trial thermal waste

A TOOWOOMBA company part-owned by a powerful family of brothers has been given approval to run an “innovative” thermal waste management trial.

Councillors voted last week to grant Pyrocal Pty Ltd the chance at a test run of the concept out at Wellcamp, which essentially burns off household waste, tyres and timber to produce new materials that be either reused or disposed of more efficiently.

The Toowoomba firm is half-owned by JDNJ Investments Pty Ltd, which is owned by Denis, John, Neill and Joe Wagner.

“It is proposed that the council run a short-term trial with Pyrocal Pty Ltd to treat some waste products currently managed by the council,” waste services manager Matt Torr said.

“At the conclusion of the trial the council will receive data relating to the outputs of the treatment process that can be used to further assess the viability of thermal waste management opportunities.

“The aim of the trial is proof of the concept and to understand the commercial, logistic and technical aspects of the thermal treatment.”

TRC water and waste committee portfolio leader Cr Nancy Sommerfield welcomed the proposed trial.

“The council disposes of approximately 60,000 tonnes of waste each year into landfills across the region,” she said.

“There are potential longterm environmental and operational savings, especially in regard to the state waste levy, that could be achieved in our waste service by adopting new processes.

“We have an opportunity to use this new technology as an alternate waste management solution that also complies with guidelines in the state government’s energy from waste policy.

“The council will provide waste materials, including municipal solid waste, green waste and timber, to Pyrocal for the duration of the trial.”

Water and waste chair Cr Rebecca Vonhoff said trial held plenty of potential.

“The proposed process aligns with the state strategy and has the potential to further help the council reach the state government’s waste reduction targets,” she said.

“Toowoomba firm Pyrocal has developed innovative technology and has the necessary approvals that permit a trial on land at the Wellcamp Business Park.”

This is the second waste treatment trial the Toowoomba Regional Council has approved for Pyrocal, after a plan to use a similar process on biosolids two years ago didn’t eventuate.