Waste plant plan refused
PLANS to compost poultry manure, abattoir waste, grease trap waste and hatchery waste at a Bannockburn farm have been quashed by the state’s planning tribunal.
The contentious composting facility at Shelford-Bannockburn Road was set to receive and process 50,000 cubic metres of organic waste into compost annually.
Advanced Composting Technology Australasia (ACTA) proposed for wastes at the site to include floor litter from poultry farms, and solid and liquid waste from abattoir washdown and meat-processing activities. ACTA had planned to produce a pasteurised soil conditioner.
But concerns including the potential smell stemming from the compost plant led the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to refuse a works approval application.
In an order last week after a six-day hearing in November, senior member Ian Potts and member Catherine Wilson listed odour risks as contributing factors for the refusal.
Mr Potts and Ms Wilson said while the proposal had merit in dealing with organic waste in a regional setting, it also presented issues.
“We recognise that the various state and regional waste and resource recovery plans support investment in opportunities to transform such organic waste into commercial product with associated environmental and economic benefits to the waste and agricultural sectors,” they said.
“However, as presently proposed we have not been persuaded that the ACTA’s proposal can manage odour emissions from the static pile composting process and other aspects of the facility’s operation in a manner consistent with the requirements of the state environmental protection policy.”
Golden Plains Shire council officers originally recommended the council issue a planning permit for the facility in 2019, despite 41 objections including one petition with 41 signatures.
The Environment Protection Authority later rejected a works approval application for the development.
The EPA said the proposal did not apply “best practice composting techniques” in treating medium-to-high-risk waste, and that proposed odour management technology was “inadequate”.
It said ACTA failed to demonstrate how it would satisfactorily deal with or prevent associated biosecurity and human health risks, and the use of the unpasteurised product introduced a risk of land contamination.
ACTA alleged the EPA misapplied relevant guidelines, principles and policies of environmental protection in determining to refuse to issue a works approval for the project.
The application for the facility followed trials by ACTA in 2016 and 2017.