The NSW Nationals will push for a parliamentary inquiry into Energy from Waste incinerators following concerns almost a million tonnes of extra waste could be sent to regional areas, like Parkes, each year to help deal with an overflow in Sydney.
Member of the Legislative Council for the Orange electorate Scott Barrett announced the move on Wednesday afternoon.
There are plans to build two large energy recovery facilities in regional NSW, one that would divert 600,000 tonnes of rubbish to Parkes, and another that would see 380,000 tonnes taken to Tarago near Goulburn, where it would be burnt for electricity generation.
Mr Barrett will lead a motion with fellow Nationals Upper House MP Nichole Overall to establish an inquiry when state parliament returns in August.
Mr Barrett said this is a chance for these impacted communities to have their voices heard.
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“The communities hosting these projects have every right to have their say and we’ll be pushing hard to make that happen,” he said.
“Despite the Minns Labor Government admitting it is going to run out of landfill space in Sydney before the end of the decade, its only solution seems to be dumping that waste and burning it in regional areas, far away from any of their local constituents.
“This inquiry will allow people to make contributions and have their questions answered – which is something that’s been sorely missing from the consultation phase of these projects.”
Both areas were earmarked for Energy from Waste projects under a 2022 regulation requiring such facilities to be built in regional areas, but Mrs Overall said issues raised by communities have been ongoing.
“Having previously met with concerned residents in the Tarago area, I’m also on the record questioning Labor’s Environment Minister on why Western Sydney isn’t suitable to take Sydney’s waste but it’s apparently fine for the regions - for which no answer was provided,” she said.
“Now a number of Parkes locals have come to me with their valid questions, from emissions to potential agricultural and health implications, and this inquiry will ensure these matters are properly addressed.
“We need a guarantee that any solution won’t leave some areas worse off than others.”
Mr Barrett and Mrs Overall released the proposed terms of reference for the parliamentary inquiry and they include:
1. The performance of the technologies proposed for the Tarago and Parkes Energy Recovery facilities as compared to leading thermal technologies employed in “state of the art” facilities internationally;
2. The spread of the emissions predicted and the quality of emissions to be generated;
3. Health impacts from currently operating older technology waste incinerators as compared to the proposed newer technology;
4. Impacts on human health including on regional town drinking water, rainwater, harvesting and soil contamination;
5. The impact on agriculture including sheep, cattle and crop production locally and across the wider region;
6. Alterations to the Parkes Special Activation Precinct specifically in relation to the proposed Energy Recovery Facility in that region;
7. Impacts of waste-dumping over a number of decades in the Tarago region;
8. The methodology of emission monitoring employed by leading large scale waste to energy facilities in Australia and across the world;
9. And any related matters.
