Organics processing facility

Project Overview

The huge success of the weekly FOGO bin collection and composting service has contributed to processing more than 60,000 tonnes of garden and kitchen waste at the Merimbula Organics Processing Facility since opening in 2016.

With the FOGO collection service quadrupling in volume over the last five years, and projected to grow further, limited space to expand at the Merimbula site has meant we are now required to find a new home – and a new operator – for the shire’s organics processing service.

Councillors resolved in February 2021 to move organics processing to the Central Waste Facility, and to gauge private sector interest in the processing of our organics. Councillors further resolved in September 2022 on a procurement pathway to engage a contractor to design, construct, operate and maintain the facility.

Following an Expression of Interest released in January 2023, three organisations with extensive organics processing experience were selected to tender to construct and operate a 15,000 tonne per annum facility at the Central Waste Facility, taking into account community expectations, alignment with our Community Strategic Plan, service delivery and operational costs.

In late October 2023, SOILCO Pty Ltd was awarded a $24.8 million contract to design, construct, operate and maintain the facility. The facility will use covered aerated static pile technology (CASP) which is a large improvement on the current technology used at the existing facility. CASP is a widely accepted technology for processing organics and is perfectly suited to a facility of this size.

Once FOGO and garden organics are received at the facility, it will be shredded, contaminants removed and placed into concrete bays for several weeks. These bays have membrane covers which reduce odour and leachate generation.

The contract with SOILCO involves initial design and construction of the facility and an initial ten-year contract to operate and maintain the facility.

SOILCO have extensive experience in processing organics in NSW and have facilities in Wogamia, Kembla Grange and Tweed Heads with a large western Sydney development in the planning stages. Further information about SOILCO can be found on their website SOILCO

The Development Application and Environmental Impact Statement for the new facility were lodged in December 2024 and approved by the Southern Regional Planning Panel in May 2026. The facility will be constructed in two stages: the first stage will allow 15,000 tonnes of material to be processed every year, with a second stage doubling capacity if we need.