Surf Beach Waste Management Facility: expansion of organics area

Project: Expanding the organics area at Surf Beach Waste Management Facility.

Timeframe: July 2021 to June 2025

Status: In progress

Cost and funding: Council received $954,000 in grant funding for the approved project from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) under the Bushfire Recovery Program for Council Landfills.

Page last updated: December 2024

Project details

Council is working to:

  • expand and improve the landfill organics area at Surf Beach Waste Management Facility
  • ensure we can continue to meet current operational requirements
  • enhance resilience after future bushfires and other natural disasters
  • offset and repair the impacts recent disasters have had on Eurobodalla Shire.

Benefits to the community:

  • increased capacity for kerbside organics disposal and processing
  • enhanced resilience to bushfires and other natural disasters
  • progress towards introducing FOGO (Food Organics, Garden Organics), as required by the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041
  • Council will be able to continue to meet current operational requirements.

During the 2019/20 summer, residents prepared for ongoing bushfires. Many residents cleared larger amounts than usual of organic waste from their properties. The Surf Beach Waste Management Facility was inundated with much of this green waste.

The site quickly filled to capacity, which made it unable to accept the regular kerbside-collected organic waste.

The existing organics area is barely able to meet Council's current operational requirements. The purpose of this project is to expand the amount of space available to receive and process organic waste.

Background

Capacity limitations in the existing organics area mean there is a direct and urgent need to finalise these works.

The temporary closure of the facility and diversion of organic waste during the 2019/20 bushfires highlights this need. The necessary temporary closure:

  • raised angst and uncertainty among Eurobodalla's residents
  • resulted in excess organic waste left in residential environments in the face of incoming fires.

Expanding the organics area will increase bushfire resilience. As seen during the 2019/20 bushfires, space to receive, stockpile, and process organics waste is critical.

The facility's current capacity is limited and insufficient to meet regular operational demands. Council expects an increase in demand with the uptake of FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics kerbside collection service). This could see volumes increase by as much as 41% (based on statistics from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure's NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041).

These works will:

  • improve capacity and associated infrastructure for receiving and processing organics waste
  • increase the probability that the site is able to maintain operations during or immediately after a natural disaster.

Project updates

Here's a summary of activities that have taken place so far:

September 2024 - December 2024

  • The preferred tenderer (once engaged) will commence further ground leveling works in mid-2025.
  • Asset Arbor completed the clearing works and fenced the area.

June - August 2024

  • Consulting Earth Scientists Pty Ltd completed the design of the organic waste processing area expansion.
  • Public Works Advisory prepared the works tender documents.
  • Council started the procurement process of the civil works contractor and enabling works for the new cell and leachate/stormwater upgrade works.

June 2024

  • Asset Arbor have commenced clearing works and fencing of the organics area extension.

May 2024

  • Council has released a request for quote for the site clearing works for the expansion to commence.

August 2023

  • Consulting Earth Scientists Pty Ltd completed the Masterplan. The organics concept design is expected to be issued early 2024.

December 2022

  • Council awarded the concept and design services tender (including the organics area expansion) to Consulting Earth Scientists Pty Ltd.

November 2022

  • The Tender Evaluation Committee completed and reviewed the tender assessments for the concept and design services tender (including the organics area expansion) and provided the tender recommendation to Council.

October 2022

  • Council received the submissions for the concept and design services tender (including the organics area expansion). NSW Public Works Advisory reviewed the submissions for completion and conformity.

September 2022

  • NSW Public Works Advisory released the concept and design services tender (including the organics area expansion) on Tenderlink.

August 2022

  • Council carried out a full review of procurement options due to a shortage of available specialist resources.
  • Council held discussions with NSW Public Works Advisory, the EPA and industry experts to assess, analyse and review all reasonable procurement options. As a result, the Disaster Resilience Masterplan and design works were combined with other current bushfire resilience projects into a consolidated concept and design services tender. The intention of this consolidation is to increase the appeal of the works on offer, in line with current market conditions.
  • NSW Public Works Advisory released a consolidated concept and design services tender on Tenderlink, which included the:
    • Surf Beach enabling works
    • organics area expansion
    • Disaster Resilience Masterplan.

July 2022

  • Council did not receive any conforming tenders for the design of the organics area expansion works.
  • Council commenced discussions with EPA, NSW Public Works Advisory and other relevant stakeholders to assess revised procurement options.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd finalised the Aboriginal Heritage Due Diligence Assessment Report. No artifacts, objects of cultural significance or landforms likely to contain such objects were identified. Proposed works within the study area can proceed with caution.

June 2022

  • Council did not receive any conforming tenders for the expansion of the organics area.
  • Council provided an extension of the tender closing date, including minor changes to the scope of works, to encourage submissions.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited completed the biodiversity assessments, with no significant issues identified.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd completed the Aboriginal cultural heritage assessments and commenced drafting the report.

May 2022

  • NSW Public Works Advisory released the organics area expansion design tender on Tenderlink.

April 2022

  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited commenced the biodiversity assessments.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd commenced the Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment.

March 2022

  • NSW Public Works Advisory released these tenders on Tenderlink:
    • biodiversity assessment
    • Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment.

February 2022

  • Council prepared and submitted the Project Plan to the EPA.

December 2021

  • The EPA executed the Deed of Funding for the approved project.

July 2021

  • Council applied for grant funding from the EPA under the Bushfire Recovery Program for Council Landfills.

More information

For more information please contact Council's Divisional Manager Waste Services, Nathan Ladmore: