Answers to your questions from feedback so far.

Yes. 

Your feedback will help us ensure we provide the community with the most relevant information.

Your responses will also be used for reporting as we move through the feasibility study phase of the project. No identifying information will be used.

Yes. Community engagement and consultation will be ongoing throughout 2024. We encourage you to sign up via our website for the ARRC newsletter for updates.

The ARRC will cost significantly less to build and operate than the cost of transporting waste to landfills outside of the Gold Coast, which is the only other option. Landfill costs are rising every year and will continue to rise over the next 30 years as capacity in South-East Qld dwindles further. Those costs would be an impost on ratepayers. The ARRC is designed to insulate ratepayers from the rising costs of landfill.  

We’re investigating the most appropriate funding model and this will involve seeking support from all levels of government and potential private investors.

We’re working on a detailed business model which will determine ownership of the different facilities. In May 2024, Council resolved to retain majority ownership of the proposed residual waste to energy facility to ensure positive outcomes for our community. Tender opportunities are advertised via the City’s e-Tendering platform (VendorPanel).

Your general waste, recycling and green organics bins will still be collected from your street. The ARRC will give us more capacity to recycle what we collect, and to use what can’t be recycled to produce energy instead of going to landfill. You will also still be able to access our Waste & Recycling Centres for other recyclables and to dispose of items that can’t go in general waste bin.

No. Studies have found that when this happens, more people put recyclable materials into general waste bins assuming it will be sorted later. The best recycling results are achieved when the user recycles as the point of disposal ie at home. We will continue providing education and information to the community to help with recycling. We’re also supporting research into strategies for improved recovery behaviour change programs.

We rely on the recycling industry for these services, and we are planning for growth. The ARRC will enable our recycling contractors to upgrade equipment and technologies for better outcomes. We are also supporting research into soft plastics recycling. The best results though are achieved by not using or purchasing plastics in the first place, particularly single use plastics and we encourage our community to practice avoidance wherever possible.

We understand the community’s interest in food organics recycling. The process for this is more involved than for recycling garden waste and we haven’t yet found a service provider who can offer a solution that is cost-effective for our ratepayers. We are continuing to work towards a solution. We are undertaking a trial now of food organics recycling in high rise buildings, and we offer a free program Love Food Hate Waste to help residents reduce food waste at home. We also have a commercial food organics service for certain hospitality premises and are investigating the expansion of this service. 

We agree! We depend on the recycling industry for a solution for soft plastics. Unfortunately, there is no provider able to offer this service to us currently. There is a trial in 12 Victorian supermarkets, but none is planned for Queensland due to the lack of recycling facilities. APR plastics is the only facility in Australia now which can recycle soft plastics. Recycle Smart send small amounts of soft plastics to APR, but they don't have capacity to take on large new areas like ours. We are supporting research into finding a new solution for soft plastics recycling and developing assessments for plastic circular economy business models to attract industry.

We will continue to monitor the industry and, in the meantime, encourage our community members to reduce their use of soft plastics, particularly single use items.

Operational timings will vary depending on the specific facilities. We anticipate they will be similar to existing facilities of the same kind. The residual waste to energy facility is likely to operate overnight however any potential noise or lighting impacts will be identified in feasibility studies and mitigated in the planning phase. Noise and vibration regulations are very strict to ensure there are no impacts to surrounding properties. These studies and details will be made available to the public for feedback.

We anticipate the ARRC will create up to 2,000 jobs across the construction phase and approximately 170 fulltime jobs once operational. It is also expected to attract new businesses to the area, creating further employment and economic growth.

The statutory and regulatory requirements for the ARRC facilities are stringent. Feasibility studies currently being conducted include river water quality monitoring, ground water and surface water impact assessments. These assessments will ensure planning decisions are made to protect the environment. We are committed to implementing the best outcomes for our community and environment.

Yes, we are planning for food organics recycling capabilities in our new facility. We don't yet know what capacity it will initially be able to service but we are planning for the future.

There is an opportunity for the ARRC residual waste to energy facility to service other Local Government Areas. This would provide economic benefits to Gold Coast ratepayers. This option is being invesitgated as part of feasibility studies and those details will be shared with the community for feedback in early 2025.

There are a number of countries where advanced tech waste to energy facilities are successfully used and we are indeed researching them to find the best outcome for the Gold Coast.