TRC to start a short-term trial for thermal treatment of waste

The Toowoomba Region’s bold ambition to dispose of waste more efficiently is a step closer following today’s (September 15) Council approval for an innovative waste treatment trial with Toowoomba firm Pyrocal.

Toowoomba Regional Council’s September Ordinary Meeting today approved a short-term trial with Pyrocal for the thermal treatment of various waste streams managed by Council.

TRC Water and Waste Committee portfolio leader Cr Nancy Sommerfield said the trial would allow Council to work towards meeting the Queensland Waste Management and Resource Recovery Strategy that encouraged waste businesses to investigate alternative waste management processing.

“We want to maximise value from waste and minimise the volume that is disposed in landfill,” Cr Sommerfield said.

“The proposed process aligns with the state strategy and has the potential to further help Council reach the state government’s waste reduction targets.

“Toowoomba firm Pyrocal has developed innovative technology and has the necessary approvals that permit a trial on land at the Wellcamp Business Park.

“The recommendation is to proceed with a short-term trial to provide proof of concept, allowing Council to assess the technology’s viability.

“We will investigate the commercial, logistical and technical aspects of thermal treatment of waste.

“The trial meets an action from Council’s Waste Management Strategy 2017 that seeks to monitor technology developments in resource recovery and waste processing to identify and pursue opportunities for targeted waste streams.”

TRC Water and Waste Committee chair Cr Rebecca Vonhoff said she welcomed the proposed trial that had the potential to reduce the volume of waste disposed at landfills.

“Council disposes of approximately 60,000 tonnes of waste each year in landfills across the region,” Cr Vonhoff said.

“There are potential long-term environmental and operational savings, especially in regard to the State Waste Levy, that could be achieved in our waste service by adopting new processes.

“We have an opportunity to use this new technology as an alternate waste management solution that also complies with guidelines in the state government’s Energy from Waste Policy.

“Council will provide waste materials, including municipal solid waste, green waste and timber, to Pyrocal for the duration of the trial.

“At the end of the trial Council will receive information that will enable assessment of the viability of thermal waste treatment opportunities for Council.

“Council is making considerable progress in improving the volume of material that is diverted from landfills, which extends the useful life of the facilities. Residents have helped Council achieve a diversion rate of material from landfill of up to 70% following the opening of the Greater Toowoomba Waste Management Facility in December 2015.

“We’ve also introduced new recycling opportunities, such as polystyrene packaging recycling at the Greater Toowoomba Waste Management Facility, and we are progressing with the flaring for the Landfill Gas Utilisation project that will help us offset the energy costs for the Wetalla Water Reclamation Facility when fully operational.”

Pyrocal’s Managing Director, Durell Hammond said: "We are delighted for the opportunity to work with TRC to demonstrate the value of carbonising various Council waste streams.

“The Pyrocal thermal treatment technology allows the recovery of resources from residual waste, whilst also significantly reducing waste volume,” he said.

“Since inception in 2014, we have installed systems in eight countries treating a wide range of feedstocks.”

Caption: The Pyrocal Rotary Hearth Carbonisation Unit.