Veolia releases environmental impact statement for Tarago waste to energy facility

"No industrial incinerator: Tarago communities matter," they scream.

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Resident Chris Byrne and wife, Annette, have one outside his home, protesting Veolia Environmental Services proposed $600 million energy from waste facility.

"We don't want it," Mr Byrne said.

"We just don't have enough faith that it won't harm people or drop land values. We all drink the water so whatever rubbish goes will have an impact (in terms of emissions)."

He is not reassured by Veolia's statements that the technology is safe, citing similar statements about the Chernobyl plant.

In the background, action group Communities Against the Tarago Incinerator (CATTI), is ramping up its campaign against the state significant proposal.

On Wednesday, Veolia released its 3000-page Environmental Impact Statement for its 'Advanced Recovery Centre' at the Woodlawn facility, 6km west of Tarago. It is on public exhibition until December 6.

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The 30 megawatt plant would burn up to 380,000 tonnes annually of residual waste feedstock, otherwise destined for the existing landfill. The associated power plant would generate up to 240,000MW of energy each year, enough to power 40,000 homes, the company said.

The 38-hectare development also includes an encapsulation cell, proposed for a drained onsite evaporation dam. This will house air pollution control residues removed during the incinerator's filtration process. Extracted metals would be recycled and the material stabilised with a binder before placement in the cell. Up to 15,200 tonnes will be generated annually.

ARC project director Kathryn Whitfield confirmed the incinerator would also produce up to 68,000 tonnes annually of "non-hazardous" bottom ash. This would be stockpiled in a maturation pond before disposal to landfill. In future it is proposed to be recycled as road base and for Woodlawn Mine's rehabilitation.

A total 20 per cent of waste outputs would be recycled and recovered.

The community is up in arms over the plan and has Goulburn Mulwaree Council's backing.

"Despite consistent calls from all sections of the surrounding communities and all of our local political representatives to drop this toxic proposal, Veolia is pushing ahead without any social licence", CATTI president, Rod Thiele, said in a statement.

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"For the first time, an advanced economy is proposing industrial-scale waste incineration close to the homes of thousands of people who are totally reliant on rainwater, collected in household tanks, for drinking, household usage and business."

But Mrs Whitfield said all EIS studies showed predicted air quality levels were below NSW EPA limits.

Forecast concentrations were "well below typical air pollutant (levels) for the region and were negligible relative to a bushfire affected day."

Further, the facility met all regulations for human health, water quality and food productions. This included rainwater tanks and the village bores. The EPA must verify this as part of its assessment.

This modelling was based on the company's Staffordshire waste to energy facility, adapted for local conditions.

While the company says air quality impacts would be "negligible" at sensitive receivers such as Tarago School, homes and farms, it has not committed to monitoring stations at these locations.

Mrs Whitfield said there would likely be three monitoring stations around the facility, with final locations to be agreed with the EPA.

Instead, Veolia is relying on point source monitoring as a guide to any potential broader impacts.

"It's (also) up to the EPA as to whether testing of rainwater tanks is required but again, that is linked to air quality emissions and that's the key aspect that's monitored. Two-thirds of the footprint is dedicated to emissions control," Mrs Whitfield said.

Graziers such as Austin McLennan have spoken out about the potential impact on farm enterprises. But Veolia is not committing to soil testing outside its site. Mrs Whitfield said tests could be influenced by fertilisers and other aspects and air quality monitoring around the facility was the most reliable guide.

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She also rejected suggestions the encapsulation cell could leach into the water catchment during heavy rain.

"The material is completely immobilised and tested before being placed in the cell. It can't leach and we remain a zero discharge site, with all wastewater to be managed onsite," she said.

The company says checks and procedures will be in place to ensure non-compliant waste doesn't enter the facility.

Mrs Whitfield said the project would generate 74,611 tonnes in net greenhouse emissions, 50pc less than if the waste went to landfill.

Veolia is also spruiking the development's 300 construction jobs and 40 during operation, along with an estimated $250 million injection to local suppliers and household incomes. Mrs Whitfield said most jobs would be sourced locally.

But for others, the cost is too high.

Mr Thiele said CATTI's research over the past 18 months had shown that emissions from the incinerator in the surrounding region would include harmful pollutants such as acid gasses, heavy metal particulates and persistent organic particulates.

The NSW government has stated that "for some common air pollutants, there is no safe threshold of impact," he said.

"...These facilities have been banned in the ACT and Sydney because they aren't safe. If they aren't safe for Canberra and Sydney, then they aren't safe anywhere."

The EIS is on exhibition for six weeks, rather than the 12 weeks, Goulburn Mulwaree Council requested.

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It is available on the NSW Panning Portal, while hard copies can be accessed at Goulburn Mulwaree and Queanbeyan Palerang Council reception areas, the Veolia eco-precinct at 219 Collector Road, Tarago and at Tarago Realty.

Community information sessions will also be held at the Goulburn Workers Club on November 5 from 10am to 1pm and at the Tarago Hall on November 12 from 10am to 1pm.

Project representatives will also be available at Veolia each Wednesday from 10am to 1pm and a series of pop-up stands and online sessions are also planned throughout the region.

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