Media Statements

In a deal worth $67 million for up to 10 years, Ipswich City Council has resolved to move its garden organic material processing from NuGrow to Remondis Australia Pty Ltd.

The deal is for an initial three-year term, with the option of extending it for a further seven years. It is part of the transition from the previous FOGO (food organics garden organics) program to simply GO (garden organics) at a new facility built by Remondis.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said waste odour issues have been a significant issue across the city and this decision was another move to help long-suffering residents.

“This is a step in the right direction in Council playing its part in reducing the odour issues our city is currently experiencing,” Mayor Harding said.

“Garden organics is low odour compared to food organics and similar types of waste. Remondis is offering a bespoke facility, which will only accept green waste from Ipswich and some of our neighbouring councils.”

Mayor Harding said the initial three-year contract period allowed both parties to plan for a move towards industry-standard, in-vessel (covered) composting services. No local companies currently offer those services.

“Moving to a more bespoke green waste-only facility will mean council’s low odour materials are not contributing to, or associated with, any issues in the precinct,” she said.

“Garden organics are collected via kerbside green-lid bin collection services, parks and gardens, as well as material self-hauled by both residents and commercial customers at council’s Recycling and Refuse Centres (RRC).”

Mayor Harding said Remondis was already a major supplier of other waste services to council, including landfill, bulk waste transport, recycling storage and hazardous chemical management.

“Council released an open tender to the market with the intention to engage a suitably qualified and experienced organisation or supplier to provide the services,” Mayor Harding said.

“This is an opportunity to start afresh. It is an opportunity for best practice for this council that is front and centre of people’s minds in the community.

“The term of the proposed contract will be for an initial period of three years, with options for extensions, by mutual agreement, of up to seven years.”

Remondis operates more than 80 organic recycling facilities worldwide, and operated two in-vessel composting facilities in NSW, including the country’s first at Port Macquarie.