$7million waste project completed in Gympie
Gympie Regional Council is excited to announce that the Eastern Cell Expansion at Bonnick Road Waste Management Facility will be open to the public on Monday, 22 July 2024.
This new cell, built at a cost of $5.5million, boasts 24,400m2 and will have the capacity to hold up to 133,346 tons of waste at capacity, providing essential relief to the existing western cell, which is nearing its capacity due to the unprecedented amount of waste disposed of during the 2022 flood events. An additional $1.5million was allocated to upgrading the facility, with the construction of a new resource recovery hub, second weighbridge and new recycling alley.
Explaining the significance of the project, Robert Jennings, CEO of Gympie Regional Council, emphasised,
"The expansion of the Bonnick Road Waste Management Facility, particularly the addition of the Eastern Cell, is vital for addressing the region's growing waste disposal needs.”
Once opened, the current Western Cell will be decommissioned, changing how the community will use the facility.
“Users of the facility will no longer need to go up the hill to sort their waste; instead, they will continue through to the old mulching area where the newly installed Resource Recovery Hub will further promote resource recovery efforts within the region,” said Mr. Jennings.
Gympie Regional Council’s Mayor Glen Hartwig highlighted the savings to ratepayers and the collaboration with the state.
“The floods in 2022 accelerated the capacity of Bonnick road; we were faced with some difficult decisions. Either truck the waste out of the region, which would cost upwards of 12 million dollars a year or expand the current facility and provide us five years to investigate long-term solutions; it was a no-brainer.”
“I’m proud of the efforts of staff and contractors in this space and the collaborative relationships they’ve built with the Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation, who oversee these types of projects,” Mayor Hartwig said.
Looking ahead, the Council remains committed to long-term planning for waste management. Council has launched its ‘Future of Waste’ Campaign that focuses on communicating council’s major transformative projects over the next 5 years including a waste strategy and feasibility study.
For further updates and information on Gympie Regional Council's waste management projects, please visit the Future of Waste Project Page.