Council's decision could cost Lake Macquarie residents thousands

BY OLIVIA GOELDNER

A recent decision by Lake Macquarie council to scrap their long-standing contract with waste management service Remondis has left residents to fend for themselves. 

Nearly 200 households have been given four months to find alternative sewer pumping options. 

With private suppliers quoting up to $12,000 per household, many families have had to make the decision between mortgage payments and waste disposal. 

Lake Macquarie councilor Jason Pauling says they agree the situation has put severe strain on residents. 

"It's been quite horrendous. Council's communication has created confusion."

He says they are working toward a solution. 

"We are a council that likes to engage with residents, hear their views and do what we can to assist. 

I think we are heading back on track with this matter, I don't think it's over and I don't think we'll satisfy everyone just yet, but we have a few months to get it right."

 

Singleton Waste Management Centre Closed, Staff Potentially Exposed to Covid-19 Case

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Singleton Council has closed their waste management facility until further notice, due to a staff member making possible contact with a person with a case of Covid-19.

Waste Management Facility staff have been sent home as a precaution with the facility to be deep cleaned today.

"The staff member became aware of potential exposure this morning and immediately informed Council’s senior staff. The only time the staff member has been at work since the possible contact was briefly this morning," Singleton Council said in a statement. 

"It is Council’s intention to return to normal operations at the Waste Management Facility as soon as practicable."

"Council’s highest priority is the health and safety of our customers and staff. We appreciate your understanding and support in these challenging circumstances."

Kerbside collections will continue to operate as usual.

Other Council facilities are not affected and continue to operate as usual.

Hunter Water Calls to "Respect the Throne" After Gigantic Fatberg Removed From Belmont

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Hunter Water has renewed its calls for customers to only flush toilet paper, following an increase in blockages at its wastewater treatment plants.

Over the past five weeks, crews have had to remove blockages from pumps and screening equipment, as a result of more products like paper towel and wet wipes being flushed in the wake of the toilet paper shortage. 

It’s prompted the launch of a new awareness campaign calling on our customers and community to ‘Respect the Throne’. 

Acting Executive Manager Service Delivery for Customers, Glen Robinson, said Hunter Water’s strong message is to only ever flush pee, poo and toilet paper.  

“Our workers have reported seeing a significant increase in these materials, particularly at our Burwood and Belmont plants since the start of March, leading to blockages in our pumps and screening equipment."

“We have also removed an additional 22 tonnes of fatberg from our Morpeth wastewater treatment plant since the start of March.” 

“Products such as paper towel, tissues and wet wipes don’t break down quickly enough in water and can cause large, expensive blockages in our wastewater system or in a customer’s own pipes at their cost and inconvenience."

“We understand our customers may be feeling frustrated if they can’t purchase toilet paper at the moment, but it’s really important that if they need to use anything else, then they should bag and bin it instead,” Mr Robinson said. 

Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey, welcomed the launch of Hunter Water’s new campaign. 

“There has been a rise in non-flushable items such as wet wipes being disposed of down the toilet,” Mrs Pavey said. 

“Flushing alternatives to toilet paper – wet wipes, kitchen paper, newspaper or tissues - can have serious consequences for public health and the environment. 

“The Lower Hunter has plenty of toilet paper – people just need to stop panic-buying it. If you must use an alternative to toilet paper, you must discard of it in a bin – no exceptions. 

“It may seem convenient at the time, but it won’t when the sewer overflows or when you have to engage a private plumber to clear a blockage in your plumbing.” Mrs Pavey said.  

For more information on how to ‘Respect the Throne’, visit www.hunterwater.com.au.

Belmont Blockage

Five-megawatt Solar Farm and Resource Recovery Center opens at Summer Hill

BY ISABEL EVERETT

An $8 million dollar, five-megawatt solar farm and $6 million dollar resource recovery center has opened at Summer Hill Waste Management center.

The solar farm spans the length of 5 football fields, sitting on a previous land fill site, and is expected to save rate payers around $9 million dollars over its 25-year life span. 

The farm will produce enough energy to power the equivalent of 1,300 households, significantly cutting councils electricity costs. 

"Its an impressive site to see whats on the surface, but to also understand that this is on a prior landfill site that wasn't capable of any agricultural purpose, so to give it such a good environmental purpose is really clever," Port Stephens MP and Shadow Minister for the Environment Kate Washington said. 

A recent purchase-power agreement to source electricity from the state's largest wind farm, moves Newcastle city council to become the first local government in NSW to move to 100 percent renewable's as of next year. 

"Newcastle city council is the first council to have created and built a solar farm and as of January first, all of councils operations will be sourced from renewable energy and that's a remarkable outcome," Kate Washington said.  

Newcastle residents can drop off pre-sorted recyclables such as scrap metals, sorted yellow bin recyclables, paper and cardboard, clean untreated wood and soft plastic at the Resource Recovery Center free of charge, diverting around 5,700 tonnes of waste from landfill each year. 

"Newcastle city council is doing exactly what we need to see happening, they are giving people the opportunity to be more environmentally conscious," Kate Washington said. 

"Communities across the state are already there, they want to know what they can do to achieve better environmental outcomes, to reduce land fill and improve our sustainability." 

State MP for Port Stephens Kate Washington, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Cr Peta Winney-Baartz 

State MP for Port Stephens Kate Washington, City of Newcastle Business Development Manager Mark Johnson,Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Hon Taylor Martin MLC and Cr Peta Winney-Baartz 

Irrawang High School Students Petition for Change

BY CATHERINE ALLEN

Irrawang High School students have taken the initiative to create positive change by creating a petition asking for a statewide reboot for school waste management.

Ms. Kate Connor, the student's geography teacher, says they were inspired by the ABC show The War on Waste, to understand the recycling systems in place in other schools around the state.

"The students got all inspired to improve the waste streams at our school and discovered (when it comes to recycling) there wasn't an easy solution," Ms. Connor says.

"The students really felt that we needed a statewide solution to make recycling in schools easy and effective".

The decision was made to create a change.org petition and deliver it to Port Stephens MP Kate Washington when it gathered 500 signatures.

The MP is complimentary of the student's efforts saying she is pleased to bring the issue to the State Government.

"I just want to thank the students for being active, engaged and interested in the environment and in politics," Ms. Washington says.

"Understanding a way they can raise an issue that they feel deeply about in this way is really clever and I really value their effort and energy". 

"What I propose ... is to provide it to the Minister for Education and the Shadow Minister for Education, and ask them to listen to the voices of the students and understand that they feel deeply about the environment and that they would like to see a better system for recycling in our schools".

To support the students of Irrawang High School in their efforts sign their change.org petition at change.org

Cessnock City Council Launches Campaign to Target Illegal Dumping

BY CAOIMHE MACCARTHY

In an effort to tackle illegal dumping across the region, Cessnock City Council has teamed with local sporting personalities to launch a 12 month 'Better not mess with Cessnock' campaign.

Illegal dumping is the unwarranted disposal of waste in areas other than approved management facilities. There were 377 incidents recorded in the Cessnock Local Government Area last year alone.

Local sporting personalities including Speeding Racing Champion, Kiona Sunterton, Kurri Kurri Bulldogs', Brock Gilmour, Ladies League Tag's, Leanne Polglase, and Cessnock Goanna's, Patrick Jurd will be the faces of the campaign.

Over the next 12 months the campaign will see advertisements on the back of local buses, Council's garbage trucks, ads in the Cessnock Advertiser, and a social media campaign across the Council's Facebook page.

Cessnock Waste Management Centre's Sustainability Officer, Karinda Stone, says the local faces will help bring further attention to the issue of illegal dumping in the area.

"It's about educating and informing people so they're aware that it is a big issue and recognise that it's not the right thing to do with our waste", she says, "We really need to be disposing of it properly".

Cessnock City Mayor Councillor Bob Pynsent commended the local sports stars on their involvement in the campaign and hopes locals will take note of the main message.

"There is absolutely no excuse to mess with Cessnock," he says, "I can assure people that the fines are far worse than the fees at the Cessnock Waste Management Centre".

The year-long campaign was made possible with a $102,118 Illegal Dumping, Clean Up and Prevention grant from the Environment Protection Authority.

Council is urging everyone to report cases of illegal dumping by calling 131 555 or reporting online at ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au.

Image supplied.

EPA Fines Hydromet $30,000 for Water Contamination and Poor Waste Storage

BY NIKOLA JOKANOVIC

 The NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued a fine for Hydromet Corporation of $30,000 for inadequate storage of waste materials at their Tomago facility and the resulting pollution of a nearby drainage line.

Investigations by the EPA in February of this year raised concerns over the storage of hazardous materials at the site.

These concerns were confirmed when a water sample taken by the EPA showed elevated levels of cadmium, copper, nickel, selenium and zinc in a nearby drainage line.

In response, the EPA has issued two penalty notices: $15,000 for the inadequate storage of waste material and $15,000 for polluting waters.

EPA Regional Director North Adam Gilligan said the matter represents an unacceptable risk to the environment.

"Inappropriately handling hazardous materials and discharging polluted water are serious matters," he said.

"The EPA will require Hydronet to plan and implement the ongoing remediation of the site to ensure the local environment and community are protected."

Hydronet has since completed clean-up activities on the affected drainage line and removed over 2,000 tonnes of hazardous solid waste and over 800,000 litres of liquid waste.

The Tomago facility will remain closed while clean-up work on the site is undertaken, so as to ensure proper remediation of all contamination.

Following ongoing investigations, the EPA has issued two fines of $15,000 to Hydromet.