Organic Plant Turns One

Published on 10 February 2021

organic-plant

Some 4500 tonnes of organic waste has been converted into compost in the past year at Wangaratta’s Organics Processing Plant. 

The plant has been operational for just over a year, after becoming the first of its kind to gain Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) approval. 

Organic waste from residents’ kitchens and gardens is transported to the Bowser East facility, where it passes through a shredder, before spending three weeks in temperature-controlled bunkers, where all seeds and pathogens are killed. After the bunkers the organic matter is then put in windrows, where it is turned and watered regularly for two months until the compost is ready to be used. 

Initially the compost has been used for capping the nearby Bowser Landfill, though there are plans to make the compost available to sell to residents in the near future. 

Council’s Acting Director Infrastructure Services Marcus Goonan said residents were doing the right thing by using their green bins, but there was still work to do to bring contamination down. 

“The main contaminants are plastic bags, including biodegradable bags that contain plastic and other plastic items like containers, small packaging and plants pots,” he said. 

“Only green compostable bags should be used to dispose of organics waste. They can be found free of cost at the Government Centre and the library.” 

The Rural City of Wangaratta has recruited 2 full-time employees to process the compost at the Organics Processing Plant.