Recently, Global AFR’s CEO, David Hooper met with Trevor Evans the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management at his offices in Brisbane.
David took the Minister through Global’s strategy for medium-scale EfW facilities powering Eco-Industrial Parks. Mr Evans liked the approach, thought it made good sense and that it was in line with Federal thinking.
With EfW so new in Australia, David sought help from the Minister to initiate enabling legislation and regulations to support development. The ask was simple enough, like the UK and EU, Australia needs guidelines for the use of bottom ash and treated fly ash and APC residues in the construction industry – principally, as primary aggregate and cement replacement. This would be environmentally beneficial by redirecting a valuable resource from landfill whilst improving the economics of the projects.
It was good news when Mr Evans indicated that his department was already in discussions with the various technical agencies to address this gap. He also wants to discuss the concept and other enabling regulation at the forthcoming COAG meeting in March
All-in-all an interesting and successful meeting.
