Eastern Creek UR-3R Facility

Eastern Creek UR-3R Facility is an Alternative Waste Treatment (AWT) project located in the industrial suburb of Eastern Creek, approximately 40km west of the Sydney CBD. The project was registered in April 2013, transitioning from the earlier Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) to the Emissions Reduction Fund. It operates within the Eastern Creek Waste Management Centre, a major waste precinct surrounded by industrial developments and remaining pockets of the Cumberland Plain Woodland.

The project operates under the Alternative Waste Treatment methodology, specifically utilising "UR-3R" (Urban Resource – Reduction, Recovery, and Recycling) technology. This Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) process diverts mixed municipal solid waste from landfills. Instead of decomposing anaerobically in a landfill and releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas, the waste is sorted to recover recyclables (metals, glass, plastics) while the organic fraction undergoes enclosed composting to produce fertiliser and compost products.

Regionally, Eastern Creek experiences a warm temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 800mm to 900mm. The natural soil landscape of the area is typically derived from Wianamatta Shale, characterized by heavy clay soils, although the site itself is heavily modified for industrial waste management purposes. The facility is a significant infrastructure asset for Western Sydney, processing household waste from major councils such as Blacktown and Fairfield.

A notable aspect of this project is its history as the world's first facility to employ the specific UR-3R technology configuration. It was originally commissioned around 2004 before being registered as a carbon offset project. The project successfully completed its carbon abatement contract (CAC101978) with the Australian Government in November 2022, delivering over 870,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) during the contract period.