Biovision Mindarie Advanced Resource Recovery Technology (ARRT) Facility

The Biovision Mindarie Advanced Resource Recovery Technology (ARRT) Facility is an alternative waste treatment project located in Neerabup, approximately 35 kilometers north of the Perth CBD in Western Australia. While the project coordinates provided correspond to the Tamala Park landfill in Mindarie, the associated Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) where the processing took place was situated nearby in the Neerabup Industrial Area. Registered in August 2013, the project was established to process household waste that would otherwise be destined for landfill, thereby reducing methane emissions.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Alternative Waste Treatment) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology credits emissions reductions achieved by diverting mixed solid waste (MSW) into an enclosed composting facility or similar treatment plant. By processing this organic waste aerobically rather than allowing it to decompose anaerobically in a landfill, the project avoids the generation of significant quantities of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The region experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, and is characterized by the sandy soils typical of the Swan Coastal Plain (Spearwood and Bassendean dune systems).

An interesting and critical note for this project is its operational history. The facility, known as the Neerabup RRF, was operated by Veolia (formerly under the BioVision 2020 consortium) on behalf of the Mindarie Regional Council (MRC). In late 2021, the MRC voted to exit the contract early, effectively ceasing the facility's waste processing operations. This decision was largely due to the compost product failing to meet required maturity standards, which forced the "recovered" material to be landfilled anyway, negating the environmental and carbon benefits. This operational cessation aligns with the project's completed status and the conclusion of its carbon abatement contract (CAC572691) in 2022.