Biomass Solutions, Waste Diversion through Alternative Waste Management at Coffs Harbour

Biomass Solutions, Waste Diversion through Alternative Waste Management at Coffs Harbour is an Alternative Waste Treatment project located just south of the Coffs Harbour city centre on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. It was registered in September 2013 and covers an unknown area, operating out of a dedicated commercial waste processing facility.

Alternative Waste Treatment (AWT) projects involve diverting putrescible (mixed solid) waste from traditional landfills and instead processing it at a specialized treatment facility. By using methods such as enclosed composting, these projects avoid the methane emissions that would otherwise be generated as the organic waste breaks down anaerobically in a landfill. Standard requirements for the methodology include rigorously tracking the volume and composition of eligible waste diverted, and ensuring the facility meets specific operational parameters for its treatment technology to calculate net abatement accurately.

The Coffs Harbour region features a mix of urban development, forestry, and intensive horticulture, notably market gardening and blueberry farming. The region experiences a subtropical climate characterized by high annual rainfall, typically averaging between 1,500mm and 1,700mm. Soils in the coastal catchments vary widely, featuring sandy coastal dunes, low-lying acid sulfate soils, and heavier clays or loams further inland.

This project transitioned from a revoked Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) method and continues to divert mixed solid waste from landfills using an enclosed composting technology. Interestingly, it was one of the first composting projects in Australia to use integrated autoclaving alongside enclosed composting to be approved under the CFI. The facility removes contaminants like metals, plastics, and glass from household waste streams, converting the remaining organic matter into value-added compost that has even been utilized in local agricultural trials. The project was contracted in April 2015 and has now successfully completed its Carbon Abatement Contract, having prevented tens of thousands of tonnes of emissions during its active diversion periods.