Waratah Resource Recovery Project

Waratah Resource Recovery Project is a waste management and alternative waste treatment (AWT) project located in the industrial suburb of Pemulwuy, approximately 30km west of the Sydney CBD in New South Wales. The facility is situated within the Greystanes industrial precinct, adjacent to the Prospect Reservoir. Registered in October 2015, the project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Alternative Waste Treatment) Methodology Determination 2015.

The project involves diverting mixed solid waste (MSW), commercial, industrial, and demolition waste that would otherwise be destined for landfill, to a purpose-built treatment facility. Under the AWT methodology, this waste is processed to recover recyclable materials, with the residual combustible fraction transformed into Processed Engineered Fuel (PEF). This PEF is typically used as a coal substitute in cement kilns or industrial boilers, thereby reducing fossil fuel consumption and preventing methane emissions associated with landfill decay.

The region is characterized by heavy industrial and urban land use, sitting on the Cumberland Plain. The environment features clay and shale-based soils, though the project activities occur entirely on sealed hardstand and within enclosed infrastructure. The area experiences a temperate climate with moderate to high rainfall typical of the Sydney basin. A notable aspect of this project is its significant scale; it holds a fixed delivery contract with the Clean Energy Regulator for 500,000 tonnes of abatement, indicating a substantial contribution to waste diversion in the Greater Western Sydney area.