Casino Bio-hub Project

The Casino Bio-hub Project is a wastewater treatment project located in the industrial precinct of Casino, New South Wales, situated approximately 2 kilometers north of the town center. Registered in September 2024, the project operates within the Richmond Valley, a region defined by its intensive agriculture, beef cattle grazing, and food processing industries.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Wastewater) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology targets the reduction of methane emissions from wastewater that would otherwise be treated in open anaerobic lagoons. By installing anaerobic digesters, the project captures biogas generated during the breakdown of organic matter, likely sourced from local meat processing facilities such as the Casino Food Co-op. This captured biogas is then combusted using a flaring device or utilized for energy, converting potent methane into less harmful carbon dioxide.

Casino lies in a humid subtropical climate zone, characterized by warm, wet summers and mild, drier winters, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 1,100mm. The surrounding landscape features fertile alluvial soils on the river plains and heavy clay loams suitable for the region's extensive grazing and cropping activities. Notably, this project aligns with the broader "Richmond Valley Regional Bio-Hub" strategy, championed by the local council to transition the area into a center for renewable energy and circular economy practices. A variation to the project's methodology was recorded in March 2025, updating it to Compilation No. 3 of the determination.