THE Southern Metropolitan Regional Council has applied for an amended interim licence to continue operations at the Regional Resource Recovery Centre (RRRC).
The centre’s Waste Compost Facility is being forced to close by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), which on March 30 gave the SMRC 10 weeks to finish composting operations at the Canning Vale site.
Earlier this month, SMRC acting chief executive Tim Youe put forward an amended licence asking the DEC to extend its interim licence for a minimum of two years.
He said this period would allow operations to continue while new primary odour treatment equipment was installed and green waste management plan put in place.
“The licence amendment details a course of action to be undertaken by the SMRC that allows the facility to continue to accept and process waste,” he said.
The amended licence restricts the Waste Compost Facility to accepting only 65 per cent of its capacity, which will cater for SMRC member council waste.
If the amended licence is approved, the SMRC will install new primary odour treatment equipment by December 15 or stop collecting waste until it is installed.
The licence also details a green waste management plan, which includes a provision for shutting down green waste grinding and collection of green waste from mid-December to late March each year.
SMRC chairman Tony Romano said the council would pursue all options to obtain an operating licence, including applying for this interim licence and appealing the DEC decision.
“The RRRC is leading the way in terms of responsible waste management,” he said.