Australian Paper is pleased to confirm that EPA Victoria has issued a Works Approval for its Energy from Waste proposal. The Works Approval Application is a key component of Australian Paper's $7.5 million feasibility study into a $600 million EfW facility to be located at the Maryvale Mill. The study has been equally funded by the Australian Government, Victorian Government and Australian Paper.
"Community engagement is core to our study and has provided valuable insights, including the strong level of local support for our project and the key areas that we need to address. The EPA Works Approval has provideda stringent process and offered further opportunities for meaningful engagement. This has allowed us to provide community stakeholders with additional information to confirm the positives of EfW and address issues and concerns," said David Jettner, Australian Paper's General Manager Corporate Development.
"Our facility is the first EfW project in Victoria to achieve a Works Approval by meeting the EPA's stringent emissions standards. EfW is the missing link in Victoria's waste management infrastructure. This Works Approval is a significant step towards a $600 million investment in the Latrobe Valley economy," said Mr
Jettner.
Australian Paper's Maryvale EfW facility would support approximately 690 FTE jobs per annum in the Latrobe Valley region during the 3 year construction phase, and over 300 per annum once operational. Across Victoria,
jobs created would be even higher, with more than 1,600 jobs supported per annum during construction and over 440 once operational.
The facility would annually divert approximately 650,000 tonnes of residual waste from Gippsland and Melbourne landfill, and utilise Best Available Techniques in emissions control to comply with stringent European IED limits. A recent Health Impacts Assessment of the facility by specialists EnRisks confirmed that the facility's impacts on community health would be negligible.
"The issuing of a Works Approval means that we are closer to bringing our feasibility study to completion. We are now working to secure long term access to residual waste supply and finalise Engineering, Procurement
and Construction details for the project. We can then transition to closing out our financing arrangements for this exciting project," said Mr Jettner.
Australian Paper is one of the Latrobe Valley's largest employers, supporting almost 2,400 jobs in the region. The EfW project would reduce Australian Paper's reliance on fossil fuels to stabilise its energy future and support ongoing capital investment at the site.
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