Recycling Centre on Horizon for Mount Isa

In a first for Mount Isa, the design and construction of a purpose-built Materials Recovering Facility (MRF) will soon commence thanks to Council being successful in securing $6 million from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.

The building of the processing facility could create up to 14 construction jobs, as well as eight new ongoing jobs in the local waste management sector.

The overwhelmingly positive response to Council’s community survey earlier this year asking residents whether they were interested in a kerbside residential yellow-top bin service was the impetus for Council moving ahead with the adoption of a kerbside collection to a locally constructed MRF.

Mayor Danielle Slade said Council received almost 940 responses to the survey, with 97 percent of people indicating they would like to have a recycling service in Mount Isa.

“We as a Council are confident that these results reflect the wider community’s support for the establishment of a permanent recycling facility in Mount Isa,” Cr Slade said.

“Initial plans were for us to have a one-year trial service, but with this funding from the Australian Government, we are incredibly fortunate to now be able to go ahead with the construction of the materials recovery facility and the rollout of a residential yellow-top bin service across Mount Isa to service this facility.

“Mount Isa has never had a recycling facility or yellow-top bins before, so to hear that this will become a reality is a terrific shot in the arm for our community.

“I look forward to seeing this being introduced in Mount Isa and thank the Waste Management team for their great work in putting together their successful funding application.”

The materials recovery facility has the potential to divert 22,000 tonnes of waste, such as cardboard, glass, steel, aluminium, plastics, green waste, timber and concrete, from going into landfill each year.

This represents a saving of about $1.7 million in Waste Levy costs per annum and could also potentially extend the life of the landfill by as much as 80 years.

It is anticipated the materials recovery facility and kerbside yellow-top bin service will both be up and running by the end of 2021.