Background
The SEQ Waste Management Plan (Waste Plan), developed in 2021 in partnership with SEQ Council of Mayors members and the State Government. The Waste Plan sets out a directional path forward for action and collaboration across the Councils of South-East Queensland (SEQ) to improve waste management outcomes.
The Waste Plan identified the recovery of organics from the kerbside general waste stream as the single biggest opportunity to move the needle on landfill diversion targets contained in the Strategy. The diversion of organic material from landfills will require the phased rollout of organics kerbside collection and, subsequently, the associated increased organics processing capacity across SEQ.
To achieve this trajectory, councils will rely heavily on effective source separation of organic material and diverting it from the red lid (residual) bin, which currently represents up to approximately 50% of material collected through this kerbside service.
Guiding Principles of the Waste Plan
- the importance of working collaboratively across Councils;
- value-for-money solutions with the efficient allocation of capital;
- circular economy and environmental outcomes; and
- minimising the impact on households across SEQ
Queensland is the last major mainland state to roll out organic systems in municipal settings and is uniquely placed to consider the learnings from other jurisdictions to deliver best practice collection and processing solutions across SEQ.
Councils are currently considering implementing or expanding organic services, which are expected to be fully operational across the region by 2030.
CoMSEQ – Industry Brief
While there may be a general understanding that new organics kerbside collection services will be phased in over time, there is currently limited SEQ regional organics processing capacity available to support the full expansion of these services.
To support robust decision-making by SEQ Councils, and assist the PMO on potential investment approaches and opportunities, the PMO commissioned the development of the SEQ Organics Processing Roadmap.
Within the key findings of the SEQ Organics Processing Roadmap, it was recommended that SEQ Councils be transparent to the organics Industry on the market timing and composition of organics rollouts to align optimal market solutions to meet requirements.
On this basis, this industry brief is CoMSEQ led via the Waste Project Management Office (PMO).
The following table provides indicative only forecast for SEQ-wide organics types, tonnages and expected timing. Noting step changes in tonnage indicative of commencement of broader service rollouts.
Forecast Organics Tonnes & Expected Timing
SEQ Council & Organics Type | Tonnes per Financial Year | ||||||||
24-25 | 25-26 | 26-27 | 27-28 | 28-29 | 29-30 | 30-31 | 31-32 | 32-33 | |
Noosa Shire Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 4,814 | 4,860 | 4,894 | 4,928 | 4,962 | 4,997 | 5,032 | 5,059 | 5,087 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 5,108 | 5,156 | 5,192 | 5,229 | 5,265 | 5,302 | 5,339 | 5,368 | 5,397 |
C&I – GO | 6,230 | 6,289 | 6,333 | 6,378 | 6,422 | 6,467 | 6,512 | 6,547 | 6,583 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 16,152 | 16,306 | 16,420 | 16,534 | 16,650 | 16,766 | 16,883 | 16,974 | 17,066 |
Gympie Regional Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 5,932 | 5,996 | 6,030 | 6,065 | 6,099 | 6,134 | 6,169 | 6,193 | 6,217 |
C&I – GO | 1,629 | 1,647 | 1,656 | 1,666 | 1,675 | 1,685 | 1,694 | 1,701 | 1,708 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 7,561 | 7,642 | 7,686 | 7,730 | 7,774 | 7,819 | 7,864 | 7,894 | 7,925 |
Sunshine Coast Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 29,378 | 30,121 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
MSW – Kerbside – FOGO | – | – | 40,996 | 41,794 | 42,608 | 43,437 | 44,283 | 45,052 | 45,835 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 16,808 | 17,232 | 17,568 | 17,910 | 18,258 | 18,614 | 18,976 | 19,306 | 19,642 |
C&I – GO | 15,604 | 15,998 | 16,309 | 16,627 | 16,950 | 17,280 | 17,617 | 17,923 | 18,235 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 61,790 | 63,351 | 74,873 | 76,331 | 77,816 | 79,331 | 80,876 | 82,281 | 83,712 |
City of Moreton Bay | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 16,333 | 28,000 | 28,504 | 29,017 | 29,539 | 30,071 | 30,612 | 31,163 | 31,724 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 20,862 | 18,560 | 18,894 | 19,234 | 19,580 | 19,933 | 20,292 | 20,657 | 21,029 |
C&I – GO | 11,735 | 10,440 | 10,628 | 10,819 | 11,014 | 11,212 | 11,414 | 11,619 | 11,829 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 48,930 | 57,000 | 58,026 | 59,070 | 60,134 | 61,216 | 62,318 | 63,440 | 64,582 |
Brisbane City Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 39,556 | 70,506 | 71,129 | 71,757 | 72,390 | 73,029 | 73,674 | 74,290 | 74,911 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 23,692 | 22,072 | 22,267 | 22,463 | 22,661 | 22,862 | 23,063 | 23,256 | 23,451 |
C&I – GO | 33,506 | 33,936 | 34,236 | 34,538 | 34,843 | 35,150 | 35,461 | 35,757 | 36,056 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 96,754 | 126,514 | 127,631 | 128,758 | 129,894 | 131,041 | 132,198 | 133,303 | 134,417 |
Redland City Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 8,514 | 22,435 | 22,628 | 22,822 | 23,018 | 23,215 | 23,415 | 23,616 | 23,818 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 21,292 | 15,633 | 15,855 | 16,152 | 16,437 | 16,694 | 16,873 | 17,023 | 17,150 |
C&I – GO | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 29,806 | 38,068 | 38,483 | 38,974 | 39,455 | 39,909 | 40,288 | 40,639 | 40,968 |
Logan City Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 7,357 | 7,614 | 32,470 | 33,606 | 34,782 | 35,569 | 36,374 | 37,051 | 37,741 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 19,082 | 19,750 | 16,210 | 16,777 | 17,364 | 17,757 | 18,159 | 18,497 | 18,841 |
C&I – GO | 6,972 | 7,216 | 7,468 | 7,730 | 8,000 | 8,181 | 8,366 | 8,522 | 8,681 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 33,411 | 34,580 | 56,148 | 58,113 | 60,147 | 61,507 | 62,899 | 64,070 | 65,263 |
City of Gold Coast | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 39,540 | 40,492 | 41,466 | 42,464 | 43,486 | 69,716 | 71,453 | 73,234 | 75,059 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 29,649 | 30,242 | 30,847 | 31,464 | 32,093 | 32,735 | 33,390 | 34,058 | 34,739 |
C&I – GO | 28,199 | 28,763 | 29,338 | 29,925 | 30,523 | 31,134 | 31,757 | 32,392 | 33,040 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 97,388 | 99,497 | 101,651 | 103,853 | 106,102 | 133,585 | 136,600 | 139,684 | 142,838 |
Scenic Rim Regional Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | – | – | 2,699 | 2,739 | 2,780 | 2,822 | 2,864 | 2,890 | 2,916 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 4,800 | 4,873 | 4,463 | 4,530 | 4,598 | 4,666 | 4,736 | 4,779 | 4,822 |
C&I – GO | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 4,800 | 4,873 | 7,162 | 7,269 | 7,378 | 7,488 | 7,600 | 7,669 | 7,738 |
Ipswich City Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 9,035 | 27,500 | 28,403 | 29,335 | 30,299 | 31,293 | 32,321 | 33,527 | 34,778 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 9,915 | 8,790 | 9,079 | 9,377 | 9,685 | 10,003 | 10,331 | 10,717 | 11,117 |
C&I – GO | 1,465 | 1,511 | 1,561 | 1,612 | 1,665 | 1,720 | 1,776 | 1,842 | 1,911 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 20,415 | 37,801 | 39,043 | 40,324 | 41,648 | 43,016 | 44,428 | 46,086 | 47,806 |
Lockyer Valley Regional Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 2,611 | 3,177 | 3,221 | 3,265 | 3,310 | 3,355 | 3,401 | 3,446 | 3,491 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 6,471 | 6,329 | 6,416 | 6,504 | 6,593 | 6,683 | 6,774 | 6,864 | 6,954 |
C&I – GO | 702 | 711 | 720 | 730 | 740 | 750 | 761 | 771 | 781 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 9,784 | 10,217 | 10,357 | 10,499 | 10,643 | 10,788 | 10,936 | 11,080 | 11,226 |
Somerset Regional Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 |
C&I – GO | 215 | 217 | 221 | 224 | 227 | 230 | 234 | 237 | 240 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 239 | 242 | 246 | 249 | 253 | 256 | 260 | 264 | 267 |
Toowoomba Regional Council | |||||||||
MSW – Kerbside – GO | 10,702 | 22,291 | 22,480 | 22,670 | 22,862 | 23,056 | 23,251 | 23,433 | 23,616 |
MSW – Self-haul – GO | 37,339 | 33,747 | 34,032 | 34,321 | 34,611 | 34,905 | 35,200 | 35,475 | 35,753 |
C&I – GO | 4,878 | 4,916 | 4,957 | 4,999 | 5,042 | 5,084 | 5,128 | 5,168 | 5,208 |
TOTAL ORGANICS VOLUME | 52,918 | 60,953 | 61,470 | 61,990 | 62,515 | 63,045 | 63,579 | 64,076 | 64,577 |
Please Note: Some of the above indicated SEQ Council tonnes may already be committed to existing processing arrangements or current procurement activities.
The PMO is expecting Industry to respond directly to Councils, with value-for-money organics processing solutions, which may require the ability to provide sub-regional and/or collaborative-style processing solutions, as Council’s progressively release tenders to the market.
At this point in time, SEQ Councils have predominately indicated the rolling out or expansion of Garden Organics only Kerbside collection services. There are Councils who have also indicated a timeline for transition to Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO), however the majority of SEQ Councils are not able to provide any guarantees or certainty of the timing of the transition to FOGO.
All organics processing procurement will be led and driven by SEQ Councils only, not through the PMO nor CoMSEQ.
The forecasted Council data is provided as guidance only to industry.