Transporting Canberra's recycling across the border for processing following a devastating fire that ruined the ACT's own facility has cost the government more than $10 million.
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A fire thought to have been caused by one or more lithium-ion batteries in a waste chute destroyed the ACT Material Recovery Facility in Hume on December 26, 2022.
"As a result of the fire, alternative operational arrangements have been established with the current MRF contractor to ensure the continuation of associated recycling services in the ACT," the report said.
"ACT household recycling collections continued as normal following the fire."
The increase in appropriation drawn by the Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate in 2022-23 is mainly due to the costs of transporting and processing recycling material following the fire, the directorate's annual report said.
A new material recovery facility will be constructed on the same site, designed to meet the city's long-term recycling processing needs.
"A draft Environmental Impact Statement has been put out for public consultation, and a procurement to engage a contractor to design, construct and operate the new facility is being progressed and is expected to be released to market in early 2023-24," the report said.
Government contractors made 3.7 million household recycling collections across the territory in 2022-23, with 33,918 tonnes of household recyclable material recovered.
The ACT government in May began its search for a consortium partner to co-finance and operate its new recycling plant at Hume, with $21 million already guaranteed toward its construction by the Commonwealth and the territory.
The new facility is not expected to be operational until 2026, with tender documents released in August seeking an interim solution.
The new facility will need to have sufficient capacity to process 115,000 tonnes of mostly glass, cardboard, aluminium and plastics a year, more than double that of the previous facility.
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The old facility, which opened in 2016, had been receiving around 63,000 tonnes annually of recyclable material from the kerbside around the ACT, as well as material from six regional NSW councils.
Transport Canberra and City Services also repaired 13,200 potholes in 2022-23, an increase of 5400 potholes from the previous financial year. The directorate also resealed more than a million square metres of roads, its annual report said.
The directorate also handled 15 allegations of fraudulent activity by its staff, with the majority still under review. One matter has also been referred to police.
One allegation that a staff member accessed information without authority was substantiated and the employee was counselled with a written warning.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
